No Remote Start When Car is Asleep? [FIXED]

[mpshizzle]

I thought this was universal to all MMEs but I'm just now learning it's not.

In a nutshell remote start only works for me if one of the following is true
1) I am within Bluetooth range for Paak
2) The car is actively charging
3) The car has been driven within the last 5 minutes

I called Ford Pass customer service and she gave me an SSM to take to the dealer. SSM 50140. She told me that the ssm calls for a TCU update... Which I find suspicious since I literally did that myself 3 days ago. Can anyone with access shed some light on what the ssm actually says?

Also, how widespread is this issue? Are there a lot of you that experience the same? Or does it just work for you?

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[noway]

The remote start is not using bluetooth at all. It only uses the built-in Internet connection, so if this is not working either it is turned off in settings in car (Vehicle settings->remote start I think), there are cellular service coverage at the location, or there is a fault with the system.

 

[mpshizzle]

The remote start is not using bluetooth at all. It only uses the built-in Internet connection, so if this is not working either it is turned off in settings in car (Vehicle settings->remote start I think), there are cellular service coverage at the location, or there is a fault with the system.

Well that's the odd thing. One of the few cases where it DOES work for me is when PAAK says "Bluetooth connected" my thought is that when you're in Bluetooth range, those buttons use the Paak connection rather than cellular

 

[noway]

It is possible they do if possible, I don't know, but in that case the problem might be either that the car has not cellular connection, or that it is not properly connected to the account. It should not require the use of bluetooth. Are the other features of connected car working, like location, or remote unlocking?

You could try turning off bluetooth on the phone just to see if it still works right after plugging in the car.

I don't use the Fordpass app for remote start at all (just find it so annoyingly difficult to use), my system will send the remote start command via Fordpass without using the app, which means it has no bluetooth connection to the car at all ever.

 

[mpshizzle]

Are the other features of connected car working, like location, or remote unlocking?

Yes all of the rest of the modem stuff works (location, lock, unlock, etc). But once the car has been sitting for about 5 minutes, nothing. No battery/location updates (which I hear is normal), and no lock/unlock/remote start.


If I'm at a charger though, that seems to keep the car awake and everything continues to work just fine.

I don't use the Fordpass app for remote start at all (just find it so annoyingly difficult to use), my system will send the remote start command via Fordpass without using the app, which means it has no bluetooth connection to the car at all ever.

Can you elaborate? How are you doing remote start without the app?

 

[noway]

In that case your car probably have one of the early software issues. It is supposed to work, and maybe you will need to have it updated at a dealership (since OTA is still defective/not enabled yet).

I use Home assistant for remote start, it uses the same methods/API as the app uses to communicate with the Fordpass system (not supported officially), but just without the app itself.. it makes no difference in how the car works in this case, but it proves that bluetooth connection is never a requirement for the system to work.

 

[mpshizzle]

In that case your car probably have one of the early software issues. It is supposed to work, and maybe you will need to have it updated at a dealership (since OTA is still defective/not enabled yet).

I use Home assistant for remote start, it uses the same methods/API as the app uses to communicate with the Fordpass system (not supported officially), but just without the app itself.. it makes no difference in how the car works in this case, but it proves that bluetooth connection is never a requirement for the system to work.

Oh I see. A custom API shortcut. Yes I agree... Bluetooth should not be required... I guess I'm off to the dealer.. Again ?. I JUST did a software update on the TCU myself so maybe it's faulty hardware? ??

 

[SnBGC]

Oh I see. A custom API shortcut. Yes I agree... Bluetooth should not be required... I guess I'm off to the dealer.. Again ?. I JUST did a software update on the TCU myself so maybe it's faulty hardware? ??

Can you unlock the car with FP while the car is asleep?

 

[macchiaz-o]

I think all of @noway's explanations make sense. I'll add two personal observations:

1. Remote start through FordPass while well outside of Bluetooth range does work for me, every time... But many times it takes longer than I might have guessed it would. The app sits spinning the wait animation for maybe 30 seconds or so before the vehicle does a little headlight animation and starts itself.

2. I can remote start via Google Assistant and this seems easier. I don't think it even requires FordPass on my phone at all, after the one time authorization/authentication between FordPass and Google. To get started, you say "Tell FordPass to start my vehicle."

 

[mpshizzle]

Can you unlock the car with FP while the car is asleep?

Nope

I think all of @noway's explanations make sense. I'll add two personal observations:

1. Remote start through FordPass while well outside of Bluetooth range does work for me, every time... But many times it takes longer than I might have guessed it would. The app sits spinning the wait animation for maybe 30 seconds or so before the vehicle does a little headlight animation and starts itself.

2. I can remote start via Google Assistant and this seems easier. I don't think it even requires FordPass on my phone at all, after the one time authorization/authentication between FordPass and Google. To get started, you say "Tell FordPass to start my vehicle."

Yeah trying an external API shortcut is a good idea, just to be sure.

When I try to do a remote start it'll spin for like 90 seconds and then I'll eventually get this

Same if I do lock/unlock

 

[Mach-Lee]

I called Ford Pass customer service and she gave me an SSM to take to the dealer. SSM 50140. She told me that the ssm calls for a TCU update... Which I find suspicious since I literally did that myself 3 days ago. Can anyone with access shed some light on what the ssm actually says?

SSM 50140 - 2021 Mustang Mach-E/F-150/Edge - Gateway Module (GWM)/Telematic Control Unit (TCU) Programming Failure

Some 2021 Mustang Mach-E, F-150, and Edge vehicles may experience a GWM and/or TCU programming failure with an error message displayed in the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS) stating The Programming Or Part Number Validation ProcessHas Failed. This may be due to the USB flash drive being removed from the vehicle media hub before fully completing reprogramming. Reprogram the module(s) following the vehicle onscreen prompts. After the ignition cycle during reprogramming, the touchscreen may go blank. This is a normal part of the reprogramming process. Leave the USB flash drive installed in the media hub until the touchscreen displays Update Successful.

 

[mpshizzle]

SSM 50140 - 2021 Mustang Mach-E/F-150/Edge - Gateway Module (GWM)/Telematic Control Unit (TCU) Programming Failure

Some 2021 Mustang Mach-E, F-150, and Edge vehicles may experience a GWM and/or TCU programming failure with an error message displayed in the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS) stating The Programming Or Part Number Validation ProcessHas Failed. This may be due to the USB flash drive being removed from the vehicle media hub before fully completing reprogramming. Reprogram the module(s) following the vehicle onscreen prompts. After the ignition cycle during reprogramming, the touchscreen may go blank. This is a normal part of the reprogramming process. Leave the USB flash drive installed in the media hub until the touchscreen displays Update Successful.

Thanks for looking that up! Reading through that I'm not really sure why she thought that applies here though... This is something my car has done from the factory and the TCU DOES work. It just goes to sleep...

Well in any case I have an appointment for tomorrow morning, I will just let the dealer go from there.

 

[RickMachE]

I guess my question would be who really knows whether the vehicle uses Bluetooth, if available, then WiFi if not BT connection, then cellular if no WiFi?

 

[mpshizzle]

I guess my question would be who really knows whether the vehicle uses Bluetooth, if available, then WiFi if not BT connection, then cellular if no WiFi?

Well I don't know that.. it's total speculation. That being said I am at least fairly certain that is the case.

The reason I think so is when the car is unresponsive (which is anytime it's not charging), if I move close enough for Bluetooth to connect, it instantly starts working. The only reason I can imagine for that is
1)PAAK prioritizes Bluetooth for start/lock/unlock
Or
2) The act of coming within Bluetooth range wakes up the system and allows it to respond.

In either case though, that seems to indicate that the TCU goes to sleep but the RFA does not


Edit*** just ran a little experiment. I put my phone in airplane mode and turned Bluetooth back on so the only option to connect Bluetooth. The car did start. So now I'm 100% certain

 

[RickMachE]

Well I don't know that.. it's total speculation. That being said I am at least fairly certain that is the case.

The reason I think so is when the car is unresponsive (which is anytime it's not charging), if I move close enough for Bluetooth to connect, it instantly starts working. The only reason I can imagine for that is
1)PAAK prioritizes Bluetooth for start/lock/unlock
Or
2) The act of coming within Bluetooth range wakes up the system and allows it to respond.

In either case though, that seems to indicate that the TCU goes to sleep but the RFA does not


Edit*** just ran a little experiment. I put my phone in airplane mode and turned Bluetooth back on so the only option to connect Bluetooth. The car did start. So now I'm 100% certain

Right.

So I believe it uses BT, then WiFi, then cellular.

I also think that it going to sleep so fast is in fact a flaw that they need to fix. I find that walking around with my phone in my pocket wakes the car up, which triggers it to try and charge, which then immediately stops because it's at 90%. That can't make sense from a design standpoint.

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