OTA Power Up 1.7.1 preview

[dbsb3233]

I have a 2013 Escape where the kick works 100% of the time, as long as you do it in the right spot.

In my Mach-E, it's just the opposite. The spot is much more forgiving. I really don't think that's the problem at all. When it works, it works from any angle.

I believe it's a whole different problem when it doesn't work. A software or authentication problem (fob for me, since I have PAAK off). Mine works up 90% of the time, and down 30%. Seems like the fob signal receptor is week. If I have it in my right pocket, and have my body turned away from the front of the car, it often won't pick up the signal. Even just to open the driver door. But if I turn my body just slightly so the signal has a more direct air line (instead of through my body from hip to hip), it usually works. Found that pattern many times when it won't work at first, so I just rotate a little and it works.

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[Kamuelaflyer]

I have a 2013 Escape where the kick works 100% of the time, as long as you do it in the right spot.

In my Mach-E, it's just the opposite. The spot is much more forgiving. I really don't think that's the problem at all. When it works, it works from any angle.

I believe it's a whole different problem when it doesn't work. A software or authentication problem (fob for me, since I have PAAK off). Mine works up 90% of the time, and down 30%. Seems like the fob signal receptor is week. If I have it in my right pocket, and have my body turned away from the front of the car, it often won't pick up the signal. Even just to open the driver door. But if I turn my body just slightly so the signal has a more direct air line (instead of through my body from hip to hip), it usually works. Found that pattern many times when it won't work at first, so I just rotate a little and it works.

Fob or PAAK, it nearly universally fails kick to open for me. Doesn’t matter where or how I kick it, or where the fob or key like thing is. The only thing that makes kick to open work for me 100% of the time, is to post here that it doesn’t work.

 

[dbsb3233]

Fob or PAAK, it nearly universally fails kick to open for me. Doesn’t matter where or how I kick it, or where the fob or key like thing is. The only thing that makes kick to open work for me 100% of the time, is to post here that it doesn’t work.

I'm still unsure if/when fob or PAAK takes precedence over the other. I tend to think they just confuse each other, or interfere with each other. Part of the reason I only tried PAAK for maybe a week before just turning it back off and leaving it off.

There's times it takes 2 kicks for me (exact same motion/spot). As though the first just wakes up the car, so that the 2nd works. This whole "deep sleep" thing the car does at times seems to cause multiple problems.

Whatever the problem, I don't think it's the kick-detector being picky with the motion like many people initially assume. I think it's just more of the fob/PAAK/auth/awake problems we sometimes see with the doors too.

 

[timbop]

But if I turn my body just slightly so the signal has a more direct air line (instead of through my body from hip to hip), it usually works. Found that pattern many times when it won't work at first, so I just rotate a little and it works.

Whatever the problem, I don't think it's the kick-detector being picky with the motion like many people initially assume. I think it's just more of the fob/PAAK/auth/awake problems we sometimes see with the doors too.

Totally agree; rotating works for me a the time too (with the fob). I haven't tried PAAK since february and I have zero complaints about the car. Many of the constantly unhappy people would be much more satisfied if they simply accepted that Ford screwed up PaaK and just used the fob. Rather than having a constant problem which they KNOW exists, just accept the compromise for a while and get on with life.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Totally agree; rotating works for me a the time too (with the fob). I haven't tried PAAK since february and I have zero complaints about the car. Many of the constantly unhappy people would be much more satisfied if they simply accepted that Ford screwed up PaaK and just used the fob. Rather than having a constant problem which they KNOW exists, just accept the compromise for a while and get on with life.

Honestly, if I had to rate the kick to open issues on a scale of 1 to 10 in importance, it'd be less than a one. Ford Pass works and the button works. If you're using a FOB the double push on the button works. Kicking? Yeah, that's nice when it works but it's hardly necessary to me.

 

[dbsb3233]

Honestly, if I had to rate the kick to open issues on a scale of 1 to 10 in importance, it'd be less than a one. Ford Pass works and the button works. If you're using a FOB the double push on the button works. Kicking? Yeah, that's nice when it works but it's hardly necessary to me.

When we got our 2013 Escapes (that have the kick), I thought that feature would be more of a minor novelty. But it quickly became our primary (almost exclusive, to the point where I have to hunt for the button to remember where it is) way of opening the liftgate. As such, I'd rate it higher than a 1 for our tastes (maybe a 3-4). Plus our goal is to pretty much never take the fob out of our pockets during the day. (I usually wear jeans and digging into jeans pockets is always a bit less convenient.) I'm not a fan of having to use fob buttons (and even less so opening an app for a routine door/liftgate open). For me it's all about the proximity detection working well - for the doors and the liftgate.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

When we got our 2013 Escapes (that have the kick), I thought that feature would be more of a minor novelty. But it quickly became our primary (almost exclusive, to the point where I have to hunt for the button to remember where it is) way of opening the liftgate. As such, I'd rate it higher than a 1 for our tastes (maybe a 3-4). Plus our goal is to pretty much never take the fob out of our pockets during the day. (I usually wear jeans and digging into jeans pockets is always a bit less convenient.) I'm not a fan of having to use fob buttons (and even less so opening an app for a routine door/liftgate open). For me it's all about the proximity detection working well - for the doors and the liftgate.

I'm pretty much in agreement Tim. I have a bit of "restricted" mobility (for now) and the kicking motion is a bit ... odd if I try to stand on my left leg. So that's probably a lot of the reason it's not reliable.

Considering how I park at grocery stores, for example, I'd probably be much "happier" with a power frunk (up and down).

 

[Finkerton]

Many of the constantly unhappy people would be much more satisfied if they simply accepted that Ford screwed up PaaK and just used the fob.

And many of us unhappy PaaK users would be much more satisfied if they had given us two fobs like a normal car so we didn't have to rely on, say, a spouse remembering to take the MME fob out of her purse before driving off in the other car. But they didn't, and they don't, and so here we are.

 

[timbop]

And many of us unhappy PaaK users would be much more satisfied if they had given us two fobs like a normal car so we didn't have to rely on, say, a spouse remembering to take the MME fob out of her purse before driving off in the other car. But they didn't, and they don't, and so here we are.

Of course ford is in the wrong. I spent $300 to get a second fob because ford is not taking responsibility. It isn't right, but I don't have to worry if the car will let either of us drive and I don't get reminded of a feature not working.

Ford is being asinine and stubborn, but I don't have to let it ruin my day or my experience with the car.

 

[mpshizzle]

Of course ford is in the wrong. I spent $300 to get a second fob because ford is not taking responsibility. It isn't right, but I don't have to worry if the car will let either of us drive and I don't get reminded of a feature not working.

Ford is being asinine and stubborn, but I don't have to let it ruin my day or my experience with the car.

I am NOT suggesting this, and I don't think it's worth it... but honestly, I don't think anything short of a class action lawsuit would get them to send everyone a second fob.

Here's why I think this:
1) It'll cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Small beans to Ford I know, but Bean counters are gonna do their thing. Especially on a year when they've lost hundreds of millions due to chip shortages

2) The chip shortage would make it a logistical nightmare to source the extras

3) This would mean very bad PR and a bad precedent set for future vehicles like the lightning


I'm not saying they shouldn't do it. I'm just saying I would be surprised if they did it unless their hand was forced

 

[Finkerton]

Of course ford is in the wrong. I spent $300 to get a second fob because ford is not taking responsibility. It isn't right, but I don't have to worry if the car will let either of us drive and I don't get reminded of a feature not working.

Ford is being asinine and stubborn, but I don't have to let it ruin my day or my experience with the car.

I am NOT suggesting this, and I don't think it's worth it... but honestly, I don't think anything short of a class action lawsuit would get them to send everyone a second fob.

Here's why I think this:
1) It'll cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Small beans to Ford I know, but Bean counters are gonna do their thing. Especially on a year when they've lost hundreds of millions due to chip shortages

2) The chip shortage would make it a logistical nightmare to source the extras

3) This would mean very bad PR and a bad precedent set for future vehicles like the lightning


I'm not saying they shouldn't do it. I'm just saying I would be surprised if they did it unless their hand was forced

There's one way they could make it cheaper: OTA to allow one existing fob to program a second, instead of requiring two (to program a third). Then addressing this problem wouldn't require paying for a recall where every car must go to a dealer to program the new fob.

 

[RonTCat]

I'm still unsure if/when fob or PAAK takes precedence over the other. I tend to think they just confuse each other, or interfere with each other. Part of the reason I only tried PAAK for maybe a week before just turning it back off and leaving it off.

There's times it takes 2 kicks for me (exact same motion/spot). As though the first just wakes up the car, so that the 2nd works. This whole "deep sleep" thing the car does at times seems to cause multiple problems.

Whatever the problem, I don't think it's the kick-detector being picky with the motion like many people initially assume. I think it's just more of the fob/PAAK/auth/awake problems we sometimes see with the doors too.

FOB has priority.

 

[JCHLi]

FOB has priority.

That's why I buried my FOB in the backyard where it cannot interfere!

 

[RonTCat]

That's why I buried my FOB in the backyard where it cannot interfere!

You have to put the FOB in a Faraday bag or it will come "PaaK" from the dead.

 

[macchiaz-o]

There's one way they could make it cheaper: OTA to allow one existing fob to program a second, instead of requiring two (to program a third).

I think at least two keys are required so that a thief or miscreant can't authorize a new key (their own) while borrowing just one legitimate key. Most people don't travel with both keys on them.* **

I suppose the security concern could be appeased by using a PaaK authorized device as the second key for purposes of enabling a third/fourth key? I dunno. I haven't thought it through. In any case, no matter how the authorization happens, I sure would like a "SecuriAlert" notification in my email and a pop up from FordPass.

* Except for rental car drivers. Why do rental car companies insist on giving the renter BOTH keys (on one keychain)? Is it just laziness, or is there some more legitimate reason? Doesn't this enable trivial key cloning?

** Except for the wizened Mach-E and Lincoln Corsair drivers who travel with a key fob and a phone.

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