Keep Loosing connection to MFM

[vlg]

I really did not want to start a new topic of conversation, but after reading the multiple threads, feels like there are no answers that are specific enough...

Second time now, within 2 weeks, my 2017 Fusion Energi loosing connection to MFM app and loosing Onboard Modem serial number, effectively preventing the sync to the MFM and to go times. Happens on the 120V home charger. Already removed and reinstalled fuse 10 once, fixing the issue. But have anyone figure out the root cause of the issue? The fuse is 5amp fuse, possibly Voltage spike? I also noticed that I left the car plugged in for 2 days when issue occurs (is this a problem?). 

What I really struggle with is there seems to be not a logical explanation to cause-and-effect. Is the Modem fails because fuse is tripped? Is the fix really to remove-reinstall the fuse or re-registration with MFM is required after each occurrence? 

[murphy]

Fuses don't trip, they melt.  Once they melt they must be replaced.  All removing and replacing the fuse does is cut power to the modem.  It's much easier to achieve by disconnecting the negative lead of the 12 volt battery.

 

How strong is the AT&T cell phone signal where your car is parked?  The modem must maintain a connection to the AT&T network for MFM to work.  My connection is marginal in my garage.  I have a 2013.  Does the 2017 provide a signal strength indicator for the modem?

 

Does the car sit for long periods without being driven?  That allows the 12 volt battery to get low and the car goes into a sleep mode where it turns off everything possible in an attempt to prevent draining the 12 volt battery.  Being plugged in will not help this problem.  The 12 volt battery is only charged at the end of charging the HVB.

 

When my car is sitting unused for  a while I connect a 12 volt battery charger to the jumper terminals under the hood.  Do not connect to the battery directly.  The battery is in an enclosed space and there might be hydrogen in there.  A spark + hydrogen = boom.

 

Re-registration with MFM should not be necessary.  I have encountered instances where I had to delete the app from my cellphone and re-download it.  I have never encountered a problem using MFM on the web site.

[vlg]

Well, the fuse removal/reinstall does the trick. It obviously isn't melted. Somehow, the Cell Phone Passport Module looses the connection and ESN (I think that what is called) on-board modem serial number is no longer displayed by vehicle settings menu. Once fuse is r&r'd, the CPPM is reset and everything comes back. I will try it again today and see. Maybe you are right and negative battery lead disconnect is easier, but doesnt it wipe off all the data and vehicle needs to be registered again? I really would like not to go thru registration again.

And I drive it every day, so 12V battery shouldn't be the issue (only 1K miles on the car). 

Also, if cell phone connection is the cause, wouldnt it restore connection once strong signal is established? That is not clearly the case. I've been around areas with 5bars and LTE, but the CPPM modem serial number is still blank, meaning the module is not reset and not talking to the cloud server.

[murphy]

The only things I am aware of happening when the 12 volt battery is disconnected is the engine has to relearn its emission parameters and some of the settings in the dash board menus need to be fixed if they were changed from the defaults.  I disconnected mine for a 1/2 hour several days ago while troubleshooting a different problem.  That had no affect on MFM operation.  Is the fuse panel in a 2017 up high on the left side of the drivers foot well?  That's where it is in the 2013 and I basically have to stand on my head in the driver foot well to even see it.  That is why I suggested disconnecting the 12 volt battery.  If they finally came to their senses and made the panel easily accessible in a 2017 then that is preferable.

 

Loss of the display of the ESN sounds like either a power to the modem problem or a data transmission problem from the modem to the computer.  Have you ever seen a message on the center screen to the effect of it is shutting down to protect the battery?  Or the other lie that the center screen is undergoing scheduled maintenance?  Scheduled maintenance is a reboot because the computer has determined that something has gone wrong.

 

My car was delivered with a 2G modem.  AT&T 2G service ends on December 31, 2016.  Ford graciously upgraded my modem to a 3G modem last month.  Data communication between my car and Ford is corrupted since the installation of the new modem.  I have an open case to have it investigated.  Maybe your problems are an indication that the problem is bigger than I thought.

[Timewellspent]

I tried the 12 volt disconnect thinking it would clear out all the stuff tired to SYNC, but it didn't.  My phone was still paired, radio stations were still saved etc.  So I tried to do the fuse 10 pull and had the same results.  All info still saved.  For the battery, I waited 1/2 hour.  For the fuse, I only waited about 30 seconds.  Do I need to wait longer to clear it all out?  Or is this normal, for that info to remain when doing either of these things?  The fuse pull did allow me to finally set a go time from MFM and have it sync with the car.

[vlg]

Fuse pull does the trick again. Sync with MFM works, all other settings still intact. The only data loss is the gap between when CPPM went down and reconnected upon fuse reinstall. I did not try the battery disconnect, but fuse pull seems to be a workaround instead of the actual fix. Will update again if lose the modem once more, after that I dont know. Seems like the modem issue that really ought to be resolved. Otherwise, the remote start only works with the key and you have to be close enough to the car... not a solution. Has anyone tried the battery negative disconnect? What is the detail process procedure for this?

[Jackie]

My 2017 Ford Energi is have the same issue.  Did you find the cause and a more permanent solutions?