[Easy Solution] Ford F150 Display Screen Not Working- Figuring Out Why?

The display of your Ford F-150 vehicle has to be one of the most prominent parts that becoming unusable can cause trouble with your regular driving scenes. What the exact problem is and how should you deal with that specific issue to sort it out, this matter needs some discussion we feel like. And that is why we have decided to help you figure out a way when your ford f150 display screen not working.

Since some of you may not be very well aware of such vehicle components, we’ll try to keep this whole guide worded with beginner-friendly terms. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get into it.

Why is Your Ford F150 Display Screen Not Working

Reasons for Display Screen Not Working	Simple Fixes to Try
Frozen or problematic screen	Reset the system using the volume button
Faulty fuse in the fusebox	Replace the blown radio display fuse as soon as possible
SYNC 3 and stereo screen issue	Take out the negative battery terminator for 30 minutes and secure it back
Loosen or worn-out wire trouble	Tighten up wire or replace it
Powerless radio unit	Restart your truck a few times or press the power button for some seconds

Usually, a bad display refers to a blank or black screen. And we are talking about vehicles that are equipped with the SYNC 3. Basically, what is happening here is that there’s no image on your front display interface module. Which is also shortly known as FDIM.

What is FDIM?

It’s the part of your SYNC 3 system that basically shows the touch screen display. The main role of this part or module is to conduct communication that could be of several types. You have a certain transferring role as well. Sometimes the failure indication of FDIM does not actually mean the SYNC 3 system is failing, but something else.

When the sync failure occurs, your ford display screen turns black/blank or becomes blue. There can be many reasons for this defect and they require the resetting method.

Sometimes this issue appears for barely a few seconds (even a fraction of seconds in some cases) while it can also be possible that you are having the problem as a complete hard fault.

Also, it is possible that the whole blank or black screen problem isn’t related to the ford touch screen not responding to touch inputs as well as frozen condition. It might also not be the same as the display being one color, for example, blue.

A number of things can cause this intermittent blank screen or black display situation. It could be because the APIM is faulty. Sometimes it’s due to a problematic FDIM. The bad connections or issues included LVDS cable can also cause the problem.

What is LVDS cable?

With 4 conductors present, this cable has the responsibility to maintain a connection between the front display and the accessory protocol interface model. The power that gets transferred to the FDIM system is basically done through this system apart from also receiving and generating that power.

It could also be due to some software malfunction. Other responsible components are circuits for power, ground, and communication to the APIM. Also, it could be to the APIM connector. Or even some other network-associated modules.

Try Resetting the Ford F150 Screen – The Easiest Fix That Usually Works

This is the very first thing you should try whenever facing trouble with the f-150 screens. And it’s basically giving it a soft reset. It does not take much time and often, you’ll end up solving the issue just like that. Here’s how to reset ford f150 screen all by yourself:

• Find out the volume button and press it. You want to keep holding it until the screen turns off completely. Don’t release the button, let the screen start as usual.
• The reset should start at this point. Make sure the softwares are all updated as well. Often times the main reason for the freezing screen is basically not updated software. Once you get those updated, a lot of bugs will be fixed at the same time.
• However, if the screen is basically dead, and it’s not turning on at all, then it is probably a wiring or fuse issue. You need to fix or replace those components to get the damaging components back to work. Something that we’ll be talking about next.

The Ford Radio Display Not Working Due to Wire Faults or Fuse Issues

It’s something that is also quite often the case behind a faulty radio display. And it’s a malfunction with the wiring. In a few cases, your truck’s audio might simply need a factory re-boot and so, the problem is arising.

Since the ford radio display not working can also be a signal for a reset of SYNC 3 as well as the stereo screen, you should consider those processes. It’s pretty simple to follow, here’s what to do:

• There should be a cable for a positive battery. You need to disconnect it. Then leave it as it is for half an hour basically.
• After 30 minutes, go ahead and reconnect the cable back to its actual position. You want to turn your vehicle on at this point.
• Now, this should have reset the audio. And sometimes, it helps to make the screen work once again.
• If you see prompts, then make sure to follow those as soon as they appear.

However, if the steps take you nowhere and you end up discovering yourself in the same situation as before, the problem must be something else. It could be the fuse. Check the fuse box next.

The passenger’s footwell located area is where you need to look. On the very right-hand side, you’ll see the cabin fuse box located. Go ahead and pull the fuse for the radio display. Typically, it should be number #32.

If the fuse has worn out or clearly shows signs of burns, don’t delay its replacement. Your screen will get back in track once you do so.

Compatible Ford F150	Number Of Fuses	Fuse Rating	Protected Parts
Latest F150 Models (2015-2021)	32	10 A	Display, (Global position system) Sync 1. Sync 2. Radio Frequency Receiver.
Oldest F150 Models (2011-2014)	9	10 A	Radio display
2020 F150 Models	17	5 A	HUD (Head-up Display)
2020 F150 Models	21	5 A	HUD In Truck Temperature with Humidity Sensor

Fixing Display Screen Issue for Your 2019 Ford F150

Some have faced this problem when driving their 2019 Ford F-150. And it’s basically when driving, the display screen that is located in the stereo area turns off or black completely. And basically, stops functioning.

The main reason is once again wiring most of the time. You need to check them and figure out if any connection is worn or damaged. It could also be due to a loose connection sometimes. In any case, you need to replace damaged or worn wires. While with the open that are just loose, tighten them. And things should get back to how it was.

Having a fuel issue is also a common reason for f150 2019 model display screen not working. It’s basically the most common culprit behind a failure. In this case, you need to check fuse numbers #32 and #33. It should be in a box basically. You can discover the box right begin the glove compartment.

On the box lid, you can easily figure out the matching number. In case of a blown fuse, just make sure you get a similar one for replacing. The cost for such fuse replacement isn’t very high as well. You should be able to get things done within 9 to 25 dollars. However, hiring someone else may need you to spend somewhere between 40 to 180 dollars.

One Weird Trick for Certain F-150 That Works with Display

If you own a 2016 F-150 Lariat and one day you discover the truck radio or screen completely dead, and probably you’ll think the whole unit has zero power to it. Usually, this also leads to having no power on the USB ports as well. Now this problem however is not very common with the model to happen, but a few might show such a situation.

Your first instinct after such an event would be to check the fuse box and look for the blown fuse obviously. But maybe wait for a while. Sometimes after a certain period, when you try to restart the car a few times, it suddenly starts to work once again. If it does not then you can check for the fuse issue of course. The thing getting a fix on its own basically happens due to a power reset process.

Something we can explain with the 2018 XLT Ford model. When you find a screen or radio dead, go for a power reset. And it’s pretty simple also, you just need to hold the power button as well as the forward seek at the same time. Maybe it’ll need 10 to 15 seconds to get things started. This definitely works like magic for this model specifically if you meet a similar issue.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Wrap Up

If after trying absolutely everything, still, your ford f150 display screen not working then it must be going through a very serious problem. Maybe the whole unit is faulty or worn out due to regular or long-time usage.

Replacement of the screen or maybe going for a much-needed upgrade would help here. Because of the fault, you may simply end up thinking of upgrading the thing, and in the end, you’ll have better services from a more enhanced display mechanism.

So, if money isn’t a very big issue, think about it. Or you can ask someone professional to come and check the part. You might not have caught what’s causing the problem, but most probably the experts will figure it out and give you an accurate solution.

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