PaaK On/Off Toggle in FordPass (PLEASE!)

[JonathanEzor]

As someone who is fine carrying around a keyfob, I don't need to use PaaK on my new Mach-E, but I wouldn't mind being able to when I choose to. Problem is, my driveway is right next to many parts of my house, well within Bluetooth range, and when I set up my main (Android) phone with PaaK, it was constantly connecting to (and waking up) my Mach-E, causing unnecessary battery drain on both car and phone. I know I can turn off Bluetooth on my phone, but I use that for other things throughout the day. I also want to keep at least one device with PaaK available, if only so that the car will let me set up and use a keycode to start it even when I don't have the phone nearby. (The idea that you need PaaK active in order to utilize a starting keycode is ridiculous. If I've read that requirement wrong, please let me know.) For now, I've got PaaK enabled on my backup phone (an iPhone), which I can leave with Bluetooth off most of the time, but I'd still rather have PaaK on my main phone, just not always on whenever Bluetooth is enabled.

I've got a partial workaround (I use Tasker to automatically disable the car Bluetooth profile whenever I'm in proximity to a WiFi router in my home near the driveway door), but it's kludgy and still causes FordPass to put up notifications and error messages about trying and failing to connect PaaK. For now, I've just removed PaaK from my main phone.

Is there really no way to have PaaK set up in FordPass but turned off when not needed? How do we request that Ford add that obvious feature?

Thanks. {Jonathan}

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[generaltso]

my driveway is right next to many parts of my house, well within Bluetooth range, and when I set up my main (Android) phone with PaaK, it was constantly connecting to (and waking up) my Mach-E, causing unnecessary battery drain on both car and phone.

Does yours do that indefinitely? Mine only wakes up the car for a few minutes when my phone is within range. After that, it seems to be smart enough to recognize that phone isn't going anywhere, so it stops trying.

 

[JonathanEzor]

Does yours do that indefinitely? Mine only wakes up the car for a few minutes when my phone is within range. After that, it seems to be smart enough to recognize that phone isn't going anywhere, so it stops trying.

The problem is that I walk back and forth within my house throughout the day (and Bluetooth range exceeds that of my keyfob, with which I don't have this problem), so I'm in and out of range, meaning it wakes up again and again and again and.... {Jonathan}

 

[generaltso]

The problem is that I walk back and forth within my house throughout the day, so I'm in and out of range, meaning it wakes up again and again and again and.... {Jonathan}

That's what I'm saying. Mine only does that for the first few minutes. Then the car seems to be smart enough to stop. The phone will still open the car if I try, but it stops waking it up every time I get near it. I assumed this was by design.

 

[JonathanEzor]

That's what I'm saying. Mine only does that for the first few minutes. Then the car seems to be smart enough to stop. The phone will still open the car if I try, but it stops waking it up every time I get near it. I assumed this was by design.

OOOh! I hadn't tried that. Let me check it out. If that is the situation, well done, Ford! {Jonathan}

 

[Logal727]

Turn off Welcome Lighting, some cars for some reason the sync screen will turn on (backlight only) and stay on if it sense you are in range, which drains the LVB.

 

[Logal727]

I will admit that would be a good feature to have, I can't turn off BT entirely because of my watch and AirPods.

 

[JonathanEzor]

Turn off Welcome Lighting, some cars for some reason the sync screen will turn on (backlight only) and stay on if it sense you are in range, which drains the LVB.

But I like welcome lighting!

Thank you for the tip. {Jonathan}

 

[2021-MMEx-RT1]

But I like welcome lighting!

Thank you for the tip. {Jonathan}

Turn off Welcome Lighting, some cars for some reason the sync screen will turn on (backlight only) and stay on if it sense you are in range, which drains the LVB.

Mind did that the last two days in a row. Walk out to my car, puddle ponys on, radio/usb on

/it also turns the radio on randomly in the middle of the night, sometimes every hour for ~30 min...

 

[Logal727]

But I like welcome lighting!

Thank you for the tip. {Jonathan}

Yeah I like it too, but I like a dead 12v less. You can always just turn back on when you leave the house.

 

[dtbaker61]

As someone who is fine carrying around a keyfob, I don't need to use PaaK on my new Mach-E, but I wouldn't mind being able to when I choose to.

Is there really no way to have PaaK set up in FordPass but turned off when not needed? How do we request that Ford add that obvious feature?

Thanks. {Jonathan}

you can either turn BT off on your phone,
or 'force stop' the FordPass app itself which prevents messages and battery use. I consider it the electronic equivalent of hanging my keys on a hook by the garage door.

- touch-hold on the FP app icon
- click on 'app info'
- click on 'force stop'

.... then click on icon to re-start app when you are heading out and everything will re-connect and PAAK will work as you approach. (assuming BT is ON)

Just start Fordpass back up when you head for the garage to go somewhere. Allow about 20-30 seconds for it to reconnect to everything, and make sure BT is ON as you approach.

If you are using your Fob as key, then just leave FordPass off.

....personally, I have wrapped my Fob up in a tin foil burrito, and hidden INSIDE the cabin for emergencies if my phone dies, or if I need it to give to attendant for valet parking. I use PAAK exclusively, and just turn Fordpass on/off so my MME doesn't have conniptions every time I walk by in the garage.

 

[macchiaz-o]

Like others have said, it settles down after awhile.

To settle down my OCD, I've also found it helpful to silence the PaaK notification in Android:

 

[PeZ]

I have a "cancel"-button on the PAAK notification. This prevents PAAK from trying to connect to my vehicle until I re-open the FordPass app to reactivate it.

If you force stop the app, you won't receive notification etc from FordPass.

 

[dtbaker61]

The problem is that I walk back and forth within my house throughout the day (and Bluetooth range exceeds that of my keyfob, with which I don't have this problem), so I'm in and out of range, meaning it wakes up again and again and again and.... {Jonathan}

right
this is why I prefer to force-stop FordPass app completely when I am home. no battery use, and no waking up the sleeping beauty....

 

[JonathanEzor]

I have a "cancel"-button on the PAAK notification. This prevents PAAK from trying to connect to my vehicle until I re-open the FordPass app to reactivate it.

If you force stop the app, you won't receive notification etc from FordPass.

Does that cancel the connection attempt, or just the notification being shown? {Jonathan}

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