[Tony407]

I've about had it with my Focus. Since the day I drove it off the lot I've had nothing but problem after problem with the various systems that seem interwoven with MFT.

Like:
Cruise control doesn't work
Possessed HVAC
Infotainment (numerous, numerous problems...too many to remember)
Frozen screens, resets, won't shut off when the car is turned off
Navigation faults (AKA no navigation)
Etc.

I've had the car to the dealership 4 times now. During the 2nd trip, they replaced the APIM. Most of the problems were solved.

Then I made the terrible mistake of updating the MFT system to 2.11. Now the problems have returned, and a few new ones: The horn honking every time I lock the doors, the front parking sensor is INSANELY loud, the front parking sensor goes off for no reason, etc.

Today when I drove to school the touch screen was frozen and my commute was very quiet without my music playing. Of course after school when I got into the car it did a scheduled system maintenance and fixed itself (for now).

I stopped by the dealer and they wouldn't even take the car. "We can't accept the car if the problem isn't reproducible" is what they told me. Bull shit. My car has been here numerous times for similar issues that have never been successfully fixed, and just because the screen isn't working right now you can't take the car? Really? "Yes, really."

I even have an extended warranty that I was told would take care of these sorts of issues, considering I received aforementioned warranty (for free) specifically because of all the problems I was having.

I'm going to look into a lemon law claim. I love the Focus itself, it's a GREAT car, but that stupid little screen in the middle of the dash, with its crafty tentacles stretched out into every tiny little electronic nook and cranny, has ruined the entire car ownership experience for me.

I stopped by the Kia dealership on the way home in my Focus and looked at the 2011 Optima. I told her (the Focus) that she better start holding up her end of the deal or she will be replaced.

All I got in reply was a "Performing Scheduled Maintenance" screen.

*sigh*

Tony

 

[VOLDAR]

Tony,
I am sorry to hear you have so many problems with the MFT. I want to ask something though. Have you performed a Master Reset on your MFT ? Not by deplugging the fuse, but using the MFT menu ? Yes, all the informations will be deleted from MFT (pair with iPod, phone, addresses on the nav if you have and so on). But it seems to me you are at a point you'll have nothing to lose right now. If I'd be you, I'd do it. Especially if you say everything worked fine before the upgrade (after the APIM replacement).
Here is how : (got it from here)
1. Make sure the car is on, in Park
2. Press the Phone Button to enter the PHONE MENU
3. Scroll repeatedly until SYSTEM SETTINGS appears in the radio display
4. Press OK to enter the SYSTEM SETTINGS MENU
5. Scroll repeatedly until ADVANCED appears in the radio display. Press OK
6. Scroll repeatedly until MASTER RESET appears in the radio display
7. Press OK. SYNC will ask you to confirm the reset
8. Press OK to confirm. The radio display will read ALL RESET
9. SYNC will take you back to the ADVANCED SETTINGS MENU

 

[Tony407]

Tony,
I am sorry to hear you have so many problems with the MFT. I want to ask something though. Have you performed a Master Reset on your MFT ?

Yes, Voldar. Thanks for the suggestion. I've done this at least a dozen times and it seems to solve the problems for a few days or so. The dealership has also made it clear that this their "fix" as well, which to me isn't a fix at all but rather something to cover up the symptoms temporarily and get me out of the dealership.

Tony

 

[5characters]

Doesn't the horn honk when everbody looks their doors? or do mean even when you don't use the clicker?

 

[Rogerschro]

That really sucks Tony, I feel for ya. I'd be pretty upset with the whole thing too if it were my car. I didn't even plan on buying a new car until I saw the 2012 Focus and then I decide I had to have one. If I'd had your problems I'd be SOOO disappointed and a bit Ticked off too. I wonder if it would make sense to trade that car for one without MFT? Your dealer should be willing to do that and you would not be out any more money. Maybe just the cost of MFT? I bought without MFT but everything else and love the car. Figured if I needed Nav I'd buy a Garmin and then I could use it in other vehicles as well. I hope you have better results soon.

 

[alex62390]

It is true that NO warranty work can ever be done without the technician verifying the complaint first. the dealer was trying to save both you and the tech time. Most don't like it when they sit for a hour at a dealer only to have somebody say they can't make it malfunction.

My suggestion is just be patient, its a first year car and will take time for ford to create new hardware and software that fixes all the issues.

 

[copernicium112]

Doesn't the horn honk when everbody looks their doors? or do mean even when you don't use the clicker?

No, it is not supposed to so if Tony's is doing this, it is malfunctioning. Locking the car (remote or otherwise) once will simply flash the lights. Trying to lock it if it is already locked will cause the horn to beep. First time, though, no beep.

 

[zx3_bmxrider]

Whatever you do, don't trade her in for a kia!!!

 

[MGbox]

Seems to be the problem with buying a "luxury" entry level car. We should have went with a more reputable name, with a higher build quality.

 

[5characters]

No, it is not supposed to so if Tony's is doing this, it is malfunctioning. Locking the car (remote or otherwise) once will simply flash the lights. Trying to lock it if it is already locked will cause the horn to beep. First time, though, no beep.

Oh, ok I didn't know that all of the cars I've had will beep when you use the clicker... sucks about your car mate.

 

[VOLDAR]

Seems to be the problem with buying a "luxury" entry level car. We should have went with a more reputable name, with a higher build quality.

That is to go for a BMW as far as I know. It gives you something close to what Ford gives with MFT but not all.

As others already said, I think that we have to remember the times when first personal computer arrived on the market. Some worked flawless, some where a PITA. In time everything got fixed. Being the first year of this second generation of MFT, I'd stick to the basics (use what it's known to work with MFT). Because I know for sure that MFT works flawless if you have no phones or media players connected to it. The problems start when we add more and more devices to it and try to make them work.

My experience that makes me say this :
I did have 2 "system maintenance" messages at car startup, but I think I can pinpoint why they appeared. This is why, since the last time I had it, I plug my iPod (3rd gen, iOS 5) in the USB port before starting the car and I allways switch to radio before turning off the car (if listening to iPod). I know I should not do this, but hey, I have my MFT trouble-free since then. So, why not to change a little to gain a lot ? And yes, I never had a problem with my phone BT connected to my MFT (a Samsung SGH-T746). And never got a freezing of the system or had to use the fuze or master reset. And I hope I will not have to either in the future.[]

A test that Tony should do is to plug and use devices one by one. Starting with the phone and use it 5-10 days and see what happens. Then unplug the phone and use his media player for another 5-10 days. And if everything works as expected, try them both. But first of all, do a master reset of the system. To pinpoint what/which is the culprit. I know, Ford should have done this before, but nor Linux systems or Macs are trouble free when trying to pair them with any devices on the market. It's a work in progress for now, and yes, sometimes we are the beta-testers. Some like this, some don't. If you don't, well, don't buy it at all ! My 2 cents.

 

[PratoN]

Seems to be the problem with buying a "luxury" entry level car. We should have went with a more reputable name, with a higher build quality.

I hope all these kinks are worked out before Lincoln tries to make the MKC...

 

[JPopNC]

Definitely agree with Voldar's steps to test them one at a time to see if one or the other trips it up. It's called Binary Troubleshooting, keeps it simple and usually helps pinpoint the culprit.

Best of luck!!!

 

[blackraven456]

Wow, sounds like you got a lemon. Although if everything is connected (and I dunno that it is, but its likely) to a central computer (not mft, a control computer), sounds like it's glitchy and needs to be replaced. I find it hard to believe all those components are individually at fault. I'd have your dealer looking into it.

In contrast my car has been 100% with the small exception of the indexing / bmc bug that tells me it's doing those things when nothing is actually happening.

 

[cappa]

That is to go for a BMW as far as I know. It gives you something close to what Ford gives with MFT but not all.

that's hillarious, ask BMW owners how they feel about the iDrive.

 

[DarinS]

that's hillarious, ask BMW owners how they feel about the iDrive.

New iDrive: awesome

Old iDrive: [gunfire]

 

[VOLDAR]

that's hillarious, ask BMW owners how they feel about the iDrive.

Exactly my point. This is what I intended to suggest with the answer to MGbox statement. Even the higher level systems had their "childish days" [rant] so MFT is no different. [poke]
But as mentionned by DarinS, it seems the new version of iDrive is getting better. I expect nothing less from the new version of MFT (whenever it comes out). And then, will see who laughs last. []

 

[FocusBoy58]

No new system is perfect, just like a video game theres always adjustments to programming to make things perfect even months after its release. I "knock on wood" have had not a single problem.

 

[RustySocket]

PM sent...

In before Elizabeth shits on your thread..

 

[feta_mgp]

Rusty's back? I thought you were busy becoming butt-buddies with all the MSF douchebags.

Anyway, Tony, remove the Nav SD card and then do a master reset. Most of the guys with MAJOR problems have also had the Nav option installed. Personally, I've had a black screen once, a maintenance screen once, and aside from that, no issues whatsoever on 2.11. It seems that after each reboot my system is faster than it was before. I don't have Nav installed.

Idk what Rusty gave you with his PM, but he doesn't even own the car anymore. All he tries to do now is just turn people away from the Focus as a whole when the MFT is just an OPTION on any trim but the Titanium and if you HAVE to have the highest trim well then that's just what you're getting into.

I would relay the Nav equipped info to your dealership, and definitely give it a shot, remove the ability for your MFT to use the Navigation system, and see how it acts then. If that's the case I'd just bitch at your dealership until they refund you the $800 it is for that option (that seems to have had more failures than successes) and just invest $200 in a nice Garmin or TomTom. I personally place mine on the window to the right of the black box behind the mirror, it then sits just below the mirror and for me it's perfectly situated to see at a glance as I use my glances at the rearview mirror to double as glances at the GPS.

Also, as mentioned, look how long it took BMW to get it right? MFT is much nicer to work with than the earliest iterations of iDrive... so at least Ford is on the right track.