Okay to “factory reset” a rental for FordPass?

[owl123]

I rented a Mach E. Went to add it to my FordPass so that I can use a Tesla charger with my adapter. However, I’m getting instructions in the FordPass app that I need to factory reset the car.

I don’t know exactly what this does and I’m not in a position to do a ton of research. Is that safe to do with a rental car? This is rented from Avis and not a platform like Toro.

Sponsored

 

[Montecarlossfan]

Download the Tesla app… use that to activate the charger. No need to reset

 

[Monkey]

Yeah don't reset the rental -- it's not your car. No need to use FordPass for anything. You can initiate Tesla charging with the Tesla app, same with EA and such. They may have plug and charge enabled on the Mach-E and could be looking to have EA and Tesla charging billed to them, which they pass on to you.

 

[RickLightning]

Zero reason to do this. If you want it on your FordPass credit card, open FordPass and activate charger.

 

[Mach Turtle]

I would be nervous about plug-n-charge with a rental company. It may or may not be in the fine print on page 27 of the contract that a special Convenience Fee is added to charging that way, raising the cost to a buck and a half per kWh. (Disclaimer: I have no evidence that this is the case; it's just similar to other experiences I've had with rental companies.)

Another reason to use your phone with FordPass, EA App, Tesla App, etc. -- better prices in many cases.

What a great rental! Sure beats the Fiesta in which I was stuck last time I had a Ford in for warranty work...

 

[owl123]

Download the Tesla app… use that to activate the charger. No need to reset

Where do I go in the Tesla app to activate the charger? I have a Tesla and every Tesla I’ve rented has been added to my account so that I can plug and charge. I’m probably missing it but I’m not seeing anywhere in the app where I can activate a charger.

 

[owl123]

Zero reason to do this. If you want it on your FordPass credit card, open FordPass and activate charger.

How do I activate a charger in FordPass?

 

[owl123]

Yeah don't reset the rental -- it's not your car. No need to use FordPass for anything. You can initiate Tesla charging with the Tesla app, same with EA and such. They may have plug and charge enabled on the Mach-E and could be looking to have EA and Tesla charging billed to them, which they pass on to you.

In this case it looks like they didn’t have any plug and charge set up — I plugged in and nothing happened.

No EA chargers near me or I would have used them (I pay the monthly fee for their discounted rate). I’m probably just dumb but I can’t figure out how to initiate a charge using FordPass or the Tesla app.

 

[owl123]

Okay, everyone. I’m an idiot!

I now see that if I’m in the Tesla app I go to Menu —> Charge Your Other EV and I can activate the session there. Very easy and I won’t be factory resetting anything.

I kept trying to find something under Menu —> Charging and that’s what threw me off. Usually I find almost everything about Tesla very user friendly, but in this case burying it under “Refer and Earn” and “Discover” I think just led me to ignore this bottom section of the app (in addition to thinking I would find it under “Charging”). I’m still an idiot, but it’s not the most intuitive U/I.

 

[RickLightning]

How do I activate a charger in FordPass?

Open FordPass.

Click on Energy at bottom.

Click on Public Charging.

Find charger.

Swipe to activate.

 

[bmwhitetx]

How do I activate a charger in FordPass?

Did you try pressing the activate button?

You can activate any charger you want from anywhere apparently. The above is in Portland Me where you're at. From an EA and Tesla in Scarborough, where ever that is.