Why does Ford charge me for Bluecruise? I already paid!

[rhougey]

Purchased new in ’22, GTPE, paid $1,9000 extra for Ford Co-Pilot Active 360 2.0 which included Bluecruise, Active Park Assist 2.0 and 360 degree camera. Park assist was never available and I got a credit, as I recall. Nowhere on the Window Sticker does it say anything about paying extra for a subscription or indicate that it’s a limited time service or that there would be an increased charge at a later date.

I raised this question once before with no response other than it wasn’t for “hands free” Bluecruise. Nowhere on the Ford app which wants me to pay $800/year for Bluecruise does it say “hands free”. It says Bluecruise. Which I already paid for. See attached window sticker.

Ford has not responded to my concerns and I want to keep what I already paid for.
Suggestions?

Your confusion here is understandable, but the window sticker is clear. The inclusion of Blue Cruise is listed under the heading of OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT. Everything on that list is physical hardware. Blue cruise is a service that requires specific equipment installed on the car to take advantage of the service. You paid $1900 for the Blue Cruise equipment, not for the service. I believe elsewhere you were informed that you got the service free for the first two or three years. Somehow I fully understood all that when I bought my car.

Sponsored

 

[Mach1E]

Good luck with that. You lose faster with class action lawsuits though. So that’s a plus. They’re virtually always nothing more than legal blackmail.

On a more practical matter, it was very clear to me when I bought my 21 that BlueCruise was a subscription based service that also required a hardware package to even get the ability to subscribe. Why was that so hard for others to understand? Willful ignorance? Wishful thinking? There’s no such thing as something for nothing. You paid for the hardware, nothing else.

It’s good that it was clear to you.

The question being asked today as well as a few years ago is “how was that made clear to you prior to or at ordering/purchase?”

And no, I don’t consider the forums to be the place for that kind of disclosure. It’s how I learned about the 5 sec limit (post order/pre purchase) as well as the subscription. But when/where did Ford disclose that to the consumer?

 

[Mach1E]

Your confusion here is understandable, but the window sticker is clear. The inclusion of Blue Cruise is listed under the heading of OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT. Everything on that list is physical hardware. Blue cruise is a service that requires specific equipment installed on the car to take advantage of the service. You paid $1900 for the Blue Cruise equipment, not for the service. I believe elsewhere you were informed that you got the service free for the first two or three years. Somehow I fully understood all that when I bought my car.

That’s an interesting theory and something not mentioned yet, but “Bluecruise” isn’t hardware, it’s software. Yes it’s optional.

Counterpoint:

Here is a 2025 Mach E sticker that clearly lists BC software with a specific time limit (1 year)

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

I don’t consider the forums to be the place for that kind of disclosure. It’s how I learned about the 5 sec limit (post order/pre purchase) as well as the subscription. But when/where did Ford disclose that to the consumer?

The 5-second limit is no more a required disclosure than the 0 to 60 times are. Should it be made, yes, of course. Mandatory disclosures include fuel economy and environmental disclosures (greenhouse gases), odometer, safety standards, parts content, financing disclosures (where applicable), but nothing related to acceleration limits. Performance advertising claims are required to have a reasonable basis in fact. The fact is, Ford disclosed the 5-second limit in a July 2021 Press kit. It went virtually unnoticed. It was confirmed by Ford's PR folks in November 2021 after an Edmonds article about the GT acceleration dropping off. The very first GT delivery was in mid-August 2021. Less than stellar disclosure? Yes. Actionable as fraud or pretty much anything else? Nope, probably not at all. A class action lawsuit was filed in 2022, calling the 5-second limit a deceptive omission. The named plaintiffs lost.

In any event, I knew about the limit outside this forum because the Orchid Isle Ford Sales manager told me about it when I was there in early 2022, looking at 2021 GTs while my car (21 Premium) was getting serviced. I did, of course, already know about it from here, though.

As for failing to disclose the BC subscription fee. Sorry, but that was disclosed to me before I bought the car by the car's owner, Orchid Isle Ford. They are the actual Ford customer after all, not you.

 

[RickMachE]

I think it's clear that Ford changed the window sticker to show the limited period of the subscription, and that on earlier years it was not indicated.

I think the argument that this means you are entitled to free Bluecruise forever is ridiculous.

 

[bigbearvo]

Bit of a rant here from someone who loves his 2024 Mach E GT, and purchased it knowing BlueCruise was only available as a costly add-on. The idea that an expensive advanced high tech product like the Mach E would be equipped with the hardware to operate Bluecruise software, and NOT offer the full software package that makes it operable is the equivalent of offering an 8-channel premium Bang & Olufsen audio system, and charging an extra $500/yr to activate the subwoofer and 4 of the 10 speakers. This is the ridiculous marketing strategy made famous by Tesla and others. Ford should offer as standard the best it has to offer in high tech drivability enhancing features especially those they offer and advertise as unique to Ford. I wouldn’t be opposed to this enhanced cruise control feature being offered as standard equipment on the Premium, GT, and Rally models only, but the idea of charging extra for it across the board is a strategy that defeats its marketability and forces potential owners to consider it’s stand-alone worth, and leaves the buyer with a bit of a negative as to Ford’s commitment to its customers when it comes to innovation and brand loyalty.

 

[Mach1E]

I think it's clear that Ford changed the window sticker to show the limited period of the subscription, and that on earlier years it was not indicated.

I think the argument that this means you are entitled to free Bluecruise forever is ridiculous.

Not free.

If you bought a 2021-22 new, you paid $2500 ($1900 for the package plus the $600 MSRP increase when they included Bluecruise as standard with that package).

Later years they got the 360 cameras and BC hardware for free and a clearly labeled sticker with a free BC trial.

None of this matters to me as I sold my Mach E and am not suggesting a lawsuit.

All I’m saying is that it wasn’t clearly advertised so I understand the confusion and argument. Even made the similar argument years ago.

 

[Mach1E]

The 5-second limit is no more a required disclosure than the 0 to 60 times are. Should it be made, yes, of course. Mandatory disclosures include fuel economy and environmental disclosures (greenhouse gases), odometer, safety standards, parts content, financing disclosures (where applicable), but nothing related to acceleration limits. Performance advertising claims are required to have a reasonable basis in fact. The fact is, Ford disclosed the 5-second limit in a July 2021 Press kit. It went virtually unnoticed. It was confirmed by Ford's PR folks in November 2021 after an Edmonds article about the GT acceleration dropping off. The very first GT delivery was in mid-August 2021. Less than stellar disclosure? Yes. Actionable as fraud or pretty much anything else? Nope, probably not at all. A class action lawsuit was filed in 2022, calling the 5-second limit a deceptive omission. The named plaintiffs lost.

In any event, I knew about the limit outside this forum because the Orchid Isle Ford Sales manager told me about it when I was there in early 2022, looking at 2021 GTs while my car (21 Premium) was getting serviced. I did, of course, already know about it from here, though.

As for failing to disclose the BC subscription fee. Sorry, but that was disclosed to me before I bought the car by the car's owner, Orchid Isle Ford. They are the actual Ford customer after all, not you.

Total side note about the limit-

In Europe it actually is a legal requirement to disclose it, that was discussed years ago.

And technically Ford did have a disclaimer buried deep on their Ford EU website, but that was long after the first 2021 GTs were delivered.

On the forum we found out about it Sept 2021 when the first person disappointingly took their car to the drag strip and everyone was shocked. If there was disclosure in a press kit before then, no one saw it.

 

[rhougey]

but “Bluecruise” isn’t hardware,

It’s listed on the window sticker as OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT.

 

[jdeve]

Wait, what. My 23 GTPE job 1 shows Bluecruise as standard equipment included at no extra charge on the window sticker. There is no mention of a trial. I remember seeking out the older 23 job 1's in early 24 with Bluecruise as standard equipment so not have to pay the $2100 3 year subscription and added benefit of it well being 'standard equipment'. I had dealers even explain how the older job 1's on their lots were the better value because of it. Online I am also seeing where my Bluecruise would l expire after 3 years, now 4 with free year if they honor the extra year. If I still have the car after 4 years I will likely challenge Ford over it. There is nothing in my paper work about it and if it was explained when my Ford Pass app was activated the dealer did it so I wouldn't have known.

 

[Mach1E]

It’s listed on the window sticker as OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT.

Yes. And did you read how it’s listed on the 2025 sticker I posted above?

“1 year plan connect package.”

Optional equipment isn’t limited to hardware. Ford clearly corrected their mistake on more recent stickers.

Optional equipment just means it’s not standard equipment. Which also can be software (3 yrs of GPS NAV) or hardware

 

[Mach1E]

Not free.

If you bought a 2021-22 new, you paid $2500 ($1900 for the package plus the $600 MSRP increase when they included Bluecruise as standard with that package).

@RickMachE

Saw this on another thread and didn’t know this is a thing.

Makes the $2500 us early adopters paid for BC even more valid when asking for “lifetime BC.”


How much does lifetime BC cost today?

$2495: https://www.parkwayoflexington.com/...$49.99/month,$2,495 MSRP on eligible vehicles.

 

[summerlinLV]

If Ford can take away Blue Cruise legally, what other features can they turn into a subscription? Such as DRIVE MODES/ONE PEDAL DRV; PHONE AS A KEY; etc. etc. The connected built-in nav is included for 3 years. But it still function after 3 year except that the map is not updated and you do not get traffic info.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Our Bluecruise subscription expires at the end of February. It’s not at all a surprise to us. We knew it was subscription software (available for purchase) from before we even ordered the car in late 2021. We got a 3-year “free” subscription with the purchase of our 2022 CA Rt-1 and a “free" 1-year extension. We’ll let it expire in March. We have no interest in a $50/mo subscription. We’ll do the same and drop the 3-year “free” subscription that came with the Lightning.

We wouldn’t have purchased any of the Bluecruise hardware if it wasn’t part of the CA Rt-1 (or Lariat) trim. It’s nice, but not really worth the cost.

At no point were we under the mistaken impression that Bluecruise was anything other than a subscription service.

 

[Snakebitten]

Kinda funny that a feature that has had FAR more posts critiquing it as not worth it, horrible, dangerous,..................... .. Is now worthy of class action lawsuits because it's so desirable that it warrants paying lawyers.

Human Beings are a delightful species to observe. There's nothing quite like us.

Sponsored