How do I make it easier to open the frunk from my iPhone?

[UsernameChecksOut]

[Apologies to those who don’t have remote frunk access yet. I promise I’m not here to rub salt on your wounds!]

I use my frunk quite a lot. It’s great for groceries and takeout that I don’t want smelling up the cabin. Generally, approaching my car I have to pull out my phone, open up FordPass and then press/hold the button for multiple seconds. It is kind of annoying when I start off with not many free hands.

Does anyone have any shortcuts/tricks for making it easier? Any possibility of creating a dashboard widget I can tap or double-tap right from the Home Screen?

I briefly considered getting the F-150 key fob to have the frunk button on the remote but my preference is just to carry my phone only.

I put together some Alexa-FordPass routines already, but this seems to only allow me to start and stop/lock and unlock the car.

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[Mach-Lee]

No, the frunk can only be opened remotely via Bluetooth or 315 MHz fob. Widgets on your phone can't do that over the internet. Security considerations.

You can also use the door key code and the press the 7-8 button after your code to open it. That's probably the fastest way if you are walking up to the car.

 

[UsernameChecksOut]

Figured this was the case… it’s too bad but thanks for confirming!

I’m trying to understand the “security considerations” rationale though. I am able to lock/unlock and start/stop the car already through Alexa-FordPass integration. Just seems like a gap in functionality. Maybe it’s more of a safety issue?… ??‍

No, the frunk can only be opened remotely via Bluetooth or 315 MHz fob. Widgets on your phone can't do that over the internet. Security considerations.

You can also use the door key code and the press the 7-8 button after your code to open it. That's probably the fastest way if you are walking up to the car.

 

[Jimrpa]

[Apologies to those who don’t have remote frunk access yet. I promise I’m not here to rub salt on your wounds!]

I use my frunk quite a lot. It’s great for groceries and takeout that I don’t want smelling up the cabin. Generally, approaching my car I have to pull out my phone, open up FordPass and then press/hold the button for multiple seconds. It is kind of annoying when I start off with not many free hands.

Does anyone have any shortcuts/tricks for making it easier? Any possibility of creating a dashboard widget I can tap or double-tap right from the Home Screen?

I briefly considered getting the F-150 key fob to have the frunk button on the remote but my preference is just to carry my phone only.

I put together some Alexa-FordPass routines already, but this seems to only allow me to start and stop/lock and unlock the car.

I just want to thank you for acknowledging you use your frunk a lot! I'm so tired of those who keep saying they never use their frunk and don't understand why anyone would want a remote frunk release. Sheesh - if you don't use your frunk, buy an id.4 already

 

[Jimrpa]

Figured this was the case… it’s too bad but thanks for confirming!

I’m trying to understand the “security considerations” rationale though. I am able to lock/unlock and start/stop the car already through Alexa-FordPass integration. Just seems like a gap in functionality. Maybe it’s more of a safety issue?… ??‍

I think @DevSecOps offered some insight into some of the security considerations in another post.

 

[DevSecOps]

I think @DevSecOps offered some insight into some of the security considerations in another post.

@UsernameChecksOut yeah to be honest I'm not sure why Ford doesn't allow this. My comment in another thread was relative to remote operation of the vehicle. Remote start, for example, doesn't allow the car to be driven. The frunk double release is a required safety thing.

The only thing I can imagine is that Ford doesn't have a way to determine if the car is in motion, at least not on the fordpass servers, and therefore opening the frunk, from afar would obviously be bad. The reason I assume this is because you can actually lock/unlock and "attempt" to remote start when the vehicle is in motion. Maybe one day we'll get something like that.

 

[dj_stang]

@UsernameChecksOut yeah to be honest I'm not sure why Ford doesn't allow this. My comment in another thread was relative to remote operation of the vehicle. Remote start, for example, doesn't allow the car to be driven. The frunk double release is a required safety thing.

The only thing I can imagine is that Ford doesn't have a way to determine if the car is in motion, at least not on the fordpass servers, and therefore opening the frunk, from afar would obviously be bad. The reason I assume this is because you can actually lock/unlock and "attempt" to remote start when the vehicle is in motion. Maybe one day we'll get something like that.

Interesting insight, however if that’s the real reason then I find it peculiar that Ford couldn’t extremely easily use existing logic on the MachE side to simply ignore a FordPass request to open Frunk or otherwise while the vehicle is in motion.

 

[DevSecOps]

Interesting insight, however if that’s the real reason then I find it peculiar that Ford couldn’t extremely easily use existing logic on the MachE side to simply ignore a FordPass request to open Frunk or otherwise while the vehicle is in motion.

Like I said. I have no idea why. I was just speculating. FordPass is for all Ford vehicles, ICE and EV, so there's some nuances that I'm sure have a lot to do with that. I agree that things can be better and I wish they were. I think in time it'll improve.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

I put together some Alexa-FordPass routines

What Alexa routines have you setup? I know you can add the skill, but I haven’t seen a way to add anything to a routine.

 

[mkhuffman]

To me the FP frunk button is pretty useless. It is easier to pull the crank twice, or press the 7-8 button on the door.

 

[UsernameChecksOut]

What Alexa routines have you setup? I know you can add the skill, but I haven’t seen a way to add anything to a routine.

Take a look at that this…

 

[connoisseurr]

To me the FP frunk button is pretty useless. It is easier to pull the crank twice, or press the 7-8 button on the door.

I use this every time I need to open the frunk from the exterior.

To clarify for others, you enter your set door code (or factory door code), followed by a single press of the 7/8 keypad button.

 

[gpgrim]

OKay, my $0.02. I use my Fordpass funk button every day and I very much appreciate that it's there, although like everything MME there's always the quirks that make you scratch your head on just what the control systems are doing, or not!

Since I have to park my MME close the rollup garage door, I use the frunk for my daily dump of man-purse work crap. Since there is a multi-step release process that takes a few seconds, It's nice to be able to activate the frunk release from somewhere in the house as I'm prepping to walk into the garage. Rinse, spin repeat as I'm heading back across the parking lot at the end of the day to head home.

And yes, it can be inconsistent, both in success and in the distance at which success is achieved, but frankly, it wouldn't be the quirky MME experience that we've all come to love, if were any different.

On a related note, as a regular user of the frunk, I've come to appreciate the cup cutouts on the front lip. Perfect for setting down a drink or coffee while loading in the crap. Small stuff, but I do appreciate the thought that went into that.

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