Backup Start Code doesn't work without connectivity?

mikeho

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As I wrote here, PaaK doesn't always work as intended, so having the backup entry code and backup start code is important. My wife took my son to a park with pretty poor connectivity and I think the app froze, so she wasn't able to unlock the car. Not a problem, she knew the entry code and the start code. Except the start code didn't work. She tried a few times and eventually got locked out. Since she didn't have cell service either, she couldn't call me either, which put her in a pretty precarious situation.

I'll have to ask her how she ended up getting the car started (maybe she used my code after she finally was able to call me or the app unfroze), but has anyone else tried to start the car with the start code without cell service? What I mean is in an area where the car cannot talk to the Ford servers either. Is the start code stored in the on-board computer? Makes me nervous to go anywhere without the key.
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cmtaylor963

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As I wrote here, PaaK doesn't always work as intended, so having the backup entry code and backup start code is important. My wife took my son to a park with pretty poor connectivity and I think the app froze, so she wasn't able to unlock the car. Not a problem, she knew the entry code and the start code. Except the start code didn't work. She tried a few times and eventually got locked out. Since she didn't have cell service either, she couldn't call me either, which put her in a pretty precarious situation.

I'll have to ask her how she ended up getting the car started (maybe she used my code after she finally was able to call me or the app unfroze), but has anyone else tried to start the car with the start code without cell service? What I mean is in an area where the car cannot talk to the Ford servers either. Is the start code stored in the on-board computer? Makes me nervous to go anywhere without the key.
The keyboards starts out as capitalized. If you password doesn't start with a capital letter, you have to hit the shift key first. Could that be the issue?
 
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mikeho

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The keyboards starts out as capitalized. If you password doesn't start with a capital letter, you have to hit the shift key first. Could that be the issue?
Yeah, no, she knew that, but I'll test it again later to be sure. But thanks for the suggestion :)
 

cmtaylor963

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Yeah, no, she knew that, but I'll test it again later to be sure. But thanks for the suggestion :)
I've had to enter it quite a few times, and never had an issue. I've probably had good cell service though.
 

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I think the answer is you don't need to be connected, but the best way to know for sure would be to ask Ford. The people there should be able to give you a definitive answer.

My guess is she made a mistake when entering the password. Easy to do. FWIW I never knew the default was all caps, so this was new to me.
 


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mikeho

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Thanks @cmtaylor963 and @DBC . I tried again tonight and found that the code didn't work. I think what happened is that having both PaaKs on the same FordPass account actually confused the car and the backup start code I created overwrote hers. I do hope they fix the PaaK soon.
 

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The keyboards starts out as capitalized. If you password doesn't start with a capital letter, you have to hit the shift key first. Could that be the issue?
That got me also.
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