Stop Safely Now Warning

[Specialnterrogatory]

Just got our first SSN light after 1800 miles tonight. Very dangerous! Planning to take it in the morning to the dealer. I can't believe this isn't a recall at this point.

Brought it in this morning. Dealer said I am the 3rd FFE this week to come in with the issue. I was told about the software update and that they are waiting for it to be released. As soon as my FFE is updated I will be notified.

 

[az erik]

Ford just called me and said the flash update just came out today but is not released yet but they were instructed to do install it on my car today.
Picking it up after work.
There is not a TSB for it yet so there's no paperwork or no receipt since there's no code yet to bill Ford.

We'll see what happens

Are they saying a software fix is a flash? Or is there a real flash. Flash is written to ROM's. It would make more sense that there be a separate flash as the 3.6.2 was 'on my car' back in June, according to MFM.

This actually is starting to bother me quite a bit. The thought of stalling while pulling in front of traffic with my little one in the car has me making sure I have enough time to push it through the intersection before oncoming traffic shows up if needed.

I have 180 miles on the car now.

 

[user 3729]

MFM is totally unrelated to the powertrain.

These guys are talking about updates to the ECU/ECM software or whatever Ford calls it. They can accept flash updates. They cannot be updated without special equipment at the dealership.

 

[Jasper7821]

Ford said it was a flash update whatever that means. Nothing has changed in my car, all the settings remained the same unlike when the update was done and I basically had to start over.

Drove the car to work today and everything's good so far.
I have just about 6,000 miles and it's 4 months old.

 

[user 3729]

Ford said it was a flash update whatever that means. Nothing has changed in my car, all the settings remained the same unlike when the update was done and I basically had to start over.

Drove the car to work today and everything's good so far.
I have just about 6,000 miles and it's 4 months old.

You have new powertrain software. It's not something you ever interact with or change settings on, if that makes sense. It controls the flow of power between the battery and the wheels.

I hope this solves the issues folks have been having.

 

[Jasper7821]

Saw this in my email inbox this morning.
So far two days later my car hasn't died yet, I'm crossing my fingers.
In the 4 months I've owned the car it's died close to 20 times. I really hope it necer does it again out of the blue.
http://insideevs.com/ford-focus-electric-shutdown-problems-while-driving-get-official-as-nhsta-investigates/

Saw this too, pretty amazing how the Tesla is built.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/8_lfxPI5ObM?rel=0

 

[az erik]

Jasper are you in PHX as well?

20 times is insane. i've seen where one tech claimed it was a loose pin. To me (as a software engineer) there is specific reasons that 'Warning' would come up and shut the the entire drivetrain. It should be fairly easy to pin down WHAT is tripping it as, well, it's software and there are things called logs, written when software freaks out. Even if the powertrain is handled by MS (frightening) they love to write logs. Finding a 'tech' that can sift through code, that might be much harder.

I've also seen the 12v battery blamed. Easy enough to claim but for those who are able to restart the car a few minutes later it can't go from 3volts to enough to start the car unless the HV battery charges it in that wait state, which I read isn't happening unless the car is left 'idle' in park, running.

The loose plug, or possibly the braking regen system (that oddly no one has seemed to question, though a lot, not all but a lot of these SSNs, happen after stopping, possibly coasting). I'd almost put my money on the "clunk" that develops after 1000 or 2000 miles from the engine/trans/whatever is causing it, might be pulling a plug loose or severing a ground or weakening a constant voltage line somewhere. The pot hole/rough road theory is another vibration / thing loosening possibility.

I live in PHX where the roads I drive (in Chandler) are really quite smooth, not so much in the rest of PHX really.

If it's ECM or PTM reflashing I really want to know what version it's on and if I have the new one.

 

[pastrdj]

After two SSN warnings on my FFE I took it to the dealer. They had it for several days and, after lots of communication with the engineers at Ford, said that they fixed some "ground issues". I admit I was skeptical, but a couple of weeks out the problem has not recurred so I'm hopeful they got it.

 

[Jasper7821]

I'm in Tucson but drive towards Phoenix everyday to Pinal Air Park (75 mile round trip)
So far after day 2 of the software flash it hasn't happened yet.

But just noticed last night that my auto headlights aren't working. I had to turn the lights on manually.

 

[brijen21]

My car was with the dealer for about 10 days for SSN. They drove it for around 200 miles and could not reproduce the error codes. Gave the car back to me and I have been driving for a couple of weeks now with no SSN so far. However, my wife is nervous to drive the car alone. Her comments "I was not even this nervous when I first started driving".

On a side note, read this post about FFE under NHTSA scanner for SSN:

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/09/10/ford-focus-ev-stop-safely-now-stalling-problem-under-nhtsa-pro/

 

[Dave]

Way to go Ford! (NOT) I just got a call more than a week after having my FFE in for service to look at the SSN error and try for a second time to get the Sync update to take. Ford called to tell me that they were NOT going to pay for fuel in the 30mpg rental Focus I had driven the 1 1/2 days my FFE was in the shop. SO, I'm out 2 hours at the first dealer where the Sync update didn't succeed, I'm out the hour to go pickup my vehicle and return the rental plus the >1/2 hour dropping off my vehicle and getting the rental AND FORD DOESN'T WANT TO PAY FOR THE GAS I USED DRIVING ABOUT 80 MILES IN A 30 MPG RENTAL!!! WAY TO GO!!!

I am starting to get fed up with Ford! The customer service rep didn't seem at all concerned about the SSN error! He asked if the FFE was fine and I said yes, it hasn't stopped again after the first SSN that happened IN THE FIRST 300 MILES! The dealer said they couldn't find a problem and the only thing that has been done to the vehicle (that I know of) is the Sync update and the marker light recall fix. So I am NOT confident that the SSN problem has been fixed! But for now, sure, it's running PEACHY!

 

[Vach]

Has anyone gone through with a Lemon Buyback? If so, could they please describe their experience. I am interested in how that kind of thing plays out.

 

[Hugh]

I got a call from my dealer the week before last that the SSN problem had been diagnosed by wiggling the cable to a module. That caused the SSN mesaage. so they have replaced the cable and re-tested and found it to be OK. i found this a logical and hopeful diagnosis, and it may be exactly realted to people who slammed the door and fixed the problem. I will pick up the car after I have been notified that the headliner has been replaced. I noticed that the headliner was pulling out of the rubber gasket around the trunk lid, and they said they would fix that by replacing the whole headliner. Wouldn't be surprising if many Focuses have that problem, EV or not.

 

[sippycups]

Add me to the list now. At close to 11,000 miles with never having the SSN message, it happened last night where the car literally stopped moving. It was as if I hit the brakes. Luckily no one was behind me. Not happy about his to the point I am considering now taking the financial hit and dropping the car and getting a lea for even going back to a gas powered car.

I don't feel safe in this car anymore. Nor would I left me family in the car now.

 

[michael]

Yesterday it happened. Car 2 weeks old, 1300 miles. Suddenly got the SSN message and it stopped. Restarted with no difficulty, normal operation thereafter.

Anyone know for sure the status of a fix? I'm confident the software is too agressive in shutting down after seeing a fault which may be intermittent or simply incorrect.


Follow up Oct 2: No further problems. I think problem may have been related to my running the air conditioner for an hour without driving. Maybe...

 

[Hugh]

Please report to the NHTSA. it makes a difference. Online. it takes only a few minutes.

 

[sippycups]

I did report it to the NHTSBA yesterday morning.

 

[Susan]

Others are pointing out that you must list Ford Focus Electric in your NHTSA posting so that the report stands out.

 

[robochimp]

Just Curious

Has anyone had "Stop Safely Now" on a 2014???

 

[Jasper7821]

Got my car back from Ford the day this new update for the SSN was done.
It just died AGAIN, I'm so DONE with this car.