Remote start/climate control weirdness

[RMoore]

I can't figure out how the car "decides" what settings will be in place for seat and steering wheel temperatures after I start the car following a remote start initiated by hitting the climate button on the FordPass app. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for how it controls these. In the FP app, during the colder months, I typically have the temperature set at 72 and have the seat heater at lowest setting (1 out 3) with the steering wheel heater set to on. In the car, my remote start is 'on', 'climate control' is set to 'last settings' and 'seats and steering wheel' is set to 'automatic.'

In the winter, I typically drive with the seat heater at lowest setting and steering wheel heat on. When I start my car after a remote start (I usually set for 15 min) my seats and steering wheel are in one of two settings, with no obvious relationship to ambient temperature:

1. Seats at lowest heat setting, steering wheel heat on, or
2. Seats at highest setting (3/3), steering wheel heat off (sometimes with rear defroster on, sometimes not).

If the car thinks it's so cold out that it should set the seats at the highest setting, why wouldn't it turn the steering wheel heat on?
How come it never sets the seat temp to the middle setting (2/3)?

Anyone else see this behavior? Does anyone understand how the car decides how it will set the seats and steering wheel after starting the car following a remote start?

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[AliRafiee]

Are you setting these in the app after each remote start?

 

[RMoore]

Are you setting these in the app after each remote start?

Yes. See photo. But those settings that you see during remote start have no bearing on what is set after I actually start the car (getting into car, step on brake, hit start button).

 

[AliRafiee]

Yes. See photo. But those settings that you see during remote start have no bearing on what is set after I actually start the car (getting into car, step on brake, hit start button).

I’ve noticed that too. After I start the car it picks some random setting.

 

[mkazen]

Have seen the exact same thing you're describing. I also have it set to 72 degrees, seat on 1, steering wheel on, and when I come to the car and start it, it will either be seat on high and steering wheel off, or seat on 1 and steering wheel on. Not sure what determines it either. It's a minor annoyance as things get warm enough after a few minutes with climate control on, but it is definitely something I've noticed.

 

[RickMachE]

Just for fun, note the exact settings when you turn off the vehicle - temp, Auto 1, 2, 3, steering wheel on or off, seat on and level or off, etc.

Then, when you do a remote start and then hit the Start button in vehicle, see if ANY of the settings make sense based on that list.

 

[RMoore]

Just for fun, note the exact settings when you turn off the vehicle - temp, Auto 1, 2, 3, steering wheel on or off, seat on and level or off, etc.

Then, when you do a remote start and then hit the Start button in vehicle, see if ANY of the settings make sense based on that list.

I've kept track and there is no pattern that I can discern for what the settings are after hitting the Start button. The only thing I haven't kept track of is length of time between hitting the climate button on the app and actually starting the car. That time typically varies between 5 min and 15-20 (if I think I'll end up being longer than 15, I'll extend). I suppose that could be a factor.

But I still don't get why with seats on 3, the steering wheel heat wouldn't be on, or why it never puts the seats at level 2. And I'm guessing this is one mystery that I won't get solved.

 

[mkazen]

Just for fun, note the exact settings when you turn off the vehicle - temp, Auto 1, 2, 3, steering wheel on or off, seat on and level or off, etc.

Then, when you do a remote start and then hit the Start button in vehicle, see if ANY of the settings make sense based on that list.

My settings when using the vehicle are 90% of the time the same - Seat on 1, steering wheel on. As mentioned by RMoore, the only thing which MIGHT have an impact is the amount of time until I actually enter the vehicle. If I give it at least 5 minutes, it seems to keep the seat on 1 and the steering wheel on. If it's LESS than 5 minutes, then the seat is on 3 and the steering wheel is off.

 

[RMoore]

My settings when using the vehicle are 90% of the time the same - Seat on 1, steering wheel on. As mentioned by RMoore, the only thing which MIGHT have an impact is the amount of time until I actually enter the vehicle. If I give it at least 5 minutes, it seems to keep the seat on 1 and the steering wheel on. If it's LESS than 5 minutes, then the seat is on 3 and the steering wheel is off.

Interesting. I wondered about that. I’ll start paying attention to this delta t between remote start and in-car start and it’s relationship to heat settings.

 

[CarGuy11]

How Ford should have designed it to work: @Ford Motor Company

Remote start and the car decides to turn on seats, wheel, defrost etc and shows in the app what it decided. THEN user can manually override those settings through app.

 

[RMoore]

How Ford should have designed it to work: @Ford Motor Company

Remote start and the car decides to turn on seats, wheel, defrost etc and shows in the app what it decided. THEN user can manually override those settings through app.

That is how it works. The issue is when you get into the car and actually start it. It doesn't use what you had set in the app for the remote start.

 

[RMoore]

My settings when using the vehicle are 90% of the time the same - Seat on 1, steering wheel on. As mentioned by RMoore, the only thing which MIGHT have an impact is the amount of time until I actually enter the vehicle. If I give it at least 5 minutes, it seems to keep the seat on 1 and the steering wheel on. If it's LESS than 5 minutes, then the seat is on 3 and the steering wheel is off.

I've started to pay more attention to this and I think you're right. The shorter the time between remote start and actual start, the more likely it seems to set the seats at 3 with no heat to the steering wheel. I can understand the higher seat setting but don't really see the logic in not heating the steering the wheel in that case.

 

[CarGuy11]

That is how it works. The issue is when you get into the car and actually start it. It doesn't use what you had set in the app for the remote start.

Hmm then mine is picking what I had set seat on 3, wheel, defrost. Wondering if it will still try to put seats on in summer with those settings? Also should have the option to turn off or on the Passenger seat.

 

[RMoore]

Interesting, I've never set the seats on 3 for remote start so don't have a data point there. Are you saying that with seats at 3 and wheel ON using remote start, after you start the car your seats are on 3 and the wheel is on? If you want to do an experiment, next time set the seats = 1, wheel = ON for the remote start, and see what you end up with when you start the car (I assume you are in a cold region).

 

[CarGuy11]

Interesting, I've never set the seats on 3 for remote start so don't have a data point there. Are you saying that with seats at 3 and wheel ON using remote start, after you start the car your seats are on 3 and the wheel is on? If you want to do an experiment, next time set the seats = 1, wheel = ON for the remote start, and see what you end up with when you start the car (I assume you are in a cold region).

Yes. I am in cold climate. I have seen the wheel turned off but it was on because it felt warm.

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