Today in Cars: A Police Grappler Rips a Chevy’s Axle, and the Ford F-150 Lightning Faces a Feature Flap

Strange bedfellows, sure: a police gadget shredding a rear axle in a freeway stop and a lawsuit accusing Ford of selling trucks—yes, including the Ford F-150 Lightning—without advertised safety tech. Different lanes, same theme. We put a lot of faith in technology. We expect pursuit tools to end chaos cleanly, and we expect spec sheets to match the truck in our driveway. When either misses, you feel it immediately.

Highway Drama: Police Grappler Rips a Rear Axle Clean Off

I watched one of these grappler demos earlier this year from a safe shoulder, and when it works, it’s almost eerie—no Hollywood crunch, just a sudden, obedient slowdown. The setup is simple: a reinforced arm with a webbed strap deploys from the police car’s front bumper, hooks a rear wheel on the fleeing car, and cinches tight. The locked wheel becomes a drag chute, bleeding speed so officers can guide the stop with far more control than a PIT. That’s the idea, anyway.

But torque is a blunt instrument. Bind a spinning wheel to a two-and-a-half-ton patrol car at speed and physics sends stress somewhere. If the chased vehicle is already tired—toast bushings, sketchy diff, rust-chewed control arms—or the strap grabs off-axis and starts twisting components, that “somewhere” can be the axle. In the freeway video making the rounds today, it looks like exactly that: the wheel gets yanked, the axle checks out, and you suddenly have a heavy metal boomerang tumbling down lane three. Not ideal for anyone following in a crossover with a latte.

Why departments use the grappler

• Reduces the need for high-speed PIT maneuvers in traffic.
• Gives officers a controllable endgame when a suspect refuses to stop.
• Typically limits collateral damage versus spike strips or rolling roadblocks.

The risks no one advertises

• Weak or corroded components can fail spectacularly (axles, links, hubs).
• Off-center grabs can create unpredictable vehicle dynamics.
• Debris—sometimes big debris—can become a secondary hazard for traffic.

Pursuit stoppers at a glance

Pro tip for the rest of us: if traffic parts and you spot a black-and-white with strobes bearing down, stay predictable—signal and ease right. Don’t dart. The officers are threading a needle with a clever tool that still answers to Newton.

Ford F-150 Lightning: Why It’s at the Center of a Safety-Feature Lawsuit

Separate lane, same trust issue. A new lawsuit contends Ford advertised a safety system on certain trucks—explicitly naming the Ford F-150 Lightning—that didn’t make it onto some vehicles as sold. The particulars will play out in court, but the plot is painfully familiar in this era of chip shortages and quiet mid-cycle tweaks: the brochure says yes, the window sticker and the truck itself say “about that…”

A few owners have told me versions of the same story over the last couple of years (and not just with Ford): they expected a specific driver-assist feature at delivery, only to discover it was disabled, deleted, or hiding behind a subscription wall. Sometimes it’s a software activation waiting on a server push. Sometimes it’s a late-availability package that never arrived. And sometimes, frankly, marketing gets a lap ahead of manufacturing.

For context, the Ford F-150 Lightning remains a deeply impressive electric pickup when spec’d as promised. The extended-range versions punch out up to 580 hp and 775 lb-ft, and when I lived with one for a week—rainy school runs, hardware-store runs, and one irresponsible back-road blast—it felt properly quick: call it low 4s to 60 in the hotter trims. Whisper quiet, too, quiet enough to hear your kids negotiating which playlist deserves to be banned forever. But like many modern trucks, its driver-assist roster (think adaptive cruise, lane-centering, and Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free system) depends on specific hardware, software, and subscription status. Miss one ingredient, and the recipe changes.

Feature highlights: Ford F-150 Lightning

• Power: up to 580 hp (extended-range), 775 lb-ft torque.
• 0–60 mph: roughly 4.0 seconds in higher trims (conditions and spec vary).
• Range: commonly 240–320 miles depending on battery and wheels.
• Towing: strong on paper, but expect range penalties with big trailers.
• Driver assistance: Ford Co-Pilot360 tech, with optional BlueCruise hands-free on mapped highways (hardware, software, and subscription dependent).

What Ford F-150 Lightning buyers can do before they sign

• Study the Monroney sticker line by line—don’t rely on the configurator or a PDF brochure.
• On your actual VIN, ask the dealer to demo the feature in question—menus, buttons, status screens, even a short parking-lot test if safe.
• Request the build sheet and confirm option codes, “late availability,” or “feature deletions” in writing.
• If a feature needs a future software enablement, get a signed we-owe with a timeline.

Ford F-150 Lightning feature verification checklist

If you only discover a missing feature after taking the keys, start with the dealer’s general manager and document everything—dates, names, screenshots. Some owners do end up with make-goods: later software activations, accessory credits, or partial refunds. Automakers often reserve the right to change specs without notice (it’s in the fine print), but that’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card for misleading advertising—hence, lawsuits.

The Common Thread: Tech Is Brilliant—Right Until It Isn’t

Whether it’s a grappler lassoing a wheel at 50 mph or a safety suite promised on a sticker, the through line is trust. When I rode along for that grappler demo, the star wasn’t the strap—it was the discipline of the officers using it. Same with driver aids in a truck: labeled clearly and working as described, they fade into the background and turn long commutes into slippers-and-podcast time. But when they’re missing or confused by fine print, they get loud fast.

Bottom Line for Ford F-150 Lightning Shoppers

• Pursuit tools like the grappler can end chases cleanly, but physics can still bite—sometimes hard enough to liberate an axle.
• For the Ford F-150 Lightning, verify safety and driver-assist features on your exact VIN before signing—paperwork, buttons, and menus should all agree.
• If something’s missing post-delivery, document and escalate. Remedies exist, but clarity and written promises are your best friends.
• Trust in modern automotive tech is earned, not assumed—by both manufacturers and those of us buying their vehicles.

FAQ

What is a police grappler and how does it work?

It’s a bumper-mounted device that fires a webbed strap to snag a fleeing car’s rear wheel. Locking that wheel adds drag so officers can slow and control the stop with less chaos than a PIT.

Can a grappler really rip off a car’s axle?

Rare, but yes. If parts are weakened or forces get concentrated off-axis, the stress can exceed what the axle and suspension will tolerate.

Does every Ford F-150 Lightning come with BlueCruise?

No. Availability depends on trim, hardware, software, and subscription status. Check the window sticker and build sheet, and confirm the feature on your actual truck before purchase.

How do I verify a new Ford F-150 Lightning has all the advertised safety features?

Match the window sticker and build sheet to visible hardware on the truck, then do a hands-on demo of the features at delivery. Don’t rely solely on configurators or brochures.

What if a feature is missing from my Ford F-150 Lightning after purchase?

Document the issue, contact the dealer and Ford customer care, and request a remedy—software activation, an accessory credit, a refund, or other make-good. If the dispute is part of a broader case, keep your paperwork organized in case you join a formal complaint.