Any 3G to 4G modem upgrade kits still available?

[Dominic]

I recently bought a MY2017 Focus Electric. The previous owner did not upgrade to a 4G modem, and I think I’m too late for the upgrade kit. However, if any Ford dealer has one, I’m interested!

 

[Heima]

I DIYed the upgrade, and I am glad I did not pay Ford's ridiculous prices. The functionality sucks. My Ford Mobile was a much better app, and it was far more reliable than FordPass.

Yeah, you are supposed to get the modem for free, and only pay for installation. Yet the dealer is going to screw you over for that installation. You cannot personally get the modem for free. But you can pay $360 (the cheapest I saw), for the privilege of installing a dealer-provided modem yourself.

Find a used 2017 Ford Escape (if I remember correctly) modem from a junkyard or ebay, get a cheapie antenna from amazon, a vlinker interface from amazon, download Forscan, and do it all yourself.

 

[PlainTom]

I DIYed the upgrade, and I am glad I did not pay Ford's ridiculous prices. The functionality sucks. My Ford Mobile was a much better app, and it was far more reliable than FordPass.

Yeah, you are supposed to get the modem for free, and only pay for installation. Yet the dealer is going to screw you over for that installation. You cannot personally get the modem for free. But you can pay $360 (the cheapest I saw), for the privilege of installing a dealer-provided modem yourself.

Find a used 2017 Ford Escape (if I remember correctly) modem from a junkyard or ebay, get a cheapie antenna from amazon, a vlinker interface from amazon, download Forscan, and do it all yourself.

I'm in the same boat as Dominic and have yet to have seen any posts pointing to an available modem upgrade.
Your post, Heiman, is more interesting than useful to someone like me who does nit have the knowledge, skills, or tools to pull off a DIY upgrade. But I suspect you know that saying "find a used [and scrapped] 2017 FFE" is *much* easier said than done!!
Congratulations on making something work!!
Maybe you would consider repeating the feat for others, for some amount less than any Ford dealer would charge?!?

 

[scottt]

Ouirsman Ford in Alexandria VA might still have one in stock. Not sure if they ever sent it back.

 

[PlainTom]

Ouirsman Ford in Alexandria VA might still have one in stock. Not sure if they ever sent it back.

I called that dealership today and they were completely unhelpful, not at all interested in even exploring the possibility that they had an obsolete part languishing on their shelves even while a willing buyer was talking to them on the phone. All they could say was that without a part number there was nothing they could do. [No, I didn't believe them either.]
So, I found the Ford dealership bulletin on the mandated program, called them back and fave them the published part numbers. "That's not coming up as a valid part number," was their completely unimaginative reply. And still, no desire at all to even *try* to be helpful.
What Musk and Tesla management knew was that if EVs were going to be widely adopted, it would be necessary to eliminate the hidebound, entrenched, and sclerotic auto dealership owners and their "sales and service" sycophants, all of whom have no vision beyond their monthly bank account statements.
Now because of their lack of vision and fear of change we read that "hybrids" are gaining traction.
Ford Motor and its dealers have been playing this badly for years, and now, once again are letting moral and technical leadership take a back seat to shareholders' focus on the company's quarterly statements.
Too bad. I used to think the F-150 Lightning was a truly pivotal product. But so much for manning up, ay Ford?

 

[Club Car]

I'm in the same boat as Dominic and have yet to have seen any posts pointing to an available modem upgrade.
Your post, Heiman, is more interesting than useful to someone like me who does nit have the knowledge, skills, or tools to pull off a DIY upgrade. But I suspect you know that saying "find a used [and scrapped] 2017 FFE" is *much* easier said than done!!
Congratulations on making something work!!
Maybe you would consider repeating the feat for others, for some amount less than any Ford dealer would charge?!?

Heima said to look for a modem from a 2017 Ford Escape not an FFE.

 

[PlainTom]

Heima said to look for a modem from a 2017 Ford Escape not an FFE.

Thanks for pointing out my error. But that doesn't change the DIY steps necessary to make the mod that are beyond my capabilities.

 

[JCoop2020]

I DIYed the upgrade, and I am glad I did not pay Ford's ridiculous prices. The functionality sucks. My Ford Mobile was a much better app, and it was far more reliable than FordPass.

Yeah, you are supposed to get the modem for free, and only pay for installation. Yet the dealer is going to screw you over for that installation. You cannot personally get the modem for free. But you can pay $360 (the cheapest I saw), for the privilege of installing a dealer-provided modem yourself.

Find a used 2017 Ford Escape (if I remember correctly) modem from a junkyard or ebay, get a cheapie antenna from amazon, a vlinker interface from amazon, download Forscan, and do it all yourself.

What app are you using for the remote controls and information. I would be down for doing the upgrade myself but if the interface website is not functioning anymore what is the point?

 

[Heima]

Ford Pass is functioning, but the feature set is no where as complete as was MyFordMobile.

Looking at the app right now, I can unlock, lock, and remote start. I can see the battery charge level, and the estimated distance to empty. I can see the address the car is located (approximate) and the Odometer. I can see where my car is located on a map, and if there is an alert with the vehicle TPMS, or any other active alerts. There is a calendar to schedule starts, but I don't use it, and others say it doesn't work.
Other tabs/screens provide information that is not specific to the vehicle.

MyFordMobile also told me, what was the route, start time, end time, distance, and energy consumed for each of the last 20 trips. And how efficiently I drove. My charging history. My charging status in real time. Setting charge times supposedly worked. There was probably other features that I am forgetting right now.

 

[JCoop2020]

What did you have to do to set the modem up?

 

[PlainTom]

Ford Pass is functioning, but the feature set is no where as complete as was MyFordMobile.

Looking at the app right now, I can unlock, lock, and remote start. I can see the battery charge level, and the estimated distance to empty. I can see the address the car is located (approximate) and the Odometer. I can see where my car is located on a map, and if there is an alert with the vehicle TPMS, or any other active alerts. There is a calendar to schedule starts, but I don't use it, and others say it doesn't work.
Other tabs/screens provide information that is not specific to the vehicle.

MyFordMobile also told me, what was the route, start time, end time, distance, and energy consumed for each of the last 20 trips. And how efficiently I drove. My charging history. My charging status in real time. Setting charge times supposedly worked. There was probably other features that I am forgetting right now.

The functionality you describe, Heima, sounds nearly identical to what we had with MyChevy as former 2020 Bolt drivers. We miss many of those functions now with the MyVW software supplied by the mfg for our 2023 ID.4.
MyChevy would even show us the individual tire pressures!
Without the upgraded modem and MyFord app, I can't seem even to select a charging target less than 100%. The Bolt let us do that within the car; no app necessary. If the FFE has such a feature, I haven't found it. If anyone can point me to it, I'd appreciate it!

 

[antgore06]

I DIYed the upgrade, and I am glad I did not pay Ford's ridiculous prices. The functionality sucks. My Ford Mobile was a much better app, and it was far more reliable than FordPass.

Yeah, you are supposed to get the modem for free, and only pay for installation. Yet the dealer is going to screw you over for that installation. You cannot personally get the modem for free. But you can pay $360 (the cheapest I saw), for the privilege of installing a dealer-provided modem yourself.

Find a used 2017 Ford Escape (if I remember correctly) modem from a junkyard or ebay, get a cheapie antenna from amazon, a vlinker interface from amazon, download Forscan, and do it all yourself.

Do you have a part number. I could not find anything for an escape but I did find a 4g tcm for an explorer. Also do you have to do anything special or is it "plug and play"

 

[antgore06]

Also how do you know if the modem was already upgraded. I just recently got my ffe delivered and I'm not sure if it was already done. I can use the ford pass app

 

[Anti_Climax]

If it works with the Ford Pass app it's been upgraded.

 

[labels]

If it works with the Ford Pass app it's been upgraded.

I agree with you.