Unable to shift - Please stop Safely (A complete write up)

[cjrodriguez31]

I know i know.
there are other posts about this issue but I will always keep this thread open until the problem is resolved.

Today I go to drop off my son to daycare. I of course always turn off my car. I was inside for 2 minutes then went to leave. I push the start button and it starts flashing green, and the message pops up to “Stop Safely”. The shifter won’t turn into N or D or even R. The time is 12:45pm. I call roadside assistance and they dispatch a tow. Thank god its only 45 degrees out. 4 hours go by… Now in this time ford stays in contact with you to see if the tow service has arrived. I keep texting back “N” for no.
Fast forward to the 4 hour and 15 minute mark. I call ford roadside and ask whats going on. They called the first tow company. Turns out they just cancelled.

So here we go dispatching another tow tow company who cancelled because they wont touch the EV. Third tow company gets dispatched. Its now 6:21pm. Tow company shows up and “didn't know it was electric” so he cancels and drives away. Currently as I type this Im now freezing because i have been in a car with bo heat for over 6 hours.A fourth tow company has been dispatched andI am awaiting to hear wether or not they will actually tow the car. I will keep you updated. Meanwhile the car is going CRAZY with lights. Headlights turning on and off the break lights are spazzing out and doing a tesla light show.
This is an absolute nightmare.

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[Gixxer750]

I know i know.
there are other posts about this issue but I will always keep this thread open until the problem is resolved.

Today I go to drop off my son to daycare. I of course always turn off my car. I was inside for 2 minutes then went to leave. I push the start button and it starts flashing green, and the message pops up to “Stop Safely”. The shifter won’t turn into N or D or even R. The time is 12:45pm. I call roadside assistance and they dispatch a tow. Thank god its only 45 degrees out. 4 hours go by… Now in this time ford stays in contact with you to see if the tow service has arrived. I keep texting back “N” for no.
Fast forward to the 4 hour and 15 minute mark. I call ford roadside and ask whats going on. They called the first tow company. Turns out they just cancelled.

So here we go dispatching another tow tow company who cancelled because they wont touch the EV. Third tow company gets dispatched. Its now 6:21pm. Tow company shows up and “didn't know it was electric” so he cancels and drives away. Currently as I type this Im now freezing because i have been in a car with bo heat for over 6 hours.A fourth tow company has been dispatched andI am awaiting to hear wether or not they will actually tow the car. I will keep you updated. Meanwhile the car is going CRAZY with lights. Headlights turning on and off the break lights are spazzing out and doing a tesla light show.
This is an absolute nightmare.

Man, that sucks. Anyway you can give someone a call to try giving your 12V battery a boost?
I have a feeling those articles and stories about batteries getting damaged are scaring off tow truck drivers. Instead of reading up and being helpful, they bugger off.

 

[Astraea]

In my opinion you are at the point of either calling someone to come get you while you keep trying ford roadside or calling 911 if you have no one to come help before you freeze. Do NOT risk your life waiting for tow companies to stop being jackasses because "electric car scary".

 

[cjrodriguez31]

I am home now and left the car. 5th tow company just called me and said they are on site but since it wont go into neutral that they have to cancel.

Not sure where the breakdown is that they cant call first and say hey customers car is stuck in park and you need to drag it. Five times. 8 hours later and car is still stuck.

 

[devinrachelsmom]

There is an emergency tow option that will allow you to put the car in neutral. I had the exact same thing happen to me and was able to get towed using that feature.

 

[cjrodriguez31]

There is an emergency tow option that will allow you to put the car in neutral. I had the exact same thing happen to me and was able to get towed using that feature.

How?
Currently the car is COMPLETELY DEAD and i cant even open the door

 

[cjrodriguez31]

Update: Its now 8 hours after i called and 5 tow companies have shown up and said nope not touching it.

 

[Astraea]

I am home now and left the car. 5th tow company just called me and said they are on site but since it wont go into neutral that they have to cancel.

Not sure where the breakdown is that they cant call first and say hey customers car is stuck in park and you need to drag it. Five times. 8 hours later and car is still stuck.

Each time I had tow companies show up, I had to show them how to put it into tow mode so it would go into neutral and walk them through it so they could unload the car at the dealership after hours when no one was there to help.

Tap the car in the top left.

Hit 'vehicle' menu on left of screen

Scroll down on larger right side options to nearly the bottom for emergency tow mode

From there you can follow instructions on instrument cluster to shift into Neutral.

 

[devinrachelsmom]

I could still get the screen to turn on so agree if yours is completely dead that’s not an option. The second time mine was towed I did not stay with the car so it was not in neutral when they towed it. I had the dealer where I bought it tow it for me so they weren’t afraid of it being electric or in park.

 

[AlpaChino]

This sounds like a low 12v. Did you attempt jumping the front leads for trunk access, then jumping the 12v?

 

[Shayne]

Each time I had tow companies show up, I had to show them how to put it into tow mode so it would go into neutral and walk them through it so they could unload the car at the dealership after hours when no one was there to help.

Tap the car in the top left.

Hit 'vehicle' menu on left of screen

Scroll down on larger right side options to nearly the bottom for emergency tow mode

From there you can follow instructions on instrument cluster to shift into Neutral.

Have to watch where they put the tie down hooks also as to not damage the pack.

See if we never have problems we do not learn as much. You and me will be old school EVer's in no time. Third time it died I was very cool the first time it was like what the heck my car is melting. ?

 

[Astraea]

Have to watch where they put the tie down hooks also as to not damage the pack.

See if we never have problems we do not learn as much. You and me will be old school EVer's in no time. Third time it died I was very cool the first time it was like what the heck my car is melting. ?

Neither time mine was towed could they find where to put the hooks and I was sooooo not going to crawl around on cold, snowy pavement to point them out, so they wrapped straps around something in the front wheel area and that did the trick. I can't remember what someone said they might have wrapped around. Control arms? My brain is so overloaded with all the info lately its a miracle I remember to put on shoes before leaving the house! ?

Yeah I'm starting to feel like I'm definitely out of EV noob category with everything I've learned and what's going on haha. ?

 

[cjrodriguez31]

Each time I had tow companies show up, I had to show them how to put it into tow mode so it would go into neutral and walk them through it so they could unload the car at the dealership after hours when no one was there to help.

Tap the car in the top left.

Hit 'vehicle' menu on left of screen

Scroll down on larger right side options to nearly the bottom for emergency tow mode

From there you can follow instructions on instrument cluster to shift into Neutral.

Battery is completely dead. Cant even get into the car right now to even turn on the screen if i could.

 

[cjrodriguez31]

This sounds like a low 12v. Did you attempt jumping the front leads for trunk access, then jumping the 12v?

Yes I did.
i kept it there for 15-20 minutes as the dealer instructed and nothing.(this was when it just wouldnt shift out if park and battery to my knowledge was “good”)

 

[Scooby24]

Heard several of these types of stories where it was the 12v. Enough juice to keep accessory power on but not enough to keep the modules happy. Several of us have done a 12v reconditioning charge after purchase...I'd be curious to know if there's anyone who's done so and had a 12v problem.

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