'Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power' followed by 'Service Vehicle Soon' alert displayed

[DBC]

This is what the MF SE hears: We don't know what the problem is and I'm not interested or have the time to investigate the problem to find the root cause - have a nice day.

That's actually what we're saying. LOL

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[Keburges]

I get the power train malfunction alert every time I pull my Mach-e into the garage. After taking it to the dealership multiple time they were unable to reproduce the issue. After Ford came back with no problem found I spent the evening trying to get it to trigger. Ended up figuring out that it was some kind of EMI issue in my garage. I called the dealership out and was able to reproduce while they had the diagnostics equipment hooked up. They were able to see some dropped messages and sent the data back to Ford. They determined that it may be an issue with the charge port and are going to replace it. I also just got the FSA software calibration update request.

Mach-E FE GB AWD ER NOV 28
Shipped DEC 28

 

[SnBGC]

I get the power train malfunction alert every time I pull my Mach-e into the garage. After taking it to the dealership multiple time they were unable to reproduce the issue. After Ford came back with no problem found I spent the evening trying to get it to trigger. Ended up figuring out that it was some kind of EMI issue in my garage. I called the dealership out and was able to reproduce while they had the diagnostics equipment hooked up. They were able to see some dropped messages and sent the data back to Ford. They determined that it may be an issue with the charge port and are going to replace it. I also just got the FSA software calibration update request.

Mach-E FE GB AWD ER NOV 28
Shipped DEC 28

That is a very interesting report. Thank you for sharing.
There is a sensor in the chargeport that looks for a small voltage signal that is PWM. Never thought about it, but I suppose it is possible to replicate that signal with EMI and it would certainly confuse the car because it might suddenly think the charge cable was connected (and of course it isn't supposed to allow the vehicle to select a drive mode with the cable connected...)

Very interesting indeed....

 

[TOBG]

So driving home Thursday night with it being a cool -5 degrees Fahrenheit and the snow beginning to fall, I was sitting at a red light on the top of a hill when the light turned green and I tried to proceed. I attempted to accelerate and the car hesitated and felt like it lost all power and then I received the following alert on the dash 'Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power' followed by the 'Service Vehicle Soon' alert. The vehicle wouldn't go more than 1 mph and was jerking horribly. I was finally able to get it out of the intersection onto the side of the road, where I completely turned everything off, waited five minutes and then turned the car back on. Unfortunately the alert was still there. The car seemed to drive mostly fine after that but honestly 'freaked me out' with only 120 miles on the car. I was able to make it home (about 15 miles away) with the alert still on the dash. On Friday morning, I went back out to check on the status of the car and the alert had cleared. I called the dealership and they said to bring it in if it happens again or if I get any other errors. Just wanted to pass this along to see if anyone else has had any "mechanical issues" like this.

Yikes I hope Ford can get this resolved quickly

 

[TOBG]

I get the power train malfunction alert every time I pull my Mach-e into the garage. After taking it to the dealership multiple time they were unable to reproduce the issue. After Ford came back with no problem found I spent the evening trying to get it to trigger. Ended up figuring out that it was some kind of EMI issue in my garage. I called the dealership out and was able to reproduce while they had the diagnostics equipment hooked up. They were able to see some dropped messages and sent the data back to Ford. They determined that it may be an issue with the charge port and are going to replace it. I also just got the FSA software calibration update request.

Mach-E FE GB AWD ER NOV 28
Shipped DEC 28

I am glad you could help track it down

 

[Maquis]

Ended up figuring out that it was some kind of EMI issue in my garage. I called the dealership out and was able to reproduce while they had the diagnostics equipment hooked up. They were able to see some dropped messages and sent the data back to Ford. They determined that it may be an issue with the charge port and are going to replace it.

Oh boy! If EMI exposure is a problem, I may have some fun. My table saw which runs a 3 HP VFD sits 10 feet from where my MME will be parked.

 

[GrumblesTheDog]

I get the power train malfunction alert every time I pull my Mach-e into the garage. After taking it to the dealership multiple time they were unable to reproduce the issue. After Ford came back with no problem found I spent the evening trying to get it to trigger. Ended up figuring out that it was some kind of EMI issue in my garage. I called the dealership out and was able to reproduce while they had the diagnostics equipment hooked up. They were able to see some dropped messages and sent the data back to Ford. They determined that it may be an issue with the charge port and are going to replace it. I also just got the FSA software calibration update request.

Mach-E FE GB AWD ER NOV 28
Shipped DEC 28

Fascinating! I wonder why @SAVAGE encountered it on the road?? Seems promising that they have a lead on at least one potential cause for this...

 

[machefan]

I get the power train malfunction alert every time I pull my Mach-e into the garage. After taking it to the dealership multiple time they were unable to reproduce the issue. After Ford came back with no problem found I spent the evening trying to get it to trigger. Ended up figuring out that it was some kind of EMI issue in my garage. I called the dealership out and was able to reproduce while they had the diagnostics equipment hooked up. They were able to see some dropped messages and sent the data back to Ford. They determined that it may be an issue with the charge port and are going to replace it. I also just got the FSA software calibration update request.

Mach-E FE GB AWD ER NOV 28
Shipped DEC 28

This is my exact fear of taking it in tomorrow, but it could explain why the dealers charger didn't trigger this alert. However you say charge port, do you mean the port on the car or the charger it's self? I ask because I tried different chargers (I have 3) and all have the same result. Sounds like the interference local to me and sometime seen on the road? I got the powertrain message once while diving but it cleared on its own. Right now in my garage I have the message and I didn't take it out after returning home from the dealer. The service now does come and go.

However you are the third or forth person to report this on the forum so far. (Powertrain Message), one one got stopped in their tracks.

 

[JellyBelly]

I have the same message and get the same constant red ring when unplugging the charge cord.

In the interests of sleuthing, here is what I know I did before getting the Service Vehicle Soon message: I successfully set up FordPass. I then tried to set up the home network connection. This failed several times. Then I tried to set up departure times. That didn't work either but to test whether it was working I plugged and unplugged the Clipper Creek charger twice for less than two minutes each time. The next day I tried to program the garage door opener. It didn't work and during this process I noticed the message.

Later that afternoon the error message disappeared. Figuring it had just cycled and cleared, I again tried to connect to the home network after rebooting it. This didn't work but the Service Vehicle Soon message reappeared.

I wondered if a charge cycle might clear the error code and plugged in this morning and charged to 100%. When I unplugged the ring went red.

I've been thinking that charging is more a casualty than a cause, and the cause is some random error code from the errors when trying to do something else like connect to the home network or the garage door opener.

HAs the dealership said anything about this? Are they hearing from Ford? This could be one of those issues where one could get hit or cause an accident if power train related. Or like you say it may be common error code for variety of issues. But power train messages worry me.

 

[DBC]

I believe the "Service Vehicle Soon" message appeared for me when trying to set up HomeLink. I was also trying to connect to the home WiFi and had plugged and unplugged (FordPass reported this as an accidental unplug BTW), so not a totally clean piece of info, But definitely consistent.

The Garage opener is a Genie.

But note the OP's issue seems unrelated to this and potentially more serious. Someone suggested cold weather might play a role. That was poo-poohed but cold or wet conditions can trigger something like a short which wouldn't appear in other conditions. So not a cause but a contributing factor.

 

[Orangefirefish]

Oh boy! If EMI exposure is a problem, I may have some fun. My table saw which runs a 3 HP VFD sits 10 feet from where my MME will be parked.

Well, just make sure you always use a push stick if you’re sawing and driving, you’ll be fine.

 

[Maquis]

Well, just make sure you always use a push stick if you’re sawing and driving, you’ll be fine.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'll pull the Mach-E out of the garage when using the wood shop anyway. Just to keep from getting the car full of sawdust.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Actually, now that I think about it, I'll pull the Mach-E out of the garage when using the wood shop anyway. Just to keep from getting the car full of sawdust.

good call not sure "sawdust" is covered by PPF warranties ?

 

[Illinibird]

This could be one of those issues where one could get hit or cause an accident if power train related. Or like you say it may be common error code for variety of issues. But power train messages worry me.

Reminds me of the 1975 Plymouth Volare I bought new after I left active duty and began my residency. Susan and I had our first daughter and I would take the train into Chicago while she stayed home with Aimee in the suburbs. She had the car but it kept stalling for no reason. One time it stalled in the middle of an intersection and Sue was very upset and scared. She never trusted the car after that. I took it into Plymouth several times but they told me they could find nothing wrong. Fearing a safety issue for my wife and daughter, I sold the car after only 7 months and bought a new Ford LTD II. We found out later the car was rushed out and had several defects in design. I don't think we're dealing with that here but it does give me pause because of what happened many years ago.

 

[timbop]

Well, just make sure you always use a push stick if you’re sawing and driving, you’ll be fine.

NOW YOU TELL ME!!!

At least I still have the one good hand....

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