Just purchased used F-150 Lightning Lariat ER - Vehicle is fleet locked

[Jesse-Infotainment]

Yes. It was indeed owned by Ford World HQ. It is running different APIM software. All Beta version.

His truck was FLeet locked, but had the country code issue in the TCU. So I fixed those things and he was able to get his Fordpass connected.

Truck has BC active until 26.

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[Scorpio3d]

Yes. It was indeed owned by Ford World HQ. It is running different APIM software. All Beta version.

His truck was FLeet locked, but had the country code issue in the TCU. So I fixed those things and he was able to get his Fordpass connected.

Truck has BC active until 26.

That is awesome!
We are so lucky to have you on our forum and on our side!!!

 

[Jesse-Infotainment]

That is awesome!
We are so lucky to have you on our forum and on our side!!!

Thank You.

 

[Dexter]

Hey Everyone,

New Member here. Purchased my '23 Lightning XLT and it has the dreaded telematics lock. I've opened a case with Ford Pro and they have in turn opened a ticket with the engineering team....this has been going on for almost 2 months at this point. Multiple escalations to supervisors, managers, directors and goodness knows whom else....I just can't get any traction on this. I've tried ALL of the internet fixes...the truck is "Ford Vehicle Program" locked and no one can figure out how to unlock it. I've seen Jesse's good work here, and also that there may be a FORScan solution. Is there anything else I can do?

If there is a FORScan solution someone point me to it?

Jesse-Infotainment - are you open to having a look at it?

I know I'm new here and don't have any history yet, but if anyone has any wisdom they can share with me I'd be grateful.

-Dex

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Hey Everyone,

New Member here. Purchased my '23 Lightning XLT and it has the dreaded telematics lock. I've opened a case with Ford Pro and they have in turn opened a ticket with the engineering team....this has been going on for almost 2 months at this point. Multiple escalations to supervisors, managers, directors and goodness knows whom else....I just can't get any traction on this. I've tried ALL of the internet fixes...the truck is "Ford Vehicle Program" locked and no one can figure out how to unlock it. I've seen Jesse's good work here, and also that there may be a FORScan solution. Is there anything else I can do?

If there is a FORScan solution someone point me to it?

Jesse-Infotainment - are you open to having a look at it?

I know I'm new here and don't have any history yet, but if anyone has any wisdom they can share with me I'd be grateful.

-Dex

Let me see if I can help. DM me your details and VIN and I'll see what I can do.

 

[Dexter]

OK, Thank you Brian! Watch you inbox.

 

[Dexter]

Just a quick update,

Ford Pro directed me to my local dealer for a TCU provisioning....then the Ford Pro folks
were able to unlock my truck! Within 1 hour of the TCU update! Awesome.....

So it took a bit but the process worked out in the end.

Thanks to Brian for his efforts as well.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Just a quick update,

Ford Pro directed me to my local dealer for a TCU provisioning....then the Ford Pro folks
were able to unlock my truck! Within 1 hour of the TCU update! Awesome.....

So it took a bit but the process worked out in the end.

Thanks to Brian for his efforts as well.

Stoked I could help out here.

 

[theawesomegamer]

Just a quick update,

Ford Pro directed me to my local dealer for a TCU provisioning....then the Ford Pro folks
were able to unlock my truck! Within 1 hour of the TCU update! Awesome.....

So it took a bit but the process worked out in the end.

Thanks to Brian for his efforts as well.

Glad you got it fixed. I'm still in update hell. Luckily Jesse has helped me out a lot. Ford Corp won't help me, the dealership won't help me... but luckily Jesse is on here and will help me. The truck has the beta firmware on 3 modules so it doesn't get OTA updates-- so 2023 APIM software, BC1.0, etc.
I believe I have to go to Texas to get the APIM fixed, He can't do that remotely. Just so annoying.

 

[Mike G]

Glad you got it fixed. I'm still in update hell. Luckily Jesse has helped me out a lot. Ford Corp won't help me, the dealership won't help me... but luckily Jesse is on here and will help me. The truck has the beta firmware on 3 modules so it doesn't get OTA updates-- so 2023 APIM software, BC1.0, etc.
I believe I have to go to Texas to get the APIM fixed, He can't do that remotely. Just so annoying.

I'm more than curious to know just why Ford Corporate won't help you with this.

If the truck was a test mule it should probably have never left their test garage to be sold with beta software in the first place.

Somebody ought to be able to elevate this concern to engineering and request your local dealership and FSE get involved to normalize the relevant software you have now to the current production standard.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Glad you got it fixed. I'm still in update hell. Luckily Jesse has helped me out a lot. Ford Corp won't help me, the dealership won't help me... but luckily Jesse is on here and will help me. The truck has the beta firmware on 3 modules so it doesn't get OTA updates-- so 2023 APIM software, BC1.0, etc.
I believe I have to go to Texas to get the APIM fixed, He can't do that remotely. Just so annoying.

Sorry I missed this one! Message me your details and we’ll get you sorted.

 

[tls]

Sorry I missed this one! Message me your details and we’ll get you sorted.

One of the better lessons Ford could take from this and similar events is that Jesse is an asset to the brand, not some kind of enemy. He's basically a super specialized independent mechanic who can solve problems most dealerships can't. Ford should find a way to collaborate with him or at least stop doing things like disabling his access to diagnostic tools.

This "remote diagnosis is prohibited" nonsense with FDRS is counterproductive at best, hostile to customers at worst (as demonstrated by this and many other episodes where Jesse quickly and correctly diagnosed problems Ford and its dealers could or would not) when the dealer network simply cannot fix vehicles and customers are left out in the cold.

Rather than going to war with Jesse because he has the knowledge and experience to recognize that these vehicles stuck in fleet mode often have a problem with the TCU, and fix that for customers, Ford should be welcoming this kind of assistance. The same goes for letting a vehicle out to the field with beta firmware that blocks all OTAs - that Jesse discovered this is not a reason to keep ratcheting up the efforts to interfere with his work, honestly Ford should find a way to express its gratitude and clear his path. Or stuck or failed updates in general - Ford should get out of the way of owners and mechanics/tuners who have to address this themselves instead of trying to make it harder by raising prices and restricting access to diagnostic tools.

Basically, Ford should recognize that *particularly* because the user experience about everything software (particularly updates) is so bad, and despite earnest promises Ford demonstrably cannot or does not take real action to fix it, whoever in engineering, legal, management, wherever it may be who has a problem with being constantly shown up by the modern equivalent of a genius shade-tree mechanic should be told that they had their shot at fixing the user experience issues, they blew it, and the company is not going to make life harder for people like Jesse who are effectively doing their job for them, any more.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

One of the better lessons Ford could take from this and similar events is that Jesse is an asset to the brand, not some kind of enemy. He's basically a super specialized independent mechanic who can solve problems most dealerships can't. Ford should find a way to collaborate with him or at least stop doing things like disabling his access to diagnostic tools.

This "remote diagnosis is prohibited" nonsense with FDRS is counterproductive at best, hostile to customers at worst (as demonstrated by this and many other episodes where Jesse quickly and correctly diagnosed problems Ford and its dealers could or would not) when the dealer network simply cannot fix vehicles and customers are left out in the cold.

Rather than going to war with Jesse because he has the knowledge and experience to recognize that these vehicles stuck in fleet mode often have a problem with the TCU, and fix that for customers, Ford should be welcoming this kind of assistance. The same goes for letting a vehicle out to the field with beta firmware that blocks all OTAs - that Jesse discovered this is not a reason to keep ratcheting up the efforts to interfere with his work, honestly Ford should find a way to express its gratitude and clear his path. Or stuck or failed updates in general - Ford should get out of the way of owners and mechanics/tuners who have to address this themselves instead of trying to make it harder by raising prices and restricting access to diagnostic tools.

Basically, Ford should recognize that *particularly* because the user experience about everything software (particularly updates) is so bad, and despite earnest promises Ford demonstrably cannot or does not take real action to fix it, whoever in engineering, legal, management, wherever it may be who has a problem with being constantly shown up by the modern equivalent of a genius shade-tree mechanic should be told that they had their shot at fixing the user experience issues, they blew it, and the company is not going to make life harder for people like Jesse who are effectively doing their job for them, any more.

Fair points - I'm just the messenger, and trying to get to the bottom of this for folks. Both the fleet lock, and the FDRS situation.

 

[Dexter]

Glad you got it fixed. I'm still in update hell. Luckily Jesse has helped me out a lot. Ford Corp won't help me, the dealership won't help me... but luckily Jesse is on here and will help me. The truck has the beta firmware on 3 modules so it doesn't get OTA updates-- so 2023 APIM software, BC1.0, etc.
I believe I have to go to Texas to get the APIM fixed, He can't do that remotely. Just so annoying.

Man, I'm sorry that you are going through this. It sucks! Just how many Lightnings went out with the "Beta Software" problem and is there a way to determine what is in any Lightning without tools? Or maybe just FORScan? I'm trying to be as "hands off" with my Lightning as possible but inquiring minds want to know........

BTW, with my situation, my local dealership (not where I bought the truck, that's 60 miles away!) I ended up paying 250 to have my provisioning done. Just started trying to get reimbursed for that little gem.

I know dealerships are willing to install updates.....just you have to fork out $$$ out of pocket. I know that's wrong, Ford should not be shipping out vehicles in that state. But it is an option....

-Dex

 

[tls]

Fair points - I'm just the messenger, and trying to get to the bottom of this for folks. Both the fleet lock, and the FDRS situation.

I know, and we're lucky to have you here. Please don't mistake my frustration with the results that Ford the gigantic corporation as a whole is able to deliver for dissatisfaction with or ingratitude for your efforts. At least with you here there's some channel for owners' feedback to reach people who could change things, whatever they do about it -- or nothing.

For sure, dealers either will not or can not advocate for customers in this way. So it's great you're here.

I'll go so far as to say it makes up for whoever on the BEV team (I can only hope they no longer are) hung up the phone on me a couple years ago when I asked what exactly a dealership was supposed to do with a packet trace of a bug in the truck's DHCP client. Unfortunately it seems that attitude still exists in some parts of Ford but it's clear you are here to help, not part of the problem!

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