Ford Recalls 432K Cars Over Software Problem

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If you are a Ford owner you probably want to read this. Thanks to cageymaru for the heads up!

Ford is recalling 432,000 Focus, C-Max and Escape vehicles because of a software problem that could keep their engines running after drivers try to shut them down. Ford Motor Co. says there is a flaw in the body control module software in the vehicles. As a result of the problem, the engine could keep running after the key is turned to "off" and removed, or after the start/stop button is pressed to turn the engine off.
 
My F-150's and Taurus PI not on the list.

It's Funny/Sad how it is pretty much the same cars every time there a recall. C-Max (which is a terrible car), Escapes, Transit Connect, and Focus.
 
because of a software problem that could keep their engines running after drivers try to shut them down.
So cars are getting like computers now, in that the power button doesn't turn off the system but sends a request to shut everything down, but only if there's no software issues :D
 
I like cars. I like computers. I'm not super crazy about cars that ARE computers. I need my levers and knobs and buttons and shafts and belts and clicky clacky things. I have no problem with a manual starter that is all mechanical and just uses a key to spark and start an engine.

Someone was bragging the other day to me about their $140K Tesla and I was like "that's nice, but the whole center console is a big touch screen. In a car. Zero tactile feedback. I loathe such a system, even if the car itself is wonderful. When I'm driving I want to just jam my hand towards roughly the air conditioning button, feel something, then instinctively know from this rounded gadget the AC button is right below it. Without ever looking down.
 
Ford needs to get rid of that Microsoft Sync garbage. My mom owned a Ford Focus and it was the biggest piece of shit. We actually had the car BLUESCREEN OF DEATH in the middle of the highway. The entire car had to reboot and the wipers starting going on and off and headlights were blinking.. at 3am..
 
I like cars. I like computers. I'm not super crazy about cars that ARE computers. I need my levers and knobs and buttons and shafts and belts and clicky clacky things. I have no problem with a manual starter that is all mechanical and just uses a key to spark and start an engine.

Someone was bragging the other day to me about their $140K Tesla and I was like "that's nice, but the whole center console is a big touch screen. In a car. Zero tactile feedback. I loathe such a system, even if the car itself is wonderful. When I'm driving I want to just jam my hand towards roughly the air conditioning button, feel something, then instinctively know from this rounded gadget the AC button is right below it. Without ever looking down.

I agree completely, I guess I am a purest when it comes to automobiles. A friend at work has a car, don't remember which one, that has the keyless push button ignition and we noticed it doesn't even have a key lock on the door. A question I asked that she can't answer, if the battery runs down, how do you then open the door, so you can open the hood to jump start the car?

Currently I have a 96 F150 that I bought new and after looking at the new ones, I will just keep this one running as long as I can(they cost more than my house too). For a backup I recently bought an 85 Jeep Cherokee. Previous owner had parked it for seven years because it wouldn't run. I figured out it was the computer, easy fix was to cut the one wire going from ignition into the computer and splicing it to the one coming out of the computer back to the ignition control module. Didn't even need the computer to make it work :)
 
C-Max, Escape and Focus.

Those three are all based on the same platform so chances are anything that affects one of them affects them all. Hopefully they get these reliability issues fixed. Otherwise I like the Focus and Escape.
 
Ford needs to get rid of that Microsoft Sync garbage. My mom owned a Ford Focus and it was the biggest piece of shit. We actually had the car BLUESCREEN OF DEATH in the middle of the highway. The entire car had to reboot and the wipers starting going on and off and headlights were blinking.. at 3am..

Considering the Microsoft Sync system does not control the car that I am aware of, I am going to call shens on this one.
 
I used to load new cars on trains for 7 years and I've seen this twice on the 2013 focus.
 
Considering the Microsoft Sync system does not control the car that I am aware of, I am going to call shens on this one.

I was about to say the same thing. I have never had any problems with Sync although I wish the touch screen was more sensitive.
 
Who said we want software in our cars to begin with?

We've had software running most cars since the 1980's when electronic fuel injection became popular.

If you don't want software running your car you have to find a classic car using a carburetor.
 
Considering the Microsoft Sync system does not control the car that I am aware of, I am going to call shens on this one.

I have to agree with this as well. The SYNC system is only for the entertainment and doesn't affect the rest of the car.
 
I agree completely, I guess I am a purest when it comes to automobiles. A friend at work has a car, don't remember which one, that has the keyless push button ignition and we noticed it doesn't even have a key lock on the door. A question I asked that she can't answer, if the battery runs down, how do you then open the door, so you can open the hood to jump start the car?

The keyhole is usually hidden, but it's there. On my Fusion Hybrid you pop off the cover of the door handle. If you look closely, it even has instructions on the handle.
 
Yarp, '15 Ford here and if I pull the 15 amp fuse for the "Audio Unit. Sync Module" the car still runs normally. Plus, I've never had an issue with the Sync system. It actually works better than I expected.
 
I have to agree with this as well. The SYNC system is only for the entertainment and doesn't affect the rest of the car.

It's not bullshit. Why would I lie about something stupid as this? I was in there when it happened, the software literally crashed showing a bluescreen and the entire car rebooted aside from the engine but every electronic refreshed. 2012 Ford Focus.
 
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...e-again-ditches-microsoft-for-blackberrys-qnx
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/177171-why-microsoft-lost-ford-sync/2

The blue screen of death does exist and the software will have to reboot causing the cars electronics to refresh for some reason, it's not bullshit.

Regardless of your experience, you will need to actually provide proof of what you are saying. I read both those articles, which I know is an internet cardinal sin but, neither of them say anything about the entertainment system causing the complete car electronics to reboot.

Personally, I think something else happened and the infotainment system blue screened as a consequence of that problem. (After all, if you have a failed hard drive which caused the OS to BSOD, do you then blame the OS for causing the failed hard drive?)
 
Regardless of your experience, you will need to actually provide proof of what you are saying. I read both those articles, which I know is an internet cardinal sin but, neither of them say anything about the entertainment system causing the complete car electronics to reboot.

Personally, I think something else happened and the infotainment system blue screened as a consequence of that problem. (After all, if you have a failed hard drive which caused the OS to BSOD, do you then blame the OS for causing the failed hard drive?)

Unfortunately I don't live my life with a gopro strapped to my head, it just happened. The car rebooted for absolutely no reason, in fact, I think I was plugging in my Zune when it happened. Regardless of the reason, the software crashed and the car decided to reboot. Can I prove it? Aside from showing your the original purchase title to the car, no. Also we ended up selling the car about 2 years later because it was the biggest piece of shit we ever drove.
 
Touchscreens don't belong in cars.

Shitty software doesn't belong in cars. 90% of cars I have been in or driven have laggy unusable software. It's like trying to drive while using a first generation android phone.
 
Who said we want software in our cars to begin with?

The only way to make them meet government performance requirements for emissions and fuel economy. The mechanical claptrap to make it do the right things with air, fuel, spark, cam phaser position at the right time to meet those requirements would make your 4 cylinder more like the size of a V8 or V12 and the weight would be self-defeating.
 
Push button ignition. Why not use a mechanical switch connected to your key, oh wait...
 
It's not bullshit. Why would I lie about something stupid as this? I was in there when it happened, the software literally crashed showing a bluescreen and the entire car rebooted aside from the engine but every electronic refreshed. 2012 Ford Focus.

More than anything the Car's computer took a crap, and is the cause of the Sync system to not respond properly IE: crash itself. Saying Sync caused the entire car to crap is out is extreme.
 
More than anything the Car's computer took a crap, and is the cause of the Sync system to not respond properly IE: crash itself. Saying Sync caused the entire car to crap is out is extreme.

I just find it strange that the first thing I saw was similar to a windows BSOD on the cars nav before it happened.
 
Someone was bragging the other day to me about their $140K Tesla and I was like "that's nice, but the whole center console is a big touch screen. In a car. Zero tactile feedback. I loathe such a system, even if the car itself is wonderful.

Yes. I cannot agree with this more!
 
If they enabled cars to update over 3G this would be a non issue. All that software on cars nowadays and you still need a massive recall to fix a bug.
 
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