Bizarre key fob merge between 22 Mach E and 23 Lightning

[Joe Dablock]

Today I drove the Mach E to the drug store and while in the store I suddenly realized I didn't have the Mach E key in my pocket, but I did have my Lightning key in my pocket. I assumed the Mach E key must be somewhere in the car. I went out to the Mach E and pressed the button and the car started, so I drove home. When I got home, I searched the car for my key but It was nowhere to be found. I then searched the house and found my Mach E key in the recliner where I was last sitting. I found my wife's Mach E key in her purse. Puzzled, I then with no keys in my pocket, tried to start the Mustang and it would not start. I then tried my Lightning key and my wife's Lightning key and they both started the Mach E. I then unsuccessfully tried to start the Lightning with Mach E keys, bummer. Because I always have both keys in my pocket, I have no idea if this condition was always present, but the Mach E just did go through a major recall and was at the dealer for several days. What are the odds of this happening, 1 in a million, 1 in 100,000? Bizarre!

The side story is right after we got the Mustang my wife lost her key at the beach so I quickly set up my phone as a key which worked really well until we had a new key purchased and programmed at the dealer. Then one day after a Ford Pass update, I discovered that the Phone as key would still unlock the doors but, no longer had the START button. I truly felt like someone punched me in the gut, to have this backup and then suddenly realize it was gone. The usefulness of phone as key went from 10 down to 2.

P.S. The Mach E at 48K and Lightning at 18K are both doing great. We have used both for major road trips and have had challenges but always succeeded (not for the faint of heart). The Tesla superchargers have taken away a lot of stress, though we rarely actually use them. Though, just knowing that they are there is reassuring. And yes, we are still waiting for our free Ford adapter, which means I bought an aftermarket adapter that Ford recommended not using. Also, Mach E (48K miles) tires are about 50 percent which is acceptable. Secondly, We always charge our cars to 100 percent because they are useless to us if I can't at a minutes notice drive 200+ miles and get back home. Are we shortening the life of our batteries? I guess we will soon find out. But in the mean time, I estimate for the Mach E, we have saved $6K in fuel cost, and didn't have to purchase 9 oil changes.

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[RickLightning]

I think your PaaK is working fine, which is how you drove the car with no fob, and you simply don't understand PaaK. There is no Start button to use PaaK as a key to drive the vehicle. That function you refer to was for Remote Start, and is now called Climate.

 

[Joe Dablock]

You are so right about Climate. That name is so misleading. It does allow the car to start! Amazing! However, that does not explain how the truck Key can start the Mustang. Because if truck key is inside Mustang, the Mustang will start, if truck key is outside the Mustang the Mustang will not start! I will do some more investigating.

 

[RickLightning]

You are so right about Climate. That name is so misleading. It does allow the car to start! Amazing! However, that does not explain how the truck Key can start the Mustang. Because if truck key is inside Mustang, the Mustang will start, if truck key is outside the Mustang the Mustang will not start! I will do some more investigating.

Where is your PHONE when you are starting the vehicles?

 

[Joe Dablock]

My phone is always on my hip, but start without key would only be enabled if I click Climate, which I did not do. I will continue investing. You taught me a lot. Thanks!

I need to take a course in FordPass!

 

[RickLightning]

My phone is always on my hip, but start without key would only be enabled if I click Climate, which I did not do. I will continue investing. You taught me a lot. Thanks!

I need to take a course in FordPass!

Again, you don't understand.

Clicking on CLIMATE, which was formerly called REMOTE START, does just that. It starts the vehicle, enabling the HVAC system to run. IT DOES NOT START THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN. TO DO THAT REQUIRES A KEY.

There are two types of keys for your truck. The first is a fob. Only the fobs programmed for that vehicle will work. The second is PaaK (Phone As A Key). To prove this, do the following:

1) Put your phone in the house. Get in the truck with the Mach-E fob (all of them if you want). Now, put your foot on the brake pedal and push the Start button.

2) Since the vehicle fails to start, now get out of the truck and put the Mach-E fobs back in the house. Get the Lightning fobs. Leave your phone in the house. Go to the Mach-E, and attempt to start with your foot on the brake pedal. Now, you have proven that the Mach-E fobs do not start the truck, and the truck fobs do not start the Mach-E.

3) Go and get your phone. Leave all fobs in the house. Open FordPass, and select the Lightning. DO NOT PUSH CLIMATE BUTTON. Get in the Lightning and start it. If it starts, you have proven that PaaK (Phones As A Key) is setup for the truck.

4) Turn truck off. Open FordPass, and select the Mach-E. DO NOT PUSH CLIMATE BUTTON. Get in the Mach-E and start it. If it starts, you have proven the same as #3.

 

[bmwhitetx]

If you leave your phone in the house and ONLY have the truck key on you I bet you will find you cannot start the MachE.

As Rick has been trying to tell you, it’s your phone that is allowing you to start the car, not the truck fob.

 

[Henry Ford]

 

[Scorpio3d]

Occasionally, I forget to grab my key fob out of my dirty shorts after I’ve gotten out of the shower and I am going to grab something to eat or whatever but I always have my phone and I can still drive my truck with just my phone!! PaaK!

 

[invertedspear]

This thread does make me wonder...

The MME and Lighting fobs are compatible. When I had my MME I bought an F150 Fob so that I had a frunk open button.

Now I wonder, can you program both vehicles to use the same fob? As in, is the car programmed to accept the fob ID? or is the FOB somehow programmed to the car's ID so that when you pair it to a new car it will forget the old?

Can you use one fob to control multiple vehicles? Since I still have that extra F150 fob can I go find the person who I sold the MME to and start their car?

Anyone out there got both an MME and an F150L (or two of either) and and extra fob want to give it a try?

 

[Joe Dablock]

You are mostly correct, it must have been my phone that allowed me to start the Mach E when I forgot the key, but for the Lightning, my phone will unlock the doors and turn on the accessories, but the Lightning will not start. Message saying Key not detected appears! While the Mustang will start.

We ordered the Mustang and it had more options than the XLT Lightning that we bought off the lot. I know the Mustang has hands free driving, but the Lightning only has lane ?? Correction. So maybe the Lightning is lacking a particular option, but I really don’t know.

 

[mrau]

XLT Lightning that we bought off the lot.

Believe only the Lariat and Platinum trims came with PAAK. (Phone As A Key) option.

 

[invertedspear]

You are mostly correct, it must have been my phone that allowed me to start the Mach E when I forgot the key, but for the Lightning, my phone will unlock the doors and turn on the accessories, but the Lightning will not start. Message saying Key not detected appears! While the Mustang will start.

We ordered the Mustang and it had more options than the XLT Lightning that we bought off the lot. I know the Mustang has hands free driving, but the Lightning only has lane ?? Correction. So maybe the Lightning is lacking a particular option, but I really don’t know.

The XLT does not have PAAK, it's not even an option. The app lets you do a couple things, like climate on, lock and unlock, but does not allow you to start the truck. That's for Lariats and Platinums. Similar the MME has PAAK in the Premium and GT packages, not sure if it's available in the Select and CR1 packages.

One reason it's good to put your trim in your info tab. This conversation would have gone differently if people knew what your trim packages were on both vehicles.

 

[Scorpio3d]

This thread does make me wonder...

The MME and Lighting fobs are compatible. When I had my MME I bought an F150 Fob so that I had a frunk open button.

Now I wonder, can you program both vehicles to use the same fob? As in, is the car programmed to accept the fob ID? or is the FOB somehow programmed to the car's ID so that when you pair it to a new car it will forget the old?

Can you use one fob to control multiple vehicles? Since I still have that extra F150 fob can I go find the person who I sold the MME to and start their car?

Anyone out there got both an MME and an F150L (or two of either) and and extra fob want to give it a try?

I don’t know if you can program one fob Ford use with two vehicles.
I know on other vehicles there is a way to program a spare fob if you have the two originals. I was cleaning out my cupholders the other day and there was a slot underneath one of them that is usually what this is for!- not sure on the lightning! I think you can program with forscan? and/or with FDRS if you are not able to with the two original keys.-owners manual may tell how to how to do it.

 

[invertedspear]

I don’t know if you can program one fob Ford use with two vehicles.
I know on other vehicles there is a way to program a spare fob if you have the two originals. I was cleaning out my cupholders the other day and there was a slot underneath one of them that is usually what this is for!- not sure on the lightning! I think you can program with forscan? and/or with FDRS if you are not able to with the two original keys.-owners manual may tell how to how to do it.

I've programmed my extra fob that I originally bought for the MME to the MME then the truck without forscan. It does require 2 fobs to do so. I already sold the MME before buying the truck so I didn't have the option to try the fob with both.

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