Software Gremlins: "Drive mode not available"

[ThatGuyLando]

I have gotten the "Drive Mode not Available" error message now 4 times in the last 2 weeks. It happens while driving in Unbridled and suddenly and for no apparent reason. After about 10-15 minutes I am able to switch back. It's pretty annoying and unexpected when the car rolls more freely after letting up on the accelerator. I've had the car for 9 months and have the 4.1.1 software update. Judging from the number of complaints on this issue here and on the web, I hope that there will be an update that corrects this glitch.

Don't hold your breath, it's Ford, I wouldn't be surprised if they add a new game to the entertainment tab before fixing these issues.

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[dtbaker61]

The car wouldn't let me set a drive mode. I happen to notice it was in Engage when I had previously set it for Unbridled. When I went to change it back, it wouldn't take it. And then when I tried over and over again, it gave me an error message, "Drive Mode Not Available." I was fully stopped and also tried in Park to change it, but nothing. So when I stopped and parked, I turned the car off and then back on again and voila, fixed. It's working now, but just wondering what, if anything, might have caused this?

sounds like an incomplete OTA update.

 

[mburtsvt]

I get it a few times a week. I hate Technology.

 

[PhillyYa]

I get it a few times a week. I hate Technology.

Gremlins! ?

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I have gotten the "Drive Mode not Available" error message now 4 times in the last 2 weeks. It happens while driving in Unbridled and suddenly and for no apparent reason. After about 10-15 minutes I am able to switch back. It's pretty annoying and unexpected when the car rolls more freely after letting up on the accelerator. I've had the car for 9 months and have the 4.1.1 software update. Judging from the number of complaints on this issue here and on the web, I hope that there will be an update that corrects this glitch.

Hi there! Will you send us a message with your VIN and your local Ford dealer? I can look into things on my end.

 

[AdamSNP]

I have been getting "drive mode not available" more frequently over the past several weeks, different times, days, driving style, weather, temps, etc. It does not seem to have any consistency. I was even parked and still talking on the phone when it came up just a few minutes ago. I have had the car in for several electrical issues including being completely dead twice and needing to be towed on a flatbed back to the dealership since I took hold of the vehicle June '22. It does resolve when I turn the car off then back on, but I also have issues with the SYNC not connecting with my phone so who knows. I am going to bring it back to the dealership AGAIN since I have been having problems already. I have also read some have had the same issues and eventually were left dead on the side of the road so I am not taking any chances.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I have been getting "drive mode not available" more frequently over the past several weeks, different times, days, driving style, weather, temps, etc. It does not seem to have any consistency. I was even parked and still talking on the phone when it came up just a few minutes ago. I have had the car in for several electrical issues including being completely dead twice and needing to be towed on a flatbed back to the dealership since I took hold of the vehicle June '22. It does resolve when I turn the car off then back on, but I also have issues with the SYNC not connecting with my phone so who knows. I am going to bring it back to the dealership AGAIN since I have been having problems already. I have also read some have had the same issues and eventually were left dead on the side of the road so I am not taking any chances.

Hi there! Would you send us a private message with your VIN and dealership name and location? I’d like to look into this concern on my end.

 

[Logal727]

I have also read some have had the same issues and eventually were left dead on the side of the road so I am not taking any chances.

Not related to this issue. Unless you have a source.

 

[Fremont Kid]

This happened to my wife about two weeks ago. A week away w/o driving, now returned. Just received message that Ford Power-Up 4.2.1 was installed overnight. My wife experienced no drive mode available again today. I scheduled an appt. with the dealership but soonest date is April 4.
I will advise her to try powering off/on to reset. We all know this is not always convenient and if driving in traffic could be dangerous.

Ford: This is more than a minor issue. It is an actionable error for which you would be liable if people are hurt or property is damaged. While we enjoy most features, I will not advise purchasing Ford EVs until software problems are resolved.

 

[1969Mach1Mike]

This happened to my wife about two weeks ago. A week away w/o driving, now returned. Just received message that Ford Power-Up 4.2.1 was installed overnight. My wife experienced no drive mode available again today. I scheduled an appt. with the dealership but soonest date is April 4.
I will advise her to try powering off/on to reset. We all know this is not always convenient and if driving in traffic could be dangerous.

Ford: This is more than a minor issue. It is an actionable error for which you would be liable if people are hurt or property is damaged. While we enjoy most features, I will not advise purchasing Ford EVs until software problems are resolved.

The car still works just fine if you get this error. It just defaults to whisper mode. Not sure where the danger is in that. Annoying yes. Dangerous? not even remotely.


It was introduced for me in the 4.1.x. You can select your preferred drive mode again when you aren't rolling. So at a stop light etc. Resetting the console doesn't remedy anything. I'm curious if the lightnings are getting this now as well. I'm going to scoot over to that forum to see.

Anyway. Not dangerous. Car still works great, just in whisper mode until you change it back once the car isn't rolling (you can still be in drive).

 

[Fremont Kid]

The car still works just fine if you get this error. It just defaults to whisper mode. Not sure where the danger is in that. Annoying yes. Dangerous? not even remotely.


It was introduced for me in the 4.1.x. You can select your preferred drive mode again when you aren't rolling. So at a stop light etc. Resetting the console doesn't remedy anything. I'm curious if the lightnings are getting this now as well. I'm going to scoot over to that forum to see.

Anyway. Not dangerous. Car still works great, just in whisper mode until you change it back once the car isn't rolling (you can still be in drive).

Our drive mode does not show Whisper when the "Drive Mode Not Available" message appears and the performance shift is noticeable. Yes it still drives so the actual drive mode may be Whisper even if not displayed. Have to stop, turn car off then on to reset the drive mode.

The most dangerous aspect is that this presents an unexpected situation to drivers. If drivers notice a drive-train performance shift while seeing the notification, then feel they need to pull over to rectify the situation. Now they will be maneuvering through traffic and looking for a safe place to stop. You could argue that unexpected things happen with ICEs also. Difference is that this is now a known issue and Ford has not issued a technical service bulletin or anything similar to assure drivers that the warning just means the vehicle is in Whisper mode...they don't need to take any special action; the mode will reset when the vehicle is turned off then on again. The unexpected aspect and lack of information from Ford creates the danger.

 

[paulfelix]

I had this happen to me again today after a few months of not happening -- it dropped out of unbridled mode. The weather is great today. The only thing that comes to mind is that I got the car washed the night before.

The one mild danger I see when dropping out of unbridled mode is that I need to apply more breaking because whatever regenerative breaking is happening in unbridled mode does not happen when it drops out (FWIW, I'm not in one-pedal mode).

 

[azerik]

Need a thread merge as this is happening to many others

Just a thought, for those of use on 4.2.4 We should just start flooding Ford with feed back from inside the car. I'm going to send it via the audio thing. Maybe it'll get some traction.

 

[Bradfordjames]

Twice for me since I brought it to my dealer for about 13 module updates Monday. .

 

[T_to the_A]

*edit as I see with last update Unbridled is misspelled when I looked at the pic I just uploaded…Come on FIRD, check your spelling ??

Add my Job 1 SR/AWD to this annoying list.
Car has been largely error free lately (funny to type that, that’s where we are with these tech-laden vehicles) so it was frustrating. Mine occurred 3 times in a 10 minute period today while city driving. It was vey noticeable as it seemed to default to Whisper as was stated earlier in the thread, but it did not register that on screen.
I drive always in Unbridled, so the difference in the OPD let off pulling up to a stoplight surprised a bit.
I toggled the ‘settings screen‘ back to Unbridle {sic} and it ”held“ that setting for a couple blocks, and then did it once more before I got to destination and powered off for a bit. After restart seems that reset worked. Will see if it happens again, sounds like a trip to dealer anyway,, and then can acquire my freebie 2nd fob which will sit collecting dust with its brother. I am a PAAK man.

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