Dealer Service Dept Can't Get Truck to Validate VIN

[DennisG]

Having an interesting issue with my 2021 F150 and was wondering if anyone has had this problem.

So from pretty much day one ,my 2021 F150 has had issues where the dealer can't get software to up date because of some issue with the truck connecting to the Ford servers and software system. Almost immediately after I bought it home I got the "Reverse Brake Assist Not Available" error: It took over 5 times at the dealer over a 3 month period to diagnose the issue, attempt the TSB fix, order the new IMPA, and then get the new module programed correctly. The Dealer had numerous problems getting the truck and new module to connect and for the software to install. At the time I thought it was because the truck was a new model, but then other problems arose.

After having the truck for about 7 months (less than 7k miles at the time) the shifter went out. The Service Department fought for around 10 days trying to get the new shifter programed because everytime the connected the truck to the Ford Corporate mothership, the VIN wouldn't validate and the system bombed out. Eventual Ford's Engineering group gave the Dealer a work around to bypass the VIN validation process. I didn't think of it at the time that this was not a permanent fix until now. Last week the truck went in because it was throwing error codes that wouldn't clear. Immediately the Serivce Dept had an issue when attempted connecting to the truck and they couldn't connect because the VIN was crashing the system. At first they thought it was an issue with the OBD port, but then they determined it was an issue with the vehicle VIN . According to the Service Tech, the VIN validation still bombs out and they connect and enter it into the Ford diagnostic software it causes a crash. The know it's an issue with the VIN because the technician was on the phone with Ford's national engineering group and they walk through the connection process it crashes the system. He said they (Ford's national engineering group) tried entering the VIN manually on their end and it cause the same "fatal error". The Dealer says they are stuck because Ford Corporate has to come up with a software fix. They said they have seen it before with a could of other F150s, but not to this extent.

Has anyone encountered this? At this point in time I told the dealer I don't want another work around or bypass solution. I want a permanent fix. I don't want to be on a road trip, have a break down where I have to take the truck to a dealer in another state. Only to be stuck when they can't fix the truck because of the same issue of connecting it to the Ford computer system.

Gladly welcome any thoughts or suggestions.

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[Kidder]

@rugedraw to the white courtesy phone...He can check what's going on (to some degree) remotely

 

[rugedraw]

@rugedraw to the white courtesy phone...He can check what's going on (to some degree) remotely

Tbh:This sounds like a job for someone with much more knowledge than me.

@DennisG Do you have your truck connected to the Fordpass app and does it work?

 

[DennisG]

Tbh:This sounds like a job for someone with much more knowledge than me.

@DennisG Do you have your truck connected to the Fordpass app and does it work?

Yeah it connects to the Fordpass app just fine.

 

[Snakebitten]

That's the strangest thing I think I've ever heard.
A VIN number is basically just an ascii character set that serves as an identity when FDRS attempts to access Motorcraft servers for records.

The fact that Motorcraft servers would "crash" when a specific record in the database is accessed is bizarre.

 

[loganlaporte]

I've had trucks fail to "communicate and talk to the mothership." 90% of the time FDRS was be a chump and needed to reboot and re-login. If it was especially weird [think bad] it was because of either windows security nonsense or a pending windows update. You'd be surprised how much shit a pending windows update can cause.

 

[rugedraw]

Yeah it connects to the Fordpass app just fine.

Then your TCU is talking to the mothership. Post or PM me your VIN and I'll take a look to see what I can see tomorrow.

 

[rugedraw]

I've had trucks fail to "communicate and talk to the mothership." 90% of the time FDRS was be a chump and needed to reboot and re-login. If it was especially weird [think bad] it was because of either windows security nonsense or a pending windows update. You'd be surprised how much shit a pending windows update can cause.

Agreed, but his truck has been to the dealer several times and every time it was an issue. Very strange.

 

[JEB]

Yeah it connects to the Fordpass app just fine.

Have you tried connecting to your truck with FORScan? FORScan doesn’t require a connection to the Motorcraft website to work—it reads module and configuration data directly from the truck. If FORScan works fine, you might be dealing with a problem with how the truck is retrieving its as-built data from Motorcraft or even a corruption in that online data itself.

 

[fordtruckman2003]

VIN # 1FT00000000000000

I think we are all curious and I agree with above see what Forscan does. It's a cheap option.

Once Rugedraw has your VIN he can see what the dealer sees.

Someone on here probably has FDRS license that can see what shows up on that as well.

My thought is that your dealer is running you around or maybe trying to use some old version of FDRS. Have you been to other dealers at all? Seems from reading your post you have been going to same one.

 

[DcnPat]

As an IT guy it sounds like a corrupt record or table in one of the databases that holds Ford's VIN information. Definitely a Ford corporate issue.

 

[JEB]

As an IT guy it sounds like a corrupt record or table in one of the databases that holds Ford's VIN information. Definitely a Ford corporate issue.

Probably, but not necessarily. This hypothesis presumes that the database is static when we know it isn’t. These trucks are programmed to upload periodically their current configuration data to the Motorcraft servers. If there were a local programming or hardware issue in a central module, like the GWM, which stores the truck’s VIN among other data, it’s at least possible that the truck is uploading gibberish to Motorcraft every time it phones in. In that case, it wouldn’t do a lot of good to fix the database at the corporate level if the fix just gets overwritten during the next upload cycle.

I’m not saying that this is what’s necessarily happening. But a local scan with FORScan should help rule it out.

 

[DennisG]

Have you tried connecting to your truck with FORScan? FORScan doesn’t require a connection to the Motorcraft website to work—it reads module and configuration data directly from the truck. If FORScan works fine, you might be dealing with a problem with how the truck is retrieving its as-built data from Motorcraft or even a corruption in that online data itself.

Forscan and a standard code reader work fine. It’s something with Ford’s service software not liking my VIN. When they connect the truck, their software throws a fatal error code on there end immediately. The dealer said they’ve seen similar things happen with a couple of other 2021 F150s but not to this extent.

 

[DennisG]

VIN # 1FT00000000000000

I think we are all curious and I agree with above see what Forscan does. It's a cheap option.

Once Rugedraw has your VIN he can see what the dealer sees.

Someone on here probably has FDRS license that can see what shows up on that as well.

My thought is that your dealer is running you around or maybe trying to use some old version of FDRS. Have you been to other dealers at all? Seems from reading your post you have been going to same one.

Yeah Forscan works just fine. I did some of the standard changes, worked great. It’s Ford’s software side. The dealer also went through all the steps with Ford Corporate to make sure the software on their end is up to date.

My biggest concern is going on a trip and needing to take it in and being stuck because the dealer can’t connect to the truck. An extended vacation is always nice, but I really would like the choose where i stay.

 

[DennisG]

VIN # 1FT00000000000000

I think we are all curious and I agree with above see what Forscan does. It's a cheap option.

Once Rugedraw has your VIN he can see what the dealer sees.

Someone on here probably has FDRS license that can see what shows up on that as well.

My thought is that your dealer is running you around or maybe trying to use some old version of FDRS. Have you been to other dealers at all? Seems from reading your post you have been going to same one.

Thought about going to a different dealer, but the others in the area were sort of asses when I went there for other items and others I know don’t think much of their service departments. This dealer’s service department has been great to work with. Given some of the horror stories people have described on the forum, I would rather not have that additional headache.

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