Bluetooth expert needed.

[markboris]

So a somewhat related question, I would love to be able to open the frunk without having to actually get in the car to do it. Is there a way I can connect the phone so the BT remote works but it's not set up as PAAK? I was getting notifications every 20 seconds that the phone was connected so I stopped using it as a key. Thanks.

While this is not using the phone, many of us have programmed and use a Lightning key fob that has a frunk button on it to remotely open it. There are quite a few threads on this subject dating back to 2021.

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[Rj786]

This is good information and my assumption is that when you are out of BT range Firdpass app will use cell. Is this correct? Or I have to turn off BT to force it to use cell.

 

[devmach-e]

Open your Fordpass app. Touch Controls. If you are not connected to Bluetooth you won't be able to open or close your windows or the Frunk or tailgate with or without WIFI.

It is a security thing. Ford seems to think it is bad idea to be able to open your windows, frunk, or trunk when you aren’t in visual range of the car. And I agree.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

I think you also run the risk of draining your 12-v battery. The car will keep turning some lights on including the Mustang logo. But to each their own.

 

[Old_Norm]

I think you also run the risk of draining your 12-v battery. The car will keep turning some lights on including the Mustang logo. But to each their own.

If that bothers you turn off Welcome Lighting.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

If that bothers you turn off Welcome Lighting.

It doesn’t bother me. I actually love it. Pls do carry on. This is too entertaining to miss.

 

[Old_Norm]

It is a security thing. Ford seems to think it is bad idea to be able to open your windows, frunk, or trunk when you aren’t in visual range of the car. And I agree.

If that were strictly true they would limit the rage to within a few feet. I can use the Bluetooth features under Remote Controls from within my garage (the MME lives outside) and the rooms on the west side of the house near the garage, all without seeing the car. I think it is just the low level power of BT (around 33 feet for the average cell phone with an unobstructed view according to AI) that requires the fob to be near the car.

 

[Old_Norm]

It doesn’t bother me. I actually love it. Pls do carry on. This is too entertaining to miss.

Did I offend you? I was only suggesting that if you were worried about the welcome lights coming on * because of the proximity of your key fob that you turn the feature off. I'm sorry if that came across as snarky. I enjoy the welcome lights as well, especially when with someone who hasn't seen them before.

*and draining the battery

 

[Old_Norm]

This is good information and my assumption is that when you are out of BT range Firdpass app will use cell. Is this correct? Or I have to turn off BT to force it to use cell.

Bluetooth only works for the features found under the Controls part of FordPass. BT has no effect on the other FordPass controls. As you can see, there is a BT graphic on the button. The button is grayed out and the the controls are disconnected in my photo because I'm not in BT range of the car.

 

[jay1122]

the window and gate operation is designed to be seen so only on BT. Ford doesn't want you closing in blind and hit someone on travel. Especially little kids sticking the head in the window.

 

[Old_Norm]

the window and gate operation is designed to be seen so only on BT. Ford doesn't want you closing in blind and hit someone on travel. Especially little kids sticking the head in the window.

Again, if that was their plan they should have reduced the Bluetooth range. The tailgate, frunk and windows can be operated out of sight of the vehicle. BTW, if you close the windows using Remote Controls they will immediately lower if they hit an obstruction.

 

[devmach-e]

If that were strictly true they would limit the rage to within a few feet. I can use the Bluetooth features under Remote Controls from within my garage (the MME lives outside) and the rooms on the west side of the house near the garage, all without seeing the car. I think it is just the low level power of BT (around 33 feet for the average cell phone with an unobstructed view according to AI) that requires the fob to be near the car.

Clearly Ford saw a reason to limit those controls to when someone is in Bluetooth range, whether or not they are in a structure that may or may not block the Bluetooth signal.

Is there a specific reason you need to open the frunk/trunk/windows when not near the car?

 

[Snakebitten]

I remember when I purchased my first Powerboost, with the built in 7.2KW generator, and I loaded FordPass up with the VIN.
A LOT is different about FordPass today than 3.5 years ago. (well documented on Forums)
Back then, it was a completely different development platform and Ford had added a LOT of what I described as "enhanced features" in FordPass if the feature was a Bluetooth required feature.

One example was the ProPower Onboard section of FordPass. It had 2 different levels of functions.
The cellular level, or cloud based level, was simply a display of whether the generator was on, and if it was, it showed a snapshot value of the KW being drawn. You had to refresh the app to get the value updated.
But, if you had a direct connection to the truck with Bluetooth, FordPass was very much "enhanced" and the same display was live and updated in real-time. Very light lag. And you could turn ProPower/generator on/off while sitting in the RV on your Lazyboy! It was awesome.

Zone Lighting is another example. The F150 Bluetooth feature set was really cool compared to the cloud-cellular set.

I always looked at the Bluetooth required feature set in FordPass as the premium functions. And it became obvious that when Ford committed to the new development platform for the future of FordPass, the enhanced features were the first ones ripped out by the roots. That code was obviously not going to be inherited during the migration from one platform to the other. I suppose it requires a complete re-write?

I still own a Powerboost and I can tell you that Ford has made a bigger effort to write enhanced/BT-required features back into FordPass for the Mach-E than they have the F150. Kinda surprising to me considering the vast number of customers that would be affected by FordPass improvements.

 

[kodiakng]

I think that's how I had it set but was still getting connection notifications every 2 seconds. Maybe I'll try that again though. Thanks.

that may have been the "Walk Away Lock" notification if you have that enabled. i use PaaK and find that the walk away lock trigger can happen as many as 4-5 times over a ~10 minute period after i've parked in my garage and walk around the house near the radius of where the signal triggers the lock action. it usually stops before 20 minutes though since the car goes into a lower power mode by then.

the car should know that it is already locked (after the first trigger) so the app shouldn't need to trigger unnecessarily. it would also be nice if fordpass indicated current lock state on the car as well but...

 

[Old_Norm]

Clearly Ford saw a reason to limit those controls to when someone is in Bluetooth range, whether or not they are in a structure that may or may not block the Bluetooth signal.

Is there a specific reason you need to open the frunk/trunk/windows when not near the car?

Agreed. They just made the range too far if they used BT for safety reasons as you suggested.

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