Stuck in parking garage! Won’t start. “Stop safely now”.

[Ford Motor Company]

S.O.S. for ideas. My AWD mach-e has been stuck on the top level of the parking garage at my work going on three-days now. Tuesday came out to drive home, pressing the brake and power did not get the vehicle started. Instead get the warning “stop safely now” and “Full accessory power active“. Basically just enough power to open the doors and windows and use radio. The main battery is charged at 70%, But unable to power on car and unable to shift out of park. AAA Came out and tried to jumpstart the 12V with a portable pack, but no change, still wont start… says it will need to be towed. next two days I’ve been trying to get a tow truck from Ford roadside assistance and from AAA. Problem is, will need to be on a flatbed or dolly. Can’t shift out of park and can’t tow an all-wheel drive. Clearance of the garage structure is 6‘6“. Even a tow truck with a lift dolly trailer is not able to get into the garage with that low clearance. Such low profile truck may apparently not exist (even in LA/Downey, CA area). AAA and Ford roadside assistance could get a company to put it onto a dolly or a flatbed if weren’t in the garage. I think at this point a Ford service technician needs to come to the site to troubleshoot and get the vehicle started inside the garage to drive out. Ford roadside assistance says that dealers can’t and won’t do that. Let the lesson be: Don’t park your Mach-e in a garage structure. You might never get it back out.

Hi there. We definitely want to help you get your Mach E out of the parking garage and back on the road ASAP. Can you please send over a private message with your VIN so we can look further into this on our end?

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[JoeDimwit]

Hi there. We definitely want to help you get your Mach E out of the parking garage and back on the road ASAP. Can you please send over a private message with your VIN so we can look further into this on our end?

@1Wheelrider, that is a legitimate Ford representative. Start a direct message conversation with them. They should be able to help some.

 

[EELinneman]

I asked because where he is, level 2 may be difficult to run.

Sounds like a perfect use case for a SparkCharge Roadie
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[ab13]

Sounds like a perfect use case for a SparkCharge Roadie
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Could also be an F-150 with power outlets.

 

[SeanMc]

Glad to see an official Ford representative contacting OP here. It may be a long shot, but I also hope that Ford will update this post with information on resolving both how to get a Mach-e that's stranded out of a parking garage; and the underlying problem/fix.

Even better would be for Ford to get information to roadside assistance to help them be more effective. FWIW, and not to sidetrack the thread, but our one experience with roadside assistance was no help at all.

 

[1Wheelrider]

Thank you all for concern and @JoeDimwit for helping connect to Ford. A brief update- the emergency tow mode did work to get the car out of park into neutral and out of the garage. As predicted, there was a shutdown timer with complete loss of all power on the way out, but still had enough brake and steering control to roll out. Then up on a flatbed and now at Ford dealer for check-over. Admittedly, I didn’t try the battery disconnect and other battery tricks here, and the jump from roadside assistance was from a portable jump starter, not from another vehicle. So who knows if those other ways would have worked to revive the 12V. I’m just glad that the ordeal is over, Ford can figure out why “the stop safely now” power fail occurred in the first place (Prod month May/2021), and I will hopefully be on the road again soon.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

Glad you got out of there! Was gonna suggest a jackhammer and a crane and lifting the car out the roof of the structure. But I guess your way works too. Not as fun.

 

[JoeDimwit]

I’m just glad we were able to help you get it out. I kinda just wish you had found us earlier.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

I’m just glad we were able to help you get it out. I kinda just wish you had found us earlier.

I kinda wish Ford Roadside Assistance had suggested/known about emergency tow mode

 

[JoeDimwit]

I kinda wish Ford Roadside Assistance had suggested/known about emergency tow mode

Yeah, that seems like a big miss.

 

[zvez]

Thank you all for concern and @JoeDimwit for helping connect to Ford. A brief update- the emergency tow mode did work to get the car out of park into neutral and out of the garage. As predicted, there was a shutdown timer with complete loss of all power on the way out, but still had enough brake and steering control to roll out. Then up on a flatbed and now at Ford dealer for check-over. Admittedly, I didn’t try the battery disconnect and other battery tricks here, and the jump from roadside assistance was from a portable jump starter, not from another vehicle. So who knows if those other ways would have worked to revive the 12V. I’m just glad that the ordeal is over, Ford can figure out why “the stop safely now” power fail occurred in the first place (Prod month May/2021), and I will hopefully be on the road again soon.

please keep us updated!

 

[dtbaker61]

Thank you all for concern and @JoeDimwit for helping connect to Ford. A brief update- the emergency tow mode did work to get the car out of park into neutral and out of the garage. As predicted, there was a shutdown timer with complete loss of all power on the way out, but still had enough brake and steering control to roll out. Then up on a flatbed and now at Ford dealer for check-over.

I have not read much about 'emergency tow mode'...

can you summarize what it takes? I might print up a little card and keep in the MME for reference if and when ever needed.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

I have not read much about 'emergency tow mode'...

can you summarize what it takes? I might print up a little card and keep in the MME for reference if and when ever needed.

Just went and read up on it myself

 

[Motomax]

I have not read much about 'emergency tow mode'...

can you summarize what it takes? I might print up a little card and keep in the MME for reference if and when ever needed.

Check your owners manual under “crash and Breakdown”. Seriously people, read your car manuals! Lol

 

[Motomax]

Thank you all for concern and @JoeDimwit for helping connect to Ford. A brief update- the emergency tow mode did work to get the car out of park into neutral and out of the garage. As predicted, there was a shutdown timer with complete loss of all power on the way out, but still had enough brake and steering control to roll out. Then up on a flatbed and now at Ford dealer for check-over. Admittedly, I didn’t try the battery disconnect and other battery tricks here, and the jump from roadside assistance was from a portable jump starter, not from another vehicle. So who knows if those other ways would have worked to revive the 12V. I’m just glad that the ordeal is over, Ford can figure out why “the stop safely now” power fail occurred in the first place (Prod month May/2021), and I will hopefully be on the road again soon.

Good deal, luckily brakes and steering are still required to have mechanical linking so they keep working without power.

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