Ford service

[firewired]

Firstly, this is my first Ford. I had to buy the FFE from 100 miles away being they didn't carry the FFE in San Antonio yet. I think the dealer has "just" become EV certified and had a Level 2 charger installed.

I experienced the "stop safely now" yellow wrench warning, and for me it was pretty harrowing in that it occurred at a busy intersections, and the car would not drive, couldn't get it out of drive and couldn't get the car into park to turn off. Only after several minutes of trying the on/off button did I get the car to reboot, during the intervening time I really thought I might get rear ended. I called Ford customer service and they told me to bring it to this dealer as it was EV certified.

Two days ago in the morning I dropped my FFE off at the dealership. I told them exactly what had happened, and explained that I had talked to Ford's EV division and filed a case. The service rep said they would see if the car had thrown any codes and if there were none they would call Ford. I checked on Myfordmobile on my phone at the end of the day and it hadn't been moved. This morning I called to see if they were going to keep it for the weekend and the rep said he would find out. I checked the Myfordmobile app after that and found the car registered one 1 mile trip and 30 minutes later another 1 mile trip. The rep let me know that my car was ready to go, no warnings had came up. I then mentioned that while they had my car I thought that even though it was a '13 model it didn't seem to have the newest sync software with the leaf icon, and could they possibly check to see if there was an update. I gave him the version number that was listed on another thread on this board. The rep checked and came back and said, nope I had the newest version.

Well I just got to the dealership, and showed the rep and mechanic a picture of the updated sync screen. The mechanic said he had never seen that before, and could hook the car to the computer and see if there was an update. That's the whole point of this lengthy post. I had a malfunction that could easily have lead to an accident, which others have similarly experienced. They did a cursory 30 minute check which I would guess would entail checking to see if there were any codes thrown, and that there were currently no warnings. I am very disappointed in the lack of concern with what could be a safety issue in a low volume car. I hope that others that have had this issue have a dealer that is concerned enough to go the extra step.

 

[jpc1818]

I had a similar experience at an intersection. I had mine towed to the local dealership where i purchased the FFE. They would not let me pick up the car until they could figure it out. It turned out that my battery charging module needed reprograming and there was a new software update.

Car has been perfect since......

 

[JTCalif]

Ford service rep. told me they COULD NOT WORK ON MY CAR because I had not bought it there.

Has anyone else gotten that line from a Ford dealership / service dept.??

(This from a Ford dealership that is qualified to sell / service these, they said. I didn't buy my 2012 there because they didn't have one when I wanted to buy, and they were quoting well over MSRP, then.)
I had asked for an estimate (etc.) for doing my first 10,000 mile service, and for doing the fix for the small non-functioning lights in front, as in Recall Notice 13C04.
He did not answer any of my specific questions. I am not at all pleased.
The place I bought the car from is too far from here for me to drive on (1) 100% charge!
(Got here in a trade ... long story.)

(Info. added after initial post: that rep. wrote to me "Unfortunately we have our appointments reserved for people who have bought their cars here. As per the owner of the dealership I am not able to make an appointment at this time. You may want to call a larger dealer or your selling
dealer." So, maybe they simply don't have capacity to handle more work now.)

 

[danholl]

This is a bogus claim

I'm sure Ford does not condone this + it makes no economic sense. I have the same situation. I bought the car from a dealer the other side of town because they were the only ones certified. My nearby dealer is now certified and is perfectly happy to service the car.

I would talk to the owner and if you get no satisfaction, talk to FORD

 

[unplugged]

Ford service rep. told me they COULD NOT WORK ON MY CAR because I had not bought it there.

A Ford dealership is required to work on any Ford under warranty. Ask the dealer to put this in writing so that you can address the issue directly with Ford. Also, call the Ford customer service number at 1-800-392-3673 and explain to them the rejection you received by the dealership. Ask Ford whether they want to come and pick up the FFE now, or whether the dealer is going to properly service your car. Those two options are the only options.

Also, please provide the name of the servicing dealer (who refused service) and the selling dealer.

 

[davideos]

I believe I heard that dealers make more money on their service department than on new car sales. Whether true or not, I'm sure a significant part of their business is service. Second, dealers love warranty service because they don't have to worry about the customer's budget...ford is paying the bill. My guess would be that there is something they are not telling you...likely that they don't do well servicing the EVs...they probably don't like to keep cars overnight...nor multiple days.

I had the charge ring on my FFE go bad and it took them 3 days to do the Sync update and change the LED ring. If it were any other car, they'd have finished that day. The contributing issues where that they didn't have enough experience with the upgrade and that they didn't stock the LED ring.

With the limited number of FFEs all over the country, your Ford dealer isn't going to be seeing them that often. Although not desired, I think that is the reality of being an early adopter. What I would like to find out is what Dealer does the most service in Southern California. Where ever that is, I think that's where I'd prefer to take my car. I bough mine from Theodor Robbins in Costa Mesa. I'm really happy with them, but I don't think they see many FFEs.

Just my opinion.

 

[EVA]

I'm curious - what is a 10,000 mile service on the FFE? What exactly was the dealer going to do at 10,000 miles?

 

[jmueller065]

I had the charge ring on my FFE go bad and it took them 3 days to do the Sync update and change the LED ring. If it were any other car, they'd have finished that day. The contributing issues where that they didn't have enough experience with the upgrade and that they didn't stock the LED ring.

Still not a very good dealer. In that case our dealer would have let us take the car home and gave us a call when the part is in. They have done this type of thing for every service issue on our ICE cars when a part needed to be ordered.

I'm curious - what is a 10,000 mile service on the FFE? What exactly was the dealer going to do at 10,000 miles?

According to the owners manual:
Rotate Tires, inspect: brakes, cabin air filter, cooling system, steering linkage, wheels/suspension

Thought I saw somewhere that someone took theirs in for the 10k service and it cost them less than $10 LOL.

 

[EVA]

Thank you Jmueller, can always count on you for a learned response.

 

[dmann000]

I can definitely confirm my 10,000 mile service cost me $24! I don't recall all that was done, but the cost was just tire rotation.

 

[JTCalif]

First follow-up, on refusal of service:
I called that Customer Relationship #(800 392-3673) today. A few items:

1. She was surprised, but called that dealership and confirmed: that local service dept. is so small that cannot take on another customer. She looked up next closest: same as I found. (It is within battery range.)
I called there, heard OK to schedule work there. (No mention of where I bought it.)

2. SSN problem: never heard of it.
3. Updates: another one (13C07) is coming soon; something about reconfiguring dash panel [touch screen?]. Wait for that, do with other work [like the 13C04 about small marker lights].
4. Lack of ad's or promotion for Focus Electric: surprised her. She said she would pass my remarks along (I said they ought to promote it ...).

 

[unplugged]

that local service dept. is so small that cannot take on another customer.

Could you provide the name of the tiny local Ford dealer that can't seem to add another customer?

 

[JTCalif]

That is Journey Ford, in Novato CA.

(That outfit also managed, in reply to my email, to show a VIN # completely different from the one I sent. Made it look as though my message had the strange VIN #, where I know it did not. Is an example of a messed up computer system, apparently ... which makes one less eager to have them do a complex data download into a car.)

Nov. 2:
I took car to Michael Stead's Hilltop Ford (Richmond CA) for service work: OK
Did 13C04 (marker light fix) for 0$, + Annual Electric Vehicle inspection for 35$.

Offered to do 13A01 and 13C07 (instrument panel reconfigure; '07 seems to be to be sure warning sounds if open door with car on [?]), and 13S09 (for PCM reprogram):
I declined those (3), as car works fine as-is (if it ain't broke, ...) and had limited time.

NEW PROBLEM: a continuing stream of messages is sent to my email address about various car matters. Most say there is a Warning Light on (when there isn't), 1 said clock may be wrong (it is OK).

ALSO, when I log into the Ford MFM site, I see a warning about Battery System Health:
the (1) electrics tech. at service dept. said that is probably due to changes in the Ford site programming (began Oct. 31).

Recommendation: believe what is displayed in the car, NOT what is seen through remote link!

 

[JTCalif]

Warnings about apparent car problems:
have other people been getting the same sort of false warning messages as I have?
(I mentioned them in the edit I did today of the above message.)

Most are in email to me "From no-reply [email protected]",
reading that "[name of our EV] has a warning light on" which is not correct.

Related (?): after signing on at myfordmobile.com, under Vehicle Info, I see "Battery System Health" with a red [trouble] circle. That was seen both before and after taking car in to Ford service yesterday, when it received a clean OK report.
The car is behaving as usual: works fine, same range, no warning indications.

Is it safe to assume these are problems with Ford sites, and not with my FFE?

 

[WattsUp]

Most are ... "[name of our EV] has a warning light on" which is not correct.
I see "Battery System Health" with a red [trouble] circle.

YES and YES!

I have been getting the warning notifications since the app/site update. Never gotten them before. There is never a warning light on in the car (more than once, I've checked immediately upon receiving the notification). I've also run vehicle health reports that come up "clean".

I usually get the notification right after parking, within 30 seconds turning the car off. But not every time after I park. However, yesterday, I was notified most of the times I parked. Today, though, no notifications. In any case, I think the warnings are bogus and due to some software glitch related to the update.

And, I too have started seeing the "Battery System Health" red icon... and, again, this has been happening only since the update. Never before. I also think this red icon status is bogus. I have never had any battery issues and the car is behaving normally.

I am also having intermittent issues getting car status or issuing commands (remote unlock, etc.). Sometimes they work, but most of the time they fail. I have no idea what the problem is with this, or if the above issues are related, but it, too, has only started happening since the update.

I am in contact with a Ford tech who suggested that my 12-volt battery was low, and causing all these behaviors. But, I measured the 12-volt battery... 14.4v when on, 12.5v when off, and 13.3v when charging. Seems fine to me.

IMO, something was screwed up in the update and is producing the bogus notifications and bogus battery health indications. So, I'm not very worried about my car, but pretty annoyed with Ford and their lack of insight into their own systems.

 

[WattsUp]

1 said clock may be wrong (it is OK).

I have received two of these "incorrect time" notifications since the update. The clock in my car is correct. I have also received (what I believe to be) bogus "warning light on" notifications and a bogus "Battery System Health" red icon on the app/site. IMO, all of the notifications are bogus and Ford has some serious debugging to do with their new "improved experience" app and site.

If the particular warnings weren't so alarming to customers about their car's health, this situation would almost be laughable. At this point, after one aborted system update and, now, an apparently botched one, it is just disheartening.

 

[JTCalif]

Thank you.
That is both comforting (I can trust the car) and "disheartening" (not so much the company).

 

[vivavegas]

My car works perfectly with no problems, but got the same "warning light on" notifications and a "Battery System Health" red icon on the app/site. It happened the minute I updated the my ford app on my phone.

 

[WattsUp]

It happened the minute I updated the my ford app on my phone.

Same here... even when I only knew it was happening to me, I already thought it was too much of a coincidence that all these things would "start going wrong" with my car right after the system update.

But, now I know these things are happening to others, it is pretty clear that these problems are not real, and the issue is systemic. Obviously, there is some bogus data entering the system (or just a bug in the server logic) since the update where it now thinks every car has a "Warning light on" and "Battery System Health" is bad. (How did they not catch something like that before rolling out the update?!)

I'm also still have intermittent trouble updating status and/or issuing commands (unlock, etc.) via the app/site, although yesterday it seemed somewhat more reliable, but stopped working again at night. Anyone else having trouble communicating with their car?

 

[Mazzer]

I recently bought a 2015 FFE with about 33,000 miles. I am planning to take it in for a service before the winter. How much should I expect to pay? Unfortunately our local dealer does not have a good reputation of you look online ( we gave up on them servicing our 2003 Focus wagon as soon as it was out of warranty). I know what the manual says needs to be done is mostly inspection.