Severe PaaK issues with FordPass 4.25.0 on Pixel 7 Pro

[cryptk]

Has anyone else had a horrible time with Phone as a Key with the most recent 4.25.0 FordPass update? Ever since that update, I have a maybe 20% chance of PaaK actually working, luckily I am very familiar with the process to use the door code and backup start passcode.

After almost 2 weeks of severe frustration, I finally grabbed the APK for 4.24.3 from apkmirror and downgraded my FordPass and things seem to be back to "fairly reliable" like they were before the 4.25.0 update.

I did make sure that all of the settings under "Optimize Phone As A Key" were correct with green checkmarks.

The symptoms I had with 4.25.0 were the app saying "Bluetooth Disconnected", and it would not connect no matter how long I stood next to the car. Turning Bluetooth off and back on again also would not allow it to connect. Force stopping the app and clearing the cache for the app also would not allow PaaK to connect. The only thing that would allow PaaK to connect was restarting the entire phone. It got so bad that as I was walking up to the car, I would just go ahead and restart the phone, then unlock the doors with the door code. By the time my wife and kids were in the car ready to go, my phone would be back up and running and I could launch the FordPass app to get it to connect to the car quickly (although if I just waited a minute, it would also connect on it's own). Then the next time we would leave range of the car, when we would come back, I would have to do the phone reboot dance all over again.

Even clearing the full storage for the app and re-configuring PaaK, and completely uninstalling FordPass and setting it back up from scratch did not resolve the issues I was having under 4.25.0.

I haven't had any of these issues after I downgraded back to 4.24.3 2 days ago, but I haven't tested it super extensively yet, but I 100% would have had issues by now with 4.25.0 and have had zero issues after the downgrade.

@PaaK_Android are you aware of any issues with PaaK on Android with FordPass 4.25.0? Is there any information I can give you to help to debug this?

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[NoVAguy]

I can't say I've noticed any worse functionality with PAAK on Android. It's always been rather unreliable on my pixel 7, but some force restarts of the Fordpass app has always worked for me and has worked fine enough that I still use PAAK.

I will say, I've noticed Android Auto has almost stopped working entirely! I found I need to restart my whole phone as well as the Sync system. Then it usually can connect and works for the remainder of the day. But any driving the next day requires restarts of both to get working again... Very annoying.

 

[PaaK_Android]

Has anyone else had a horrible time with Phone as a Key with the most recent 4.25.0 FordPass update? Ever since that update, I have a maybe 20% chance of PaaK actually working, luckily I am very familiar with the process to use the door code and backup start passcode.

After almost 2 weeks of severe frustration, I finally grabbed the APK for 4.24.3 from apkmirror and downgraded my FordPass and things seem to be back to "fairly reliable" like they were before the 4.25.0 update.

I did make sure that all of the settings under "Optimize Phone As A Key" were correct with green checkmarks.

The symptoms I had with 4.25.0 were the app saying "Bluetooth Disconnected", and it would not connect no matter how long I stood next to the car. Turning Bluetooth off and back on again also would not allow it to connect. Force stopping the app and clearing the cache for the app also would not allow PaaK to connect. The only thing that would allow PaaK to connect was restarting the entire phone. It got so bad that as I was walking up to the car, I would just go ahead and restart the phone, then unlock the doors with the door code. By the time my wife and kids were in the car ready to go, my phone would be back up and running and I could launch the FordPass app to get it to connect to the car quickly (although if I just waited a minute, it would also connect on it's own). Then the next time we would leave range of the car, when we would come back, I would have to do the phone reboot dance all over again.

Even clearing the full storage for the app and re-configuring PaaK, and completely uninstalling FordPass and setting it back up from scratch did not resolve the issues I was having under 4.25.0.

I haven't had any of these issues after I downgraded back to 4.24.3 2 days ago, but I haven't tested it super extensively yet, but I 100% would have had issues by now with 4.25.0 and have had zero issues after the downgrade.

@PaaK_Android are you aware of any issues with PaaK on Android with FordPass 4.25.0? Is there any information I can give you to help to debug this?

Sorry for the bad experince @cryptk. I brought this to the teams attention. We are looking for patterns to see if this is a one off issue you are having (Doesn't mean we won't help) or if this is a widespread issue. Once we get the initial data points we should have a clearer idea of what's going on.

 

[cryptk]

Sorry for the bad experince @cryptk. I brought this to the teams attention. We are looking for patterns to see if this is a one off issue you are having (Doesn't mean we won't help) or if this is a widespread issue. Once we get the initial data points we should have a clearer idea of what's going on.

I have the ability to kind of easily move back and forth between 4.25 and 4.24.3, so if you need/want me to go back to 4.25, let me know. Thanks for the super speedy response!

 

[machefan22]

Some of the same issues here. I couldn't tell if it was the FordPass App update or Android's March 23 security update since they both happened about the same time. What I have noticed on my P7P is when PAAK doesn't work, the PAAK device mac address is not connected to bluetooth on the phone. I turn off bluetooth, wait a couple seconds, turn on bluetooth, and all is back to normal for a session or two.

 

[cryptk]

Some of the same issues here. I couldn't tell if it was the FordPass App update or Android's March 23 security update since they both happened about the same time. What I have noticed on my P7P is when PAAK doesn't work, the PAAK device mac address is not connected to bluetooth on the phone. I turn off bluetooth, wait a couple seconds, turn on bluetooth, and all is back to normal for a session or two.

I noticed that as well, but I wasn't able to resolve it by just toggling Bluetooth off and on... Perhaps I didn't wait long enough while it was off. That said, back on 2.24.3 and still zero issues, so it really seems like something other than just adding the charge rate to the details screen was adjusted, and that change didn't work out so well.

 

[bbhaag]

In some instances there seems to be an issue with Google phones especially the newest version. Here is a thread that might help.
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/psa-paak-and-pixel-7-pro.22510/

 

[DevSecOps]

As @bbhaag said this in the later parts of this thread it was discussed in detail:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/psa-paak-and-pixel-7-pro.22510/

It appears to be Google related with the March Security Update. I don't think it has anything to do with FordPass at all.

 

[cryptk]

In some instances there seems to be an issue with Google phones especially the newest version. Here is a thread that might help.
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/psa-paak-and-pixel-7-pro.22510/

As @bbhaag said this in the later parts of this thread it was discussed in detail:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/psa-paak-and-pixel-7-pro.22510/

It appears to be Google related with the March Security Update. I don't think it has anything to do with FordPass at all.

While I don't doubt that there might be multiple issues, I can confirm that downgrading to 2.24.3 has returned me to a functional state with PAAK, and my problems started almost immediately after updating to 2.25.0.

I don't think my problem is caused by the March security update because if it were, downgrading FordPass wouldn't resolve the issue, unless it's some kind of issue with the combination of the March security update and FordPass 2.25.0 together.

Either way, my PaaK is functional again with 2.24.3, and I'll wait until Ford releases a version other than 2.25.0 to update again.

 

[bbhaag]

Not sure what your issue is. I'm using a stock P6 and PAAK works fine after the latest Android update and the latest release of FordPass. Not perfect mind you but it works about 97% of the time.

How are you able to revert back to previous versions of FordPass? Do you have any boot loaders installed on your P7?

 

[cryptk]

Not sure what your issue is. I'm using a stock P6 and PAAK works fine after the latest Android update and the latest release of FordPass. Not perfect mind you but it works about 97% of the time.

How are you able to revert back to previous versions of FordPass? Do you have any boot loaders installed on your P7?

The phone is stock, Pixel phones are not locked down like Samsung and others are, so it's pretty easy to sideload an older version from an apk file.

The issues so far all seem to be from people with Pixel 7 Pro phones, so perhaps your Pixel 6 is unaffected by whatever is causing it?

 

[DevSecOps]

While I don't doubt that there might be multiple issues, I can confirm that downgrading to 2.24.3 has returned me to a functional state with PAAK, and my problems started almost immediately after updating to 2.25.0.

I don't think my problem is caused by the March security update because if it were, downgrading FordPass wouldn't resolve the issue, unless it's some kind of issue with the combination of the March security update and FordPass 2.25.0 together.

Either way, my PaaK is functional again with 2.24.3, and I'll wait until Ford releases a version other than 2.25.0 to update again.

We started documenting these issues after the March Security update and BEFORE 2.25.0 was even released. If you read my post on the 15th there were issues with it. 2.25.0 came out on the 21st.

It could very well have something to do with the security update and cached encryption keys for PaaK that were reset when you downgraded since you would have also had to re-setup PaaK.

So, as a test someone could simply clear FP cache and data, reset the car, remove all old BT connections and re-setup PaaK. I would do that as a test, but my car is dead at the dealer and probably will continue to be dead for another couple weeks.

 

[bbhaag]

The phone is stock, Pixel phones are not locked down like Samsung and others are, so it's pretty easy to sideload an older version from an apk file.

The issues so far all seem to be from people with Pixel 7 Pro phones, so perhaps your Pixel 6 is unaffected by whatever is causing it?

I'm not sure. Honestly it would be very Ford like to work a generation or two behind when it comes to software related issues like this. The P7 is a fairly new phone so it wouldn't surprise me that it might have some growing pains concerning Mach-E integration.

Sorry I can't be more help.....but maybe read through the thread I linked to and you might find a solution.

 

[cryptk]

We started documenting these issues after the March Security update and BEFORE 2.25.0 was even released. If you read my post on the 15th there were issues with it. 2.25.0 came out on the 21st.

I read the post, and again, I personally did not have any issues after the March update, I personally only experienced issues after updating to 2.25.0, and reverting has resolved those issues.

Like I said before, I don't doubt that there might be more than one thing going on, but I can assure you that my issues did not start with the March update. I know they didn't because I saw your thread when you made it, said to myself "that's odd, I recently installed that security update and I haven't had any issues", and then about a week later I installed the 2.25.0 version and my issues started almost immediately after.

I'm not saying you are wrong that there might be an issue related to the March security update, I'm just saying that doesn't appear to be MY issue.

 

[cryptk]

I'm not sure. Honestly it would be very Ford like to work a generation or two behind when it comes to software related issues like this. The P7 is a fairly new phone so it wouldn't surprise me that it might have some growing pains concerning Mach-E integration.

Sorry I can't be more help.....but maybe read through the thread I linked to and you might find a solution.

And again... I have read through that thread. I have actually kept an eye on that thread ever since it was made. I am fully aware of the entire contents of that thread. That thread does not appear to be describing the issue that I personally am having, because if I was having that same problem, then downgrading to 2.24.3 wouldn't fix it.

I really don't know how else to phrase "I know what is in the thread, and it doesn't describe my issue, because if it did, downgrading FordPass wouldn't have fixed anything".

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