Does anyone else find Fordpass pretty useless?

[dah]

... and forcing the car to charge to 100% (which is weirdly reliable).

When the car is on plug the telematics remain "awake" so it processes the command more reliably.

When the car is off plug, it's alsmost asleep if you're more than a few minutes after a drive, so stuff is way flakier. It's why the first remote command is usually so slow, and then once you remote start for example you can lock/unlock/cancel start way faster.

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[TheSeg]

Each use case their own, and this is going to be Apple centric as that's why I use.

I find the Apple Watch complication to be the key feature. I can start the car from my watch. Wish it was an accessible watchOS app and allow for the use of double tap to start the car, but it's super handy.

Where I would like the app to go is utilizing the Car Connectivity Consortium's Digital Key spec. The Apple implementation is branded as Car Keys and Android's branded as Digital Car Key. Both are implementations of the same CCC spec. That way the FordPass app is how you setup the system, but then the operating system is handling the key systems. This reduces the complexity of the app as it's now offloaded to Apple / Android to secure, maintain, and improve upon.

Example: For iPhones the key will still work when Power Reserve is activated; aka phone is out of power. Android phones can also do this (sorry, not fully informed on Android devices to know which do).

In short: I want the app to do less when the phone's OS can do that same function.

 

[Space_Pony]

It comes in handy if you want to know where your wife is when she's using the MME.

 

[Gungrave223]

It does a basic job but definitely could be better...

• I get a lot of fault positive when trying to restart start like errors saying my frunk is open even though it's not.
• There is no visual status of the state of the door... So if I can't remember if walk away lock had trigger I just have to hit the lock door button since I don't know if it's actually locked or not.
• Departure time was broken for me... but an update today said they fixed it... I'll see on monday.
• Trip history being pulled from the app was a step backward.
• The app randomly logs me out.
• Then there is just the general slowness of the app.

 

[ThatGuyLando]

I tend to avoid it as much as possible but sometimes I open it up to charge to 100% if I have to take a road trip the next day. Everything in that app is super slow and often times just fails. Setting departure times never worked for me, remote start is slower than just walking to the car, turning it on and heading back in and even the trunk/frunk/window buttons are greyed out most of the time.

 

[MachEMaster]

The only issue I have with PAAK, is when I remote start, it does not default to my Profile. Oh, and any time I want to show someone the Frunk, it doesn't like to open.

 

[TMartz]

It is my contention that Fordpass was written by software programmers that work and is intended for people that work.
I am retired, no two weeks or days are the same.
It means I don't have a schedule so many of the Fordpass facilities are awkward and cumbersome to use.
In fact the only schedule I want is preferred charge time and that doesn't work at the moment.
See https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/preferred-charging-times-do-not-work.33062/

Are other retired owners as displeased with Fordpass as me?

Singing to the choir. Had I known of the inept workings of the Fordpass app, this would have impacted my decision to purchase the car. I had a genesis GV80 prior to this MachE and I depended on the integration b/w the app and the vehicle - it was seamless and consistent. Now, Virtually every time I go to my car, I am anxious as to what to expect/not expect. Yes, I could depend on the physical remote but, that is not what I should have to resort to particularily since Ford SO PROMOTES the fordpass app and it's utility!!!

 

[Zekester]

I am not retired. I find it pretty useless. Here's why:

1. I don't use PAAK
2. I don't use remote start
3. It does not show me the current software of the vehicle (that can no longer be seen anywhere as far as I can tell)
4. My needs don't really require me to know charging status at any given moment. I can see that when I get in the car.

Given that all of that case, I don't see any value added in having it. Opening the frunk and remote start (if I ever used it) would be better on the fob. Frankly, I rarely use the frunk as it is a pain in the ass to get it open.

 

[ponEpwr]

Haven't used the physical keys since the first week so I use the app all the time. And agree that it could be so much better. I really don’t understand why it’s a bad as it is. Lack of features and the way it operates.

Open it and go to start the car, aim thumb to long press start button and then the button jumps down the screen.

when remote started it used to give me the countdown to when it was going to shut off. For some reason it doesn’t do that anymore.
iPhone 15 pro

 

[Teslaeata]

I am also retired and use FordPass all the time. I’ve had my car since August, and I’ve had no problems with the app at all.

Does anyone else find Fordpass pretty useless? Nope!

I’m still working, no 2 days are the same but FordPass is OK??‍

It has its moments but its software written by software developers so it’s what I expect ?

 

[RWG]

I too am retired, and I use FordPass a lot and think it is poorly designed. Of course, my opinions are a bit tainted. I was in charge of Global Product management for a $1b company, so I have some fairly strong opinions on things like this. I have the ridiculous notion that things released to the market should actually work . . . .

First issue:
Quick, try to find the software version you have! Unless you know exactly what page or screen to go to, you will not find it easily. I would have told the developers to proudly display the version ( in small font) on every page, just pick a corner and always put it there, in the same place.

Second Issue:
Regarding updates, obviously there are issues. Since I have owned this vehicle, FordPass software has be update more than 12 times! I am not surprised. FordPass serves ALL ford vehicles, not just the Mach E. So there are a lot of updates constantly to support lots of models and that slows things down. ie. if the developers make a change to support the Escape, they have to make sure it doesn't mess up another model, etc.

Third issue:
I am annoyed by the map feature. First you must update FordPass to see were the car is on the map, even though battery condition is transmitted immediately, map location is not. (Does anybody know why it works this way?) You must update to see were it is and sometimes asking the system too do an update can take a long time. Second problem is: lets say someone is driving the car 100 miles from you location, you cannot "toggle" to the car location on the map. You have to scroll all over the map to find the car. The only time the map quickly displays the car location is when your phone is in the same location. perhaps it is just me but I would prefer some type of toggle/button on FordPass that makes the map immediately display where the car is. ( Yes I am a worrier, but when my 71 year old wife is out an about, she does not always pay close attention to the GOM/battery condition and for security, if she said she is going somewhere I do like to check and see if the car is where it belongs and has enough juice to get her home safely.)

Fourth:
I find the system unstable. I repeatedly tells me " FordPass is not responding, please try again later". If you call FordPass tech support they will just tell you to dump the app, reload and start over. I find that type of technical solution disappointing. That is just as bad as Comcast cable TV. When you get the message: "We're sorry but we are experiencing technical difficulties. Please shut down your cable box and reboot". Then you shut down the system and reboot. It usually takes about 5 mins., which seems like a lifetime when you were drinking a beer and watching a program.

Fifth:
When there is an update on software for the car or FordPass, you get a written notice. However, the narrative is usually just legal and marketing weasel wording that does not specifically tell you what was changed, why or where it is. They just tell you they are "improving your Ford experience" and that you should trust that they have your best interests at heart. Since I am a self professed Nerd, I would prefer to know: What, why and where.

Sixth issue:
I find it curious that much of the Sync screen data is not visible of Ford Pass. Certain technical data is there, like the GOM ( guess o meter) charge level and miles left but what about the trip data, or maybe even the 12v. battery voltage/charge levels? Ford sends Vehicle Health Report which really just tells the user if it passed or not. I prefer to see the data, not just yes or no conclusions. Also, in this area of data reporting, nowhere in the vehicle is there any data that tells the user:

• Wifi signal strength
• Blue Tooth signal strength
• AT& T phone modem signal strength

The lack of this data just puts the user and techs in a "dark" hole when attempting simple troubleshooting procedures.

Seventh issue:
I seem to recall that early on, I could set the max charge amperage in FordPass, now I can only do that in the car, on the screen. Most people get confused about this area. You can set Max amperage and Max Charge level. Example: you can set the max charge to 85% and the max charge rate @ 30 amps. If you are a Nerd, like me; setting these charging parameters promotes long battery life or at least I believe it does.

Eighth issue:
All good computer based systems I have ever used in the past, have detailed audit reports. In these reports you can see when the system was accessed, changed, operated, etc. There is a report in FordPass, but it is flawed. It is the glass half empty, (or full). I would prefer a complete, detailed audit report, that is downloadable to a spreadsheet, like Google or Xcel. As it is, the data is incomplete, poorly formatted and not convenient to use. ie. scrolling through data on a smart phone screen is not good.


Long ago I decided to have low expectations regarding FordPass and that just means I don't get disappointed often.

 

[Opa]

based on having to buy my parents a “day of the week clock” in their retirement otherwise they had no idea… my guess is lack of routine.

OMG!
70 years old been retired since 66, and busier than hell now than I ever was when I was working!!!

? between the kids, the grandkids, the in-laws, and the outlaws schedule. I need more features than the poor guy who’s doing the 9 to 5 slogging it routine.???

 

[phil]

... for the folks who like me hate the current app, take heart - a major overhaul of the app is coming this year.

Yes, major overhauls of sketchy software usually work out great. I can hardly wait.

 

[dwst480]

I have meaningful gripes about the Fordpass app, but one I find really annoying is how all of the UI seems to load fresh every time I open the app. When you want to pull your phone out to start the car remotely, having to wait 5-10 seconds for everything to load because otherwise the start button is going to jump out from under your finger is really annoying.

Then the app reminds you to long press the button, but you were trying, the button moved not your finger.

In my experience, if I press and hold the button and then the button moves, I just keep my finger in the same place on the screen until I see that the start request has gone through and it still works.

 

[Art]

It is my contention that Fordpass was written by software programmers that work and is intended for people that work.
I am retired, no two weeks or days are the same.
It means I don't have a schedule so many of the Fordpass facilities are awkward and cumbersome to use.
In fact the only schedule I want is preferred charge time and that doesn't work at the moment.
See https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/preferred-charging-times-do-not-work.33062/

Are other retired owners as displeased with Fordpass as me?

I usually trust the car rather than the FordPass, but the one feature I do use is the charge level and when it is completed. The charge time and the miles added is always correct.

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