Hill start assist is the safety feature in Ford trucks that reduces the risk of accidents and prevents the vehicle from rolling back on sloppy surfaces. It maintains the vehicle’s speed and the rolling of tires when moving on an inclined surface.
Hill Start Assist not available for Ford trucks can be due to driving on icy and rocky roads, misalignment of radars, faulty brake lights, damaged sensors, bad truck batteries, dashboard errors, faulty traction and stability control systems, software issues, and bad anti-lock braking sensors.
Many people complain that sometimes their truck shows a warning sign on the screen with the message Hill start not available. It indicates that the safety feature stops working in your vehicle, and brakes cannot control the movement of tires.
| Causes | Solutions |
| Driving on icy and rocky roads | Drive on clear roads |
| The Hill start assist switch is off | Turn on the hill start assist feature |
| Faulty brake lights | Replace the damaged bulb and blown-out fuse |
| Bad sensors and radars | Clean sensors and check radar alignment |
| Bad batteries of truck | Replace batteries |
| Dashboard error | Turn off the ignition and start truck again |
| Faulty traction and stability control | Remove dirt buildup and check electric connections |
| Software issues | Update software |
| Bad anti-lock braking sensors | Clean the sensors with a brush |
Driving on icy and rocky roads
The hill start assist feature stops functioning, and you can see the warning message on your dashboard screen while driving on an inclined road surface.
The issue usually comes when you are driving on snowy and rocky roads. Tires’ traction decreases when driving on snowy and rocky road surfaces.
Ford F150 tires cannot maintain their traction on the road because of uneven and rocky surfaces of the roads. The feature automatically stops functioning when tires cannot maintain proper contact with the ground.
The safety mode retains the brake pressure for longer once you press the brake pedal to control the tires spinning. They cannot correctly control the spinning speed of tires because of uneven surfaces.
Some Ford models also have this mode for declining, preventing forward collisions.
You do not need any special fix to solve the problem because the message from your screen goes on its own. The message disappears when you start moving on clear and smooth roads.
The Hill start assist switch is off
You can turn on and off this feature in your Ford F150 using the infotainment display screen. People often use this mode manually instead of automatically, which uses sensors and activates them after checking road types.
Use the right-side arrow button on the steering wheel to enter the main menu. Use the up and right buttons to open the setup, and click on the right arrow.
You can see the hill launch option and select its modes, including auto, manual, and off. Many times, people accidentally turn them off and forget to turn them on.
You can see the hill start assist not available message on the screen after pressing the brake pedal on inclined roads. Moreover, I faced the issue after car washing because I turned it off while going to dealerships for washing purposes.
Children can also turn them off while playing in trucks because they do not know about them. It is necessary to turn on the setting and select the auto or manual option to enjoy the safety feature while driving in hilly areas.
Faulty brake lights
Brake lights turn on to alert the other vehicles when you engage the brakes of your trucks. The hill start assist feature becomes unavailable when brake lights are not functioning and become faulty.
These become faulty when LED bulbs that illuminate them burnt out. In addition, these do not function because of corroded brake pedals, broken switches, and faulty electric connections.
Brake lights do not illuminate in Ford vehicles when you press the brake pedal because of dead batteries and a blown-out fuse. Check the bulbs and fuse of the lights and replace them if they are burnt out.
Bad sensors and radars
The automatic feature of hill start assists in using radar and sensors to identify road conditions. The system activates itself when the sensor detects inclined surfaces of the road.
Sometimes the sensors become bad in your Ford F150 truck and cannot send the correct signals to the respective system. In addition, the issue also comes because of the poor alignment of radars.
These do not detect road conditions, and warning messages come on the screen. It is necessary to check the sensors and keep them clean for proper functioning. Ensure the correct alignment of the radars for their proper detection.
Bad batteries of truck
Hill start assist is the safety feature that uses electricity for their functioning. Batteries provide electricity for the functioning of this feature. You can see the message on the screen when batteries become weak and do not provide sufficient voltage.
The alert message is displayed on your Ford screen to alert you while driving. Batteries become dead when you over or undercharge them. In addition, these also become weak when you keep the headlights and turn signals on and forget to turn them off.
The issue also comes when you do not completely turn off the vehicles, and different components take voltage from them.
Replacing the batteries after 5 to 6 years is necessary because they become dead. Recharge the batteries when their voltage drops from normal.
Dashboard error
Dashboard errors in vehicles are common, which leads to random malfunctioning of various features. Hill start assist can malfunction because of poor electric connections between their assembly.
Moreover, the issue also comes when moisture enters their components. Random errors in dashboard screens are common in Ford trucks, leading to random messages and blinking of dash lights.
The issue also comes when you press the start button longer. Moreover, I also saw this message on the screen when I was moving outside from the garage with an open hood.
You can restart your vehicle to get rid of these random messages on your screen. Turn off the ignition and then press the start button again.
You can see a message from the screen disappears when you restart the system.
Faulty traction and stability control
Traction and stability control systems are present in all models of Ford trucks to maintain the contact of the tires on the road. In addition, it allows the spinning of wheels and prevents them from skidding on different types of roads.
Hill start assist works with the traction and stability control systems to stop the backward movement on inclined road surfaces. The safety feature show warning sign when the stability and traction control system stops functioning.
These do not function when fuel-sending components, including fuel injectors, become faulty and cannot send enough power for tire spinning. Moreover, these do not work when anti-lock braking and speed sensors become bad.
Remove the dust and dirt buildup from their connected sensors and check the electric connections between them and the traction control module.
Software issues
The vehicles’ software is connected to an electric control unit, which controls the functioning of various systems. The electronic control units also control the hill start assist feature, and these do not work when there is an issue with them.
Software glitches are common when you do not keep them updated. The ECU disables the different features when the software is not updated.
Moreover, technical faults are common in the Ford software, and you have to consult with specific dealers to solve the problem. Update the software so it does not disable the different features.
Bad anti-lock braking sensors
Anti-lock braking systems use the braking system to determine the tire’s speed and then send signals to the computer system. These sensors are present inside the wheels to check the speed of the wheels.
Hill start assist stop functioning in Ford trucks, and you can see the message on the screen when anti-lock braking sensors become faulty.
These become faulty when the wires connecting these sensors to the computer system are damaged. Moreover, dust and corrosion can also interrupt the functioning of these wheel sensors, and these cannot send signals.
The safety feature cannot maintain the speed of the wheels when the sensors embedded in them are faulty. It is necessary to keep them clean and remove the dust and rust using a brush or pressurized water.
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