Stop Safely Now Warning

[tcsmithh]

just completed returning my focus electric for the ssn problems. ford did not make it easy but once started it went pretty smooth. got back most of my money

 

[mr23]

just completed returning my focus electric for the ssn problems. ford did not make it easy but once started it went pretty smooth. got back most of my money

Would you mind posting your VIN # here? These cars are going into the used market through auction. It would be great if everyone that gives up their car would post the VIN.

 

[rabar10]

Ugh -- just joined the SSN club after 16 months and 13k miles on my 2013 FFE. Happened twice within 3 days this week. Both times was able to pull over, turn car off, and within 30 seconds or so turn the car back on where the SSN message didn't pop up, and then continue on my way.

One thing I did try, without luck -- after the second SSN and recovery, I manually ran/submitted a Vehicle Health Report. Checked the results online, and no errors or useful information was listed there. So much for that idea.

Just dropped it off at the dealership to have them look at it. I have a big boat of a Lincoln loaner car until I get it back - yuck. Will post an update with the results of what, if anything, they find.

 

[SunnyEV]

Has anyone experienced the SSN problem on a 2015 FFE?

 

[rabar10]

Ugh -- just joined the SSN club after 16 months and 13k miles on my 2013 FFE. Happened twice within 3 days this week. Both times was able to pull over, turn car off, and within 30 seconds or so turn the car back on where the SSN message didn't pop up, and then continue on my way.

One thing I did try, without luck -- after the second SSN and recovery, I manually ran/submitted a Vehicle Health Report. Checked the results online, and no errors or useful information was listed there. So much for that idea.

Just dropped it off at the dealership to have them look at it. I have a big boat of a Lincoln loaner car until I get it back - yuck. Will post an update with the results of what, if anything, they find.

Word back from the dealership is that they are replacing some HV cabling running between the front/rear, along with a bracket to hold the cables I guess. Hopefully have my car back by the end of the week. Will post details of work done when I get the paperwork in hand.

 

[rabar10]

Got the car back today. Service sheet says:

ECC test POAOA:01 stored
Perform TSB 15-0031, Replace high voltage harness, reprogram PCM
Qty 1 CM5Z-14A318-C Wire Asy
Qty 1 CM6Z-00812-A Bolt
Qty 1 XG-12 Grease

 

[wjs]

I had the high voltage wiring harness replaced as well. After I got the car back, no more SSN's but immediately started getting yellow wrench lights every time I drove the car. Dealer eventually replaced the electric motor. No problems since I picked it up 3 weeks ago.

 

[loril]

I own a 2014 Focus EV with just under 6000. I was very pleased with the car until 4/25/15, when I heard the Stop Safely Now alert sound and saw the SSN dashboard warning, which resulted in the immediate power loss to the car, stranding me on the street. Fortunately I was backing out of my driveway, and was not in a dangerous situation. My husband, who owns a energy Fusion, was able to start the car because he had read on the forums the trick about opening the door. He drove it back into the driveway and I drove it back into the street. Within moments I experienced the SSN warning and immediate power failure. I was able to pull over and park, but I only had seconds to react. Once again, my husband started the Focus, and drove it around the street for several minutes with no problem. It seemed unwise to drive it to the Ford dealership so we had it towed. The battery was fully charged.

My first thought was, "What if this happens on the freeway?" I live in the San Diego area and even surface streets have speeds of 50 m/hr or more. This creates a potentially dangerous if not deadly situation. One could argue that cars stall, but generally that is seen with older vehicles needing maintenance or vehicles that are neglected.

I registered the complaint with the US DOT NHTSA on the advice of this forum.

One member voiced it pretty well by comparing the game of Russian Roulet with driving their Ford Focus Energy. Shame, too, because I really love driving the car, passing gas stations I'll never need, as well as saying goodbye to routine oil changes, and maintenance.

Until last Saturday, I felt confident driving the car and spoke highly of it to those who asked me because they had been considering electric. I can no longer endorse the car. Again, a real shame because I have owned Ford vehicles for decades. In fact, I'll be driving my 2002 Ford truck to work today.

And another thought... In order to enact the lemon law, I have to 'wait and hope' that this happens to me two more times within 90 days? I suppose I could drive it around a big empty parking lot at night until it happens again and again. And another thought... If I am knowingly driving a vehicle that could potentially stop, am I liable for injuries to another party? Such cheery thoughts!

 

[jmueller065]

I think you are jumping to conclusions here just a bit. Why not wait and see what the dealer finds?

The problem that originated this thread has been solved by a recall well over a year and a half ago. After that point in time the vast majority of SSN issues have been hardware related (e.g. wiring harness, battery, etc.). In other words: some part defect. In many of those cases, after the part was replaced the car continued to provide reliable service.

 

[NightHawk]

loril, I am also in the San Diego area and also have a 2014 FFE which I leased last September.
I haven't had any SSNs so far, but I only have about 2000miles on the car at this point.
What San Diego area Ford dealer did you get the FFE from? I got mine from El Cajon Ford.

Have there been any reports of SSNs for other models other than the FFE?
How about Fords electric plug-in hybrids (Cmax and Fusion)?
How about other make electric cars like Nissan Leaf, Tesla, BMW i3, etc.?

The past reports here appear to indicate to fix an SSN issue Ford dealers tend to replace the entire wiring harness or the HV battery.
That would indicate they have a quality control problem on those components?
Ford should do more detailed testing especially on the wiring harnesses it would seem as well as have onboard diagnostics that can pinpoint the exact cause of the problem when the car reports SSN.
Also since the SSN can often be bypassed by the wait and open the door tip, they should not force the car to stop, but just alert you for safety.

 

[mr23]

Have there been any reports of SSNs for other models other than the FFE?
How about Fords electric plug-in hybrids (Cmax and Fusion)?
How about other make electric cars like Nissan Leaf, Tesla, BMW i3, etc.?

Yes. SSN (Stop Safely Now) is a generic warning by Ford's computer system. Their Escape Hybrids, Fusion versions, FFE, all display such a warning upon a failure or significant event. I haven't researched all of the models deeply, except for the FFE, the Escape Hybrid, and the C-Max. Count yourself luckier with the FFE as usually it can be 'restarted', while the Escape is usually FORD (found on road dead).

 

[NightHawk]

SSN (Stop Safely Now) is a generic warning by Ford's computer system. Their Escape Hybrids, Fusion versions, FFE, all display such a warning upon a failure or significant event. I haven't researched all of the models deeply, except for the FFE, the Escape Hybrid, and the C-Max. Count yourself luckier with the FFE as usually it can be 'restarted', while the Escape is usually FORD (found on road dead).

But is the SSN warning more common occurance reported on the FFE vs Ford's current electric plug-in hybrids (Cmax and Fusion)?
I haven't seen any recent reports of SSNs on those, and since they sell in much larger volume wouldn't they be reported more if just as common on those models?
I'm wondering if the FFE's SSN issues are caused by a unique issue, apparently defective wiring harness for example?

 

[loril]

I purchased the car at Kearny Mesa Ford last September, which is where the car is being serviced. I won't have all of the details until I pick the car up tomorrow, but the electrical harness is being replaced.

My husband owns a Fusion Energy and has experienced the 'wrench' warning and immediate failure of the battery, however, the Energy just goes into gas mode. Not an option on the Focus. Kearny Mesa Ford had his car for several weeks but could not reproduce the issue. I don't think it's happened again.

Fortunately, the Focus can be restarted, but you have to know that the door has to be opened. That's not a safe idea on the freeway.

What worries me is that an SSN can occur at any time for 'some' failure or significant event causing the car to cease operation with only moments to react very quickly. It's not clear whether the failure or significant event would have resulted in the car ceasing to operate within a few moments. I don't feel safe. The SSN is a misnomer.

If the failure or significant event would have not resulted in sudden power loss, then the car should not stop suddenly. A service now warning that includes a health report being sent to the dealer might be a more elegant solution. However, a failure or significant event that would result in a sudden loss of power should be considered a catastrophic event that could end in loss of vehicle or death.

This type of sig event or failure should be extremely rare or never happen due to failsafe measures designed in the software, software safety standards and best practices. The airline industry adheres to a strict set of software standards (FAA mandated D0-178B/C). For the auto industry, its MISRA - Motor Industry Software Reliability Association.

 

[Rogerschro]

I purchased the car at Kearny Mesa Ford last September, which is where the car is being serviced. I won't have all of the details until I pick the car up tomorrow, but the electrical harness is being replaced.

My husband owns a Fusion Energy and has experienced the 'wrench' warning and immediate failure of the battery, however, the Energy just goes into gas mode. Not an option on the Focus. Kearny Mesa Ford had his car for several weeks but could not reproduce the issue. I don't think it's happened again.

Fortunately, the Focus can be restarted, but you have to know that the door has to be opened. That's not a safe idea on the freeway.

What worries me is that an SSN can occur at any time for 'some' failure or significant event causing the car to cease operation with only moments to react very quickly. It's not clear whether the failure or significant event would have resulted in the car ceasing to operate within a few moments. I don't feel safe. The SSN is a misnomer.

If the failure or significant event would have not resulted in sudden power loss, then the car should not stop suddenly. A service now warning that includes a health report being sent to the dealer might be a more elegant solution. However, a failure or significant event that would result in a sudden loss of power should be considered a catastrophic event that could end in loss of vehicle or death.

This type of sig event or failure should be extremely rare or never happen due to failsafe measures designed in the software, software safety standards and best practices. The airline industry adheres to a strict set of software standards (FAA mandated D0-178B/C). For the auto industry, its MISRA - Motor Industry Software Reliability Association.

While I am not trying to dismiss the SSN issue out of hand, I think it is a bit over reaching to go to the worst case scenario. There are countless cars on the road that have complete failures, Just drive down the interstate and count the cars sitting on the side of the road. The significant majority of failure does not end in accidents and even fewer in injury or fatalities. While possible, as any time we get in a car it is possible, it is highly unlikely to end in anything other than total frustration for the driver of the failed car (and those affected). I have owned quite a few cars that have quit in the middle of the road, never had any trouble getting off. The worst was when I shredded the transmission in my truck while pulling a loaded trailer. I was in the middle of a 4 lane in late traffic, It nearly came to a halt and I only managed to get it to the side by popping the clutch and getting a few teeth or bits of teeth to catch and lurch the truck a few feet at a time. Despite the heavy traffic, and having to cross two lanes of traffic to get to the side, at less than 5 mph, no one died and I was able to walk away. I'm sure that Ford is aware of this SSN issue, and it is probably why you are able to get it going enough to limp off the road. No, it is not a good thing to have happen, but it isn't something that could ever be engineered out of happening. For every solution to a potential problem there is that much more potential for something else to go wrong. The more failsafes designed into a car, the more stuff that can go bad and need attention. Not to say those failsafes are not a good Idea, but they will never prevent or eliminate all possible failure events.
I suppose I would be upset and concerned if my FFE were to fail on the road, but having had that happen many times with other cars, I know that while it is a real pain and total inconvenience, not to mention all the setbacks it causes, I doubt I am in any more danger than most other times I have had failures or had other cars fail around me.

i do hope the fix is quick and permanent and you have many trouble free miles to come.

 

[loril]

And the end of the story...
I picked up my Focus from the dealer on Wed night. The electrical harness was replaced and several modules were flashed. When I questioned the service representative about future reliability, he mentioned that Ford had sent out technical bulletin stating to replace the harness. In the embedded software world, 'flashing modules' means reinstalling the OS or kernal on a chip.

It felt like driving it again for the first time off the lot, including the new car smell. Driving home on the freeway from the dealer, I was surprised that I only used 7 miles on the battery. That's primarily uphill and over 10 miles. Immediately I noticed that my breaking scores were nearly perfect, and that regeneration increased, although my driving certainly hadn't changed. My breaking scores had dropped significantly over the last few months. I expected to reset the radio presets and re-pair my iPhone, but all of the settings were still in place.

I look forward to never posting on this topic again!

 

[NightHawk]

Wow loril. sounds like your FFE got a super tuneup!
Maybe us other FFE owners should get a flash update to improve our brake scores and regeneration too?

 

[Moolelo]

Sounds like the 2015 software comes with some efficiency enhancements! I would really like to see ford doing this (like Tesla), with frequent software updates that enhance the efficiency of the vehicle (climate control please!). Seems possible since it is all built off windows embedded.

 

[jmueller065]

Seems possible since it is all built off windows embedded.

Only one module is running Windows: The APIB module (Sync). Everything else is basically a Ford designed OS.

 

[Trielectric]

I have received 14 SSN warnings in the last week & 1/2. My car had the update a year and a half ago that was supposed to stop these SSN failings. I talked to my local dealer, Capital Ford, about it and they told me my warranty was no good. I have over 40,000 miles on my 2012 FFE. I told the dealer I had a 5 year, 60,000 mi power train warranty and an 8yr, 100,000 mi warranty on the battery and chargers. He said that would not cover the motor and electrical boxes in the car.!! The dealer told me it would cost $95.00 just to drive the car into the shop and hook it up to their computer. I called the Ford customer line listed in the warranty book. They said the dealer should consider the part where it says engine, consider it the same as saying the motor. Then they suggested I go to a different dealer. Be forewarned, when your 36,000 miles are up Ford wants a lot of money for those electrical components. Read the warranty booklet. I am waiting for my FFE to fail completely or get totaled in a rear ender so I or my wife can get somebody to get Ford to replace these failing electrical gizmos with something else. My last 4 SSN's sent an email to me telling me I have received a warning, the 1st 10 SSN's didn't. So hopefully the SSNs are getting worse. I found the way to proceed after the SSN was:
1.Push the brake & stop the car. 2.Put the car in Park while holding the brake.
3.Release the brake pedal. 4.Push the StopStart button for a full second.
5.Wait for the clunking relay sound and the left dash display to go out(about 24 seconds).
6. Put your foot on the brake and push the StopStart button > 1 second. 7.The green light should come on.
By the way, Tesla supposedly is replacing a lot of motors and transmissions on their cars under warranty. Wonder how that will go when the Tesla warranties run out?
I believe we are definitely test cases.
Caterpillar electric forklifts ran 8 hour shifts every day, for years, without problems.
That was 40 years ago.

 

[mr23]

I have received 14 SSN warnings in the last week & 1/2. My car had the update a year and a half ago that was supposed to stop these SSN failings. I talked to my local dealer, Capital Ford, about it and they told me my warranty was no good. I have over 40,000 miles on my 2012 FFE. I told the dealer I had a 5 year, 60,000 mi power train warranty and an 8yr, 100,000 mi warranty on the battery and chargers. He said that would not cover the motor and electrical boxes in the car.!! The dealer told me it would cost $95.00 just to drive the car into the shop and hook it up to their computer. I called the Ford customer line listed in the warranty book. They said the dealer should consider the part where it says engine, consider it the same as saying the motor. Then they suggested I go to a different dealer.

Did you try another dealer?
I hope this isn't prevalent, and that it's just MyCapitalFord.com, or limited to a few dealers.
Is corporate Ford still supporting you?