Goodbye Mach e

[Alan UK]

Incorrect. If the software updates fail, only then hardware replacement is needed

That's not true in the UK anyway. They recalled me for the hardware replacement and I never had the problem. Taking it in tomorrow.

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[awp0]

It is the driver door. Probably can't hear the sound on the passenger side. I like my car interior Rolls Royce quiet. I can't handle any of those interior rattling. Been trying to nail down which part for a while. No interior parts are loose. Finally got real close to the culprit. It was the door trim part hitting the door gasket. Once I put the finger between the gap, it stops the noise. I have been putting foam tapes around the door opening gaskets to seal the contact between the door trim and the gasket. Definitely half design issue, half bad luck. If the gap is any tighter or wider, there would not be such rattle sound.

OMG, I'm so glad I noticed this post. I have the same issue. It's a drivers-side sound that's close to the ear (very easy for driver to hear, but not passenger), and it sounds like something between a loose part and a rubber seal rubbing against something. For me it's intermittent, some drives it doesn't seem to be there at all while other times I need to play music to drown it out. Thank you for helping pin this down! I'm guessing the intermittent nature of it has something to do with how the gasket compresses when I close the door.

 

[Alan UK]

TLDR: In short, the Japanese manufacturers prioritize quality. US manufacturers do not. Ford says it does but the numbers do not support this.

Toyota is very conservative when it comes to releasing new technologies. Until this year the Sequoia had been the same car since 2007! You can't help but perfect something with that much time.

Long story:
Not smarter. There is no us vs. them. The auto industry is truly global. They source parts from all around the world. Made in the USA does not exist anymore. Assembled in the USA with parts from 20 countries does. They pull employees from the same pools of resources. Look at this list of ford manufacturing facilities, the majority of them are outside the US. Each has design centers located around the world. Toyota has a major headquarters, manufacturing and design centers in California, Texas and across the south. I live near Tesla. Of the employees that live in my neighborhood, many of the designers are from the UK or Australia (in my neighborhood - don't know about the whole company.)

That said, the headquarters sets the strategy / priorities, operational approach and culture.

So IMHO, I think it comes down to three things.

- Corporate culture and Inertia: It is really hard to change big organizations. What got you to where you were is not necessarily what will keep you there. Unions add to making it hard to change. People that join that organization learn the company culture - what to prioritize? how and why we do things.

This is heavily influenced by the.....

- Country culture of leadership: Germany values high / new technology. You see it in their cities, their movies, and their products. Reliability, not so much outside of the advertising, look at the NHST report Mercedes is right up there with the big three in recalls. BMW too. Japan is about precision, dedication, and quality. Trains run on time. Products are generally higher quality. People really take pride in what they do, and work insane hours. USA - Our organizations are driven by profit and managing the bottom line. The focus tends to be shorter term.

- The American Consumer: We are swayed by a good story. We want the latest tech! We are easily influenced by marketing and patriotism. On the outside, It has to have the right image, it has to fit the story - Ford Tough! Our cars tell our fellow citizens who we are and how successful we are. The average auto payment is $700 per month, yet the median income is $33k! People don't realize but they are delaying their retirement by constantly buying new cars!

Or maybe they are smarter
Only joking. Very interesting post - enjoyed it.

 

[awp0]

The PowerUp update ensures that the vehicle can continue to operate while awaiting the actual fix. They're aware of the PowerUp. They know what it does, they simply don't like it (fair enough).

"Ensures" might be a strong word here, right? Are you saying no one is getting stranded by HVBJB post-OTA?

 

[andredj20020]

Although the Mach e has many fine features, I cannot rely on it to take a trip of several hundred miles to see my relatives. I cannot take the chance of having my car brick. The software update plainly does not adequately resolve this issue. It is untenable that Ford will not properly address this problem. I am going to sell this vehicle and buy something that I can rely on

I know exactly the feeling because I’m selling my GTPE. Hybrid seems to be a better solution.

 

[All Hat No Cattle]

Yeah, maybe we can discuss why we don't see commercials like this anymore, LOL.

 

[shark]

Although the Mach e has many fine features, I cannot rely on it to take a trip of several hundred miles to see my relatives. I cannot take the chance of having my car brick. The software update plainly does not adequately resolve this issue. It is untenable that Ford will not properly address this problem. I am going to sell this vehicle and buy something that I can rely on

So have you had an actual problem taking your car on a trip or are you just so fearful from reading the forums that you have convinced yourself that selling it is the better option?

 

[jay1122]

OMG, I'm so glad I noticed this post. I have the same issue. It's a drivers-side sound that's close to the ear (very easy for driver to hear, but not passenger), and it sounds like something between a loose part and a rubber seal rubbing against something. For me it's intermittent, some drives it doesn't seem to be there at all while other times I need to play music to drown it out. Thank you for helping pin this down! I'm guessing the intermittent nature of it has something to do with how the gasket compresses when I close the door.

I got the problem fixed. I had to put foam tapes around different trim parts before I finally find the part causing the sound. It is the corner plastic trim hitting the gasket. I put a foam tape at the corner of the door trim and now it is all good. See image below.

foam tape

 

[Kitch MME GT]

Although the Mach e has many fine features, I cannot rely on it to take a trip of several hundred miles to see my relatives. I cannot take the chance of having my car brick. The software update plainly does not adequately resolve this issue. It is untenable that Ford will not properly address this problem. I am going to sell this vehicle and buy something that I can rely on

I did the very same thing, sold my MME GT, for the very same reasons. I am so disappointed with FORD. If they had come out and said that they were planning to replace all the HVBJBs, but using the software recall to prioritize the replacements, I would have probably hung in there, but to say that the software is the "fix" is ridiculous. We don't know their real plan to address this problem because they do a terrible job of communicating with us. Like you said "Goodbye Mach E, and goodbye FORD!

 

[duncanator]

I did the very same thing, sold my MME GT, for the very same reasons. I am so disappointed with FORD. If they had come out and said that they were planning to replace all the HVBJBs, but using the software recall to prioritize the replacements, I would have probably hung in there, but to say that the software is the "fix" is ridiculous. We don't know their real plan to address this problem because they do a terrible job of communicating with us. Like you said "Goodbye Mach E, and goodbye FORD!

This all sounds so familiar (a current Chevy Bolt EV lessee)

 

[All Hat No Cattle]

kgautam28 said:
Incorrect. If the software updates fail, only then hardware replacement is needed

That's not true in the UK anyway. They recalled me for the hardware replacement and I never had the problem. Taking it in tomorrow.

I'm surprised that no one is discussing Post #121, shown above.

 

[ctenidae]

I'm surprised that no one is discussing Post #121, shown above.

I wonder how many at-risk MMEs are in the UK, and if the service network there can handle a broader hardware recall without the need for (or maybe with a lower threshold on) the software triage. Since apparently some EV-certifieded dealers in the US don't have, and can't get, the needed tools, a full hardware recall may be entirely unfeasible here. Not that that's okay, but it may be reality.

 

[spgordon57]

Although the Mach e has many fine features, I cannot rely on it to take a trip of several hundred miles to see my relatives. I cannot take the chance of having my car brick. The software update plainly does not adequately resolve this issue. It is untenable that Ford will not properly address this problem. I am going to sell this vehicle and buy something that I can rely on

You were aware of the car's maximum range when you bought it. So....what's the mystery? What lead you to believe that software updates would add a lot of range?

 

[Jtbuster]

?

So you have had a problem? Are you reading too many forums?


May I suggest a Toyota EV. They never have problems...

Ouch!

 

[cbcasas]

Front passenger door? There is an unsecured something in there for sure.

Did you ever find fix or a source of this rattle? I opened up my door and it seems like something inside the inner (metal) panel. My hand is too big to fit inside the panel

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