From Transport Evolved.
In February, a minor rear-end collision on our way to film at Aptera left Nikki’s personal (and therefore Transport Evolved’s) 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning — Ortegas — with a small hairline crack in the rear bumper bracket. The truck drove fine, and while we sustained some soft tissue damage (mainly whiplash) we were able to drive Ortegas back to Oregon.
When we got back, we took Ortegas to a local repair place attached to our local Ford dealership. They spent 60 seconds under the truck and claimed it was fine.
Three months later, we discovered a crack just where we’d been told by cops at the scene they thought might be a hairline fracture. It had got larger.
We went to a different local repair shop (recommended by another local Ford dealership) and Nikki’s insurance company approved the repair. Now, one month later, the shop says the part doesn’t fit and they can’t find a part that does — while simultaneously stating there’s no official repair procedure for this repair on the Lightning. And our insurance company? They want to write the truck off, leaving us with loan payments and a fight over what is otherwise a perfectly functional truck.
Worse still, salvage rules in Oregon would mandate a salvage title if we were to buy the truck back — meaning we’d lose all warranty coverage on a truck with only 22,000 miles on it. For the reduced retail value and the risk of losing every warranty, we’re simply not comfortable with that.
So today, Nikki shares the full story — from the accident to the insurance battle — and asks for your help. If you know anything about F-150 Lightning repair procedures, parts sourcing, or Oregon insurance law, please leave it in the comments below. And no, just getting someone to weld the bracket up is no longer an option the insurance company will accept.
⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:
0:00 — A ball, a dog, and a missing truck
1:41 — From Adira Tal to Ortegas: our Lightning history
4:25 — Half paid off. Then this happened.
5:29 — "No damage." (They were wrong.)
6:57 — One month. No truck. No answers.
8:13 — The part that "doesn’t fit"
9:39 — Fighting back (while exhausted)
12:50 — What comes next?
17:40 — "Economical with the truth"
20:48 — Thank you and goodbye!
—-
*👥 Today’s Sponsors*
🌱 Electric Vehicle Association – https://www.myeva.org
⚡ EnergySage – https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-101290941-16952262
—
✊ Get Involved 🗳️ https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources
❤️ Support the Show
📰 https://www.transportevolved.com
🔥 https://www.patreon.com/transportevolved
☕ https://ko-fi.com/transportevolved
📺 https://www.youtube.com/transportevolved
👕 https://www.redbubble.com/people/TransportEVd/
🛍️ https://amzn.to/40xOyjm
₿ 1QRZRGCCXUKPDZ2DZ9KX9JYJXMZDYHYGFZ0MN4WH
*💬 Join the Conversation*
🐘 https://mastodon.transportevolved.com/@show
💬 https://discord.gg/9WAjfQn
💬 https://fluxer.gg/mcj8aehg
🌀 https://bsky.app/profile/transportevolved.bsky.social
🔁 Subscribe to our 2nd channel – https://www.youtube.com/transportevolvedtake2
—
*🎙️ Credits:*
Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Color: Vi Horton
Art & Animation : Erin Carlie
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Music: via Artlist.io
