New to me 2021 Expy -- must have upgrades?

[ExpyUnited]

We got a good deal on a "new to us" 2021 Expedition Max XLT a couple months ago and am starting to think through some upgrades. What are your "must haves"?

Some creature comforts I'd love to add but am not sure worth the trouble --

- front camera/parking sensors especially if a way to integrate into factory screen
- LED headlights/fog lights
- Remote start

Could also see adding a leveling kit and larger wheels/tires at some point but might wait until tires need replacing.

We generally aren't extended warranty people but the pricing for Ford warranties online looks somewhat appealing given the various expensive components that could break over the 5+ years -- is an extended warranty a must have for this vehicle?

 

[Going_Going_Gone]

Stiffer rear (do first) and front (not as critical) sway bars?

Ours has remote start and we have only used it a few times in almost five years and it gets plenty hot here too.

IF you can integrate a plug & play Ford remote start, you would probably be better off than with aftermarket, but that's just my opinion.

Because of all of the electronic parts plus the overall cheapening of components; we bought the Ford ESP, (8 years), but overestimated on miles--we will never come close to the miles at current rate. Whether we keep it after the warranty expires depends on how ours is holding up, what's out there, and if we'd be any better off with a new(er) vehicle or hanging on to our under-used one with many options Ford no longer offers.

 

[chuck s]

The fog lights on my '17 XLT are OEM LED so yours probably are too. They're set as DRLs via FORScan and are running 100% of the time the engine is running as they stay on when the headlights come on and don't turn off with the brights. (More FORScan settings.)

I converted my reflector headlights to HID and the high beams to LED 6 years ago. No issues on this end. Filament placement is critical for these bulbs in reflector housings (need to match the Halogen locations) and seems to have gotten better the past few years.

-- Chuck

 

[Speedboosted]

The fog lights on my '17 XLT are OEM LED so yours probably are too. They're set as DRLs via FORScan and are running 100% of the time the engine is running as they stay on when the headlights come on and don't turn off with the brights. (More FORScan settings.)
-- Chuck

Would you be able to share the coding for getting the fogs as DRL? I made a number of changes to my ‘17 XLT in forscan, but wasn’t successful with that one.

 

[chuck s]

5 years ago I was able to download the Module Build Data (As-Built) information based on the VIN of my Expedition from Ford. https://www.motorcraftservice.com/AsBuilt/Details. Just a table of a zillion numbers but another source (actually a F250 data sheet) told me the fog lights as DRL were at the location below and my settings were listed on the as-built sheet.

726-12-01 0001 000C 4F (mine as built)
726-12-01 xxxx x?xx xx Change ? to 0-DLR Disable, 1=DRL 50% Low Beam. 2=DRL Fog Lights, 3-DRL Turn Signal.

I'm assuming I changed mine to
726-12-01 0001 020C 4F but any notes I made have evaporated.

Bambi Mode (fogs on with high beams) is reputed to be:
726-11-01 ***? xxxx xx Change ? to 1=Disable (how mine came from Ford), 2=Enable.

Hope this helps. Since 2018 when I did this there should be more Expedition specific details here which were not available 5 years ago.

-- Chuck

 

[Alwaysthinkin]

Look at my signature line and you will see what I would recommend as basic requirements. As to extended warranty, I normally never do them but I did with this vehicle. Seems like something where a headlight replacement is $1200 made me think it might be wise to have the coverage. Just be sure to shop around online, you can normally find a better deal then your dealer will offer.