Dealer wanted to charge me $1400 for updates!

[johnhmcgrath]

If Ford doesn’t pay for it, someone has to.

Same could be said for practically every piece of modern software--your iPhone or Android, the browser you use, your laptop's operating system, almost all apps.

But updates are *always* free for those. If Ford wants to claim they produce modern, software-driven, high-tech cars, that's how you do it. Software is dynamic in a way physical parts aren't, and needs to be updated. The very idea of "recalling" software is nuts--you don't recall it, you push a fix. We're expected to drive around with power steering, driver status, shifting, and HVAC that essentially gets less effective over time?

Feels like extortion, and if this is true across the board I will really wish I got the Model Y I was on the fence about, which treats software like software. And will make Tesla--or some other non-extortionate brand--my next car.

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[HuntingPudel]

The thing is: If you want the software updated as soon as the software is released and do not want to wait for the OTA (which is free) you have two options: Update via FDRS or get a dealer to do it. Otherwise, be patient and you will get the updates via OTA. There really is no reason to be up in arms over this (other than the fact that the amount this specific dealer wanted from this specific customer seems to be out of whack).

One really should not be comparing the customer cost of a Brand T OTA (free) with the customer cost of a dealer-installed software update (extra labor is involved). Ford’s OTAs are free as well.

 

[generaltso]

Same could be said for practically every piece of modern software--your iPhone or Android, the browser you use, your laptop's operating system, almost all apps.

But updates are *always* free for those.

People keep using this as an argument, and we just keep going round and round in circles. The updates from Ford are free too, but that's not what we're talking about. How many of those other devices that you mention have a technician install the updates for you? That's the part that we're talking about.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Same could be said for practically every piece of modern software--your iPhone or Android, the browser you use, your laptop's operating system, almost all apps.

But updates are *always* free for those.

Never once have I taken my phone to the Apple store, or my laptop to the Microsoft store and asked them to have a tech work on it for free. I’ve waited for the download. EVERY SINGLE TIME.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Sheehy Ford, Gaitherburg, MD to be exact. They say because the updates aren't recalls. Does Tesla charge for updates like this? I wish I had know this before I bought the car. I'll likely not get another Ford. Not a good experience at all.

Good afternoon! Could you please send us a private message with your VIN and mileage? I would like to look into these update concerns with your Mach-E on my end. Thanks!

 

[RickMachE]

OK, now I'm confused, LOL. The OP should wonder why he is being asked to pay $1,400 to work on his car, when "There was nothing to fix unless the op didn’t tell the dealer something was amiss with their car." Huh??

If there is something to fix it should be done under warranty. Are all those glitches people are experiencing in the Glitches thread above just something they will have to live with?

Next we will be told that the dealer can't fix a creak in the dash or a ticking in a wheel bearing because those problems are not throwing a fault code.

I am afraid that the most successful and least troublesome auto makers are going to be the ones that can fix the glitches, and Ford is going to continue to be #22 in reliability rankings, because they can't or won't.

I admit that I don't understand what the above quote is saying.

It's pretty simple.

The OP's car is not eligible for any of the Customer Satisfaction Updates, i.e. it was made so late it 2021 that it doesn't qualify. The CSP program is through end of September at this point.

The OP has nothing functionally broken. Therefore, there is nothing for the dealer to fix.

Therefore, despite their being updates available for the OP's car, since nothing is broken there's nothing to fix, and no updates to perform.

When/If the CSP program includes the rest of 2021 cars, or OTA updates roll out to the last of the 2021 cars, the OP can/will get some updates.

I'm picking up a 2022 made in January, finished in March. Delivered this past Friday. There is ONE update that must be made by the dealer before delivery, to give the car BlueCruise maps. There are 4 other updates available, which I asked my dealer to make while the car was hooked up to the computer, but they are not required to make.

 

[thewraith]

Eh, it was uncalled for.

 

[Mach1E]

Same could be said for practically every piece of modern software--your iPhone or Android, the browser you use, your laptop's operating system, almost all apps.

But updates are *always* free for those. If Ford wants to claim they produce modern, software-driven, high-tech cars, that's how you do it. Software is dynamic in a way physical parts aren't, and needs to be updated. The very idea of "recalling" software is nuts--you don't recall it, you push a fix. We're expected to drive around with power steering, driver status, shifting, and HVAC that essentially gets less effective over time?

Feels like extortion, and if this is true across the board I will really wish I got the Model Y I was on the fence about, which treats software like software. And will make Tesla--or some other non-extortionate brand--my next car.

There’s a very important difference between your analogy and what’s going on here:

The dealership, and it’s employees, DO NOT work for Ford.

Ford pays the dealerships for warranty work, but the dealers are independently owned.

So I’ll say it again, if Ford doesn’t pay for the service, someone has to.

Do you expect the dealers and their mechanics to work for free?

Extortion? Come on……. Don’t be silly. Charging for optional products and services are hardly extortion.

Extortion looks like charging $12-15k for autopilot and not delivering it for years like that brand T you mentioned.

 

[Mach1E]

OK, now I'm confused, LOL. The OP should wonder why he is being asked to pay $1,400 to work on his car, when "There was nothing to fix unless the op didn’t tell the dealer something was amiss with their car." Huh??

If there is something to fix it should be done under warranty. Are all those glitches people are experiencing in the Glitches thread above just something they will have to live with?

Next we will be told that the dealer can't fix a creak in the dash or a ticking in a wheel bearing because those problems are not throwing a fault code.

I am afraid that the most successful and least troublesome auto makers are going to be the ones that can fix the glitches, and Ford is going to continue to be #22 in reliability rankings, because they can't or won't.



I admit that I don't understand what the above quote is saying.

Car isn’t broken, but the OP wants software updates.

It’s not broken, so it’s not covered under warranty, so you can pay the dealer to update it.


No different than going to the dealer after you heard about a service bulletin online. Then asking them to service the car based on the service bulletin and replace a part that isn’t broken.

Dealer will replace the part and send you the bill.

Now if your car was broken, and under warranty. They would replace the part and send Ford the bill.

 

[cmsva1]

Sheehy Ford (in Richmond VA) just did my Blue Cruise updates. They certainly didn't charge for that. Maybe you need to specifically bring up a service bulletin (like 21P22).

 

[generaltso]

Sheehy Ford (in Richmond VA) just did my Blue Cruise updates. They certainly didn't charge for that. Maybe you need to specifically bring up a service bulletin (like 21P22).

There is no bulletin for these particular updates. That‘s the whole point of this discussion.

 

[mylittlepony]

Is there a link or a channel that will connect those with vcm that would like to update others and charge a small fee?

 

[RickMachE]

Sheehy Ford (in Richmond VA) just did my Blue Cruise updates. They certainly didn't charge for that. Maybe you need to specifically bring up a service bulletin (like 21P22).

 

[Mach1E]

Is there a link or a channel that will connect those with vcm that would like to update others and charge a small fee?

Yes, your local dealer.

Don’t think any regular owner would risk voiding your warranty and/or bricking your car, even for a small fee.

Option 2: complain about any of the dozens of bugs that likely happen in your car on a regular basis and ask the dealer to update to the most recent software to hopefully fix it. Warranty claim and free updates.

 

[johnhmcgrath]

Extortion? Come on……. Don’t be silly. Charging for optional products and services are hardly extortion.

Extortion looks like charging $12-15k for autopilot and not delivering it for years like that brand T you mentioned.

Ok that was a bit dramatic, but I still think this is asinine—this is software, software should be updatable in a straightforward way, for free, OTA. How many billion mobile devices are there in the world? This is a solved problem. Also not clear how optional this is—what do these updates do that is so wonderful that it costs $1400 to pop in a thumb drive?

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