Don’t get run over!

[21st Century Pony]

Todd, see you at the DC chargers!

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[MACH-E Mountain Way]

Your situation reminds me of when I used to boast about my love for all things Toyota...

I was convinced that there was someone out there who bought the worst lemon of a car they ever owned...and it had a Toyota badge on it.

That just wasn't me though. I've loved every Toyota I've had from my very first Corolla. I still have a Tacoma with around 140,000 miles on it (haven't looked in a while honestly...well cuz I'm driving the Mach-E almost exclusively now).

I'm rapidly approaching 10K miles in my non-Rapid Red Mach-E and have loved just about every minute. Other than the expected hiccups of driving an iPhone on wheels it's been virtually flawless. Any minor issue encountered was either a one off or easily fixed by power cycling or disconnecting and reconnecting (airplay for example). Haven't had the PAAK issues that some folks complain of but I don't intentionally use PAAK that often. I would say that is does seem to work flawlessly for me when I do use it because I have accidentally left the house without my FOB a. couple of times. And I really don't think these kinds of issues are unique to EVs either. All new vehicles have some integrated computer technology so buying an ICE vehicle won't mean you will be free of having these issues. Still can't find the CTRL-ALT DELETE buttons on the Mach-E yet but I'm still looking.

I'm sorry that you got such a dog of a pony it seems.

This is honestly my first Ford so I was a bit apprehensive at first. As I alluded to above I was basically a Toyota guy because my dad was a Toyota guy but that wasn't always the case. As I mentioned in another thread my dad was a Ford guy early on but switched to being a fan of Toyotas in the early 80s. This was mostly due to him being tired of always having to fix the Fords of the day (thank you planned obsolescence). So I think I landed on the ME in the end of my EV search in part as a tribute to my father who has been gone for almost 14 years now. Toyota is not really interested in EVs so they weren't really in the mix (although I did try).

I hope that I never come to hate my vehicle as you did yours but I don't think anyone can blame you. I'm new to forums as well so I didn't quite understand why someone would spend so much time publicly falling out of love with a vehicle. I do know that most folks use the forums when they have problems so seeing a large number of negative posts by folks who are having issues isn't shocking.

You did make me chuckle here and there so I appreciate that. Good luck with the Rivian. While I'm interested in an EV truck someday I just can't get over the Hippo like appearance. I do want to check one out in person and maybe drive one someday. I would take one over a CT though if I had to chose one.

Fair winds and following seas to you sir!

Try not to get runt over!

 

[Kmp14]

Ouch! This is a major loss for this community! My MME has been almost flawless (knocking on wood), other than the minor software annoyances. The Rivians are tempting though...but I have been a Mustang guy since my dad and I restored a 1970 convertible starting when I was 15. If Rivian comes out with a smaller SUV I will definitely have to take a look. Thanks for all you have contributed here. Go get 'em on the Rivian forums!

 

[Jimrpa]

The day has come (about 1 month ago) that I’m no longer a MachE owner. I have sold my GTPE!

I would first like to say that I have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people on this forum and it was great to be able to share whatever little nuggets I could. In my 25ish years driving and going through 13 new cars, I’ve never before participated in a forum. The anticipation to get behind the wheel of the MachE was up there. I had been eyeballing the MME for over a year (before it was released), but patiently waited for the day that I could pre-order the GTPE. My pre-order kept getting delayed so I searched high and low from West Coast to East Coast until I found one at MSRP in Hialeah, Florida. I called the dealership, gave them a credit card and had it shipped to California in less than a week.

I joined the forums because the car confused me. There were so many things that I just couldn’t figure out. There were questions about why Ford did some of the things they did. I had rattles and weird noises that I couldn’t isolate. The forum became a place where I encountered others who had like issues and that brought some level of comfort that I wasn’t alone in the things I was finding.

All those little things and the amazing thread by @mpshizzle on how to update with FDRS spurred something in me that turned the car into a project. The forum was just gas on the fire and it quickly became my second home. I had a blast with the MachE and it was such a fun vehicle both driving it and tearing it apart!

So, what happened?

There was a time when my optimism and love for the car turn into something a bit more jaded. That first started with the HVBJB failures. I knew that Ford had to do something and I really thought that they would do what was right from the beginning and replace them. The software “not-a-fix” almost felt like a personal attack. Like many before me, I knew that I would have failure one day and I wasn’t mad that it happened, but I felt let down because I was over 100 miles from home with no options (my story is here). Ford wouldn’t get me a rental and the dealership said, sorry nothing we can do either. If it wasn’t for family driving over 3 hours to get me, I would have had to walk to a hotel. That response, for a car that was almost brand new still, was very upsetting.

The software bugs started getting to me and the terrible UI design choices made me want to roll back updates, which isn’t possible. The issues that I had didn’t stop there. In my 2 years of ownership, the car was in service for more than 100 days. I know that the majority of people don’t/won’t have as many issues as I had, but it eventually got me to a point where I just couldn’t trust the car or Ford to make me whole on my purchase. Admittedly, the majority of the time the car was in for repairs was due to the dealership and not Ford directly. That doesn’t excuse the fact however because the dealerships are an extension of Ford. There are some amazing people who work at Ford and I am grateful for all they attempted to do, continue to do and help that they provide to the community.

The forums started to become a place where I wrestled with defending owners vs defending Ford and their dealership network. I’ve always felt that I should defend the people who are on the forum and not the car, but so many Ford fanboys made that difficult and over time it’s gotten a lot worse. Every slightly negative post is now met with excuses, comments that it doesn’t apply to them and therefore shouldn’t matter to anyone or any number of other deflecting strategies. Additionally, it seems like 10% of threads are now over exagerated attacks on other vehicles and people that have nothing to do with the MachE. I'm not a fan of echo chambers and based on my own personal experiences most of the attacks are completely unwarranted and based on false or very misleading information. I encourage people to ask for truth and try things on your own before making such wild and innacurate judgements.

Silently, behind the scenes, I worked with a lot of people to help get the new HVBJB replacement recall in place, but I burnt a lot, if not all, of my bridges in the process. I achieved what I set out to do based on what I thought was right for all MME owners, and with that, I can move on.

What issues still existed?

The biggest remaining issues for me when I sold the car were the following:

• Drive mode not available
• Gust profile bugs
• Phone calls messing up/static
• Unable to disable motion sensors at power down
• Release notes still suck
• Trunk opening on its own
• Charging bugs where it randomly stops
• PaaK that still sucks 2 years later
• Performance of the GTPE (Ford says they might give people a paid option to allow more torque)

And, in the end, I had more issues creeping up on me. In the morning the car sounded like an old man moaning at the turn of the steering wheel. The shoulder bolsters that I had replaced for crackling are at it again. Lastly, updates are still getting borked by Ford. It only appears that, as they gave us more features, they gave us more bugs.

What did you move on to?

Most everyone here knows that I moved on to a Rivian R1T but if you don’t here’s a thread comparing the two. Rivian makes an amazing vehicle and I’m happy that I found something which I consider to be far superior to the MME in almost every regard that matters to me. So many members here have moved on from the MME to a Rivian. Thank you to all of them who helped me make the decision to switch as well. I also now have a Tesla M3P and there’s a post here about that as well. Thanks to @heisnuts for inspiring me to go with the M3P, helping me understand the vehicle and providing me with your referral code.

What did you do with the MachE?

In a nutshell, I ended up selling the car and, whoa, was it a shocker! Here’s the offers that I ended up getting for a GTPE, 2 years old with 45k miles on it:

• Ford Dealership #1 – 27k
• Ford Dealership #2 – 29k
• CarMax – 23k
• Carvana – 31k
• Driveway – 32k
• Car Gurus - 19k

Many other dealerships and online car buying sites said; “Sorry we won’t buy the MachE”. Both dealerships that made offers told me that they can’t sell their current inventory. They both had over 45 MachE’s on the lot. I never considered the MachE to be an investment, but damn I didn’t think it would tank in value the way it has. A lot of members here try to make this out as an EV problem, but it’s not. It’s definitely a Ford problem.

Charging etiquette:

This is my latest crusade! Please learn charging etiquette for the sake of all EV owners. We have to be in this together and the level of ignorance or selfishness at charging stations needs to get resolved. Here’s a brief list for those who don’t know them:

• Use a charger commensurate with the capability of your vehicle if possible. Do not use one that will supply more power than your vehicle will accept if possible.
• Avoid parking next to someone who is charging, especially on shared units. EA shared units will have verbiage on them saying they are shared. It’s always in order of right to left 1 is shared with 2, 3 is shared with 4, etc. Other chargers label them, normally in a letter number combination. For example, 1A is shared with 1B and possibly 1C, whereas 2A is shared with 2B and possibly 2C.
• Avoid charging above 80% SOC if you don’t need it
• Don’t park in charging spots if you aren’t charging
• Unplug when you are done charging and move your car. Someone else might need it. Yes, this applies to hotels as well.
• Don’t use chargers as princes parking. If you don’t need the charge and you connect to a charger just because you want princess parking, you’re rude. Someone might need that charge who is commuting/traveling.
• Don’t use local DCFC just because it’s free unless you need to. DCFC is designed for commuters and using it just for the sake of sucking up free electrons only blocks someone who needs it to get on with their family travels.
• Please report broken charging units to the charging company. Don't contribute to the problem, help resolve it!

In Closing:

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the forums and helped me over the years. Some of the best times were when we had a new “how-to” every week. Those were the days! The excitement of testing new updates to find out what we got was also a blast!

I’m also thankful for the opportunity to help many members, especially in the rough patch of the HVBJB fiasco. I've met many friends from all corners of NA based on those tumultuous times.

All that being said, I truly hope that Ford continues to improve the MachE for all owners. If that means they need to fail to be great, so be it. If they make it, I hope they eventually learn from their mistakes and commit more resources to modern technologies and advancements rather than being stuck in their old ways.

Like many others that have moved on, I’m sure I’ll stop in from time to time. For me, the benefit of being on the forum was to learn from others and help those in need. Without the car and based on the influx of those who just can’t stand anything I post, neither of those are possible like they were before, so therefore I won’t be around as much (I’m sure Rick will be elated).

If anyone ever needs help flashing their MachE in the Sacramento area, send me a DM, I’d be more than happy to help. If anyone in the area gets stranded drop a DM and if I’m around I’ll go get you. If anyone ever goes to a gaming convention (I attend most of the big ones) and wants to grab some coffee, let me know. If anyone here attends OpenWorld or any other big tech conference, let me know. I often speak on stage at some of the large tech conferences. If anyone has a question, @ me or DM me (I have notifications on), I’m always willing to help or share my opinions, as polarizing as they might be.

Don’t get run over and enjoy your MachE!

-Todd

Todd, as I said previously, thanks for all your contributions! Personally, I walked into my car knowing that I was buying Job 1 of a totally new vehicle (something I know well you are not supposed to do), so I’ve been very patient and accommodating. I realize the many issues are ones that people who depend on their cars can’t always tolerate, and I’m glad that there are other options available. I hope you get many miles of fun driving out of the Rivian!
- Jim

 

[TheSteelRider]

I'm a capitalist, and I always encourage folks to vote with their dollar, so I commend you for casting your vote. I think you made a great choice in Rivian.

If you followed Kyle Connor / Out of Spec, Alex on autos, etc. you know Rivian had extreme issues with their first batch of R1T's, so I don't think Ford is alone here. That being said, it appears Rivian has figured things out a bit quicker than Ford. I think this stands to reason because Ford is saddled with pleasing shareholders, giving out dividends, institutional investors, and what I believe to be completely insane and unrealistic unions.

I have come to the conclusion this is the way of business. Some say it is possible to make elephants dance, some say it isn't. I hope you don't blame Ford engineering, from what I've seen from people here on this forum who likely work at Ford, they are top-notch. Also, I hope you don't keep your rose colored glasses for those other brands on too long, and are willing to dump them as well if you see fit.

Keep us up to date on Rivian, and your M3.

 

[MellowJohnny]

The forum will miss you Todd!

My daughter swims competitively and had a coach early in her her career who was an Olympic breaststroker. She was a great coach, but liked to yell. At 10 year olds. But she only yelled at you if you deserved it, and it was ultimately because she cared about her swimmers and had high standards. She was forever shaped by her.

I always told my daughter to ignore the tone, just listen to the message.

Too bad I don't attend OpenWorld anymore (I spoke once many many years ago after Oracle acquired ATG) it would have been fun to grab a coffee.

Happy trails Todd!

 

[AngryMan]

And here I thought I was going to read about someone whose Mach-E ran over them. ?

I thought it had something to do with Christmas .Like the song "Grandma got run over by a reindeer "...you know cuz were all ...ummmm....were up in years ....no that's no good . Cuz we have seniority on the planet . YEAH that's the ticket ...we have SENIORITY ??

 

[DevSecOps]

I hope that I never come to hate my vehicle as you did yours

I hope my post doesn't come across as hating the MachE. If it does, that wasn't my intent. That car opened my eyes to a lot of great people. I didn't have the best of luck with my MachE, but many many people on here love the MachE, and that's great to see.

I hope you don't blame Ford engineering, from what I've seen from people here on this forum who likely work at Ford, they are top-notch. Also, I hope you don't keep your rose colored glasses for those other brands on too long, and are willing to dump them as well if you see fit.

I know the bureaucracy in Ford and I know it's not the people who work there that are to blame. In my OP I said that I am grateful for all they've done and I sincerely mean that. I've said many times on here and in my OP, I defend people, not cars. The people at Ford that I know on this forum are great people and they really care.

I don't expect perfection from any vehicle. I actually put up with a lot and don't easily get discouraged by things. My Rivian already had the entire battery pack replaced due to a defective Bidirectional Control Module. It's used for bidirectional charging which isn't enabled. So it didn't mean I couldn't drive it, but none the less there was an issue. The vehicle was towed from my house the same day, a brand new pack was installed, I was provided a loaner and Rivian showed that they cared the entire time. It's not the problem, it's how companies react to the problem that matters.

I always told my daughter to ignore the tone, just listen to the message.

When I was a kid my Grandfather would ream his employees, myself included, a new one, then invite them to lunch 1 hour later. He wouldn't ever say he was sorry, but everyone knew how much he cared about the quality of work they provided to his customers and the people who he employed. I think a little of that might have rubbed off on me.

 

[DevSecOps]

One of the best threads on a car forum to convince folks considering EV adoption to stick with internal combustion.

Not quite sure how you come to that conclusion when I now have 2 new EVs after getting rid of the MachE. I'll likely get rid of my only ICE vehicle, which I said I would never do, in the next few months. I never drive it anymore.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

It’s been a pleasure interacting with you over the last couple years, Todd.

It seems to me that the vehicle got considerably better in 2022.5 and beyond. Many drivers’ experience is significantly better than what you described. For me, I had to replace the piano black trim surrounding the roof, which caused a minor rattle that I chose to live with. Other than that, minor issues with LVB and profile settings, etc. Nothing important enough to ditch it over.

However, this experience taught me that the startups are getting hardware fixed more rapidly than the legacies getting competent with software. My next car will most likely be a Tesla or Rivian.

Best of luck and please don’t shy away from stirring the pot here every once in a while ?.

 

[kennethjk]

One of the best threads on a car forum to convince folks considering EV adoption to stick with internal combustion.

Coming from someone who still doesn’t own one?

 

[dtbaker61]

The day has come (about 1 month ago) that I’m no longer a MachE owner. I have sold my GTPE!

I’m always willing to help or share my opinions, as polarizing as they might be.

-Todd

So long Todd, and thanks for all the fish!

Your input was always well thought out. I'm just glad the HVBJB issue is finally being considered a 'real' recall.

I've avoided *most* of the technical/software aggravations by NOT updating; kinda opposite your approach with FDRS, but it's working for me to minimize downtime. Ive had my car in the shop 1/2 day for display replacement the first summer, and 3 days for HVBJB.... other than that, just driving the crap out of mine, and pushing Utility to the limit as a 'work truck'.

 

[joes723]

Thank you for everything! Really have appreciated your posts/insights/3-D printed parts! Dont be a stranger!

 

[stealthytolkien]

Sorry to see you go and congratulations on your new car. Rivian (autocorrected to Tobias LMAO) is a beautiful car. Really catches my eye every time I see one.

I don’t however quite understand why one would do this - going to another first generation car made by a not-so-mainstream car maker that the same company that makes the MME has invested in. But, I am sure scholarly research has been conducted before diving in. I wish you nothing but the very best for the next 100,000 miles. I would have opted for a 2023 Model X if I had so many issues with a first generation car. But that’s just me.

For my Job 2 currently at 10k mile 2021 GTPE, despite the tanked resale value for what is a better “car” than the leading EV brand, I am thrilled every time I am driving it. And I want to sincerely and secretly hope that I can do it for the next 6-8 years. I’m sure HVBJB will hit me sooner than later but with a recognized recall in place now, I’m sure I’ll be able to drive this to the ground with Ford’s support. Literally every other EV I test drove fell short of the balanced “package” that MME GTPE trim offers in terms of form and function. I haven’t driven Rivian.

And yes, Ford has ruined their own exceptional creation by half a$$ing it. I am with you on that 100%. But are you surprised?

 

[kennethjk]

Yes. When software causes such drivabillty and ownership problems, one has to make a critical evaluation of the product and platform in general. Why do I need to own one to make such an assessment?

Plenty of ICE cars have issues and I don’t hear people say “I will never drive an ICE again.”

not quite sure why you are on this forum, watching I get but to each their own.

good luck on your non EV quest

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