Kakkerlak
Well-known member
I took my first test drive in an FFE this afternoon and it didn't begin on a good note.
With the salesman in the passenger seat, I got in and placed the keys in the cupholder, and proceeded to learn a little about the climate control (90F today) and infotainment system. I started to chew up watts with the A/C system, and tuned to the Classical station on the HD Radio to soothe my nerves.
When it was time to go, the FFE showed the available battery charge and that the transmission was in "D" mode. But the steering didn't have any assist, and when I took my foot off the brake and pressed the accelerator, it just rolled backward (we were on a slight incline).
I punched Start twice again. Same thing.
Mindful of the fact that I'd just signed a "we don't insure you at all when you are test driving our cars" form and the fact that I had almost backed into a Focus SE Titanium, I set the parking brake and let the salesman move that other car out of the way and try.
Sure enough he "got it started" and we were able to drive. "The engine wasn't running", he tried to tell me, using gas engine lingo.
I think that I'd only turned the car into "ON" mode, but had not pressed and held the Start button long enough to actually put it into "Ready to Drive" mode. Having reviewed the User Manual and now knowing what the "Ready to Drive" icon looks like, I think that was it.
Can somebody with more than ten minutes behind the wheel tell me if this is normal "your FFE was ON, but not Ready to Drive" behavior ?
I realize Ford is trying to emulate the familiar "on / off / start" and even refers to the circuit as the "ignition", but having a toggle switch that's also a "press and hold to start" switch doesn't seem to emulate anything familiar.
It was just really disconcerting to be eager to drive away but just roll comically backwards.
With the salesman in the passenger seat, I got in and placed the keys in the cupholder, and proceeded to learn a little about the climate control (90F today) and infotainment system. I started to chew up watts with the A/C system, and tuned to the Classical station on the HD Radio to soothe my nerves.
When it was time to go, the FFE showed the available battery charge and that the transmission was in "D" mode. But the steering didn't have any assist, and when I took my foot off the brake and pressed the accelerator, it just rolled backward (we were on a slight incline).
I punched Start twice again. Same thing.
Mindful of the fact that I'd just signed a "we don't insure you at all when you are test driving our cars" form and the fact that I had almost backed into a Focus SE Titanium, I set the parking brake and let the salesman move that other car out of the way and try.
Sure enough he "got it started" and we were able to drive. "The engine wasn't running", he tried to tell me, using gas engine lingo.
I think that I'd only turned the car into "ON" mode, but had not pressed and held the Start button long enough to actually put it into "Ready to Drive" mode. Having reviewed the User Manual and now knowing what the "Ready to Drive" icon looks like, I think that was it.
Can somebody with more than ten minutes behind the wheel tell me if this is normal "your FFE was ON, but not Ready to Drive" behavior ?
I realize Ford is trying to emulate the familiar "on / off / start" and even refers to the circuit as the "ignition", but having a toggle switch that's also a "press and hold to start" switch doesn't seem to emulate anything familiar.
It was just really disconcerting to be eager to drive away but just roll comically backwards.