What happened to “trailer hitching assistance?”

[BLoflin]

I'll have to check that packet, thanks.

The part number for the eBay Yaws were superseded. In Feb the new kits were $750.

Didn't see Yaw Sensor in Ford Accessories in Feb or even right now.

Didn't see Yaw Sensor in Ford Parts in Feb. Do see it now (without a pic, so hard to tell) and it shows as $954.55, which is ridiculous.

Paid $185 on ebay in March.

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[daemonic3]

You got Stickers?!
My dealer provided the Yaw Sensor and I am grateful.
But my BLIS is disabled when I connect the the trailer, even though I have stored the parameters.
22 KR 601A build date 12/02/21 w/o Blue Cruise.

I got the stickers in my glove box as well (Job1 Feb '21) though they are not useable with my truck. I still have a few leftover from my old F150 as well. Mine only came with the sensor, which I put on my travel trailer. My folding utility trailer has a sticker but I cannot use it with my new truck. That's fine being stuck in the dark ages like our ancestors, it's just hard to see where the trailer is headed when it is unloaded and too low to see out the rear view mirror. Sticker/protrailer made it simpler.

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

FYI and FWIW, my 2022 F150 delivered a few days ago included a sealed package separate from the owners manual in the glovebox. That package includes the hard copy "Pro Trailer Backup Assist Quick Guide" and a set of 6 'target stickers' as described in the latest PDF Owner's manual linked above. The stickers are in a pocket at the back of the printed guide booklet.

I can view all of the rear cam views described in the posted video, 'long view' with guidelines and 'close down view' of the hitch.

My truck specs and build chronology are in my sig-block below, I do have the trailer backup assist knob on the dashboard.

Yours may differ, build date may be important, but as far as I'm concerned Ford delivered as promised.

Actually they have not delivered as promised. The OP @Steyreo is right.

The trailer hitching assistance function does not work as described in the manual. Nor does my Job 1 Platinum have the proper wiring harness to enable the Ford trailer camera and tire pressure sensors for my trailer. I read the owners manual (downloaded PDF) prior to ordering my 2021. I used the info there (if equipped is Ford speak for optional features). I ordered making sure I added options to my Platinum that enabled all the electronic goodies. I really wanted the camera and tire pressure thingy to work on my truck.

Heck. When I ordered my F150 in January of 2021 Bluecruise we supposed to deliver mid year. Yeah. It did. Just not to me. Job 2s manufactured in July 2021 had it enabled. I just got my Bluecruise in March 2022 using FDRS personally. Many waiting for Ford still don't have it.

Lots of electronic gremlins still in these Gen 14 trucks.

 

[SRHAGEN]

Early '21 model year trucks came with the sensor module. It was dropped because of the chip issue and Ford reverted to the old sticker method that was used in previous model years. I think '21 build 2 got the stickers but I don't know if Ford is still providing them. They were inside some brochure in the glovebox. I got the sticker system with my 2019 502A Lariat and set it up on my travel trailer. I tried it once and remember that it worked, but I don't remember the details three years later. I never used it again because it was much easier to just use the lines to guide myself back to my trailer hitch.

u are correct I attached my response the wrong quote.
I found what looks like a very specific requirements to get the option in the 2o22 order guide dated 09/15/21.
XLT and above. Option 53A. Should be on job 1 XLT trim and above.
cut and pasted.

I believe it required 360 2.0 active as well as tow mirror upgrade.

Trailer Tow Package (incl. Pro Trailer Backup Assist; NA w/Tow Technology Pkg (17T))
Note: Ordering the Trailer Tow Package does not include Trailer Tow Mirrors. Trailer Tow Mirrors are a
standalone option and must be ordered separately. (Option Code: 54Y/59S)

Both option 53A

Lariat
Trailer Tow Package (incl. Pro Trailer Backup Assist; NA w/ Tow Technology Pkg (17T))
Note: Ordering the Trailer Tow Package does not include Trailer Tow Mirrors. Trailer Tow Mirrors 53A are a standalone option and must be ordered separately.
(Option Code: 54W)

should be out there somewhere in a truck. If u bought the option and don’t have in a job 1 truck. Ouch

 

[SRHAGEN]

I wonder if any 22 job 1 trucks with this option ordered were delivered before the revised order guide in Jan 2022.
Found this, it might help clear it up.
Page 1 and 8. Funny it’s gone from www .




View attachment 2022_Ford_F150_Towing_Info_Oct20.pdf

 

[SilverPigeon]

Unless I'm mistaken, there are two things that have not been discussed yet and that make it clear to me that Trailer Hitching Assistance is not an option for anyone:
1. A radar sensor is required in the rear lower of the vehicle; the manual specifically does not mention that BLIS can perform the radar function and
2. Unlike pro-trailer backup assist, trailer hitching assist also controls steering, shifting and braking/acceleration; pro trailer only controls steering, and even then it's a manual turn of the knob.

Obviously, the pro trailer button is meant to have the function of turning on trailer hitch assist when no trailer is connected, and you've all proved that it doesn't

 

[Steyreo]

Unless I'm mistaken, there are two things that have not been discussed yet and that make it clear to me that Trailer Hitching Assistance is not an option for anyone:
1. A radar sensor is required in the rear lower of the vehicle; the manual specifically does not mention that BLIS can perform the radar function and
2. Unlike pro-trailer backup assist, trailer hitching assist also controls steering, shifting and braking/acceleration; pro trailer only controls steering, and even then it's a manual turn of the knob.

Obviously, the pro trailer button is meant to have the function of turning on trailer hitch assist when no trailer is connected, and you've all proved that it doesn't

Great points.

 

[lynskynbnd]

'22 XL high FX4 5.0 with tow package (trailer brakes) (not trailer tech) I have the backup and zoom feature with the black center line. Works great.

 

[SRHAGEN]

I found a F150 on the lot today with the system ur referring to. See attached and lemme know what u think. By the towing release doc 3.5 was not eligible for it. ??

 

[RossRR]

I found a F150 on the lot today with the system ur referring to. See attached and lemme know what u think. By the towing release doc 3.5 was not eligible for it. ??

Nope, not the system we are discussing here. The Hitch Assist, according to the manual and brochure, was part of the tow technology package and used cameras and radar sensors to automatically maneuver the truck back to the correct position for connecting the trailer's hitch to the ball. It placed figures on the camera display to indicate status of the positioning. As someone said, cool party trick, but pretty much unnecessary since the tailgate camera and guidelines on the display are more than adequate for the task.

 

[Zyvin]

This thread is why the internet is my last source of information, lol.

 

[GEN14OWNER]

I'm gonna go for this one.

Found THIS ARTICLE talking about it as a future feature, from September.

Current video just shows the guide line.


My guess is it was supposed to be on the gen14s, but couldn't make it.

This is exactly what my truck does.

BUT... My truck was built in November 2021 and from what I understand Ford has been deleting options due to the Chip Shortage this may be one of the victims.

 

[BLoflin]

This is exactly what my truck does.

BUT... My truck was built in November 2021 and from what I understand Ford has been deleting options due to the Chip Shortage this may be one of the victims.

Yes, we all have that, that is not what this original post is about.

In the some versions of the owners manual it describes a function, that is similar to the Active Park Assist (in that it implies it takes over the actual steering) and maneuverers the truck directly back to the hitch. It also used some different on-screen graphics to indicate the closing distance to the hitch.

So in other words it would actually detect a hitch ball (on your truck) and the tongue hitch on the trailer and steer the truck to it. The documentation also specified where your hitch ball can be relative to the truck (i.e. no more than 12 inches past the receiver, and height upper and lower limits) and how close (and what the maximum angle) the truck had to be to the trailer's tongue to be detected and begin the procedure.

 

[Kanuck]

Ford is referring to the lines showing on the screen when in reverse to HELP guide the DRIVER when backing up the truck to the trailer. There is no indication that the truck will do it by itself.

Edit: my truck came with both stickers and sensor.

 

[Steyreo]

Ford is referring to the lines showing on the screen when in reverse to HELP guide the DRIVER when backing up the truck to the trailer. There is no indication that the truck will do it by itself.

Edit: my truck came with both stickers and sensor.

Take a look at the owner’s manual pages that somebody posted on above. At one point (in the owner’s manual I had been using, pages of which are posted above), there was listed a system exactly like what @BLoflin described. It got trimmed back to what you referenced. That is what I was originally trying to confirm.

To sum up:
-“trailer hitching assistance” (page 439 of 10/20/21 version of the owner’s manual, the latest one in my FordPass app and the topic of my original post) is DIFFERENT than “trailer backup assistance” (page 446, the system that uses stickers and/or sensors) and DIFFERENT than “trailer reverse guidance” (page 459)
-“trailer hitching assistance” was at one point advertised and planned to be an active system that used radar to steer your truck to the hitching point. That feature was trimmed back quietly to be a bendy line in the rear view. Pretty much everybody has the bendy line.

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