Stop Safely Now Warning

[Dreaming-in-Focus]

You may have the first catch - congrats!! Please let us know what they find!

Hi All,

another SSN update:

My FFE has been at the dealership all week.
Yesterday the service manager let me know
They were able to witness the SSN message for themselves.
The EV engineers are requesting to catch in the act by
recording the events and dumping the error codes as they happen.
It took nearly 320 miles of driving to catch.

Curious if anyone else with SSN has had their dealer
catch it happen, or is this the first documented case
of it?

 

[rhorns]

Got my first SSN today (2013 model, ~3000 miles), about a week after the dealer installed the latest v3.5 software update (coincidence?). It happened while driving, about a mile into the trip, right after issuing a voice command (coincidence?).

Couldn't turn the car off any more and called roadside assistance. While waiting for the tow truck I tried several times to restart and finally succeeded 5-10 minutes after the first alert came on. I will contact the dealer next week...

Does anybody know of a trick to restart the system (like Ctrl-Alt-Delete on a PC)?

 

[WattsUp]

Couldn't turn the car off any more

Couldn't turn it off? You mean the "ready to drive" light stayed on?

 

[rhorns]

When I held down the start switch the SSN alert disappeared. When I let go of the switch it immediately came back on. The 'ready to drive' light did not come on. Does that match your experience?

 

[Dreaming-in-Focus]

The timing of this is quite funny. Of course - I posted up above about this and then an hour later had my 6th SSN error while driving along a four lane road in the Chicago suburbs. Its happened to me so many times now that its not quite as jarring anymore.

Here's my SSN survival tips.

1. Error presents itself.
2. Don't touch the brakes and begin to move over to side of road looking for side street. (blinkers a plus)
3. Coast to a gradual safe stop and place in park (car has no power except steering and brakes)
4. Try the start button a few times with foot on brake and off (error stays present)
5. Open driver's side door and immediately shut (seems to reset system)
6. Place foot on brake and hit start button. (car of course acts normal now)
7. Drive away like nothing happened (and nothing did.. according to Ford - just ask them)

Do I plan on bringing the car to the dealership or contacting customer support? No. I'm not going to go through that B.S. again for no results. They have driven my car for 400 miles and tested everything, with literally no results. At least I know what to do now when it happens. I'll wait until half a year from now when they might have finally solved the problem and issue the recall that we all know is coming. I'll just keep the car, thanks Ford.

 

[rhorns]

Thanks for sharing this. I hadn't tried opening the door, but it makes sense as it seems to shut down the system.

4. Try the start button a few times with foot on brake and off (error stays present)

Is this step really necessary?

 

[ashuri]

Wow I really can't believe what I'm reading.
This is a defect on a car not a toaster!
Would you go through all this for any other product?

 

[Dreaming-in-Focus]

Unfortunately none of the steps should be necessary - but in the interest of getting your car safely moving once again I added that one to verify the car does not return to normal, and then to proceed to the next step. It's a bit sad that it has come to this..

Thanks for sharing this. I hadn't tried opening the door, but it makes sense as it seems to shut down the system.

4. Try the start button a few times with foot on brake and off (error stays present)

Is this step really necessary?

 

[Fluke]

Some of those who have been affected by the SSN problem may want to chime in at InsideEV's to help elevate the profile of the SSN issue. I think it is ridiculous that Ford is addressing the side marker light with a recall and seems to not even acknowledge that there is a much bigger problem occuring with the car.

http://insideevs.com/ford-recalls-some-model-year-2012-and-2013-focus-electric-vehicles/

 

[Fluke]

Some of those who have been affected by the SSN problem may want to chime in at InsideEV's to help elevate the profile of the SSN issue. I think it is ridiculous that Ford is addressing the side marker light with a recall and seems to not even acknowledge that there is a much bigger problem occuring with the car.

http://insideevs.com/ford-recalls-some-model-year-2012-and-2013-focus-electric-vehicles/

Similar article is running on AutoBlog:
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/12/ford-focus-electric-st-recalled-lighting-issue/

 

[robochimp]

Crossposting - we are not the only model of Ford (and Toyota) to have exactly the same thing happening:

http://www.myfocuselectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1281&p=5606#p5606

 

[Steve]

I had a good experience with my Ford dealer about this. As I mentioned in a prior post, I phoned in to my service advisor that I had the Stop Safely Now message come up a second time, but I saw no reason to bring the car in again so soon after the first time. He called me back about one week later to say that they wanted to look at the vehicle. Their electric vehicle technician just came back from a training class at Ford on the electric vehicles. They discussed my vehicle there and wanted to try something. So I dropped off the car and got it back one day later (today). As a side note, they took care of the side marker issue at the same time. Keep in mind I am already on the newest updates.

So here is what the write-up says on the service invoice. "Verified concern - code retrieved was U0401." I think that was a good sign. Finally they saw something tangible in the car about the SSN. Next: "Contacted hotline - told to update modules with IDS 86.01A and release to customer until new updates comes out. Re-calibrated PCM TCU ICM release to customer." My service advisor restated what the write-up says. The technician re-calibrated several items in the car, which should help avoid the SSN situation unless it is really warranted. He said Ford has a bigger update coming out in about one month. He will contact me when Ford notifies them it is available. He could tell me nothing specific about what the update they applied this time does, however.

I am happy with how this is going. It looks like Ford is working on this issue. My dealer was proactive in contacting me with this service procedure and update. Plus it looks like a bigger update is coming soon to help with the issue. My service advisor mentioned there will be other improvements with the update, but I want to avoid mentioning them as I see it as just rumors at this point.

 

[Jasper7821]

Jasper

Contact Fredrick Tonney VP at Ford or his assistant:

[
edited by admin Aug 7/2013

Mike K from Ford's Customer Service Division requested Frederick's email be removed. Mike says the best way to contact Ford is through this page:
http://www.ford.com/help/contact/
You can contact them on twitter, or email, or phone, and then your contact with them is recorded
]

Ford corporate called me back and I'm taking in the car next Saturday. I asked for a decent loaner and it will be a Fusion and the fuel will be paid for.

 

[Jasper7821]

its been two weeks since I had to stop safely now warning and tthis morning on my way to lunch I got another one and the car died again. This time it happened when I went over the cattle crossing so I think the car bounced around a little bit and that made it gives the warning.it goes into the shop next Saturday so hopefully they figure it out.

 

[WattsUp]

its been two weeks since I had to stop safely now warning and tthis morning on my way to lunch I got another one and the car died again. This time it happened when I went over the cattle crossing so I think the car bounced around a little bit and that made it gives the warning.it goes into the shop next Saturday so hopefully they figure it out.

Was it *right* when you went over the cattle grate? Hmm, that really makes it seem a like a jostled connection caused the warning. Geesh, cars get jostled all the time... seems a bit fragile if just running over something like a cattle grate causes an SSN.

My FFE has taken a few good wallops on some rough roads here and there and, so far, no SSN with my FFE.

 

[danholl]

its been two weeks since I had to stop safely now warning and tthis morning on my way to lunch I got another one and the car died again. This time it happened when I went over the cattle crossing so I think the car bounced around a little bit and that made it gives the warning.it goes into the shop next Saturday so hopefully they figure it out.

Was it *right* when you went over the cattle grate? Hmm, that really makes it seem a like a jostled connection caused the warning. Geesh, cars get jostled all the time... seems a bit fragile if just running over something like a cattle grate causes an SSN.

My FFE has taken a few good wallops on some rough roads here and there and, so far, no SSN with my FFE.

Clearly there is no single cause of SSN. There have been others reported with loose cable connector - this is probably another one. I have over 12000 miles no SSN - no Problems

 

[brijen21]

I got the SSN warning as I was pulling out of my office parking lot on 8/16. I was hardly driving at 5mph and suddenly got the dreaded SSN and the car died. Put the car in P, powered off, opened the driver side door and closed it again. Restarted the car and it worked fine. Went straight to the dealer after nervous 15 miles drive on the freeway in right lane. The dealer didn't have any trained EV technician available till Monday(8/19). I have dropped my FFE at dealer this morning hoping for a quick resolution. Also, called the Ford Customer support to officially lodge a complaint. I have approx 8000 miles on my FFE.

Btw, this was my second SSN warning. The first one came just under 1000 miles and went to the dealer. My FFE software is updated with the latest patches. Let's hope for the best...

 

[robochimp]

I highly recommend you take a picture or video of this (SSN) happening if possible... also make sure the dealer documents this error/event on the invoice each time you pick up your car...this may help you out in the end.

Chances are good the dealer will insist on driving the car around until they can verify this error (in my case, it took over 300 Miles). Even with the 6 videos I have of it happening residentially and on the freeway, they will want to keep your car and ask you to "just be patient".

My guess is that they will want to replace the Powertrain Control Module and the wiring harness to the electric motor - but just be prepared to have Ford tell you this is something they have never seen before.

probably a good idea to file a complaint with the NHTSA as well so this is documented.

I'm now on the 5th week of dealing with this...in a rental going on 4 weeks.



Ford, you listening?

 

[Jasper7821]

Ford corporate has scheduled my car to go in this Saturday after I sent an email to the address earlier in this thread. I have had the SSN 4 times in the last week. Only once was when going over a cattle crossing and I thought maybe the bump made it happen. That was last week. Then I got one Saturday and one Sunday and both of those were during just normal driving.
Then yesterday I got another one pulling out from the store on perfectly smooth road and going only 5mph.
Luckily my usual sequence got the car going again.

Hopefully they can get it figured out.
At least this time they are giving me a Fusion loaner and Ford is paying for all the gas too.

I really love this car and sold my 2012 BMW and like the Ford a lot better then the BMW.
I'm sure it will eventually get worked out.
Its a first year run and there's bound to be issues.
My BMW was a first year run with twin turbo and 8 speed transmission and that car was in the shop tons of times. I hated that car and sold it and got the Focus.

I got a survey letter yesterday and a dollar bill from JD Power and associates asking to do a review on my Focus

 

[Jasper7821]

Just did my NHTSA SSN complaint.