"The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."
Posted on 03/26/2011 7:49:43 AM PDT by chickadee
Yesterday, I decided to take my relatively new car out for a spin. Due to a combination of ugly winter weather and health issues, I hadn't driven the car in a couple of months and wanted to give it a spin to keep its "juices" flowing.
I got in the car and tried to start it. Nothing. All the symbols lit up and went nuts, but no sound of cranking.
Fortunately, Ford gives new owners 5 years of Roadside Assistance. Ford's service responded quickly and professionally. The technician came prepared with a "box" to start the car in my garage. It wouldn't start. He had discovered a loose battery connection, which he tightened, but still "no go". He was familiar with the vehicle and tried one or two adjustments before deciding that the car was in lockout mode.
After consulting the manual, he determined that the car's computer was not recognizing the key. He presumed the loss of coding was due to the "dead" battery. He said the dealership would need to repower the battery and reinstall the codes before the car would start.
I contacted the dealership and they said to arrange with Roadside Assistance to have it brought to them and they would reinstall the codes.
Longish story short - it turned out that the battery was not dead - not even low. Ford has a program built into it that if a car is not started in 50 days, it goes into lockdown mode to conserve the battery. To protect the battery from itself and its constant computer analysis.
Once the dealership discovered that the battery was fine, they contacted Ford who explained the above to them (even the techs were unaware of the 50 day thing.) The cure was simple, disconnect the negative lead for 30 seconds, reconnect and all was well.
Meanwhile, two service calls to the house and the car had been loaded on a flatbed and towed across town.
Wow. Ain't technology great?
Sure, you can buy a non computerized car.
I think they’re called classics. ;-)
The 50 day software is an unintended consequence of a programmer feature. Most people drive daily, so I'm not surprised the techs were unaware.
Good luck with your new Ford. I really hope FMC does well with their new models.
I'll take that as a compliment coming from you, al baby, lol.
The 50 day software is an unintended consequence of a programmer feature. Most people drive daily, so I'm not surprised the techs were unaware.
Good luck with your new Ford. I really hope FMC does well with their new models.
Well, the one really good thing about the whole experience was finding out how wonderful Ford’s Roadside Assistance is. The first thing they ask is if you are in a safe place. They can determine where you are if you are calling from the car, which is a time saver.
They were prompt. There is repeated follow up to be sure that things have been taken care of. No grubby guy with a tow truck calling you “lady”, but a nice clean, polite technician who wants to please.
at least it wouldn’t come as a surprise! upkeep is high but
3 series is a great car. always starts. have had for
six years and never a breakdown.
It’s not a bad idea, except that everyone should be told — verbally, in the owner’s manual, the service department, salesmen, etc. — what is going to happen if you don’t drive your car for 50 days. This is a communications problem, not a technical problem.
No, that’s a GM and Chrysler program.
I’m really not having trouble with my Ford. It’s a Focus and it’s a pretty wonderful car, especially for the money.
When I bought the car, I had no idea that I wouldn’t be driving it for an extended period, so this was quite a surprise. I’m glad it happened on an occasion where I was just going to drive it to drive it. No appointment missed, etc. I know the incident was partially my fault for letting the car sit. It’s eerie to know the car is in the garage plotting surprises, lol.
In my experience, I have more problems with a brand new car than a low mileage car.
That being said, I LOL. If you call tech support for a gadget that doesn’t work, they always say turn it off, unplug it and try again. Basically, we are now driving oversized DVD players.
The Amish puts out a good one
This is very true. The techs at the dealership were surprised and a bit annoyed that Ford hadn’t made this knowledge part of their training. Had Ford done so, the car never would have been flat-bedded to the dealership.
It definitely has a “poison pill” way down deep inside and Ford should make an effort to make people more aware of it. There is always a price to pay for more technology.
Actually, that is a good feature since so many constant drains on the battery exist on modern cars. The problem, however, is that a simpler reconnect wasn’t built in.
I disconnect the battery when I let a car sit anyway and add Stabil to the gas.
My 89 F150 started fine the other day not having been started since about June. A couple drops of penetrating oil in each cylinder and a little gas in the carburator and it started right up.
I can always tell when my neighbor is here for summer when I hear his 78 Dodge Ram start up.
I just noticed your handle. A Jeeves and Wooster fan, I see:)
You're talking all wrong, RegulatorCountry. It's the wrong tone.
al baby is an institution on Free Republic.
Her name is Christine forever after!
In the past disconnecting the negative lead for 30 seconds was the method i would use to get rid of a lit ‘check engine’ light right before inspection time.
This lockdown mode bit sounds like a factory installed tow truck call pain in the butt.
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