Inclination Sensor

[MikeC]

With the Mach-e there would seem there is not be a way to disable the inclination (tilt) sensor when you park up on a Ferry and lock the car ready for a crossing. With ferry motion the alarm will most likely go off. An option to disable the sensor  in the FordPass would great.

At present it would seem to us Mach-e owners that the only option is to leave the car unlocked.

[Darren]

Hi  @MikeC,

 Thanks for your suggestion. We officially track these ideas and aim to update the status ASAP. I am moving to 'investigating' so that we can get our technical teams to give a comprehensive response. 

Thanks,

Darren 

[MikeC]

In the Settings/Vehicle/Alarm System menu you can change the motion sensors to Off. I believe the inclination (tilt) sensor is regarded as a motion sensor as well as the interior motion sensor. So I changed it to Off, then turned the car off, exited the car and locked the car (using only one press of the key fob), I would assume that the Motion Sensor setting remains Off. Unlocking the car, the Motion Sensor setting changes back to ON, so therefore there is no way of checking whether it stays on OFF.  However a recent ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Caen once the ferry started to sail I received a notification on my phone that the alarm had gone off. No further notifications were received throughout the 6 hour journey. Was this due to a lack of connectivity to the internet from the car, or was it that the alarm didn’t go off again? Certainly the 12V battery had sufficient voltage to unlock and start the car (thank goodness 👍). My worry was that if the alarm constantly went off it would flatten the 12V battery (stopping unlocking or even starting the car), and with the vain hope that the car electronic system is intelligent enough to disable the alarm if the 12V battery voltage was depleting.

However I went prepared - backpack contained - small 12V battery pack, plastic lever (to open the cover on the front drivers side, to get access to the + and - leads to be able to open the bonnet (Frunk)), plastic panel levers (to assist with removing the under bonnet rear and part near side panel, to gain access the 12V battery) and jump leads.

So does changing the Settings/Vehicle/Alarm System Motion Sensors to OFF actually disable the inclination (tilt) sensor?

[MikeC]

Something certainly needs to be done by Ford to allow Mach-e owners to disable the inclination (tilt) sensor during a ferry crossing. Having now made two 6 hour ferry crossings, the first crossing I received one alarm notification, the second I received 3. Setting the Motion Sensors to OFF in the Settings/Vehicle/Alarm System just doesn’t seem to work as the Information about it suggests. It would appear that the setting reverts back to ON when the car is locked.

When returning to the car after the second crossing I also received a notification that there was a fault with the 12V charging system. Was this because the system detected a significant drop in the 12V battery voltage? Anyway, there was no problem driving the car.

[Ikenna]

Hi, @MikeC thanks for raising this. We want to help but unfortunately, this doesn't fall into our area of expertise and we'd like to see this get resolved.

Could you please contact our Service Centre with this and they'll raise a case/ticket for you for this issue? 

You can use the Live Chat or call 020 3564 4444 and choose option 3. 

[MikeC]

Many thanks @Ikenna 

[JasIII]

Just to say this is a real issue that still remains unaddressed, I have done Ferry crossings to the Channel Islands last June, and regularly from Harwich to NL and Demark to Norway.  Inclination sensors are always triggered with Motion Detectors OFF.   I have contacted Ford BEV Team 7x about it, and they are completely clueless. Say they will check and of course nothing happens. Most all other premium EVs and ICE in last 9 years have a Ferry Mode! 

Completely unforeseen in this one!  

The only option is to leave the car locked, but as ferry rolls out and car decks are secure, I use the App to unlock the car and turn on secure alert.  Problem is when out of GSM signal no connectivity to the car.  But as soon rolling into port and docking, I lock the car.  However the FordPAss LOCK / UNLOCK often Fails, but that's an App issue. Odd when Door Locking fails, I can still Remote Start. 

I love my Mach-e, but  Ford UK Mach-e Team Customer Service FAILS in helping with technical issues as well The FordPass Team, Nice as they are, it is the biggest nightmare I have could ever have imagined.  How can Ford Motor Company be so blinkered to their teams not being able to respond to Mach-e owners genuine issues, absolutely beggars belief! 

[MikeC]

Hi @JasIII , I so share your frustration. I was so hoping that with all the Power-Up software updates that someone at Ford would have thought ‘oh we need to fix this’, but unfortunately to no avail.

We need EVERY Mach-e owner to complain to Ford about this and you never know they might fix it…..not holding my breath on that one.  I’ve completely given up trying to get anyone in Ford to actually recognise this as a problem/bug and do something about it (not to mention the lack of front Frunk button in the FordPass App, which was promised in Q2 last year!). Can we send Ford an invoice for the time taken when we are called to the car deck trying desperately to tell the staff that it is a fault and the only solution is the leave the car unlocked….which I’m not about to do!

My dealer I bought the car from, I gave up on ages ago….what a great job the After Sales Manager has….he doesn’t do anything! There must be a Ford secret training centre somewhere to teach after sales employees to just nod and smile and make empty promises.

The testing I’ve done (jacking up the front nearside, to simulate a tilt), before the key goes into sleep mode and is within range, the alarm doesn’t go off. Try the same again with the key in sleep mode (after 2 mins) or out of range and the alarm goes off. FORD, there is a hint there!

Next ferry trip is happening soon, so the fun starts again 😬.

[Ikenna]

I've spoken with some colleagues internally on this known issue and they are working on a fix which will be delivered by a Power Up Software Update. 

As with all the other updates sent over-the-air, we don't give any exact timelines as they are subject to change and  reprioritization. 

@MikeC We do apologise if this isn't in place ahead of your next ferry trip.