Hey there,
This one might be a bit odd.
We have a 2018 Limited AWD NA Flex. In February, after some displays / heating controls stopped responding on my wife's way to work one morning - the car then would not start, either with Fob, or push button when she arrived. At that time, you also could not power into accessory mode, open rear hatch, or control the windows. I had it towed to a dealer.
Dealer ordered RAM module. Took two months to arrive, only for it not to be the problem. They then determined it was the SOD module, and gave me three choices:
1) Leave it unplugged, which would allow the vehicle to start, but we would always have a BLIS warning. Note: There had been something wrong with the SODL for some time, as the car had a warning on info system, and light on driver's mirror for at least two years. I didn't get around to looking into it, as bigger ticket maintenance (Coolant flush/updated coolant), cowl drains, etc were higher priority for me. My bad, perhaps.
2) Replace SOD module with a used one for $400 CAD, or
3) Replace with new for $1300.
Anyhow, we went with option 2 - and after over 100 days, we got the vehicle back last week.
Now, the remote start will not work. It blows the horn once, the marker lights blink twice, and that's it.
To try and pinpoint, I have:
- Checked car battery - even going as far as putting a charger on to ensure my open volts were slightly greater than 12.6 during the attempt to start with the fob (we have two fobs, one being new from the dealer, both with new batteries).
- Checked all doors and rear lift gate - info system correctly reports all open as it's supposed to, and I ensured all are properly shut when testing.
- Hood switch seems fine, including if I try to start with hood open, it does the same beep / flash routine, and if I press it down before another attempt, I hear a relay click. I could test it for continuity / voltage when closed I suppose, but I think it's fine.
- Connected FORScan, and reviewed DTC's - all still present from when the no start occurred, but nothing current or new. I cleared all codes. Allowed engine to reach operating temperature, and did KOEO and KOER tests, and tested all modules that would allow it - including SODL and SODR, and everything seems fine.
I see info on all of the calibrations, and can try re-learn procedures, see As built options etc - but I'm hesitant to just start messing around with that where everything seems to otherwise be communicating and not providing DTCs. We have put 500km over several trips in the past week and everything else seems perfectly fine.
The Remote Start functioned before the no start issue, and now since it's back from the dealer, it won't. They want another diag fee to try and find the problem, and I'm in no rush to do that after 100 days, $2200 CAD and a used $400 part in the car.
Somehow I come out of that experience feeling neutral about it. We have a beater Focus and my 95 F350 that got us through the rest of the winter relatively unscathed - and some people have had worse experiences with electrical issues with later model Fords...
Sorry for the book, but this is my attempt at resolving this on my own before visiting that (or another) dealer again.
Would anyone have insight or experience in this area that might point to some logical next steps?
This one might be a bit odd.
We have a 2018 Limited AWD NA Flex. In February, after some displays / heating controls stopped responding on my wife's way to work one morning - the car then would not start, either with Fob, or push button when she arrived. At that time, you also could not power into accessory mode, open rear hatch, or control the windows. I had it towed to a dealer.
Dealer ordered RAM module. Took two months to arrive, only for it not to be the problem. They then determined it was the SOD module, and gave me three choices:
1) Leave it unplugged, which would allow the vehicle to start, but we would always have a BLIS warning. Note: There had been something wrong with the SODL for some time, as the car had a warning on info system, and light on driver's mirror for at least two years. I didn't get around to looking into it, as bigger ticket maintenance (Coolant flush/updated coolant), cowl drains, etc were higher priority for me. My bad, perhaps.
2) Replace SOD module with a used one for $400 CAD, or
3) Replace with new for $1300.
Anyhow, we went with option 2 - and after over 100 days, we got the vehicle back last week.
Now, the remote start will not work. It blows the horn once, the marker lights blink twice, and that's it.
To try and pinpoint, I have:
- Checked car battery - even going as far as putting a charger on to ensure my open volts were slightly greater than 12.6 during the attempt to start with the fob (we have two fobs, one being new from the dealer, both with new batteries).
- Checked all doors and rear lift gate - info system correctly reports all open as it's supposed to, and I ensured all are properly shut when testing.
- Hood switch seems fine, including if I try to start with hood open, it does the same beep / flash routine, and if I press it down before another attempt, I hear a relay click. I could test it for continuity / voltage when closed I suppose, but I think it's fine.
- Connected FORScan, and reviewed DTC's - all still present from when the no start occurred, but nothing current or new. I cleared all codes. Allowed engine to reach operating temperature, and did KOEO and KOER tests, and tested all modules that would allow it - including SODL and SODR, and everything seems fine.
I see info on all of the calibrations, and can try re-learn procedures, see As built options etc - but I'm hesitant to just start messing around with that where everything seems to otherwise be communicating and not providing DTCs. We have put 500km over several trips in the past week and everything else seems perfectly fine.
The Remote Start functioned before the no start issue, and now since it's back from the dealer, it won't. They want another diag fee to try and find the problem, and I'm in no rush to do that after 100 days, $2200 CAD and a used $400 part in the car.
Somehow I come out of that experience feeling neutral about it. We have a beater Focus and my 95 F350 that got us through the rest of the winter relatively unscathed - and some people have had worse experiences with electrical issues with later model Fords...
Sorry for the book, but this is my attempt at resolving this on my own before visiting that (or another) dealer again.
Would anyone have insight or experience in this area that might point to some logical next steps?