"Starting Charger" looping start-stop charging issue

[luckie]

HI,

Absolutely no charge at all and the car was in the dealer for two days where they also fixed the recall issue with the door.
I understand that the charging problem is a software problem, i.e. a known problem that occurrs in certain configurations and has to be upgraded with a corrected version of the software code and I think that must be covered by FORD who have been excellent, even contacting me through the forum to assist with the dealer if necessary.

Phil,

When you get some time, we would be interested if the dealership could share with you which software modules were updated during the most recent visit. If we could tell our Service Center precisely what was updated on your car, that might help them immensely.

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[psancla]

Doug,

when I collected the car last Thursday I asked the service personnel what software had been updated and they gave me a general update which was that 5 software upgrades had been installed to fix the problem and these were upgrades that could not be done "over the air" and had to be done by connecting the car via the dealer to the FORD software engineering network.

As I understand it from chatting to the dealer, they connect the car to the FORD software engineering network and their software engineers take over the entire process of diagnosing the problem, identifying the source and then doing the corrective action software upgrades. It is my understanding that the dealer capability to tackle software issues is very limited which makes sense to me as so much of any EV is the computing power and software that manages the battery charge/discharge /drive control/ and ancilliary processes.

I recommend you check in with your service dealer with all of the information on when your car failed to complete a charge cycle and they should be able to take it from there by utilising the FORD software engineering network.



Phil

 

[luckie]

Doug,

when I collected the car last Thursday I asked the service personnel what software had been updated and they gave me a general update which was that 5 software upgrades had been installed to fix the problem and these were upgrades that could not be done "over the air" and had to be done by connecting the car via the dealer to the FORD software engineering network.

As I understand it from chatting to the dealer, they connect the car to the FORD software engineering network and their software engineers take over the entire process of diagnosing the problem, identifying the source and then doing the corrective action software upgrades. It is my understanding that the dealer capability to tackle software issues is very limited which makes sense to me as so much of any EV is the computing power and software that manages the battery charge/discharge /drive control/ and ancilliary processes.

I recommend you check in with your service dealer with all of the information on when your car failed to complete a charge cycle and they should be able to take it from there by utilising the FORD software engineering network.



Phil

Hi Phil,

That sounds similar to a description of how FDRS works, but likely a far more advanced use in your case, with the Ford "mothership's" Engineers more involved.

I took my car in today, and during testing and diagnosis, the EV tech mechanic found that the "charge port" failed its test. Thus, they ordered a new charge port and intend to replace it tomorrow.

I'm glad they will replace the charge port, and maybe that will be good, but I will not be surprised if it does not completely fix the problematic behavior.

I will report back in the coming days.

Doug

 

[luckie]

Hi Phil,

That sounds similar to a description of how FDRS works, but likely a far more advanced use in your case, with the Ford "mothership's" Engineers more involved.

I took my car in today, and during testing and diagnosis, the EV tech mechanic found that the "charge port" failed its test. Thus, they ordered a new charge port and intend to replace it tomorrow.

I'm glad they will replace the charge port, and maybe that will be good, but I will not be surprised if it does not completely fix the problematic behavior.

I will report back in the coming days.

Doug

Update: Well so far so good. They installed a new charging port and cable assembly yesterday and last night worked fine again. We will see if this holds. Nice change from the very problematic behavior right before the port swap. Fingers crossed.

-Doug

 

[luckie]

Doug,

when I collected the car last Thursday I asked the service personnel what software had been updated and they gave me a general update which was that 5 software upgrades had been installed to fix the problem and these were upgrades that could not be done "over the air" and had to be done by connecting the car via the dealer to the FORD software engineering network.

As I understand it from chatting to the dealer, they connect the car to the FORD software engineering network and their software engineers take over the entire process of diagnosing the problem, identifying the source and then doing the corrective action software upgrades. It is my understanding that the dealer capability to tackle software issues is very limited which makes sense to me as so much of any EV is the computing power and software that manages the battery charge/discharge /drive control/ and ancilliary processes.

I recommend you check in with your service dealer with all of the information on when your car failed to complete a charge cycle and they should be able to take it from there by utilising the FORD software engineering network.



Phil

Hope your MME is behaving itself since the software fix.

Mine has done so, for the most part, since its hardware fix. Still had a "click-clack" or two over the last few weeks but they only occur at the very first moment of charging and then end. The rest goes normally. Since the problem really only repeatably occurred and got prgressively worse when using my home EVSE, but not at public level 2 chargers I tried, I'm looking into replacing my 12-year-old EVSE just in case that also helps. Thus, apparently I will attempt to replace all the hardware first before updating software.

Doug

 

[psancla]

Hope your MME is behaving itself since the software fix.

Mine has done so, for the most part, since its hardware fix. Still had a "click-clack" or two over the last few weeks but they only occur at the very first moment of charging and then end. The rest goes normally. Since the problem really only repeatably occurred and got prgressively worse when using my home EVSE, but not at public level 2 chargers I tried, I'm looking into replacing my 12-year-old EVSE just in case that also helps. Thus, apparently I will attempt to replace all the hardware first before updating software.

Doug

Hi Doug,

The car is perfect now. Charges during preferred times with no problems, three sessions completed since the software update, all perfect with the usual notifications on the app to confirm that the charging session was completed. The car is three years old now and it drives like new.
Phil

 

[COACH CHRIS]

Chiming back in here to say I brought our MME into the shop and they replaced the charge port under warranty. There was some warranty work thrown in there too, but here's the final bill. Nice to $0.

 

[luckie]

Chiming back in here to say I brought our MME into the shop and they replaced the charge port under warranty. There was some warranty work thrown in there too, but here's the final bill. Nice to $0.

Hey, glad you got a charge port swap. Me too. Fingers crossed all gets better now for us all.

 

[psancla]

Hey, glad you got a charge port swap. Me too. Fingers crossed all gets better now for us all.

Hi Doug,
good to hear you were not charged for the service. My car was also fixed with no charge so well done to FORD and their dealer network for looking after us even though my car was well out of its two year warranty period.

 

[macheman1]

Apologies to revive this, but I am having the same problem, it's been at the dealership for a week, they did some updates but it's still occurring. Literally exactly as explained by Doug right down to the charging resuming if I am near the car with my keys.

Any help would greatly be appreciate.

@Ford of Canada @Ford Motor Company

 

[luckie]

Apologies to revive this, but I am having the same problem, it's been at the dealership for a week, they did some updates but it's still occurring. Literally exactly as explained by Doug right down to the charging resuming if I am near the car with my keys.

Any help would greatly be appreciate.

@Ford of Canada @Ford Motor Company

In my case, and for Chris, it was solved by a hardware fix. Phil's was solved by a software fix.

For mine, the Charge port was flaky AND the EVSE was a bit flaky too.

After the charge port was replaced, the MME was almost fully better with only occasional weirdness. After the EVSE was also replaced, charging returned to normal.

The old EVSE we had (clipper creek) worked well for 13 years, and still works well for our Toyota PHEV, but the 2025 MME was not as accepting of the old EVSE's quirky behaviors, apparently.

 

[macheman1]

So the dealership was replacing the Charge port today, but from.what I can see the car has been plugged in at the dealership for the past hour and it's been stuck on the "starting charger" notice, it doesn't even look like it's gone to the Waiting to charge phase that it used to go to. Fingers crossed that they are doing software updates but they told me an hour or two is all it would take today. And it's almost closing time for them.

Edit: They just confirmed the got a charge fault again and keeping my car over the weekend.

 

[psancla]

Apologies to revive this, but I am having the same problem, it's been at the dealership for a week, they did some updates but it's still occurring. Literally exactly as explained by Doug right down to the charging resuming if I am near the car with my keys.

Any help would greatly be appreciate.

@Ford of Canada @Ford Motor Company

This is the same problem that I had from May of last year until December when it was finally fixed after a two day stay at the dealer. The car needed a software update that was done by the FORD software engineering team as the dealer did not have the expertise to diagnose the problem and apply the fix. The car is charging perfectly now as it was before May of last year. I suggest you ask your dealer to get help directly from FORD engineering as this must be a known problem and can definitely be fixed once they are involved. My car was fixed outside of warranty with no charge. Hope this helps.

 

[macheman1]

This is the same problem that I had from May of last year until December when it was finally fixed after a two day stay at the dealer. The car needed a software update that was done by the FORD software engineering team as the dealer did not have the expertise to diagnose the problem and apply the fix. The car is charging perfectly now as it was before May of last year. I suggest you ask your dealer to get help directly from FORD engineering as this must be a known problem and can definitely be fixed once they are involved. My car was fixed outside of warranty with no charge. Hope this helps.

Well I got mine back after 15 days, replace my charge port and replaced my SOBDM. It worked for 1 fast charge and 1 level 2 charge, today got back from work, noticed it didn't start charging, at the time it was supposed to start at, just kept saying, "waiting to charge", I clicked start charging on the app, and it looked like it was going to start, but then Charge error. I tried to unplug and plug it back in and got the amber ring, I tried to start it to go for a drive and then bring it back to see if it would clear it and I couldn't start it, I got an "Stop safely now" and I couldn't start the car. I let it sit for 10mins and tried to charge again and it looks like it's charging now. Could this be the 12v battery? Wouldn't the dealership notice if it is the 12v battery?

@psancla @COACH CHRIS @Ford of Canada @Ford Motor Company

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