Ford App update is terrible

[RLXXI]

The reason I turned it off is because I got notice last week that Progressive is doing a "rate revision" on my policy and starting next month my premium is going up $477/annually. When I started digging to find out why, I saw that Progressive uses LexisNexis reporting. I have it printed in black and white. So I've decided I'm turning off every privacy setting I can get away with in both the app and the truck.

Progressive at least gave you notice, those bastards didn't tell me anything after I added the new truck to my existing plan, they just upped it over $400 more/year.

I dumped them and went back to Geico and saved a little over $200/yr difference. The setting for sharing data with insurance is locked out on my truck.

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[WXman]

And the really frustrating thing about it is that it specifically says that this setting will not change mobile app settings but it absolutely does. @Ford Motor Company can you guys fix this so that we can remain anonymous and still use our app features?

 

[WXman]

Progressive at least gave you notice, those bastards didn't tell me anything after I added the new truck to my existing plan, they just upped it over $400 more/year.

I dumped them and went back to Geico and saved a little over $200/yr difference. The setting for sharing data with insurance is locked out on my truck.

That's interesting because that setting does not even exist on my truck. It doesn't say anything anywhere about insurance.

 

[chriserx]

That's interesting because that setting does not even exist on my truck. It doesn't say anything anywhere about insurance.

That's weird because we both have a 2025 Flash and mines there.

Edit: Now that i think about it, maybe it depends on your insurance company. I'm with progressive.

 

[fhteagle]

@Ford Motor Company -

What is the correct combination of SYNC settings, opt-in/out, Ford account settings, etc so that we have:

- ALL of the possible Ford App and Account features working, AND
- ZERO data being shared with third parties*, especially LexisNexis and similar data broker scum?

(I really really really really hope the answer is not "Can't be done".)

* I'm on the fence about Android Auto / Google Maps data sharing. To me mapping, nav, EV trip planning data are valid for Google to have (but not further share) to provide those specific services. In other words, that is a different category than the insurance data brokering crap in my mind.

 

[chriserx]

@Ford Motor Company -

What is the correct combination of SYNC settings, opt-in/out, Ford account settings, etc so that we have:

- ALL of the possible Ford App and Account features working, AND
- ZERO data being shared with third parties*, especially LexisNexis and similar data broker scum?

(I really really really really hope the answer is not "Can't be done".)

* I'm on the fence about Android Auto / Google Maps data sharing. To me mapping, nav, EV trip planning data and functions are a valid user and rain for Google to have (but not further share) this data. In other words, that is a different category than the insurance data brokering crap.

AFAIK you have to live in Cali then go to a website, enter your info, wait for an email then they send you something to prove you live in Cali. Only then will it not share info. Very ridiculous. I tried it out anyway the week I bought my truck but I don't live there. I shoulda been more focused on my dealer doing the EV tax credit form cuz that ain't looking good. FFS

 

[Ford Motor Company]

@Ford Motor Company -

What is the correct combination of SYNC settings, opt-in/out, Ford account settings, etc so that we have:

- ALL of the possible Ford App and Account features working, AND
- ZERO data being shared with third parties*, especially LexisNexis and similar data broker scum?

(I really really really really hope the answer is not "Can't be done".)

* I'm on the fence about Android Auto / Google Maps data sharing. To me mapping, nav, EV trip planning data are valid for Google to have (but not further share) to provide those specific services. In other words, that is a different category than the insurance data brokering crap in my mind.

I'll find out what I can and come back to you.

 

[Etsquared]

What are your issues with it? The ford guy, Brian, has been saying he is relaying feedback to Ford.

I see real options now with the new app, not terrible at all. Nearly everything can be improved on I agree but this update was well done

 

[Robocop]

The update looks like a formatting change to me. I prefer the new look though. I like a lot of what the app does and can do. I disagree it is terrible. It is actually quite useful.

I'm not sure why the "settings" things like vehicle details, PAAK and authorized drivers needs to be immediately accessible on that first screen when there already is a 'global' settings tab [which is where these things belong and should live anyway!!]. Same with Connected Services - which I rarely use, and the same for "Software Updates" - which is also a 'setting' because it doesn't provide any constructive information on the software updates themselves. All of this should be pruned off that first screen and relocated elsewhere to tighten things up on that first screen.

The "Service history" hasn't worked until my last service appointment however the descriptions are too vague to be useful and as my last entry says "transmission, clutch" on it, this useless in practice because it doesn't replace the physical paper documents I collect after each service appointment, which is what I thought it would do: list the PDF copies of your vehicle's actual service history in document form in their entirety even for work carried out by a previous owner [perhaps auto-redacted for privacy]. The other features are cool, thoughtful and quite useful: dealer locator, service scheduling etc but I just call to schedule my appointments as needed.

What I'd like to see in the APP is a log maintained of the descriptions of the various software updates I've gotten OTA, and when. I like reading through these to inform myself, but I don't always have the time to read them on the day they arrive. A bundle of cool new features is stuff I want to know about! Worse, if I fat-finger the phone somehow and mis-press the wrong thing, then I've lost the chance to read and understand the update they've just sent... and I can't get it back! Those update descriptions are just fine but I just wish they wouldn't disappear forever and remain for reference. Ultimately, I'd like to have the option to delete them or keep them!! it is hard keeping track of what I have and don't have, what I've gotten and what I should be getting.

I'd also like to see a trip log in the app. The Jaguar app for my old I-Pace did this: it logged each trip: total kms, departure location, destination, etc by date, time, average speed, etc, locations also accessible by GPS. This is how I knew that the service tech was taking my car 50 km home, doing various things in his home town like getting a pizza, then going home and coming back to the dealer having logged 400 km on my car in one week while it was in for service and in their custody.

I don't need the app or the truck to record things, or live stream the cameras so I can send the clips to anyone. I don't need it to do anything that is going to put more of a draw of the battery like push a button to play a song, or do a dance, or put on an LED light show or whatever related nonsense. I don't need to see the cameras through the app and I don't care about any of that.

sorry for length.

 

[chriserx]

The update looks like a formatting change to me. I prefer the new look though. I like a lot of what the app does and can do. I disagree it is terrible. It is actually quite useful.

I'm not sure why the "settings" things like vehicle details, PAAK and authorized drivers needs to be immediately accessible on that first screen when there already is a 'global' settings tab [which is where these things belong and should live anyway!!]. Same with Connected Services - which I rarely use, and the same for "Software Updates" - which is also a 'setting' because it doesn't provide any constructive information on the software updates themselves. All of this should be pruned off that first screen and relocated elsewhere to tighten things up on that first screen.

The "Service history" hasn't worked until my last service appointment however the descriptions are too vague to be useful and as my last entry says "transmission, clutch" on it, this useless in practice because it doesn't replace the physical paper documents I collect after each service appointment, which is what I thought it would do: list the PDF copies of your vehicle's actual service history in document form in their entirety even for work carried out by a previous owner [perhaps auto-redacted for privacy]. The other features are cool, thoughtful and quite useful: dealer locator, service scheduling etc but I just call to schedule my appointments as needed.

What I'd like to see in the APP is a log maintained of the descriptions of the various software updates I've gotten OTA, and when. I like reading through these to inform myself, but I don't always have the time to read them on the day they arrive. A bundle of cool new features is stuff I want to know about! Worse, if I fat-finger the phone somehow and mis-press the wrong thing, then I've lost the chance to read and understand the update they've just sent... and I can't get it back! Those update descriptions are just fine but I just wish they wouldn't disappear forever and remain for reference. Ultimately, I'd like to have the option to delete them or keep them!! it is hard keeping track of what I have and don't have, what I've gotten and what I should be getting.

I'd also like to see a trip log in the app. The Jaguar app for my old I-Pace did this: it logged each trip: total kms, departure location, destination, etc by date, time, average speed, etc, locations also accessible by GPS. This is how I knew that the service tech was taking my car 50 km home, doing various things in his home town like getting a pizza, then going home and coming back to the dealer having logged 400 km on my car in one week while it was in for service and in their custody.

I don't need the app or the truck to record things, or live stream the cameras so I can send the clips to anyone. I don't need it to do anything that is going to put more of a draw of the battery like push a button to play a song, or do a dance, or put on an LED light show or whatever related nonsense. I don't need to see the cameras through the app and I don't care about any of that.

sorry for length.

I agree with every one of these except recording, I think sentry mode might be one of the best features Tesla added to their cars, so long as it's opt in. Whether it's intentional or accidental, I want the ability to know who's tryin' to hurt my girl.

 

[unicorn1]

Well I guess I’ve got low standards than. As a general statement I prefer the new app over the just previous one.

is it perfect? No. But I do like the way the landscape is used to emphasize current status of my truck.

my truck and app still don’t have dog mode so it doesn’t get stellar ratings. Also, there is still an issue with pre-conditioning while plugged in unless you are in a very specific set of circumstances with your TOU setup on the EVSE. I should be able to do all the same scheduling operation from the app that can be done from screen in the truck. And I want my Frunk button back in the app from 2024.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

@Ford Motor Company -

What is the correct combination of SYNC settings, opt-in/out, Ford account settings, etc so that we have:

- ALL of the possible Ford App and Account features working, AND
- ZERO data being shared with third parties*, especially LexisNexis and similar data broker scum?

(I really really really really hope the answer is not "Can't be done".)

* I'm on the fence about Android Auto / Google Maps data sharing. To me mapping, nav, EV trip planning data are valid for Google to have (but not further share) to provide those specific services. In other words, that is a different category than the insurance data brokering crap in my mind.

I chased down the latest. Ford does not sell any connected vehicle data to brokers, period.

Up until early 2024, Ford did support customers who wished to take advantage of usage-based insurance policies with their insurance carriers. At Ford, this was an opt-in experience. To become enrolled, customers had to opt in with their own insurance company to sign up for a usage-based insurance program that offers the potential for premium discounts based on actual driving behavior and AGAIN through a separate in-vehicle consent screen. Without a customer’s explicit consent through this in-vehicle experience, Ford did not share any vehicle data with their insurance carrier. In 2024, we made the decision to phase out our support of usage-based insurance products and focus on other priorities. Some owners may still see an insurance toggle option in their data settings, but it’s not operable or connected to any function.

Some insurers do utilize data from mobile phone apps or features, so it's important to understand your insurer's practices and read the data and privacy agreements for apps you load onto your phone.

 

[fhteagle]

I chased down the latest. Ford does not sell any connected vehicle data to brokers, period.

Thank you for the detailed reply.

Follow up question because I'm honestly too busy to track this down myself at the moment ... Does Ford sell or share any data to anyone else, partners, etc?

 

[TheBigBezo]

Has anyone noticed issues with their truck 'waking up' constantly with the new app? For years, my truck has been fine in my driveway but lately it's turning itself on (lights come on for a few seconds) every 10 or so minutes. Even when I turned off bluetooth mode the truck still wakes up. It's wrecking my 12v. I haven't seen this issue before nor has anything changed about where I'm at in my house or my trucks parking location. Only thing that has changed is possible updates but I can't imagine how the truck is waking up if my phone is in airplane mode!

 

[WXman]

I chased down the latest. Ford does not sell any connected vehicle data to brokers, period.

Up until early 2024, Ford did support customers who wished to take advantage of usage-based insurance policies with their insurance carriers. At Ford, this was an opt-in experience. To become enrolled, customers had to opt in with their own insurance company to sign up for a usage-based insurance program that offers the potential for premium discounts based on actual driving behavior and AGAIN through a separate in-vehicle consent screen. Without a customer’s explicit consent through this in-vehicle experience, Ford did not share any vehicle data with their insurance carrier. In 2024, we made the decision to phase out our support of usage-based insurance products and focus on other priorities. Some owners may still see an insurance toggle option in their data settings, but it’s not operable or connected to any function.

Some insurers do utilize data from mobile phone apps or features, so it's important to understand your insurer's practices and read the data and privacy agreements for apps you load onto your phone.

Thank you for finding this information for us and following up. I do really appreciate it.

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