Complete Frustration with OTA Updates

[UNCGrad]

You have to get sent an update before it can fail due to low battery SOC. Putting the truck on a charger will not do anything in terms of Ford sending an update to the truck. Having a well charged battery is important for OTA's to install; particularly the ones that require the vehicle to be inhibited while it installs. However, there is one way and one way only to get updates now, and that is with a Mongoose/FDRS.

Do you get notified that an update has failed? I think I haven't gotten an update since August. I'm one of the Job 1s that had to get the updates forced to catch up.

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[rugedraw]

Do you get notified that an update has failed? I think I haven't gotten an update since August. I'm one of the Job 1s that had to get the updates forced to catch up.

You should, but it doesn't always happen.

 

[Spiffers]

When I first read about Mongoose I goggled it, then after I woke up the floor from sticker shock, I read more about it. If you can find/make a friend who has one already that is the route to go.

As to the "ignorance is bliss" statement I bought me a new laptop and was going to get the ODBlink for FORscan.....now Im a little scared to even think about it.

 

[JBMCEQY]

I'm beginning to become paranoid about my truck becoming one of those that gets stuck behind on OTA updates. I don't drive much on any average day (6-10 miles at most), and it's almost always low speed city driving, so I figured my battery was running at a pretty low state of charge most of the time. So I'm going to try and remember to do as @FirstFord recommends and throw on a charger once in a while just to be certain that it has the juice to get updates. I just now put it on and it was at 50% charge. Maybe it will help, maybe not, but it shouldn't hurt.

 

[FirstFord]

When I first read about Mongoose I goggled it, then after I woke up the floor from sticker shock, I read more about it. If you can find/make a friend who has one already that is the route to go.

That's why @rugedraw established a "community" Mongoose; a "loaner" program, if you will. Extremely generous and community minded of him! It's all laid out in his opening page:
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...mming-vehicle-interface-lending-thread.13145/

As to the "ignorance is bliss" statement I bought me a new laptop and was going to get the ODBlink for FORscan.....now Im a little scared to even think about it.

As the person who made the "ignorance is bliss" comment, I fully appreciate your position and stance - I hear ya, man! However, at least with FORScan, you can (read: should) make a copy of your As-Built before you make any changes at all. That way, if something gets messed up, you should be able to return it to the way it was. There is a great tutorial on using FORScan:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-8dKaS_Spu4Zw4hV_CrKC4tLoP9G8yejqegF1wxIqxY/edit

 

[FirstFord]

I'm beginning to become paranoid about my truck becoming one of those that gets stuck behind on OTA updates. I don't drive much on any average day (6-10 miles at most), and it's almost always low speed city driving, so I figured my battery was running at a pretty low state of charge most of the time. So I'm going to try and remember to do as @FirstFord recommends and throw on a charger once in a while just to be certain that it has the juice to get updates. I just now put it on and it was at 50% charge. Maybe it will help, maybe not, but it shouldn't hurt.

As @rugedraw pointed out when he corrected me, a battery charger may only be helpful in a few cases where updates are an issue (as pointed out above). HOWEVER, considering your driving habits, putting your truck on a "smart charger" would be a very good idea, IMHO. There are a lot of threads out there that go through several different issues that were caused by a low battery SOC because of infrequent driving, or short trips. Using some sort of a battery tender (and sometimes replacing the battery / larger battery) has remedied these issues. My truck is not my everyday vehicle. I use my truck when I need a truck, so trips are very irregular. I hadn't had my truck for very long at all when various things started shutting down, and I would start getting low-battery warnings. Now I use a charger so regularly that I wired up a harness to the battery with a hidden plug behind the grill of the truck. So now I just reach through the grill, fetch the harness, and plug in. No raising/closing the hood, etc. I find it a great convenience.

 

[draggam01]

My 2021 was more than a year behind on updates. I went to the dealer twice to get updates. They only did enough to shut me up. I found this video on Youtube that showed how to get updates by doing a few small things.

1. Reset radio twice. Hold Radio Power button and Fast Forward button at the same time until it reboots.
2. Disable Factory hotspot if enabled.
3. Enable parking break.
4. Use the send feedback that Software Updates are not working (you need to do this twice). This is an option within the settings menu.
5. Set updates to run sometime in the night.
6. Lock the vehicle.

I was very skeptical but it really did work for me. I received updates within a night or two. I might have made a mistake or two in the above directions. You can do a search on YouTube. 2021 Ford F150 Sync 4 updates and it is the first or second link displayed.

Ford PowerUp Updates - Get Your Updates Fast! (youtube.com)

 

[rugedraw]

My 2021 was more than a year behind on updates. I went to the dealer twice to get updates. They only did enough to shut me up. I found this video on Youtube that showed how to get updates by doing a few small things.

1. Reset radio twice. Hold Radio Power button and Fast Forward button at the same time until it reboots.
2. Disable Factory hotspot if enabled.
3. Enable parking break.
4. Use the send feedback that Software Updates are not working (you need to do this twice). This is an option within the settings menu.
5. Set updates to run sometime in the night.
6. Lock the vehicle.

I was very skeptical but it really did work for me. I received updates within a night or two. I might have made a mistake or two in the above directions. You can do a search on YouTube. 2021 Ford F150 Sync 4 updates and it is the first or second link displayed.

Ford PowerUp Updates - Get Your Updates Fast! (youtube.com)

Pure coincidence. IMO: That does nothing. It doesn't hurt to do it, though.

 

[draggam01]

Pure coincidence. IMO: That does nothing. It doesn't hurt to do it, though.

It might be but I did it twice and it worked two times. I am going to try it again. it has never done an update OTA on its own.

 

[SanJuanTech]

Pure coincidence. IMO: That does nothing. It doesn't hurt to do it, though.

I agree, before I dropped the $$ for the Mongoose cable I tried all the tricks many times and followed them to the letter. Nothing! Is it plausible? maybe, but very doubtful. If it was that easy then you would think that Ford would have sent out a bulletin supporting it.

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