Re-Boot fixes everything! LOL
you shoulda bought a bmw.
No more long vacations!
i would file this under unintended consequenses of software design
they thought they were doing something good (saving the battery is a good idea) but locking the car down was not a good idea
As a car’s “systems” to make things “easier” become more and more complex, it can also make the car more fragile - capable of problems.
Have you never owned a car before? Batteries do not hold charge forever. The car needs to be started and driven on occasion, otherwise the battery will lose charge and go dead, especially in cold weather. If you’re still having winter weather you’re in a colder climate. Simple common sense.
Maybe you should trade your Ford in for something else. Maybe a Prius. They have a bunch of batteries. Maybe you can leave it sitting for months in the winter and have it fire right up, since there are so many in it, lol.
SOFTWARE! I hate those guys in software. They think they can just do anything they want with code.
Is it still possible to buy a normal, non-computer car?
I predicted long ago and probably on this forum that bad software design would eventually start to kill people. I’m sure that is already happening but fortunately not in this case. Of course high blood pressure is still a dangerous thing.
Interesting. It would be nice if they put that in the owner’s manual, but the blasted things are an inch thick these days and I bet 10% of people read them cover to cover.
I have a second car which I won’t let sit longer than a couple of weeks. I’ve seen 2 weeks become 4 weeks become 6 months become locked brakes and shot seals, so I just get in the habit. I know that properly prepared they will sit a long time, but I don’t like surprises.
“Meanwhile, two service calls to the house and the car had been loaded on a flatbed and towed across town.”
Just nuts! It reeks of Obamacare for an analogy does it not?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
That is interesting and I am sure we will learn of other interesting differences regarding the advanced technology. Actually, this seems smart on Ford’s part but what is not smart is not informing the owner. The owner’s manual likely contains the information but it would appear to me that fact and possible others, which represent radical differences from previous automobiles, should be highlighted.
I'll share another interesting event. My wife is extremely pleased with the Hyundai Sonata she bought in 2009. However, with around 50,000 miles on the car the automatic transmission began exhibiting a loud thud when downshifting as you approach a stop.
I elected to take it to the dealer for its next service interval and explain the occurrence to the service manager. I had no more finished saying, the transmission has a problem, when he asked, is the problem with down shifting. I said yes and he responded with “it needs a software update”. I was a bit startled to say the least but there was a service bulletin on the topic. He was quick to point out that it was not a recall. My wife picked up her car and drove away with the problem solved.