DIY: Start, Lock, or Unlock your car with Siri, Widget, or Shortcut

[Gullwingdmc]

I’ll be up front, this is a workaround, but it does work and it plays by the rules.

What you need:
- An Apple device
- An Amazon Echo
- FordPass Skill for Echo

- Virtual Buttons Skill for Echo

How To:

1. Enable and setup the FordPass Skill in the Alexa app. It will ask you to setup a PIN for starting your vehicle, remember this number.
2. Enable and setup the Virtual Buttons Skill in the Alexa app. You will need a Patreon account to do this. You get one button (action) for free, more cost money. Each virtual button will create a fake doorbell in your Alexa app.
3. When you setup Virtual Buttons they will send you an email with a URL in it for each button. Keep this and do not share it with anyone.
4. In the Alexa app, create a routine where the trigger is the virtual doorbell being pressed. For the action, select custom, then enter the phrase you would say to Alexa to lock, unlock, or start the car. (See the FordPass skill for phrasing. This is where you’ll need that PIN you setup earlier.). You will also need to set which Echo device will speak out the response to this request. Pick any Echo, not your phone.
   
5. Test run the routine from the Alexa app to make sure it sent the right command to your car.
6. Go to the Shortcuts app on your iPhone and create a new shortcut that looks like this:
   
   The URL will be the one that Virtual Buttons emailed you. Name the shortcut whatever you want to say to Siri.
7. Test run the shortcut to make sure it does what you wanted.

I know this seems like a lot of hoops to jump though, but it does work.

In my testing the lag between Siri > Virtual Buttons > Amazon was a second or less. Any lag after that is the normal delay you would experience if you asked Alexa to Lock, Unlock, Start. Most of that delay seems to be the communication to the car. If the car was sitting idle the total time from request to action was maybe 10-15 seconds. If the car was “awake” it responded in as little as 6 seconds.

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[bshaw]

Thank you for this post, we need more like this.

Last 6 months, this forum has mostly been “Where’s my adapter or OTA” or “What’s this error message?”

My favorite posts are mods or tips/tricks to get the most out of this vehicle. Thank you.

 

[dallowev]

Thanks for the write up.
I'm going to set this up today, exactly what I had wanted to do.

 

[markboris]

I'm confused as to why you would need to involve the use of Alexa to do this? I (and many here) have used the native Shortcuts app on the iPhone to create Siri Shortcuts. Been using my watch for over three years to start, stop, lock, unlock car as well as check the range, battery level, odometer reading, etc. I have Shortcuts set up on both my EV and ICE Mustangs.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

I'm confused as to why you would need to involve the use of Alexa to do this? I (and many here) have used the native Shortcuts app on the iPhone to create Siri Shortcuts. Been using my watch for over three years to start, stop, lock, unlock car as well as check the range, battery level, odometer reading, etc. I have Shortcuts set up on both my EV and ICE Mustangs.

Yes you can do that, I used to, however that does violate Ford’s TOS and you could get your account locked out. The way I described here does not use any unofficial access to Ford’s servers.

 

[markboris]

Yes you can do that, I used to, however that does violate Ford’s TOS and you could get your account locked out. The way I described here does not use any unofficial access to Ford’s servers.

That makes sense then however, I have set up Shortcuts on probably 25 cars or more (most of them ICE and about 7 MME's and 3 Lightnings) in the last 4 years and to date, it has not locked anyone out of their account. It doesn't ping the Ford servers or whatever it takes to throw up a red flag at Ford (I'm not up on software terms). Only when you execute a Shortcut does it wake up the car, at least that is what I have been told.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

That makes sense then however, I have set up Shortcuts on probably 25 cars or more (most of them ICE and about 7 MME's and 3 Lightnings) in the last 4 years and to date, it has not locked anyone out of their account. It doesn't ping the Ford servers or whatever it takes to throw up a red flag at Ford (I'm not up on software terms). Only when you execute a Shortcut does it wake up the car, at least that is what I have been told.

Yeah I know the likelihood is low, but once they started locking out accounts I stopped using the shortcuts.

Now if someone could re-write the shortcuts to use Ford’s new API where you authenticate with Ford’s server instead of just entering your username and password in the shortcut, I’d be willing to try it again. Ford has started opening things up to developers more this past year.

 

[markboris]

Yeah I know the likelihood is low, but once they started locking out accounts I stopped using the shortcuts.

Now if someone could re-write the shortcuts to use Ford’s new API where you authenticate with Ford’s server instead of just entering your username and password in the shortcut, I’d be willing to try it again. Ford has started opening things up to developers more this past year.

They did lock out many people but I had read it was from using third part apps (don't remember which ones) that were constantly pinging Ford's server.

Brandon (one of the developers that has kept our Shortcuts going) has been working on an app called HenryLink that's using Ford's new API. Still a work in progress but at least someone is working on it.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

They did lock out many people but I had read it was from using third part apps (don't remember which ones) that were constantly pinging Ford's server.

Brandon (one of the developers that has kept our Shortcuts going) has been working on an app called HenryLink that using Ford's new API. Still all in progress but at least someone is working on it.

That’s great to hear. I love the name too!!

 

[dallowev]

At least with iOS 18 and a future update from Ford to the app, it seems like they'll be adding native widgets.

I believe they showed a widget for starting the car as an example on the iPhone.
I would hope opening doors/trunks would also be available then.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

At least with iOS 18 and a future update from Ford to the app, it seems like they'll be adding native widgets.

I believe they showed a widget for starting the car as an example on the iPhone.
I would hope opening doors/trunks would also be available then.

Not a widget yet, more buttons that can be added to control center or the Lock Screen. Still a great addition though!

 

[Brons2]

Two things I will never have:

An apple device
An amazon echo device. (ok I do have a kids fire)

Google all day, have a Pixel Pro, Google Minis, Google Smart Displays, etc, etc....

 

[Jimmyd]

Not a widget yet, more buttons that can be added to control center or the Lock Screen. Still a great addition though!

Not trying to be a wise acre here, just would like to know what is wrong with just using the Ford Pass. It does all those things for me and I don’t have another App knowing my every move. Of course I’m not a computer specialist and believe in the old adage “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it “

 

[Ljrochon]

https://discord.gg/Ju3Kq4AQ

This guy has done some amazing work in the shortcuts app. Little cleaner than your current solution.

 

[markboris]

https://discord.gg/Ju3Kq4AQ

This guy has done some amazing work in the shortcuts app. Little cleaner than your current solution.

Funny, was just discussing this with Chip in a DM. I'm on Discord also.

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