4g Upgrade kit - program 21B09

[bbf2530]

2 hours ago, skipfrary said:

You are missing the point. The 3G modems are not working because Ford stopped supporting their end . They used the planned end of 3G to justify it. The only problem is that 3G didn’t go away because of the problems with 5G and the radar altimeters used by many commercial airliners. The 3G network is still up and working. Ford’s excuse to shut down it’s 3G operations because 3G is gone does not hold water. Meanwhile, our service has been taken away from us while 3G is still operational. The only reason my service doesn’t work is because FORD stopped supporting it,  not the cellular networks. 
3G is alive and well in America through at least mid 2023 (covers this winter) and the airlines are already seeking another extension (next winter).

Maybe Ford will have a real fix by 2024, until then turn the support back on.

 

Hi skipfrary. My reply was directed mainly as a joking reply to drolds1. Just something we do sometimes. ?

 

However, to address your quote of and reply to me...No, I certainly did not miss the point, and the information I posted above about the "class action lawsuit" is correct. This subject is not new and has been discussed to death on multiple Lincoln/Ford and every other automotive manufacturer forums. This is not only a Ford/Lincoln decision. It is industry wide.

 

While it is a settled, dead end subject, I will be more than happy to admit I was incorrect if the class action lawsuit against Ford, or any other against all the other automakers who are in the same boat should happen to succeed.

 

This is an open forum and I am not telling you to stop discussing it. You have the right to express your opinion in a polite manner. However, it is a decided and moot point, and I also have the right to express my opinion in a polite manner. And we have both done so. And neither of us will change the opinion of the other. But the automakers decisions are on my side of the equation.

 

And as I stated, I am looking at this from a completely unbiased position, since I reasonably expect to lose my 4G modem and will need to replace it with a 5G modem in the near future, at my cost. Or perhaps if I am lucky, at some reduced cost with Lincoln's help.

 

However, I will not expect Lincoln to replace it for free. In fact, Ford/Lincoln are among the rare automakers who are, in some cases, covering labor costs for modem replacements. Unfortunately, what we want, and what we are entitled to are often two different things.

 

Good luck.

Edited November 17, 2022 by bbf2530

[drolds1]

22 hours ago, bbf2530 said:

Hi gang. Well, at least until the first day of the trail, when the Ford Lawyers present the Owners Warranty Guide, which we all get a copy of when we purchase new, sign an agreement to abide by (a legally binding contract) etc. etc. And which specifically states in the "What is not covered" section (I highlighted the applicable sections):

 

SYNC Hands-Free Communications and Entertainment System
If your vehicle is equipped with SYNC, the New Vehicle Limited Warranty
does not cover repairs under certain conditions, such as failure to
provide proper installation environment. The New Vehicle Limited
Warranty does not cover repairs for certain damage or loss, such as:
• Loss of personal recording media, software or data
• Loss, change, or discontinuation of functionality because of:
• system updates to Ford Motor Company software or lack of
compatibility with non-Ford Motor Company electronic devices
• non-Ford Motor Company software, or
• obsolescence of vehicle software or hardware
• lack of network coverage or availability
• Damage caused by:
• abnormal use such as insertion of foreign objects, fluid spillage
• unauthorized modification to alter functionality or capability
• computer or internet viruses, bugs, or malware, such as worms,
Trojan Horses, cancelbots
• installation of unauthorized software, peripherals and attachments
• unauthorized, unapproved and/or incompatible repairs, upgrades and
modification
• the defective function or obsolescence of your cellular phone or digital
media device (for example, inadequate signal reception by the
external antenna, viruses or other software problems).

 

Then the judge says, "Okay, this modem question is all clearly addressed. Owners have signed an agreement attesting to the fact that it is not covered, as per the agreed to Warranty contract. Case closed". ??

Filing a lawsuit (class action or otherwise) and winning one are two very different things, especially when the party being sued has signed, legally binding agreements.

 

I understand how owners feel. Someday soon my 4G modem will become obsolete. And while I will certainly wish Lincoln would cover a replacement, I will also understand why they will not. Just as virtually every other automaker is not.

 

Art, my reply is not aimed at you. I realize you already know this and were kinda sorta playing and posting the link in a tongue in cheek manner. However, I thought I would post this information so others, who do not get the joke, do not get their hopes up too high.

 

Good luck everyone.

No worries, bbf.  I didn't take it that way, although it wasn't exactly tongue-in-cheek either.  I just found to be quite a coincidence that the day after the OP mentioned a class action suit, the article mentioning one appeared on fordauthority.com, and it merited reporting here.  But, as noted, it's not just Ford that are subjects of a CA suit. There are numerous other mfrs., as seen here.

 

Like you, I don't think this is going anywhere either. As you say, filing a lawsuit and winning one are 2 different things. As an old professor of mine once said, "You can sue a ham sandwich."  However, in the case of class action, it's more complicated than that.   There are a number of procedural steps that are followed first and once a draft lawsuit is filed, then, and only then, a judge will decide if the suit can be certified as a class action. It's by no means a given.

 

Some of us may remember when the analog cellular network shut down and owners of GM (and others) with the original version of OnStar lost that service.  Some of those cars were analog only and couldn't be upgraded to digital service.  Those owners were screwed.  I think some people that complained got a coupon for $500 towards a new car. Big whoop! A class action suit was filed and was NOT certified.  One of the things a judge will look at is precedent, which we have here. Plaintiffs were advised to file in their respective states.   Even if a suit is certified and successful, what would the remedy be?  There's no monetary loss here. 

 

Good luck to the plaintiff(s).  It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

[ecardanha]

Hello,

 

  I wondered if anyone with a 2017 Fusion Energi has been able to obtain the upgrade kit.  I reached out to my dealer and was told initially there was a software bug that prevented it from being an option and that the issue would be resolved mid 2022, so I waited.  Reached back in mid November of 2022 and got no response on the topic.  I was in the dealer back on January 2023 and inquired again and was told there is still a software issue and it was bricking cars and making them no longer usable and Ford has stopped all production of the kits.  Is this true?  Will I never get the option to obtain the modem?  I value a lot of the features I had in the app and always used it. Been trying to obtain this since November 2021 with zero luck.

 

  Thanks,

     Evan

Edited February 28, 2023 by ecardanha

[jpohlman]

Check over on 2GFUSIONS.NET.

Ponyguy has already had this done on his Platinum Energi.

[Elbelle]

On 2/23/2022 at 2:16 PM, Der Ehrbar said:

I would have to disagree with Multitask on this not being a Ford problem. I have a 2020 Ford Fusion Energi manufactured in July 2020. I'm pretty sure that Ford knew that 3G would become obsolete in 2022. They had discontinued using the 3G in most of there vehicles back in 2017. I've had my Energi for only 15 months and only have 11,000 miles on it. My dealer was charging $700 for the 4G upgrade. I found this Ford memo online. If anyone is feeling burned like myself, I think we might have enough for a class action suit.  I found  this article in Motor Trend from March 2018, with this quote from then CEO Jim Hackett. He said "...invest in strategic areas including driver assist technologies, standard 4G LTE by the end of 2019, and over-the-air updates." I'm quite sure they knew.

@Der Ehrbar have you filed a class action suit or do you know of one that is active in the United States? I live in California and spoke to 2 different ford dealerships who had absolutely no clue what I was talking about! Matter of fact the dealership closest to me hung up on me when I was trying to provide them with additional information, so I’m thinking of going straight to corporate with that one! But any information you have regarding the class action suit would be much appreciated! Thank you!

[skipfrary]

Well, it’s mid April 2023, and my co-worker’s 3G iPhone is still working. Obviously the network is still there and my 3G 2019 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium  modem is a brick. Ford shut down support on their end and blamed the shutdown of the 3G network as the reason. Ford should have come up with a plan to develop replacement 4G modems (to expensive or difficult for Ford Engineers) and install them or keep supporting the 3G system until the day finally arrives when the cellular providers actually shut down the 3G system.
Has anyone had any luck recently with an upgraded modem? Last I heard from a dealer was that paying to install the replacement modem available was risky and could leave my care with less operability than before the upgrade. 
It looks like most of us have just given up or sold our cars and Ford has shut down support of the 3G modems with the network still working and tucked it to us. Chalk up another win for the bean counters.

[andyross]

Just because a phone is working doesn't mean your Ford could work. It depends on what phone network Ford was using.

[drolds1]

This.  Ford was using AT&T.  The latter phased out 3G over time last year.  Some phones on some carriers may still work.  That doesn't mean that the modem in your car is operational.

[Lmrs27]

Hey I just got my 2020 Fusion last week from a dealership, they definitely advertised it as being fordpass connected, but im finding out otherwise now from Ford Corporate…

id definitely be interested in joining this class action against ford if they dont want to replace my modem at 0 cost.

[bbf2530]

52 minutes ago, Lmrs27 said:

Hey I just got my 2020 Fusion last week from a dealership, they definitely advertised it as being fordpass connected, but im finding out otherwise now from Ford Corporate…

id definitely be interested in joining this class action against ford if they dont want to replace my modem at 0 cost.

 

Hi Lmrs27 and welcome to the Ford Fusion Forum. Here is one opinion: If the Dealer you purchased your used vehicle from "...definitely advertised it as being fordpass connected..." and you have evidence of that, then I would contact the Dealership representatives you worked with, in person, to pursue having them replace the modem and enable FordPass.

 

You will have far better luck with that, than joining a class action lawsuit that has little chance of success at all, and even less so in your case. This is because...Since you purchased a used vehicle from a Dealership, it is the Dealership that promised you something, not Ford. Dealerships are independent franchises, and legally, Ford promised you nothing.

Out of curiosity, is your 2020 Fusion still within the 3 year/36,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty?

 

I am not trying to persuade you not to join any class action lawsuits, only letting you know that you will have a better chance of success by pursuing the Dealership and what they advertised for your used car.

 

Let us know how you make out, and good luck with whatever you decide to

[JClintB]

I have a 2019 Fusion SE Hybrid,  everything was working well with Fordpass, I could lock and unlock the doors, and start the car from my phone app. Then it all stopped,  I checked and it no longer displays the modem serial number on the screen,  while everything was working the serial number was displayed.  If the reason things stopped working was when the phone companies dropped 3g, why did the serial number disappear from the screen?  Also, a few has posted that the modem was mounted under the rear deck between the speakers,  there is nothing at all mounted there on my hybrid. Where else could it be mounted?

[alcohenusa]

8 hours ago, JClintB said:

I have a 2019 Fusion SE Hybrid,  everything was working well with Fordpass, I could lock and unlock the doors, and start the car from my phone app. Then it all stopped,  I checked and it no longer displays the modem serial number on the screen,  while everything was working the serial number was displayed.  If the reason things stopped working was when the phone companies dropped 3g, why did the serial number disappear from the screen?  Also, a few has posted that the modem was mounted under the rear deck between the speakers,  there is nothing at all mounted there on my hybrid. Where else could it be mounted?

On non-hybrids, when the modem goes down and the serial number disappears, it means one of two things:  Either the system (modem) is just confused or the modem is bad.  Disconnecting the 12volt battery or pulling the ‘Telematics’ fuse for a short time will restore the modem to operation if it is confused.  The serial number reappears and everything works.  Obviously, if the modem is bad, then this process will not change anything.  
 

I don’t know how the hybrid powers the modem as far as the battery systems are concerned so look for a telematics fuse and see if it helps.

[WKelley]

This is another symptom of new(er) cars having far too many modules built with less than stellar parts.  Dealerships have rows of cars waiting for new modules.  We also cannot easily repair/install modules and the mother ship is just going to keep making this harder in the future.  Don't get me started on pure electrics/hybrid plug ins.  

 

Auto makers need to wind back their clocks at least 15yrs as far as included tech.  What they are building now are cars that get 10yrs if your lucky before needing repeated $1K+ repairs.