Paak with out keyfob

[Hapsdoggen]

Hi

Can you use your phone (paak fordpass app) as your key with out having the keyfob near the car...

I tried this and after driving away the car said no key detected so was afraid it wouldn't work so drived back after my keyfob.

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[mkhuffman]

Hi

Can you use your phone (paak fordpass app) as your key with out having the keyfob near the car...

I tried this and after driving away the car said no key detected so was afraid it wouldn't work so drived back after my keyfob.

Yes. I don't carry a Fob and only use PaaK. If you have PaaK set up correctly it should be fairly reliable. I have not been stranded but I have had to use the backup start code to start the car because my key was not detected. Usually turning off Bluetooth and turning it back on gets the car to detect the phone. Sometimes a phone reboot is needed.

 

[generaltso]

Can you use your phone (paak fordpass app) as your key with out having the keyfob near the car...

Yes. That's kinda the point of PaaK.

 

[Tampamike]

Sometimes just closing FordPass and reopening works too. I do that first and it usually works. Doesn’t happen that often for me. I’ve been driving around for over a year without a fob.
If you’re driving away and the “key not found” message pops up, putting your phone on the wireless charger usually finds it. It’s more of a nuisance message— the car keeps driving anyway and it will work when you re-enter your car the next time.

 

[RickMachE]

As stated, that's the entire point of PAAK - Phone As A Key. If you had to have the key/fob with you, it then the phone would serve no purpose.

You should note that PAAK is problematic for many. Could be phone issues, could be app issues, could be bad juju...

 

[HuntingPudel]

I set up my PaaK and wrapped my key in foil. After a couple of weeks of trouble-free PaaK (discounting the FordPass bug), I left the wrapped key in a filing cabinet. I have not traveled with a key since. ??

 

[Awmustang]

Also, you need to do more than just log in to the FordPass app. Just because you can see your car in the app and can remote start it and lock and unlock etc., doesn't mean it's configured to be used as a key.

 

[SnBGC]

Hi

Can you use your phone (paak fordpass app) as your key with out having the keyfob near the car...

I tried this and after driving away the car said no key detected so was afraid it wouldn't work so drived back after my keyfob.

The idea is that you can leave your fob at home and still use the car provided you have a cell phone with you. It doesn't work 100% of the time. The great thing about PaaK is you get a lot of practice using your door pillar and backup start codes though....

 

[TRP]

My only issue with PAAK was the BT function on my phone suddenly stopped working, no idea why. New phone and no more issue.

PAAK has been very reliable for me other than that issue

 

[Johnny B]

I frequently use PAAK and have only needed to enter the backup code once. That's not to say that using PAAK is always as transparent as it should be, but that it is far from being unusable. Issues with PAAK seem to be connectivity issues between the phone and car which usually resolve themselves given less than a minute or so.

One thing that can affect this is your phone putting the FordPass to sleep to conserve battery. If you have an Android phone, check to make sure that the FordPass app battery use is set to Unrestricted. Go to Settings->Apps->FordPass->Battery and check Unrestricted.

 

[SnBGC]

I frequently use PAAK and have only needed to enter the backup code once. That's not to say that using PAAK is always as transparent as it should be, but that it is far from being unusable. Issues with PAAK seem to be connectivity issues between the phone and car which usually resolve themselves given less than a minute or so.

One thing that can affect this is your phone putting the FordPass to sleep to conserve battery. If you have an Android phone, check to make sure that the FordPass app battery use is set to Unrestricted. Go to Settings->Apps->FordPass->Battery and check Unrestricted.

"Resolved in a minute or so...."
You are a very patient person. When it is 120F outside and ready to faint.....messing around for a minute or two to get into the car or started is an eternity.

 

[mkhuffman]

"Resolved in a minute or so...."
You are a very patient person. When it is 120F outside and ready to faint.....messing around for a minute or two to get into the car or started is an eternity.

Or when your wife is standing in the driveway waiting for you to back out the car.

 

[Johnny B]

"Resolved in a minute or so...."
You are a very patient person. When it is 120F outside and ready to faint.....messing around for a minute or two to get into the car or started is an eternity.

"A minute or so..." was used as a figure of speech, not to be taken literally. I've never had an issue getting into the car with the phone and if I ever do, I'll use the door code. The problems I've had with PAAK have to do with starting the car once inside the vehicle and that seems to be related to the car's electronics waking up and establishing contact with the phone. Is PAAK glitchy? Yes. Is it unusable? No. At least for me, it works 95% of the time without an issue.

From a technical standpoint, I can understand why different people have different experiences at different times given the differences in phones, OS versions, app configurations, environmental factors, etc. These variables make issues with PAAK difficult to diagnose and fix, and, I expect not something that can ever be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. The point is, I don't expect my experience to be your experience. It clearly is not.

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