What feature did you discovered today

[WD Pro]

How did you change the number of blinks?

Forscan. It can seem quite daunting at first but it’s a really simple / easy change to do if you follow the online guides (that also link to YouTube videos).

I know you have had other answers for five and seven blinks etc. I must be the awkward sod that set mine on six (I may alter it yet, I’ve only just done it).

I used six as on my daily (that’s three), I sometimes click twice as I don’t think three is long enough. I’m ‘slow’ at changing lanes so six doesn’t feel excessive and I’ve got sequenced rears (indicators only) so six gives me more time to show them off ... lol

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[Chola]

Not a dumb question and ...
I guess they could possibly say that adding extra 2 blinks could be extra "wear" on the LED circuit, but I highly doubt that they would try to do that.
...

It's not the number of blinks, but the user has made unauthorised changes to the system software by making modifications to system settings that are otherwise not exposed to the end user for modification via the manufacturer approved user interface.

I am not a lawyer, but just presenting a different way of looking on it. But it's your car, you should be able to do whatever you want. Maybe someone has the time, inclination to read the Ford EULA.

 

[Bullitt0819]

Read on another thread here that system software has a sort of 'meta-checksum'--probably a polynomial type--that will indicate changes. Supposedly, if you flash a tune then flash back to stock it will still indicate the system has been modified.

 

[Linkster1666]

My car, my computers, my Data!

I suggest that you start embracing this before you are made NOT part of the equation.

What I am saying is, you will soon become a passenger, PERIOD.

Unless you fight for your rights.

 

[Chola]

My car, my computers, my Data!

I suggest that you start embracing this before you are made NOT part of the equation.

What I am saying is, you will soon become a passenger, PERIOD.

Unless you fight for your rights.

Reminds me of farmers who can't repair their John Deere tractors

 

[Bullitt0819]

...
Unless you fight for your rights.

I live in California, I don't have any rights ;)

I participated in Ford's 'Big Data Drive;' returned the dongle and phone a few weeks ago. Contrary to what some here thought, I wasn't hunted down and arrested nor did my insurance rates go up (in fact, they went down a little, probably because of covid). $200 for letting Ford monitor my driving--I don't track, and try not to do stupid shit, but I'll uncork her if I get a chance--and answering a few surveys (I asked for TWO horns from the factory).

 

[pyrophilus]

Reminds me of farmers who can't repair their John Deere tractors

Thank you for sharing this. This sound like perhaps the companies are trying to charge for software enhancements, and the features aren't locked down so people are figuring out ways to enable it w/o paying the company? Like the Lincoln folding mirrors being enabled on f150's. I guess companies want to make people think they are getting what they paid extra $ for, but if that is the case, LOCK DOWN your software!!

I would be so surprised if the John Deere's control system software were developed in-house by resident JD engineers. I have a friend who works for a very large software company and he gets corporate discounts on half the car brands out there because his company helps develop the control system for the cars.

So modifying software starts to become $$$ for these companies. So instead of re-hiring the consultant company to add security to their software, or pay $$$ and hire a competent software development team, I guess the next cheapest thing is to pay their lawyers to make sure that changing the software is illegal.

Way to go (I say that with sarcasm). I would think it would be better to start securing your software even if it is expensive (and it will be a cat and mouse game, as hackers will find more vulnerabilities), then saying you will use the pants off your customers, and then set yourself up for the day a foreign hacker just take over your products and do malicious things.

I am not a fan of Elon Musk, but Tesla apparently gives out bounties to people finding bugs and security weaknesses in their software? John Deere (and Ford, and any other old companies) need to get with the times. You want to charge for extra software enabled features? Then lock it down!

Of course I have all the settings documented because when I bring my car into dealer next week, I will revert all of my forscan changes.

That being said, even if dealers have the ability to check to see if the software was modified, I have spoken to many service writers and techs to know that their knowledge of the vehicles seem myopic. I disabled the global window down on remote theough the menu in my IPC. The service manager tried to open my window using the remote and said, "oh, look at that, it's not working".

I said that I disabled it (had it accidentally open my windows on my '15 while remote was in my pocket, and it rained).

The service manager was shocked saying, "you can do THAT!?!?", then the service writer said, "yes, if you plug in a laptop and run a software".

I corrected HIM, and said, "no, it's an option in the car's settings", and then both said, "it is????", to which the tech said, "yes, i think it IS possible to disable it through the car's dash settings on some of the cars"... you'd think the service guys would eat/breath Ford cars.

In the 90's my favorite Nissan dealer service had specialists. There were these two techs who were Maxima and Z-car specialists, and a techs that predominantly worked on the pathfinder/Xterra/hard bodies, and techs that predominantly worked on quest/sentras. The Z-car tech owned a mint 300zx turbo, and the other maxima tech (and this service writer) both had mint 2 year old Maxima SE's.

The service writer that I became really good friends with said that this makes things sooo efficient because he said the "kid" who works on the pathfinders owned his own and was able to change out a timing belt in less than half the time that Nissan recommended.

He said he charges the normal rate that Nissan recommends but is able to give all of his customers 10% discount, and then because they get their work done in record time, they can still afford to do extra service for very loyal customers. The customers used to bring Christmas gifts to him and the techs. One customer donated his gigantic rear projection TV to be used in the customer waiting area. When the bulb went out, another customer who repaired TV,'s fixed it for free.

Unfortunately both he and one of the techs retired and I have yet to see a service experience such as this. This wasn't the concierge service seen at luxury companies, but the customers and the service writers were all on first name base and people were talking/joking in the waiting area. When people brought in their car they were so happy to hear that the tech that was going to work on their car owned the same car.

Using lawyers don't create loyal customers.

Anyway, sorry for digressing. I go back to work next week, so I'll shut up by then.

 

[Bullitt0819]

Makes you wonder ... The Mach-E will probably be a decent EV, as EVs go, but if Ford can't release a decent/easy Sync update, how they gonna do OTA updates? Will they even support OTA updates?

As for dealer horror stories; I took my Bullitt in for a 'free for life' oil change a few weeks ago. I hadn't had any problem for several changes but, for some reason decided to check the level when I got home. Good thing, it was short 2qts! I called the service manager and he says "It's right here on the invoice: new filter and 8qts of oil." Me: "Dude! the Gen3 Coyote takes 10qts!" I'll let it slide this time--I've got lots of 5W-20 on hand--but next time I take it in he'll get a 'friendly reminder.'

 

[Chola]

Thank you for sharing this. This sound like perhaps the companies are trying to charge for software enhancements, and the features aren't locked down so people are figuring out ways to enable it w/o paying the company? Like the Lincoln folding mirrors being enabled on f150's. I guess companies want to make people think they are getting what they paid extra $ for, but if that is the case, LOCK DOWN your software!!
....

I read/heard somewhere that car companies in Europe were considering putting features in the cars they sold as pay to activate features. For example your seat heater - (kinda like XM radio) - it is there in your car but you have to pay to activate the feature to use it. I don't know if this was put in products out in the market - but I see the companies moving to a subscription model. I hate it when I have to subscribe to software that a few years ago I just bought and was mine (like MS Office, Quicken etc). Sorry I am digressing from the topic of the thread.

 

[Iconicgt]

Heated steering wheel. My wife has it in her expedition and I absolutely love it. Not that I’m doing many winter miles in the mustang but it’s nice to have. The odd thing is it’s on the entertainment screen on the Home Screen. So I found something new after two months/ 400 miles.

 

[Iconicgt]

I hate where they put that icon. If I use android auto, I have to back out of it to the Ford menus to turn off the hand broiler my wife loves to use. Thanks, Obama!

Haha. Damn Obama and his meddling! Same though, always on car play.

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