2025 ST, Fordpass & Google often disconnected from Ford network

[Tolum]

It's been 3 times in the last 2 months now since I'm getting that problem. Looks like the car modem is disconnecting from the Ford network and when it happen, I cannot use the Fordpass app and when driving, I have no more access to connected applications like Google traffic, Waze or other apps. Anybody else is having this issue?

I did try about anything to resolve that; reset the system by pushing the volume button 10 seconds, unplug the battery, unplug the modem fuse. That change nothing BUT at certain moment, the car re-connect to the network and disconnect again. This is very annoying!

 

[skybluealien]

This just happened to me. Picked up vehicle on Sunday the 5th. Worked fine until Tuesday, when it showed wrong fuel level and current location where I was Monday night. The app then sent me warnings that the check engine light was on and go to dealership. Vehicle was parked and not running. I called the help number in the app and found the app went to my trade in at the dealership and showed its location. I was instructed to reset the system by going into the display and then deleting and installing the ford pass app again. Did this 4 times with ford on the phone with me. Nothing worked but I did find out that they, ford help line, have no idea how the new google system works, they only know the sync 3 or 4 system. After all this, they told me to take it into dealer to get modem fixed, 3 days after receiving it.

Went out to vehicle Thursday morning, in my driveway, made sure it was connected to my wifi, then reinstalled the phone, app and reconnected to the vehicle with the ford pass app. Worked first time, in a couple of minutes and so far is still working. Still don't know why it went back to my old explorer even though it was deleted.

 

[Tolum]

This morning, the connection to the Ford network is back without doing anything. Will see if that last long...... This looks like an intermittent problem. My dealer is talking to Ford about it but no news since Monday. Will keep you posted.

 

[Ohio DF]

Has anyone experienced the vehicle locking itself while the key was inside the car? The lock switch was not toggled and the door was just closed and it locked itself. Used the app to unlock, but I thought modern cars were designed to not lock when a fob was detected inside (unless an occupant actually toggled the switch while sitting inside.)

 

[Tolum]

This morning, the connection to the Ford network is back without doing anything. Will see if that last long...... This looks like an intermittent problem. My dealer is talking to Ford about it but no news since Monday. Will keep you posted.

And it continues.... One day Google connect to the Ford Network and the next day, nothing, no connection, no FordPass available...

 

[Ohio DF]

And it continues.... One day Google connect to the Ford Network and the next day, nothing, no connection, no FordPass available...

The modem challenge you mention was one we had as well in the first 2025 ST we bought. From day 1 they couldn’t get the modem to connect with any service. They pulled parts and tested and reloaded software, but could never find the root cause during the first 2 weeks we owned it before we had them take the car back and replace it with another. (The other just survived its first crisis) so hopefully all technical gremlins have been exercised.

After reading and researching the situation the best I could determine was a power supply to the modem was not reliable. A modem either works or it doesn’t, so if it’s intermittent the power supply to the modem may involve a loose connection.

 

[Tolum]

The modem challenge you mention was one we had as well in the first 2025 ST we bought. From day 1 they couldn’t get the modem to connect with any service. They pulled parts and tested and reloaded software, but could never find the root cause during the first 2 weeks we owned it before we had them take the car back and replace it with another. (The other just survived its first crisis) so hopefully all technical gremlins have been exercised.

After reading and researching the situation the best I could determine was a power supply to the modem was not reliable. A modem either works or it doesn’t, so if it’s intermittent the power supply to the modem may involve a loose connection.

Thanks for your story. My dealer told me that there is no technical papers on that trouble. Ford is working on it and I have an appointment with them in 2 weeks. Will see.

 

[Ohio DF]

Good luck with it. I wonder if there was just a bad lot of modems delivered by their supplier to the line given how many people’s have been hit or miss. Will be interested in what they determine in your situation.

 

[Chairborne Ranger]

I just picked up my 2025 ST yesterday and when the dealer tried to connect the Pass app on my phone to the SUV it would not do it. I keep getting this message: "Sorry, there was an error and we were unable to complete your request to change authorization rights on 2025 Explorer. Please try again later." . The dealer had 4 different people try to help without any luck and they concluded it was the app being "down" and that I should try again today. No better luck this morning so I called Ford who ran me through some troubleshooting steps to no avail. They concluded from whatever vehicle telemetry they can see the modem is faulty and last communicated with the mothership at 12:36 yesterday while I was still finishing up paperwork. Prior to that it was working fine. The phone rep said I need to return to the dealership and get the modem serviced/replace like they told @skybluealien above. Glad I'm not alone with this problem but not a great way to start a new car experience.

 

[Ohio DF]

I had read that some software patch that Ford or dealers were applying was bad and caused the modem to shutdown. Ford is a challenge as they don’t want to readily replace the modem due to cost. I’d suggest calling the Ford support 800#, creating a case and then following up routinely with them on progress. The dealer must get approval from a Ford Technician before the service team can move through each step in the dx and fix stage (yes stupid and time consuming I know.) I pushed the Ford rep hard and then my local dealership owner who ultimately made it right. Good luck with it, but you are definitely not alone.

 

[Chairborne Ranger]

I have an appointment tomorrow morning to bring the SUV back to the dealership. I talked to their service manager yesterday and he readily admitted that there is a problem with some of these modems which was something of a surprise. My past experience with car dealers regardless of the company is that they deny everything, never admit there's an existing problem, and try to make you think you're crazy.

They're going to hang on to the car and do their diagnostics and see if they can fix it. They're giving me a loaner to drive in the interim. At least they're trying to make it right. Thanks for the suggestion I'm going to hold off on calling and give these guys a chance.

 

[Ohio DF]

Good deal. Our experience started the exact same way and our dealer was good and started with the same approach. After 14+ days in-house with no resolution and no plan we told them to swap our car with another exact same one. You will need to stay on Ford Corporate only bc they go 1 step at a time in very slow IMO) increments that start with 3 software attempts and then 2/3 electrical attempts. They likely will need to replace the modem and communication module which I’m sure is not inexpensive. Hence why you need to become very firm but polite with corporate that it’s unacceptable for you to have a brand new vehicle that does not operate flawlessly.

 

[Chairborne Ranger]

Good deal. Our experience started the exact same way and our dealer was good and started with the same approach. After 14+ days in-house with no resolution and no plan we told them to swap our car with another exact same one. You will need to stay on Ford Corporate only bc they go 1 step at a time in very slow IMO) increments that start with 3 software attempts and then 2/3 electrical attempts. They likely will need to replace the modem and communication module which I’m sure is not inexpensive. Hence why you need to become very firm but polite with corporate that it’s unacceptable for you to have a brand new vehicle that does not operate flawlessly.[/QUOTE

Thanks Ohio DF, update time. So I dropped the ST at my dealer this morning and got a loaner. Later this afternoon they reached out and asked me to try and connect Ford Pass to my ST and it worked! Here's what the service manager had to offer by way of an explanation:

"There were codes in the vehicle but none throwing a check engine light. I think the battery died on the lot at some point and it was jump started and that was somehow preventing the modem from activating with error codes present. I’m going to put it on a charger now to just make sure it’s topped off but otherwise I think you’re ready to rock."

They also admitted to more backstory on this SUV, it seems that an older (than me) guy special ordered this ST and he took delivery but it was too much for his 75-ish mind to handle and he returned it the next day. This is why it sat on the lot for over 145 days and I got $4495 off (this vehicle has the sun & sound package too) and I was willing to accept it had 385 miles on it at purchase.

I'm not sure I'm buying this low battery theory as the ST starts up with enthusiasm every time. This morning it was 17° here and it had sat in the driveway for 3 days and it cranked up with gusto, I've never had a car crank like this in 51 years of driving. Based on the language in the error message on Pass about "authorization" I think the dealer never purged the original buyer from the system and it wouldn't let me log on as the owner. Regardless it now seems to be working.

Finally, I hear you about kicking things up to corporate. Maybe because I spent over 31 years in the military; 4 years in the Army (enlisted) and 27+ years in the Air Force (officer) I'm brainwashed to work the 'chain of command' before elevating a problem. In this case there was no reason (so far) to go over the dealer and bring Ford HQ into the equation. Every case is different.

 

[Ohio DF]

Glad your challenge was resolved. I don’t disagree with your chain of command approach. In our case, it was the dealership that actually suggested we contact corporate because they were giving the dealer a hard time. As you said, every situation is unique. Lastly, thank you for your many years of service sir.

 

[Chairborne Ranger]

And thank you for your support @OhioDF! I'd still be doing it but they finally had enough of me.

 

[Tolum]

Hi all, Thursday last week I was still not connected to the Ford network and Ford pass was not working. This have been an intermittent problem since day 1, end of September. Friday morning when starting my car I received questions to answer from Google, type of questions you receive when there is an update or a reset. All that said, after answering all questions, my ST immediately did connect to the Ford network and since then, it works and I have not been disconnected from the network and the Ford pass apps work. I'll be at my dealer tomorrow for an oil change and normally to find a solution to that network problem, I'll see if he confirm anything about a possible over the air software update.

 

[Tolum]

This morning when ready to bring the ST to the dealer, again, not able to communicate with the Fordpass. Have to use the car's key to remote start it. When in, no communication with the Ford network. Anyway, it is now at the dealer and we will see what kind of miracle they will do, or try to do. Will keep you guys posted.

 

[Tolum]

Like I mentioned above, I visited my Ford dealer on Tuesday for the oil change and to address my Ford network problem. My car stays at the dealer for 3 days. Oil change took 1/2 hour, the network thing took the balance of the time. My dealer have been assisted by Ford's RED LINE. At first they tried about everything to get that thing working, all things I did prior to my visit to the dealer. Finally they decided to consult Ford to resolve the problem. The written tech report says: Do guided procedure, touch screen/information and entertainment system screen. The procedure asks to update the GWM. Failed to update the GWM with USB key after 2 attempts. Do programming via CAN network, it worked on the second attempt. Redo the guided procedure, no problem in the module. Do the TCU reset according to the procedure sent on Ford red line. Done and everything is ok. Reconnect the Ford pass. Everything works. So this is where I am right now. Since yesterday everything is working. Will give all news in the next days. For now, on my side, no modem change, just a major reset and a new download that took more than 8 hours to do by the dealer.

 

[Tolum]

Problem is back! Works for 5 days. ST will be back to the dealer again.

 

[GomerPyleST]

I just had this problem pop up yesterday (2/13/25) on my 2025 Ford Explorer ST. Worked fine in the morning (I always use the goggle map even if going to the store down the street). Went to help 87 year old mom, then stopped and got gas went home and parked it in the garage, later that night went to go pick up dinner and the wife in passenger seat noticed that the car was not moving on the map and it showed that we were still at home. Got dinner then tried to enter home directions and google said it was offline and then it just displayed the entire United States yet it said I could still make calls etc... Went to bed hoping all would be good in the morning since I did not change any settings etc.. and this morning still a no go. I tried the Power/Vol button reset several times myself to no avail, also under my hotspot it kept telling me to turn on connectivity, but pressing the settings button that takes me there, the slider for the Wi-Fi was not showing and the little info button just kept saying turn connectivity on, which is weird and also strange because my phone said it was connected to the cars Wi-Fi?. So then I talked to the people on the Ford Pass app and they told me to call the number for the Sync Specialists. Called them and honestly the guy seemed like he was watching tv while talking to me so not sure how much of a "Specialist" he was, but he had me un-pair my phone, re-pair my phone, reset thru the power/volume button which all did nothing, then he had me try and reset the connectivity settings. When we did that, after it was done, it said "failed to reset connectivity settings" and so then he told me to make an appointment with the dealer. So I guess next week it's off to the dealer. Car has been great till this out of the blue problem, so I hope its just a stuck software update or something but I guess I'll have to wait and see. I'll try and keep you all posted.