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Hack your Maverick’s electrical system, Ford made it easy

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The 2022 Ford Maverick has several merits worth mentioning. We’ve covered some already. Another trend that’s hot right now is e-DIY, which stands for electrical do-it-yourself. This may sound like a recipe for a short circuit or accidental electrocution, but the trend is big on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

So, of course, Ford is getting in on the e-DIY craze with the 2022 Ford Maverick, which was specifically designed with this purpose in mind.

According to Gaby Grajales, Electrical Program Management Team Leader for Maverick: “When developing the Maverick, the Vehicle Engineering Team did interesting research based on real truck customers struggling by adding their electrical devices back to the truck.”

What they found: A lot of people were hacking into their wiring harness to run things like lighting, air pumps and other electrical accessories. The team wanted to give Maverick owners a better – and safer option – and so e-DIY was born. Therefore, the 2022 Ford Maverick has two 12-volt 20-amp prewired sources in the truck bed enabling DIY electrical solutions.

Ford is showcasing one e-DIY hack in a video titled: Hack Your Maverick: Electrical DIY Bed Rail Lighting & Air Compressor.

Is it safe to hack your Maverick?

Tinkering and working with your hands is a lost skill for some of the younger generation, but thanks to viral videos on TikTok and YouTube, the DIY craze has come back. So naturally Ford reacted. But is it safe or smart to be tinkering around with the wiring on your truck? Grajales says it is, as long as you take some precautions.

“We saw people trying to get access to the brake light power or fishing out wire between two sheet metal panels, which have sharp edges and can be dangerous so we really wanted to give them a simple and safe way to do it,” Grajales said. “The 12-volt electrical DIY is actually a pre-wired solution and is very accessible. You don’t have to remove any vehicle parts because it’s already integrated at the bed. Maverick’s e-DIY is completely safe.”

Of course, Ford was quick to point out Maverick customers can buy accessories like factory-available box lighting rather than do it themselves. But what’s the fun in that?

Best Maverick DIY hack?

With so many different videos and DIY hacks out there, we asked Grajales which one was her favorite.

“My favorite example of usage for the e-DIY is the air compressor,” she said. “So if you have a portable device and you’re on a trip or you found your neighbor needs help with a flat tire on the road, you just plug it in to the 12-volt connector and save the day.”

Grajales cited a few other DIY hacks she’s seen done on Maverick that included bike racks, bed dividers, bed rails and bed lighting.

The bottom line on Maverick hacks

It might annoy our Managing Editor Jill Ciminillo, an avid TikTok creator, to hear me say I find these some of these TikTok videos and challenges to be tiresome (hello, walking on milk crates??). But there are great things on there, and these truck-hack videos tend to present a-ha moments.

And, frankly, we could all probably use more life hacks. They save us time and make us feel good about doing something for ourselves. Kudos to Ford and the Maverick for making this just a little more possible.

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Jimmy Dinsmore

Jimmy is News Editor for PickupTruckTalk with an expertise in new vehicles. He is also a Ford Mustang historian having authored the book Mustang by Design (available on Amazon). His second book, about the history of Ford's F-Series truck comes out next year.

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2 Comments

  1. Miguel González April 14, 2022

    How can I add the 120 ac volts to my xlt maverik? Do you have a kit?

    Reply
    1. Tim Esterdahl April 15, 2022

      120 volt should plug right into the 20 amp electrical in the rear of the truck. You’ll just need to buy a weather proof plug and find a way to install it.

      Reply

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