OTA Update Flow

[leehinde]

For the record, it bothers me that this bothers me. I feel I should be more c'est la vie (say the old folks.)

OTA Updates seem to have two issues.

1. You don't see them. Here I am waiting on update post 4.2.2.2 and it never appears. It's not showing up in my nightly check, and it doesn't show up if I manually check in the software updates area in the screen.

2. You do see them, they are present, but the update doesn't occur unless you skin a chicken on a night with a full moon. Or rather, with a straight face:

... You left the car on for 3 hours. While the car was still on you hit the 'Update Now' button on the sync software update screen. Turned the car off as directed, got the 120 seconds countdown timer. Exited the vehicle, kept the key fob/PaaK away from the car while it tried to update. All this and the update still failed to install?

​

(no shade intended for the helpful forum member who provided these steps.)

When I first started shopping I test drove and liked the ID4. But the online world was filled with people having software issues so I dropped it from the list. I don't feel like the Mach-E issues are in the same category (at least for the 2023 model year) but it doesn't inspire confidence.

I understand that we're more invested/interested than the average schlub that Ford rightly needs to worry about. But I think it'd be a useful thing if Ford had a place to post these updates and explain who and what they're for. 4.2.6 is out, but it's only for MY 2022 Red GTs or some such. Of course, they're not feeling any of the pain from this. (Save the poor person who is monitoring @Ford Motor Company.)

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[Jimrpa]

I sympathize. The OTA process is not good. I’m not trying to be an apologist, but let’s look at the update process for Apple Watch. The watch has to be charged to at least 50%, on the charger, and on the same network as its iPhone. Oh, and the iPhone needs to be in range of the Watch. It’s stupid.
In the case of The Mustang Mach E, things are complicated by 12V battery “weirdness” and that if an OTA is manually installed by the dealer, it won’t show up as such on the screen.
I’d really like to see Ford publish a list of updates available, flagging the ones your car hasn’t received, and allow them to be installed as long as the vehicle is connected to a Level 2 charger or the battery is at a sufficient level. If the battery isn’t at a sufficient level, that should be displayed clearly and unambiguously, along with instructions on what to do.

 

[Mach-Lee]

@leehinde why are you concerned when your 2023 is fully up to date with software newer than what us with 2021s and 2022 have? You won't get 4.2.6 because the software you have from the factory is newer than that. You also have BlueCruise 1.2 and we don't yet. Most of these OTAs are so us older Mach-E's can "catch up" to your software level. So you shouldn't feel left out.

OTAs will install just fine for most people that use the vehicle normally. They're usually only a problem when people don't drive the vehicle very often or very far. Or when they don't understand you have to actually drive the car before it will check for new updates. I've learned there are a lot more people than I thought who drive less than 50 miles per week with their Mach-E, but get antsy when they don't have the latest updates. Ford didn't really consider that to be a significant use case. "My car has been parked in my garage all week but hasn't gotten the OTA yet" - well there's your problem, it's not being driven.

I also think owners need to be a little more proactive and take it to the dealer or FDRS updater if they don't have the latest UI by now. There's this wishful thinking of "maybe it will unstuck itself someday" but then people complain when it doesn't happen. Don't expect it to fix itself or you'll be waiting a long time. Same goes if your BlueCruise isn't working, there's an active program for that and time is running out. Some cars need manual intervention to get caught up, after which they should be fine with the OTAs.

 

[Spacey]

The UK and European owners look on wistfully at our American cousins while being stuck on 2.7.1

 

[Elektronik]

The UK and European owners look on wistfully at our American cousins while being stuck on 2.7.1

I got 3.5.6.2 in January

 

[Shayne]

I sympathize. The OTA process is not good. I’m not trying to be an apologist, but let’s look at the update process for Apple Watch. The watch has to be charged to at least 50%, on the charger, and on the same network as its iPhone. Oh, and the iPhone needs to be in range of the Watch. It’s stupid.
In the case of The Mustang Mach E, things are complicated by 12V battery “weirdness” and that if an OTA is manually installed by the dealer, it won’t show up as such on the screen.
I’d really like to see Ford publish a list of updates available, flagging the ones your car hasn’t received, and allow them to be installed as long as the vehicle is connected to a Level 2 charger or the battery is at a sufficient level. If the battery isn’t at a sufficient level, that should be displayed clearly and unambiguously, along with instructions on what to do.

Not a good analogy as the apple watch is cheap, does not have two batteries and a 12V power supply and can not charge itself.

Me I have done nothing different and refuse to jump hoops for a car update. I started at around power up 1.4 and am now on 4.2.4 with a combination of dealer FDRS and OTA. OTA is working but the wait time for some does cause some concern. I think Ford needs to see the anxiety it is causing some people with it cars OTA process and fix it.

The UK and European owners look on wistfully at our American cousins while being stuck on 2.7.1

Wow I had that one and I am feeling for you. Is that the norm across the pond? You can become stuck on that one (I was) and the dealer needs to fix you. After a certain amount of time when others are getting updates and you are far behind you need to whine to your dealer. Give them a list of bugs and try to keep it under a page, two max . That will make them hook it up and install what fixes they have. The 4.2 are better (bar wireless carplay and phone charging). I am guessing right now you do not need to hear that but could give hope.

 

[leehinde]

@leehinde why are you concerned when your 2023 is fully up to date with software newer than what us with 2021s and 2022 have? You won't get 4.2.6 because the software you have from the factory is newer than that. You also have BlueCruise 1.2 and we don't yet. Most of these OTAs are so us older Mach-E's can "catch up" to your software level. So you shouldn't feel left out.

I'm mostly curious. And confused about what's to be expected.

 

[Msnwcpa]

@leehinde why are you concerned when your 2023 is fully up to date with software newer than what us with 2021s and 2022 have? You won't get 4.2.6 because the software you have from the factory is newer than that. You also have BlueCruise 1.2 and we don't yet. Most of these OTAs are so us older Mach-E's can "catch up" to your software level. So you shouldn't feel left out.

OTAs will install just fine for most people that use the vehicle normally. They're usually only a problem when people don't drive the vehicle very often or very far. Or when they don't understand you have to actually drive the car before it will check for new updates. I've learned there are a lot more people than I thought who drive less than 50 miles per week with their Mach-E, but get antsy when they don't have the latest updates. Ford didn't really consider that to be a significant use case. "My car has been parked in my garage all week but hasn't gotten the OTA yet" - well there's your problem, it's not being driven.

I also think owners need to be a little more proactive and take it to the dealer or FDRS updater if they don't have the latest UI by now. There's this wishful thinking of "maybe it will unstuck itself someday" but then people complain when it doesn't happen. Don't expect it to fix itself or you'll be waiting a long time. Same goes if your BlueCruise isn't working, there's an active program for that and time is running out. Some cars need manual intervention to get caught up, after which they should be fine with the OTAs.

Agree with all except not all dealers are equipped/willing to FDRS update the MME. Mine has done nothing since I bought the car.

 

[Tevnouille]

The UK and European owners look on wistfully at our American cousins while being stuck on 2.7.1

In France,
Ford says: "These updates go through adaptation and validation processes for Europe, in particular to comply with EU legislation.
We are currently working on simplifying and optimizing these processes."

 

[theriddler]

The random timing of when different vehicles get different updates is confusing as is the notice of what is in an update.

I see others posting update version numbers that have more context defined than what i have seen.

For example, On May 17 I received notice that I just got Power-Up 4.2.3 and that it said this was a small adjustment so your vehicle can prepare for future updates that are more complex.

I have seen other posts talking about 4.2.3 that contained more information about a seemingly different update with the same number: https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/ford-power-up-version-4-2-3-is-here.26953/


Yesterday, on June 5, I received notice that I just got Power-Up 4.2.4 that again says it is just some minor fine-tuning so your vehicle can easily install more detailed updates coming down the road.

Similarly, there are posts here talking about 4.2.4 that show an update with this same number did much more than just 'minor fine-tuning for future updates': https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/power-up-4-2-4-software-version-released.26992/

I swear, it is not you, it is me lol

 

[Howard]

I have a 23 premium as well and got 4.2.3 update yesterday with same brief update. My 22 select got 4.2.3 in March and it had the more descriptive details. I believe the 23's shipped with most of the update items being installed by 4.2.3 and 4.2.4 already installed. Our abreviated versions of these two updates are simply designed, I think, to get cars ready for later 4.2.x series OTAs.

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