Enable Dark Mode?

[thevofl]

It's only been a few days since I got my Platinum, and I have some questions. The first is dark mode. I have a pet peeve when it comes to vehicle design; I really dislike when someone gets in or out of their vehicle that the vehicle illuminates the environment around them. Worse is when the owner can't deactivate it. So when I took my truck out for a drive at night, I realized just how bright and non-customizable it is on the F-150. That cargo light is blinding. I know many people love it and look for it as a feature, but I cringe whenever I see it.

Does anyone have an easy long term solution?

I know there's a Forscan setting that will activate the police dark mode. My issue with Forscan is that I am so nervous about going into the programming. I've watched many videos, but still this is a learning process on an $80k truck. I don't feel confident taking that risk without a knowledgeable person right there. (That's the teacher in me coming out here.)

There are devices on eBay (for previous model years) that will turn off the feature, but I don't know about the reliability of these devices let alone finding one for the 2022MY.

This site indicates there's a button sequence that will enable dark mode, but I can't seem to get it to work for me.

I have taken the temporary measure of putting opaque tape to cover the lights under the side mirrors, the pin light in the tailgate, and (start cringing) cover up the white part (and an inch or two into the red part) of the cargo light. This is not a long term solution.

Any suggestions?

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[powerboatr]

IIIRC dark mode changes will kill all lights inside and out when you open the doors
but it cant be switched back on without forscan again
at least thats how i remember the last guy that did it on super duty site
ford really needs to make a switch to kill the lights as an option when you need it.

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

IIIRC dark mode changes will kill all lights inside and out when you open the doors
but it cant be switched back on without forscan again
at least thats how i remember the last guy that did it on super duty site
ford really needs to make a switch to kill the lights as an option when you need it.

The Forscan spreadsheet calls it silent mode. Making changes to BCM and APIM gives you a soft switch on the Sync screen where you can turn "Silent Mode" off and on.

This mode keeps the lights off as you approach and open the door. Nice when you are using the truck as a generator. Or going hunting. Etc.

 

[Meterman]

Hello, I'm interested in enabling this and adding the soft switch on the sync screen.

I see there are a lot of options and I wasn't sure which address I change.

The BCM shows:

				Feat_Cfg [SILENTMODE] [PERS_1] (SILENTMODE_PERS_1)
726-25-02	**xx	xxxx	xx--	00 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_1 DISABLE		01 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_1 ENABLE
				Feat_Cfg [SILENTMODE] [PERS_2] (SILENTMODE_PERS_2)
726-25-02	xx**	xxxx	xx--	00 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_2 DISABLE		01 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_2 ENABLE
				Feat_Cfg [SILENTMODE] [PERS_3] (SILENTMODE_PERS_3)
726-25-02	xxxx	**xx	xx--	00 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_3 DISABLE		01 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_3 ENABLE
				Feat_Cfg [SILENTMODE] [PERS_4] (SILENTMODE_PERS_4)
726-25-02	xxxx	xx**	xx--	00 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_4 DISABLE		01 =	SILENTMODE_PERS_4 ENABLE
				Feat_Cfg [SILENTMODE] [VEHICLE] (SILENTMODE_VEHICLE)
726-25-02	xxxx	xxxx	**--	00 =	SILENTMODE_VEHICLE DISABLE		01 =	SILENTMODE_VEHICLE ENABLE

and the APIM shows these:

				Dark Car Mode (DCM) • Power to the Box (PB) • Trailer Reverse Guidance 2 Feature (TRGF)
7D0-01-03	xxxx	**xx	xx--	00 =	DCM Disabled • PB Disabled • TRGF Not Available		10 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Disabled • TRGF Not Available
				01 =	DCM Disabled • PB Disabled • TRGF Available		11 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Disabled • TRGF Available
02 =	DCM Disabled • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Not Available		12 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Not Available
03 =	DCM Disabled • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Available		13 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Available
04 =	DCM Disabled • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Not Available		14 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Not Available
05 =	DCM Disabled • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Available		15 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Available
06 =	DCM Disabled • PB Reserved • TRGF Not Available		16 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Reserved • TRGF Not Available
07 =	DCM Disabled • PB Reserved • TRGF Available		17 =	DCM Enabled (Version 2.0) • PB Reserved • TRGF Available
08 =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Disabled • TRGF Not Available		18 =	DCM Reserved • PB Disabled • TRGF Not Available
09 =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Disabled • TRGF Available		19 =	DCM Reserved • PB Disabled • TRGF Available
0A =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Not Available		1A =	DCM Reserved • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Not Available
0B =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Available		1B =	DCM Reserved • PB Enabled with 1 Dial • TRGF Available
0C =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Not Available		1C =	DCM Reserved • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Not Available
0D =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Available		1D =	DCM Reserved • PB Enabled with 2 Dials • TRGF Available
0E =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Reserved • TRGF Not Available		1E =	DCM Reserved • PB Reserved • TRGF Not Available
0F =	DCM Enabled (Legacy) • PB Reserved • TRGF Available		1F =	DCM Reserved • PB Reserved • TRGF Available

any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

I made these changes 4/24/2022. After additional spreadsheet research apparently there is a difference between silent mode and dark mode. These changes inhibit approach lighting and dome lighting when opening up the cab.

2022-04-24	BCM	726-25-02	0101	0101	01xx
2022-04-24	BCM	726-28-02	01xx	xxxx	xx
2022-04-24	APIM	7D0-09-02	Dxxx	xxxx	xx-

Someone else will have to chime in as to what dark mode accomplishes.

 

[thevofl]

I made these changes 4/24/2022. After additional spreadsheet research apparently there is a difference between silent mode and dark mode. These changes inhibit approach lighting and dome lighting when opening up the cab.

2022-04-24	BCM	726-25-02	0101	0101	01xx
2022-04-24	BCM	726-28-02	01xx	xxxx	xx
2022-04-24	APIM	7D0-09-02	Dxxx	xxxx	xx-

Someone else will have to chime in as to what dark mode accomplishes.

To be specific, I am looking for inhibiting the external lights upon opening or closing the door. (The lights in question are: under side mirror puddle lights, tailgate pinpoint light, cargo light, tail lights, and running lights.) The dome light would not be an issue as I usually have it set to off; if need be I could hit the overhead lights. On a side note, those interior lights are very bright, I wish I could dim them.

 

[powerboatr]

The Forscan spreadsheet calls it silent mode. Making changes to BCM and APIM gives you a soft switch on the Sync screen where you can turn "Silent Mode" off and on.

This mode keeps the lights off as you approach and open the door. Nice when you are using the truck as a generator. Or going hunting. Etc.

AWESOME, that is a change i was un aware

sync 4 just keeps giving easter eggs
i may have to run this change
in sync 3 it was on or off and not easy to switch back

 

[ptricky]

Someone else will have to chime in as to what dark mode accomplishes.

I tried dark mode on my '21 job 1 awhile back. Didn't keep it because (as others have said) it requires forscan to enable & disable making it a somewhat permeant change.

In addition to disabling cabin lighting & approach lighting, it also disabled the backlighting on all the cabin buttons and all the accent lighting. I believe the only element which continued to have backlighting was the 120v outlet for the rear seats.

It got pretty old pretty quick driving at night and not being able to tell the difference in any of the buttons. I didn't realize how functional it was to be able to see the buttons for the windows or power locks...until the whole cabin was blacked out on a dark night.

But it is amazingly dark; exactly what I want when I'm in the RV park at night and need to open a door or run the ProPower.

 

[hotrodmex]

I tried dark mode on my '21 job 1 awhile back.

Did you try each of the options by chance?

DCM Enabled (Legacy)
DCM Enabled (Version 2.0)
DCM Reserved

 

[ptricky]

When I previously dabbled in dark mode, I didn’t edit any of the asbuilt values. I picked dark mode from the list of settings in FORscan. It certainly made everything dark, but I wasn’t going to pull out my programmer every time I was headed to the campground.

I did make these silent mode edits and am pleased. The correct things are dark and the toggle button on the SYNC screen is perfect. No hassle to enable & disable!

 

[TurkeySlayer]

Hi, new here and the Silent Mode is why I'm here. I had an 2013 F150 EcoBoost I had an electrical shop put it in Police Mode for no lights when I went turkey hunting. There was no on/off switch, just always had no cargo light, no exterior lights at all when I opened the doors , and the interior light dimmer switch made the interior lights go really dim. Very nice and I miss it.
In my new 2024 it again lights up like a Christmas tree when I pushunlock on the FOB, open the doors , etc. I just got an OBDLink EX yesterday and I am going to do @JIMFOUNTAIN three mods. In the APIM, though, where Jim puts the 'D' I'll put an 'F' to keep Intelligent Access menu enabled.
I'll be glad to see how it goes and keep up on this topic.

 

[TurkeySlayer]

Made the changes today, same as @JIMFOUNTAIN but used the F instead of D.
The truck is not lit on the outside at all when I exit, the lights don't flash when I use the FOB to lock/unlock the truck. The SYNC screen is in dark mode , and there's a Silent Mode switch in the Settings...Vehicle menu.
Im very happy with it upon first tests.

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