Failed software update can’t use vehicle! Wtf

[BadlandsA51]

Unreal! I saw another post from earlier this year but didn’t see any solution. Called ford and stated nothing they could do remote so it would be required to be towed to dealer. This was my biggest fear buying a Ford and 1 year after buying it here we go…. Sucks to modify and drop this much money into something that can be bricked so easily and Ford can’t trouble shoot remotely.

anyone have any insight or is having it towed the only solution?

Thank you for the post. I've never heard of this happening, and I am the shop foreman at a Ford dealership. I just turned off automatic updates!!

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[Skeeterjack]

It looks like we need to travel with an IT guy in the back seat, if this shit starts happening.

 

[CrazyPete]

i bought and paid cash in full!!!

I hope you realize he was kidding....

 

[CrazyPete]

So what happens at 3years and a day or 36001 miles?

Good question. I would think Ford would be on the hook (negligent), since they specifically caused the problem.

 

[DBX2]

Hahaha, what? It's bad enough ford tracks and sells your personal data... But now they can brick your vehicle with software updates?

Good Lord.

Are the software updates tied into the FordPass App? Prior dealers have been very pushy and adamant about activating FPass. We have always opted out. We were told by one dealer that Ford expects 100% compliance in activation of this feature at vehicle delivery. Have to wonder why if vehicle is operating properly at delivery, why software updates are necessary?!

 

[CrazyPete]

I realized, told him that I had already done 5-6 resets (as I had originally told him at the outset of the call) and called him an idiot for trying to get me to do another reset. Unbeknownst to me, calling him an idiot closed my case (because I was "abusive").

Lmfao..."abusive" for calling him an idiot. This thin skinned society will be the end of us eventually.

 

[Headsong]

Turning off auto updates today and seeing what happens. It would be nice if you could update when you want, to tested and safe updates....like Windows used to be...

 

[vrtical]

The best safest strategy for people who get oil changes at dealerships, just do the updates while its there or if your taking it in for some recall because those seem to be just as frequent as an oil change.

 

[broncoms2023bdsas]

did you try turning it off and then back on?

 

[guest001]

Are the software updates tied into the FordPass App? Prior dealers have been very pushy and adamant about activating FPass. We have always opted out. We were told by one dealer that Ford expects 100% compliance in activation of this feature at vehicle delivery. Have to wonder why if vehicle is operating properly at delivery, why software updates are necessary?!

I don't know if the software updates are tied to the Ford Pass app. I would guess no.

But whenever I have gone to the dealer to get free stuff using points (floor mats, oil changes) my dealer says they can't see my points or my Ford Pass account (as in they don't have access to it). I have to log in to the app from my phone and show the service writer my points from my account. I don't know if every dealer is like that but that is really the only thing I use the app for.

 

[firsttimefordbuyer]

I hope you realize he was kidding....

for sure! Thanks. I was just in a pissy mood last night as had to pick up my son and didn't have a car. To your point, that would be messed up. You're late on your payments so we've turned off your heated seats, stereo and navigation until payment is received

 

[Rusty Sheckelford]

Got an outeerbanks in August. No connected features because, as it turned out after about 20 calls with various Ford people, the modem was DOA. Took two months with the strike and all. Most amazing thing was during one of my calls I explained that I was not going to do another reset. The guy said don't worry, I'm not going to make you do another one. Made me go out to the car and started me down the reset path. I realized, told him that I had already done 5-6 resets (as I had originally told him at the outset of the call) and called him an idiot for trying to get me to do another reset. Unbeknownst to me, calling him an idiot closed my case (because I was "abusive"). Two weeks later, with no promised followup from Ford engineers, I called and learned that the case had been closed. Ford sucks. I finally got the modem replaced and got the connected services and was incredibly underwhelmed. Their driver assistance sucks as does most of the tech layout. Amazing that you cannot change much, cannot do most things from steering wheel and voice control is incredibly limited. Have a Tesla and the controls/electronics blow Ford out of the water. I know its not apples to apples, but I am amazed at the "advanced" stuff in my 23 Bronco that seems to be the same as the tech from 20 years ago. By the way, did I mention that Ford sucks?

Did you have any warning lights or other obnoxious errors or bugs when your modem was dead? (Other than purposefully clicking the advanced features and them not working)

I'm wondering if simply disconnecting the modem is a viable option to prevent this risk and hinder some of Ford's data tracking.

 

[ptgptg]

Did you have any warning lights or other obnoxious errors or bugs when your modem was dead? (Other than purposefully clicking the advanced features and them not working)

I'm wondering if simply disconnecting the modem is a viable option to prevent this risk and hinder some of Ford's data tracking.

Nothing at all. Car drove fine. No GPS, no connected services. Other than that everything worked.

 

[flip]

VIN? Any modifications with Forscan or other programmers? Any devices plugged into the DCL?

 

[ptgptg]

Lmfao..."abusive" for calling him an idiot. This thin skinned society will be the end of us eventually.

I knew I was in trouble when I got an email from a Ford person with pronouns...

However, in my case, I was incredibly frustrated by the inability of Ford to even diagnose the problem, across multiple platforms--Ford, Fordpass, etc.--and each of those departments had no ability to communicate with the other nor see their systems. So, i would go through the whole litany of what my problem was, what I had been told to do so far, including resets, master resets, pulling the battery cable, each time I spoke with a new person. I was at the end of my rope by the time I talked with the "idiot" and since I made it clear from the outset of my call I had done multiple resets and was not interested in doing another, which he promised I wasn't going to do, when he took me down that path again, I lost my temper a bit. Never thought calling someone an idiot would result in a closed case on a new vehicle that was missing a chunk of its allure in the form of the connected services. Imagine if it was a safety related error. Too bad your safety related concern, which was diagnosed by our engineers, was closed without telling you the findings all because you hurt someone's feeling. Yeah, when I spend a lot of money and the thing I bought doesn't work as designed, and I deal with idiots, I am going to call a spade a spade.

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