Complete Lockout After OTA Update

[LaserBear]

Can you start it? It looks like it needs to be rebooted...

No. There is no access to the interior of the vehicle at all and even when I send the start command from the app, key fob, or door pad, the car will flash the lights acknowledging the request but it doesn't do anything.

I tried the manual frunk release from the bumper thinking I could disconnect the 12v to reboot the computers/modulars and hope that would work. (I have a tech background and the first thing you do is reboot LOL) However, since the 12v is not dead, it would not release the frunk.

Also, when I plug in my charger (L1 or L2) the car acknowledges that it has been plugged in (and can hear the car doing stuff) but does not start the charge.

Another crazy thing, looking at the HVB charge level from last night to this morning, it seems that the preconditioning occurred this morning. But I have no way to confirm that other then the drop in HVB battery.

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[Mach-Lee]

if it is a pattern, why the heck is @Ford Motor Company still sending out the 'bad' OTA that is responsible ? I would hope they could just re-send a previous version of whatever module is bad and restore access ?

this sure does not inspire any confidence at all in the OTA process.

I have a feeling the bad OTA has been stopped. And it was probably caused by one he got prior, not the most recent one.

This is more like a network communications glitch.

My approach would be to try to kill the 12V battery. I don’t think it can automatically recharge in the state it’s in.

 

[dtbaker61]

I have a feeling the bad OTA has been stopped. And it was probably caused by one he got prior, not the most recent one.

it sure would be nice to see specific release notes on module versions wouldn't it...

It is mind boggling to me that there is no way for an owner to ask to 'undo' OTAs until they get back to a stable build and have a patch OTA available.

 

[LaserBear]

I'm all for OTA updates - heck, I would even be a beta tester, but their needs to be a way to easily contact and roll back updates remotely if something went wonky.

In an update like this or with access controls (it may not have been the update, but it just seems like way too much of a coincidence) it should have asked if the vehicle was in a secure location and had the door open with you there. That way if the system that controls access dies, you could at least set the vehicle up for a tow or have access to the OBDII.

 

[azerik]

if it is a pattern, why the heck is @Ford Motor Company still sending out the 'bad' OTA that is responsible ? I would hope they could just re-send a previous version of whatever module is bad and restore access ?

this sure does not inspire any confidence at all in the OTA process.

If I had to guess there’s several layers of people that an ‘oh shoot’ moment needs to get through, provided they ever look at the logs, or look fast enough.
I also don’t get why they turn the taps on before weekends and holidays. If you want someone to be excited for BC1.3, give it on a Monday. If the car bricks they have a great excuse to not go to work.

 

[garyd9]

I'm all for OTA updates - heck, I would even be a beta tester, but their needs to be a way to easily contact and roll back updates remotely if something went wonky.

Having the ability to rollback is one thing... having the ability to initiate the rollback is another.

The car already has a mechanism to not apply updates when it thinks there's something wrong. (Just ask anyone with a "Not Complete" status.) So this is a case where the car thinks the update is applied/installed/functioning properly.

Let's imagine that in order to roll back, you have to manually press the steering wheel volume up, and cruise control "Set -" buttons at the same time. (I'm picking that button combination completely at random.) How would you go about initiating that button sequence given your current situation?

 

[LaserBear]

If I had to guess there’s several layers of people that an ‘oh shoot’ moment needs to get through, provided they ever look at the logs, or look fast enough.
I also don’t get why they turn the taps on before weekends and holidays. If you want someone to be excited for BC1.3, give it on a Monday. If the car bricks they have a great excuse to not go to work.

LOL! Whenever we would do a software rollout, we would do it Monday nights / Tuesday mornings. That way Monday was a last minute check and free up people for if things went to heck after the update.

I don't know the rollout schedule for people, but I know this update has been going out for awhile. I just happened to be the one of the few odd balls where the variables were not in my favor. At least I hope this was just an outliner.

 

[LaserBear]

Having the ability to rollback is one thing... having the ability to initiate the rollback is another.

The car already has a mechanism to not apply updates when it thinks there's something wrong. (Just ask anyone with a "Not Complete" status.) So this is a case where the car thinks the update is applied/installed/functioning properly.

Let's imagine that in order to roll back, you have to manually press the steering wheel volume up, and cruise control "Set -" buttons at the same time. (I'm picking that button combination completely at random.) How would you go about initiating that button sequence given your current situation?

I think it would have to depend on what systems were being updated. For this situation, even just access to the OBDII would allow a Ford tech could roll up to the car and troubleshoot. Once again, depending on the system, it could be something like "If the 12volt battery is disconnected or the 12v frunk jumpers are activated within 72hrs, roll back any update and trigger an alert"

 

[garyd9]

I think it would have to depend on what systems were being updated. For this situation, even just access to the OBDII would allow a Ford tech could roll up to the car and troubleshoot. Once again, depending on the system, it could be something like "If the 12volt battery is disconnected or the 12v frunk jumpers are activated within 72hrs, roll back any update and trigger an alert"

This goes back to the complaint of there not being any way to unlock/open the door from the outside with a near dead battery. There have been a LOT of threads about this, and at least one case where a person had young children inside and emergency services ended up breaking the window to "rescue" the children.

Assuming you could open the door, you'd be able to open the frunk, access the battery, mess with the OBDII port, and even reprogram modules. While I don't know how, I believe it's possible to even revert to older modules using FORScan.

This problem "shouldn't" happen. However, it IS happening and with the possibility that a child can get stuck inside the car as a result, I'm actually very surprised I haven't seen any type of federal investigations. Sadly, it will probably take a death before Ford and/or the NTSB takes notice.

 

[LaserBear]

This goes back to the complaint of there not being any way to unlock/open the door from the outside with a near dead battery. There have been a LOT of threads about this, and at least one case where a person had young children inside and emergency services ended up breaking the window to "rescue" the children.

Assuming you could open the door, you'd be able to open the frunk, access the battery, mess with the OBDII port, and even reprogram modules. While I don't know how, I believe it's possible to even revert to older modules using FORScan.

This problem "shouldn't" happen. However, it IS happening and with the possibility that a child can get stuck inside the car as a result, I'm actually very surprised I haven't seen any type of federal investigations. Sadly, it will probably take a death before Ford and/or the NTSB takes notice.

I was thinking that an emergency key lock mechanism installed near the button to open the rear trunk would be great. it would be hidden, not need a cosmetic cover, and would allow emergency access. You would have to fold the seat down and crawl in the car, but for an emergency it would work.

 

[rreddy3]

I was thinking that an emergency key lock mechanism installed near the button to open the rear trunk would be great. it would be hidden, not need a cosmetic cover, and would allow emergency access. You would have to fold the seat down and crawl in the car, but for an emergency it would work.

I am not a tech person…

That said, here is a no tech, 20/20 hindsight is wonderful, idea. IF an owner knows an update is coming, AND IF the car is in your own locked garage, an idea is to roll down the driver’s front window before you tuck the car away for the night. In the event of a lockout, then owner or mobile tech should be able to reach in and do the full rear pull of the inside door handle to get in the car and try to diagnose, and do the frunk lever double pull presuming that is all manual no batteries required.

Obviously this approach only has the potential to be of use IF the car is locked away in your own garage at home and owner knows an update is scheduled for the middle of the night.

I hope Ford gets your car sorted out LaserBear.

 

[Ravensfan1996]

I’ve been seeing this on the facebook page a lot in the last 2 weeks. 12v shows charged, but they can’t open the car. Car responds to commands, blinks lights, etc, but wont open. wonder what it is. All had to be towed to dealer, not sure what the fix was. Seen probably 10-15 posts About it.

 

[sukhoi_584th]

Can you get the tow company to slim jim one of the front doors so you can get the frunk open?

 

[music_cities]

Sort of makes me happy that I haven't received any updates since 4.2.5 on March 6, 2024.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Can you get the tow company to slim jim one of the front doors so you can get the frunk open?

No, there's really nothing inside the door to slim Jim. That tool is from the era of lock pulls that had mechanical linkages inside the door to hook onto. The things that used to go up and down when you locked the car.

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