Modem stopped working.....then worked with a weird possible fix

[On the Road with Ralph]

I am experiencing this connectivity issue between my 2023 Lightning Pro and the Ford Pass app. Called Ford Support this morning. After a bit of unsuccessful trouble-shooting, I was advised that my Lightning needed a firmware upgrade pursuant to Service Bulletin TSB-23-2050. This "fix" was just issued this week and impacts certain vehicles built before early December 2022. I gather it patches the DMU and TCU, and that it pretty much has to be done by the dealer. Without it, a Lightning will probably not get OTA updates. I am trying to schedule a service appointment now, and am hopeful that I can also get the dealer to update my Sync (currently at 4.1.1). As things progress, I will come back and report.

Additional note: This "fix" is apparently separate from an update that is supposed to come out later this month that addresses the modem freak-outs.

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[On the Road with Ralph]

Update: My dealer has not gotten back to me, so I went ahead and pulled Fuse 32 from the passenger-side kick panel, and after 60 seconds, replaced it. It took about 5-10 minutes, but FordPass re-established contact with the Lightning and accurately reported its charge status and location. It will be interesting to see how long this "fix" lasts.

Side note #1: Turning off Apple CarPlay (or its Android equivalent) before messing with the system is apparently important to the process. I think it has to do with freeing up the WiFi modem to allow connectivity.

Side note #2: I had a 2016 Ford C-MAX Energi with the same recurring problem and I had to pull a fuse on numerous occasions to fix it. Ford really needs to get its software/hardware act together.

 

[Rancheroni]

My fordpass app started communicating again this morning. Last time it "communicated" was January 22. No interference from my side, just got a notification from fordpass charging completed.

 

[ZSLC]

Figured I would try Ford Support on this one. Used the chat who said I am due for an update and gave me some instructions to try to get the truck to connect for it. Unfortunately I was not in the truck and when I tried them later they did not make sense. Basically wanted me to disconnect the truck from the app and do a reset.

They also have me the number for Ford OTA support who said I am NOT due for an update but should get to my dealer for a diagnostic. Dealer called back a while later and told me they had never heard of the modem disconnect issue and the SOONEST they could get me in is March 7. Then when I pressed that waiting almost three weeks for a brand new vehicle to be seen is a problem they hung up on me.

 

[drdirk]

Do you have a contact number for Ford OTA support ? Mine sucks. On 4.1.1 and the truck looses connectivity about every 48 hours. I stopped resetting with the 12v battery disconnect.

 

[lightspeed]

Do you have a contact number for Ford OTA support ? Mine sucks. On 4.1.1 and the truck looses connectivity about every 48 hours. I stopped resetting with the 12v battery disconnect.

Do you use wireless carplay or android auto? Just wondering, because I've had this problem once but it went away and hasn't returned. But I don't use wireless carplay. I always plug it in if I want carplay.

Just wondering if wireless carplay/android is a factor.

 

[drdirk]

Do you use wireless carplay or android auto? Just wondering, because I've had this problem once but it went away and hasn't returned. But I don't use wireless carplay. I always plug it in if I want carplay.

Just wondering if wireless carplay/android is a factor.

I use Apple car play wirelessly. My truck is a late December built.

 

[lightspeed]

I use Apple car play wirelessly. My truck is a late December built.

Maybe as an experiment, stop using wireless carplay (delete your phone from the truck). Reset the modem with the battery or fuse 32 fix and see if it comes back.

If you're interested of course...

 

[On the Road with Ralph]

Maybe as an experiment, stop using wireless carplay (delete your phone from the truck). Reset the modem with the battery or fuse 32 fix and see if it comes back.

If you're interested of course...

I'm already doing this after pulling fuse 32 on Friday morning. On Thursday, the Ford Support tech mentioned turning off Apple CarPlay multiple times as we were troubleshooting. At the time, I wondered if there was a relationship between wireless CarPlay and this problem.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I'm already doing this after pulling fuse 32 on Friday morning. On Thursday, the Ford Support tech mentioned turning off Apple CarPlay multiple times as we were troubleshooting. At the time, I wondered if there was a relationship between wireless CarPlay and this problem.

I've never had the trucks primary wifi fail to connect to my home router.

Using android auto [AA] wirelessly in the truck connects to a secondary wifi device to join your phone to the Sync 4 system, the only issue I had encountered was related to AA failing to connect while I am in range of my home network and my phone wanting to connect or stay connected to my house router instead of the AA projection SSID, my solution (which does not solve your issue) is to disable auto-connection of my phone to my home router and enable auto-reconnect of the SSID for the trucks projection SSID so that AA almost always hooks up to the truck wirelessly without fail. I suspect the Carplay works in similar fashion (I'm not an Apple fan)

Why your truck is failing to connect to house router is still puzzling, taking your phone out of the picture briefly might help, or it may not.

 

[drdirk]

Maybe as an experiment, stop using wireless carplay (delete your phone from the truck). Reset the modem with the battery or fuse 32 fix and see if it comes back.

If you're interested of course...

I will give it a try and report back.

 

[On the Road with Ralph]

I will give it a try and report back.

I tried it. After about four days, the modem bonked again. I did the Fuse 32 thing again. About three days later now...

 

[stickyfingers]

After receiving the 4.1.2.2 update, my modem worked for 6 days. I had to do the battery pull this morning. I thought it was fixed for good when 48 hours had passed but no such luck.

 

[On the Road with Ralph]

After receiving the 4.1.2.2 update, my modem worked for 6 days. I had to do the battery pull this morning. I thought it was fixed for good when 48 hours had passed but no such luck.

As I understand it, 4.1.2.2 does not address the modem's failures; that is in an entirely separate (and may be stand-alone) update that Ford has promised before the end of February. Alternatively, you can go to the dealer and have them upgrade the software pursuant to TSB 23-2050.

 

[ScubaSteve_TheReal]

Yesterday was my 6th time my Ford pass freezes in less than 2 weeks. I am now annoyed to keep disconnecting the 12V. This happens every 2-3 days. Ford really needs to step up their game on the technology side to keep up with competitions.

This really sucks.
just lost my fuse 32 20 amp one and the flippin spare 27? 20amp one way into no man’s land. This every 1-2 days Ford modem reset really disappoints and sucks Ford. You owe me a heated steering wheel at least ugh!!! 40mins and a super bad sore back later I retrieved both fuses many hand scratches later. Modem reset and FordPass working for moment. This really sucks guys and gals. Ugh

Don’t put it back in upside down. Gives off all sorts of error codes

But when put back in correctly my app was working and connected again

This really sucks.
just lost my fuse 32 20 amp one and the flippin spare 27? 20amp one way into no man’s land. This every 1-2 days Ford modem reset really disappoints and sucks Ford. You owe me a heated steering wheel at least ugh!!! 40mins and a super bad sore back later I retrieved both fuses many hand scratches later. Modem reset and FordPass working for moment. This really sucks guys and gals. Ugh

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