Brand new Ranger, headlight assembly burned out...

[alrashid2]

Well, this wasn't the Ranger Day post I was hoping to make, but here we are!

Picked up my brand new Ranger XLT today that I ordered 3 months ago. Super excited! Took the afternoon off work to tinker with it and plan the accessories I will install on it soon.

Anyway, drove it less than 11 miles, brought it home and was idling in the driveway while playing with settings on the infotainment, when a yellow error light popped up on the bottom left corner of the dash cluster... At the same time, my Ford app alerted me that with "Exterior Light Inoperative" - see screenshot attached.

Super bummed. I just brought it home! Think it's an easy fix? I've got a wild day at work tomorrow so don't think I can drop it off until at least Thursday... but hoping it is something simple and a same day repair.

Curious if anyone else has seen this? Thanks guys.

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[CaptAngry]

Don't have bulbs to worry about having a RR

Probably just a manufacturing defect causing early failure. It happens. Sucks you'll need to take it back in, but I'm sure the dealer will fix that quickly.

 

[alrashid2]

Thanks for the reassurance. I did find it odd that the high beams work fine which appear to be the same led bulbs? Maybe I'm wrong.

Hopefully dealer can get to to the bottom of it

 

[dcbz]

Thanks for the reassurance. I did find it odd that the high beams work fine which appear to be the same led bulbs? Maybe I'm wrong.

Hopefully dealer can get to to the bottom of it

Please let us know the outcome. Thanks.

 

[natkill]

Sorry about Winky. Fingers crossed your dealer can get it fixed quickly. Really a shame you got to drive it 11mi before it happened, rather than it happening a little earlier and being caught during their PDI.

Still no tear tag?

 

[stemplar]

Being brand new I'd first suspect that a connector wasn't securely attached. Pop the hood and look down at the back of the headlight assembly and you should be able to see the electrical connector.

 

[alrashid2]

Thanks. It is what it is! Better than it dying 2 weeks after warranty right?

Dealer is being super apologetic. Called me after hours, offered to fix today but I have a long shift so wouldn't be able to get there during normal hours.

Dropping off at 7AM sharp tomorrow! Fingers crossed

 

[alrashid2]

Being brand new I'd first suspect that a connector wasn't securely attached. Pop the hood and look down at the back of the headlight assembly and you should be able to see the electrical connector.

I did pull and plug back in the connector but no dice.

What's odd is the DLR and high beam work fine as well as turn signal. Only low beam doesn't work

 

[AugPal]

I hope it's just the light needs replacement

 

[alrashid2]

Update!

Dealer said a pin in the plug was bent from the factory. They simply bent it back straight, plugged it back in, and headlamp works again. Good to go! Thanks all

 

[natkill]

Update!

Dealer said a pin in the plug was bent from the factory. They simply bent it back straight, plugged it back in, and headlamp works again. Good to go! Thanks all

Must be why you had no tear tag either

 

[alrashid2]

Must be why you had no tear tag either

Right? still don't have one either by the way!

 

[NM Mike]

Glad it was an easy fix and that your dealer took care of it right away.

 

[Jason B]

Don't have bulbs to worry about having a RR

Probably just a manufacturing defect causing early failure. It happens. Sucks you'll need to take it back in, but I'm sure the dealer will fix that quickly.

Don't have to worry about bulbs in any 6G Ranger. They all have LED headlights.
XLT and XL have reflector LED, Lariats HAD projector LED, but that was decommissioned after 2025, so the current Lariat models now use the same reflector-style LEDs as the XL and XLT. I think Raptor still uses projector.

 

[LeeHo]

However, if you want the advantages of a projector, they are offered aftermarket by AlphaRex. They offer direct build projector assemblies specifically designed to fit 2024–2026 Ranger models. The only reason Ford cut them out of the Ranger (except Raptor) was cost. If you stand between a Laiat or Raptor with projectors and a Ranger with LED Reflectors, you will see a huge difference.

LED Projector uses a focused projection lens and internal cutoff shield. This produces a sharp, highly controlled horizontal beam line with minimal light scatter and reduced glare for oncoming drivers whereas the LED Reflector uses a mirrored bowl layout to cast light outward. It provides a wider, more raw spread of light, but the beam pattern is coarser with less defined edges. There are other features built into the Raptor/Lariat projectors like self leveling and cornering.

They are expensive as hell to repair or replace so the reflector has the edge there.

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