2021 Mach-E won't get 2022 usable Battery Increase

[Jimrpa]

It's Ford's warranty for the Mach E.

Has ford explicitly stated that cars outside the 3/36 warranty period won’t get software updates? That will cause a cliff in resale value!

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[Mach1E]

Has ford explicitly stated that cars outside the 3/36 warranty period won’t get software updates? That will cause a cliff in resale value!

Will it? After 3 years how many software updates should a car still need?

Hopefully they can iron out all the bugs before 3 years pass.

 

[jlauro]

Has ford explicitly stated that cars outside the 3/36 warranty period won’t get software updates? That will cause a cliff in resale value!

No they haven't either way. However, one set of updates did require going to the dealer if not working OTA, and Ford listed it as about 1.5 (going by memory) hour service for dealers, and dealers will not do service for free. Normally the factory pays during warranty work.

Ford schedules OTA via VIN. The question is weather those automatic OTA updates will ever be scheduled after the warranty is over or not. I'm not expecting any major updates after warranty period, and worse case it shouldn't cost much to have a dealer install the updates if they are not pushed OTA. If there is any safety/recall updates after the warranty, I am sure those will be free be they OTA or require a visit to the dealer.

 

[Jimrpa]

Will it? After 3 years how many software updates should a car still need?

Hopefully they can iron out all the bugs before 3 years pass.

Software updates are more than bug fixes. They can also include feature enhancements, like releasing battery reserve, enabling BlueCruise, adding a frunk release button, or updating maps.

 

[jlauro]

Software updates are more than bug fixes. They can also include feature enhancements, like releasing battery reserve, enabling BlueCruise, adding a frunk release button, or updating maps.

I am sure updates will be available. The question will be if they will be free, or fixed rate, or include in some subscription service, or a combination of the above depending on the update. It's moot for most for at least a couple more years... and even then only if it's a feature that would be used...

 

[Jimrpa]

No they haven't either way. However, one set of updates did require going to the dealer if not working OTA, and Ford listed it as about 1.5 (going by memory) hour service for dealers, and dealers will not do service for free. Normally the factory pays during warranty work.

Ford schedules OTA via VIN. The question is weather those automatic OTA updates will ever be scheduled after the warranty is over or not. I'm not expecting any major updates after warranty period, and worse case it shouldn't cost much to have a dealer install the updates if they are not pushed OTA. If there is any safety/recall updates after the warranty, I am sure those will be free be they OTA or require a visit to the dealer.

Not sure that makes sense, but what do I know? Consider though, I received my car 32 March 2021. It looks like Ford isn’t going to get around to enabling BlueCruise for my car until sometime in CY 2022. Given that BlueCruise is a 3 year subscription, it doesn’t make sense that ford would cut my car off from updates while my subscribed services are still in effect. I know that, for other fords I’ve had which have SiriusXM receivers in them, ford doesn’t cut off the receiver updates (which admittedly flow through SiriusXM) when the car “turns 3”, as long as the SiriusXM subscription is active.

 

[Mach1E]

Software updates are more than bug fixes. They can also include feature enhancements, like releasing battery reserve, enabling BlueCruise, adding a frunk release button, or updating maps.

Sure, but that has been the case for cars for years (software updates).

The only thing “new” is being able to do those OTA.

And for all my previous cars, any major software updates and fixes happened pretty quickly, or as a service bulletin “as needed.”

Either way, I don’t expect any major enhancements after 3 years.

 

[Nikos]

That is malarki. Updates should come regularly. Recalls are coming in even if the vehicle is 15 years old.

 

[Mach1E]

That is malarki. Updates should come regularly. Recalls are coming in even if the vehicle is 15 years old.

Recalls and software updates aren’t the same thing.

Outside of a recall, have you ever owned another vehicle that got a free software update outside of the warranty period?

Or let me ask this another way:

Have you ever owned a vehicle that got a free ANYTHING outside of the warranty period?

 

[RickMachE]

Has ford explicitly stated that cars outside the 3/36 warranty period won’t get software updates? That will cause a cliff in resale value!

Ford won't ever explicitly state anything....

You should expect that once the warranty expires, Ford won't provide any dealer-based services for free that aren't tied to a recall.

As far as resale falling off a cliff, that's unlikely. Same policy has been in place forever. At 3 years/36,000 miles, the vehicle should have a stable configuration.

 

[RickMachE]

Not sure that makes sense, but what do I know? Consider though, I received my car 32 March 2021. It looks like Ford isn’t going to get around to enabling BlueCruise for my car until sometime in CY 2022. Given that BlueCruise is a 3 year subscription, it doesn’t make sense that ford would cut my car off from updates while my subscribed services are still in effect. I know that, for other fords I’ve had which have SiriusXM receivers in them, ford doesn’t cut off the receiver updates (which admittedly flow through SiriusXM) when the car “turns 3”, as long as the SiriusXM subscription is active.

Bad example, since you're paying Sirius for the service as you noted, and Ford has zero involvement in the update process from Sirius.

If you're expecting your car to get new and improved capabilities after the warranty has run out, you probably should reset your expectations.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

 

[Shayne]

Will it? After 3 years how many software updates should a car still need?

Hopefully they can iron out all the bugs before 3 years pass.

Guess that would be defined as end of life (EOL). Not sure when for the MME but I know my i7 256 still gets updated. Graphic cards and chipsets get drivers for awhile. Even windows has LTSC. It can be a hardware change that creates EOL. If the software works on their hardware why not give it to them. Thinking that is only good for return business and the normal way of doing things is to make your tech last thru updates (as promised). We will see what other brands do also as tech in vehicles increases. Mine drives itself and beeps at me . If one brand offers updates and reasonable EOL and another does not or at the cost of a subscription just to push out an OTA that may factor into peoples future proofing? Not sure what iOS 15.2 gave me or what Sync 5.2 will? All speculation.

Was this update not only offered at the dealers which is different than OTA. I would hope after 3 years the software they are now installing at the dealers can be done OTA. I see dealer visits as a bug.

 

[Nikos]

Recalls and software updates aren’t the same thing.

Outside of a recall, have you ever owned another vehicle that got a free software update outside of the warranty period?

Or let me ask this another way:

Have you ever owned a vehicle that got a free ANYTHING outside of the warranty period?

No. That is still the ICE time domain.
We are starting a new era.
Looking at what Tesla is doing, they keep updating their vehicles irregardless of how many miles or years old they are. Tesla does that. That's why they have the advantage. Real advantage. Ford is following that model or they always have a disadvantage.
Tesla can use that advantage to rub it to all ICE manufacturers. When you been doing things for 75 plus years one way, when you change course and do it another way ( like Tesla does ), then is some learning curve to overcome.
Is not that we will stand still and say nothing to Ford. We will complain and hold their feet to the fire one way or another. I am one of them.

 

[Mach1E]

No. That is still the ICE time domain.
We are starting a new era.
Looking at what Tesla is doing, they keep updating their vehicles irregardless of how many miles or years old they are. Tesla does that. That's why they have the advantage. Real advantage. Ford is following that model or they always have a disadvantage.
Tesla can use that advantage to rub it to all ICE manufacturers. When you been doing things for 75 plus years one way, when you change course and do it another way ( like Tesla does ), then is some learning curve to overcome.
Is not that we will stand still and say nothing to Ford. We will complain and hold their feet to the fire one way or another. I am one of them.

That would make Tesla the outlier, not the standard.

Ford has been doing what Ford does for over 100 years.

You should set your “expectations” based on a century of what Ford has done, not what some other new competitor does.

Don’t get me wrong, I would be happy if they change their policy, I just don’t feel entitled to it.

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