Walk Away Lock is Rolling Out to 2022-2023 F-150 Lightning

[luebri]

Agree

Here's the release note title you'll want to see to know you received the feature.

The fact they ever issued an update for Walk Away Lock that did not have the toggles the same time will always be mind boggling to me. I really really love (major sarcasm!) that my truck locks itself in my garage and I have no ability to turn it off. It's even more fun when we are scrambling to get out the door each morning to get the kids to school and the F'ing truck is locked and they cant get in!!! @Ford Motor Company

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[K6CCC]

Personally I don't want the truck locking or unlocking automatically. I want positive control that I did it when I want to. Normally I lock the truck from the inside door button right after opening the door. The only time I don't is if I will need to get something out of the back seat, so I close the front door and after getting whatever out of the back seat I use the lock button on the front door handle after closing the doors. The only other time I use the outside door handle lock button is if I am leaving the truck on (usually to keep the AC running), and can't lock with the inside button in that case.

 

[unicorn1]

Hi F-150 Lightning owners, as many of you have already noted here in the forum, Walk Away Lock is in the process of rolling out via an over-the-air software update to 2022-2023 model year vehicles.

This feature will allow you to seamlessly walk away from your vehicle and know it is safely locking behind you, utilizing your phone as a key.

If your truck is equipped with keyless entry, this gives you a new way to secure your doors. To enable the Walk Away Lock feature, go to the Locking menu within Vehicle Settings on your touchscreen panel. More detailed instructions and information on the feature here.

Actually and officially,
Brian, not AI, from Ford

PS: Two posts in a day from Ford!? Lightning does strike twice.

Still waiting for Dog Mode

 

[KingStraasha]

Can you please add the option to turn this off at specific geographic locations such as home.

 

[Mike G]

WAL rollout was/is a two-step operation.

The first OTA (or update via FDRS) was to enable the actual feature in the BCM (body controller) and when that happened it was "On" by default with no way to turn it off.

The second OTA (or update via FDRS) is for the APIM (Sync) that enables the hidden toggles that are already in the previous software release, but you just can't access them. We know this because for those of us who use FORSCAN...many of us used that to enable the toggles in the Sync "Locks" menu a year ago after the BCM update initially became available (on or about 1 May 2024), but before the APIM update to Sync 1122 became available where the toggles were enabled.

 

[luebri]

WAL rollout was/is a two-step operation.

The first OTA (or update via FDRS) was to enable the actual feature in the BCM (body controller) and when that happened it was "On" by default with no way to turn it off.

The second OTA (or update via FDRS) is for the APIM (Sync) that enables the hidden toggles that are already in the previous software release, but you just can't access them. We know this because for those of use who us FORSCAN...many of us used that to enable the toggles in the Sync "Locks" menu a year ago after the BCM update initially became available (on or about 1 May 2024), but before the APIM update to Sync 1122 became available where the toggles were enabled.

Good explanation, but it's still complete bass ackwards. Do the APIM (Sync) update first, then the BCM update. I'd rather have something extra sitting on the screen that doesnt do anything than being force fed a poorly though out change to my truck that I cannot control.

 

[Mike G]

Good explanation, but it's still complete bass ackwards. Do the APIM (Sync) update first, then the BCM update. I'd rather have something extra sitting on the screen that doesnt do anything than being force fed a poorly though out change to my truck that I cannot control.

Well there was no way to OTA a BCM in combo with the APIM.

I suppose what they *could* have done was a BCM OTA bundled with a config update to the APIM to enable the toggles...but that would have meant two (or more) different software teams coordinating together to push this out...and getting the BCM update out by itself was apparently enough of a challenge as it was.

And having the WAL enabled by default is far 'safer' than not having it turned on before the toggles arrive, I guess. But you make a good point...why push out the BCM update and turn on a feature at all...just have it available in the BCM update, and then once the second part (APIM) is delivered, then announce it.

 

[luebri]

Well there was no way to OTA a BCM in combo with the APIM.

I suppose what they *could* have done was a BCM OTA bundled with a config update to the APIM to enable the toggles...but that would have meant two (or more) different software teams coordinating together to push this out...and getting the BCM update out by itself was apparently enough of a challenge as it was.

My expectations are higher.... I dont recall getting a discount on my truck because software is hard for Ford.

Also I did not say bundled which obviously would be best, but I said it would be smarter to update the screen first, so at least when you get the BCM you can turn the "feature" off if it is undesirable for the owner.

 

[RLXXI]

Hi F-150 Lightning owners, as many of you have already noted here in the forum, Walk Away Lock is in the process of rolling out via an over-the-air software update to 2022-2023 model year vehicles.

This feature will allow you to seamlessly walk away from your vehicle and know it is safely locking behind you, utilizing your phone as a key.

If your truck is equipped with keyless entry, this gives you a new way to secure your doors. To enable the Walk Away Lock feature, go to the Locking menu within Vehicle Settings on your touchscreen panel. More detailed instructions and information on the feature here.

Actually and officially,
Brian, not AI, from Ford

PS: Two posts in a day from Ford!? Lightning does strike twice.

I just bought a 25 flash in June, is it supposed to have wal? I ask because It doesn't. Owners manual says it should, lol.

 

[RocketGhost]

Here's hypothetical thoughts of a Lightning owner that aren't really hypothetical:

"Ford announced the WAL update was released five days ago and I still don't have it. I check the software update tab on the screen and it says there's no update. But I know there is because Ford says there is. Something must be wrong with my truck. I researched the issue and people say I have to wait for Ford to send it to my truck. That seems odd to me. Why would they send it to some people but not me?

When an update is released for my phone or computer I go to the software update screen, it checks for updates, finds the update, and asks if I want to download and install it. That's how software updates for things work, right?

I read on forums that some people wait months, or even longer, for an update! There must be something wrong with their trucks or Ford's server. How do I find out if there's something wrong with my truck? I don't want to wait months just to find out I could have gotten the update sooner if I had gotten my truck fixed. It would be nice if the software update screen would tell me what's going on.

Maybe there's a good explanation for all this, but I can't image what it would be. I still don't understand how software updates work. Surely Ford would have fixed their servers by now."

 

[TaxmanHog]

Maybe there's a good explanation for all this, but I can't image what it would be. I still don't understand how software updates work. Surely Ford would have fixed their servers by now."

I've only speculated numerous times that it's:

• Capacity of servers to send, monitor and log the results of each update.
• They only want so many updates per day to control the impact of a 'bad' update.

 

[Stubedo]

"Ford announced the WAL update was released five days ago and I still don't have it. I check the software update tab on the screen and it says there's no update. But I know there is because Ford says there is. Something must be wrong with my truck. I researched the issue and people say I have to wait for Ford to send it to my truck. That seems odd to me. Why would they send it to some people but not me?."

And worse… different people are saying that this is something that the dealer has to / can update, but the dealer says that there are no updates or… “we do not get paid by Ford to do this update.”

 

[RocketGhost]

I've only speculated numerous times that it's:

• Capacity of servers to send, monitor and log the results of each update.
• They only want so many updates per day to control the impact of a 'bad' update.

It would really help customer satisfaction if Ford at least explained, in great detail, how OTA updates work on their end. We might be a little more understanding if we knew the limitations Ford has to deal with.

It would be foolish if Ford didn't "test the waters" with a few trucks before sending a bad update to everyone and brick tens of thousands of trucks. And there are a lot of configurations. Different year models, different options, different software already installed, etc. Gotta test each one. But it shouldn't take long to find out of the update works before sending it out to trucks configured the same.

I also believe server capacity is a limiting factor. It would be expensive to have the capacity to send an update to tens of thousands of trucks all at once. I also wonder if there are some limitations in their agreement with AT&T, like an aggregate data cap per month or something like that.

I think a lot of it boils down to the vehicle architecture. It's a mess of modules that don't all speak the same language. Updating the software is just complicated.

 

[tls]

Hi F-150 Lightning owners, as many of you have already noted here in the forum, Walk Away Lock is in the process of rolling out via an over-the-air software update to 2022-2023 model year vehicles.

This feature will allow you to seamlessly walk away from your vehicle and know it is safely locking behind you, utilizing your phone as a key.

If your truck is equipped with keyless entry, this gives you a new way to secure your doors. To enable the Walk Away Lock feature, go to the Locking menu within Vehicle Settings on your touchscreen panel. More detailed instructions and information on the feature here.

Actually and officially,
Brian, not AI, from Ford

PS: Two posts in a day from Ford!? Lightning does strike twice.

What do those of us who haven't received an OTA update since 2023 do?

 

[Ford Motor Company]

What do those of us who haven't received an OTA update since 2023 do?

DM me your VIN. I'll flag it with the team and they can see what's happening / support getting you up to speed.

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