The Center Screen on Our 2021 Ford F-150 Went to Heaven

• We love our long-term 2021 Ford F-150.
• But watching our center screen slowly die in front of us stunk.
• Especially because the fix wasn't painless.

What was the initial diagnosis?

The F-150's screen, controlled by the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM), threw error code TSB 22-2226. That required the technician to provide an update to the module, but not to replace it. From our adviser:

"I've seen this happen several times now, on F-150s, Fusions and Explorers. One customer has been here three times to get this same reboot. That's because the APIM module has to fail in a specific way before Ford will warranty its replacement."

Mike Schmidt, senior manager of vehicle testing operations, left the dealership and put the truck in reverse only to discover the cameras weren't working. He called the adviser and found out the F-150 had indeed failed the necessary test routine and a new APIM was on order. The bad news? It was on back order.

How long did we wait for a new APIM?

Not long! It only took a week for the new APIM to be delivered to the dealership and the part was installed the same day, under warranty. In the meantime, we drove the truck with no cameras, no navigation and, worst of all, no music. Thankfully, we were able to resume the tunes as soon as the dealership got our F-150 back into our hot little hands.

Edmunds says

We're glad to get our F-150 fully operational again, but we'll keep our eyes out for any warning signs going forward.