FordPass Bluetooth (Direct connection) VS Cellular (Cloud connection)

[Snakebitten]

When I first acquired my 2021 (Job1?) Platinum Powerboost the FordPass App had extended capabilities if it was connected to the truck via Bluetooth.

The best example I can give is actually documented IN the FordPass App itself:

Note the additional functionality of FordPass regarding ProPower Onboard

Expanded:

Up until a couple or three months ago I was able to wake up inside the RV, remote start the truck, establish a Bluetooth connection (happened automatically) and then launch the generator mode, ALL while still in my pajamas. No need to go outside.

But at some point, and I don't know if it was after an OTA update or a FordPass update, or whatever..... The FordPass App no longer sees the connection to the truck as a Bluetooth connection, and therefore doesn't make the extended functionality available.

Note the FordPass App stating a "Cellular" connection even though I am successfully connected with Bluetooth:

I'm hoping one of you OTA/module/FDRS gurus might be able to decipher exactly what triggers FordPass to SEE the session as a Bluetooth session instead of a cellular connection?
It's obvious that the extended functions require a direct connection rather than the cloud based connection that cellular represents.

It wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't ever experienced the luxury of it all working perfectly as designed, but it's a bummer having to get dressed and go out to the truck when I didn't used to.

 

[JEB]

I wanted to use Pro Power in exactly the same way you used to be able to use it. However, my truck—purchased in August—never had that capability, even though the FordPass app referenced it. I have good news and bad news for you. The good news: a module update will restore this function. The bad news: I have no idea which module update does it. I used FDRS yesterday to update at least 7 different modules. After I saw your post today, I went out to my truck, started it, connected the bluetooth, opened Pro Power on the FordPass app and there it was: a bluetooth connection along with a button to start the generator remotely.

My life of leisure is now within reach.

 

[Snakebitten]

Hey, even if you don't know exactly which update fixed it, YOU ARE THE MAN!

Can I ask one more favor?

Can you screenshot the App showing the ProPower functionality in Bluetooth?

I've had a few folks tell me that I was..... Well, imagining that I turned on the generator in my skivvies. ???
I never thought of screenshotting it when I was able to because I didn't forsee losing the function.

 

[JEB]

Hey, even if you don't know exactly which update fixed it, YOU ARE THE MAN!

Can I ask one more favor?

Can you screenshot the App showing the ProPower functionality in Bluetooth?

I've had a few folks tell me that I was..... Well, imagining that I turned on the generator in my skivvies. ???
I never thought of screenshotting it when I was able to because I didn't forsee losing the function.

Ask and ye shall receive:

 

[Snakebitten]

Thank you!
I'm happy for now just KNOWING it's inevitable.

 

[JEB]

Thank you!
I'm happy for now just KNOWING it's inevitable.

Yes. You’ll have to find another reason to run around the campground in your underwear babbling incomprehensively.

 

[Whiskey]

I wanted to use Pro Power in exactly the same way you used to be able to use it. However, my truck—purchased in August—never had that capability, even though the FordPass app referenced it. I have good news and bad news for you. The good news: a module update will restore this function. The bad news: I have no idea which module update does it. I used FDRS yesterday to update at least 7 different modules. After I saw your post today, I went out to my truck, started it, connected the bluetooth, opened Pro Power on the FordPass app and there it was: a bluetooth connection along with a button to start the generator remotely.

My life of leisure is now within reach.

If you do t mind me asking, what is FDRS and how do I update my modules. Yesterday, I spent about 30- minutes with a representative from FordPass and we were not able to connect FordPass to my truck via Bluetooth.
Update: Never mind, I found it “Ford Diagnostics Repair Software”. Looks like a trip to the dealership for me. Thanks so much for providing that info and proving it can connect, it was driving me crazy.

 

[JEB]

You will probably find a trip to the dealer a waste of your time because they will either: (1) not know what you’re talking about; or (2) be unwilling to update any modules unless they can trace a specific complaint to a specific out of date module. You’ll likely have better success if you made a small investment of time and money and learn how to update the modules yourself. This thread should get you started. https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/ecu-module-programming-guide-using-fdrs.8249/

 

[Whiskey]

Pulled into the dealership to investigate my FordPass Bluetooth connection and magically it starts working????? I did nothing, the dealership did nothing, so, I’m at a total loss why my FordPass app all of a sudden decided to connect via Bluetooth. Haven’t had time to test the functionality of this connection as the wife needed a trip to the ER, found a blood clot on right lung. What a day?

 

[Whiskey]

Update:
How I learned to connect FordPass via Bluetooth:
Foot off brake press start, follow screen prompts, press OK twice to receive “Full Power”. Connect to Apple CarPlay via Bluetooth. Open FordPass app on cellphone. Access Pro Power generator and verify Bluetooth connection.
Bad News: I found that I still cannot control the generator.

 

[JEB]

Generator does not work unless the engine is on. Your procedure only starts the ignition.

In addition, I think your procedure is unnecessarily complex. All you need is for your phone to connect to SYNC, which it should do automatically when you start the engine if you’re within range.

Unfortunately, a remote start is not sufficient to get Bluetooth generator control. I could not find a way for FordPass to control the generator unless the truck is started normally from within the cab. It was the only way enough of the systems, like SYNC, would power up so that you could then control the generator with FordPass. You could force the Bluetooth connection from a remote start, but not the generator control functions. That seriously undermines its utility.

 

[Snakebitten]

I too can no longer get generator control from a remote start. But I swear I could when my truck was first built and long before updating of any OTA updates. Of course once I started getting the OTA I lost the functions that started this thread.

After finally catching the truck back up on updates, I got the FordPass Bluetooth extended functions back but now as described above, a remote start isn't sufficient.

I haven't given up. My next attempt to see if I can stay in my pajamas and in the RV will be to see if there are any module parameters regarding remote start that can be edited via Forscan?

I'm not saying I'm optimistic. But I am tenacious. Lol
It was such a great feature that just seems logical for the Powerboost.

 

[JEB]

I too can no longer get generator control from a remote start. But I swear I could when my truck was first built and long before updating of any OTA updates. Of course once I started getting the OTA I lost the functions that started this thread.

After finally catching the truck back up on updates, I got the FordPass Bluetooth extended functions back but now as described above, a remote start isn't sufficient.

I haven't given up. My next attempt to see if I can stay in my pajamas and in the RV will be to see if there are any module parameters regarding remote start that can be edited via Forscan?

I'm not saying I'm optimistic. But I am tenacious. Lol
It was such a great feature that just seems logical for the Powerboost.

Yeah, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to provide remote control of the generator without also providing a remote start. So, I believe you when you say you used to have that capability. Hopefully that will come back after another round of updates. FORscan might be a possibility but I am less optimistic that that will prove to be the fix.

 

[Snakebitten]

Yeah, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to provide remote control of the generator without also providing a remote start. So, I believe you when you say you used to have that capability. Hopefully that will come back after another round of updates. FORscan might be a possibility but I am less optimistic that that will prove to be the fix.

You're probably right. But it's got to be no more than some parameter changed from Job1 factory configuration. A remote start is an engine running scenario and is only something Ford is treating as "technically different" than a manual start. The generator absolutely can function with a remote start unless intentionally gimped from doing so.

No different than cameras being available at speed or not. It's a software inhibit, not a hardware limitation.

I could be wrong but I don't think my Sync screen and gauge cluster was blank on a remote start either, when I purchased the truck nearly a year ago. But it is now. So programming is very different in some ways.

 

[JEB]

You're probably right. But it's got to be no more than some parameter changed from Job1 factory configuration. A remote start is an engine running scenario and is only something Ford is treating as "technically different" than a manual start. The generator absolutely can function with a remote start unless intentionally gimped from doing so.

No different than cameras being available at speed or not. It's a software inhibit, not a hardware limitation.

I could be wrong but I don't think my Sync screen and gauge cluster was blank on a remote start either, when I purchased the truck nearly a year ago. But it is now. So programming is very different in some ways.

I can't really comment on whether the instrument cluster and Sync powered up with a remote start early on. Although my F150 is also a Job 1, I didn't buy it until the first week in August and by then at least one update had been applied in late July. So, my cluster and Sync never did power up with a remote start.

Unfortunately, data on what we're trying to do is really sparse. I went back to reviews when the 2021 first came out to see if anyone used Pro Power the way we're trying to and couldn't find anything. Everyone was using it from a full start status and to the extent FordPass was mentioned at all it was more along the lines of being able to monitor the electrical output in real time, not actually control it from full off to full power remotely.

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