Hi rugedraw -
Hoping you can help me please?
I have a 2021 Lariat that I purchased used this past fall. It was originally a Canadian vehicle and then moved to the US where I purchased it. It's gone through a couple of OTA updates since I purchased it but the last one was on October 5 of 23 where it updated to 4.2.4.

I had it at the dealership for some other warranty work and asked them check to make sure it was up to date. At the end of the day, they told me it was up to date. Given many others are at version 6.x.x, I don't know that I believe that? I've got auto updates turned on and scheduled to run multiple times per week. Truck is connected to home WiFi and there is an AP that sits right above the truck. I've tried to force updates and even left the truck on a battery charger overnight to ensure proper charge.

Vin is 1FTEW1EP9MKD62452

Are you able to check to see if I need to push a little harder at the dealership?

Thank you!

 

Not even close to "up to date":

 

Pushing the dealer will get you no where. Ford does not pay them to update modules even under warranty, unless there is a specific recall or bulletin from Ford that they can bill them for the time required to update the module(s). Nobody likes to work for free, so you really can't blame them. That is why they will always say it is up to date or some other rhetoric to get you out of there. Because of the OTA process, it is Ford's responsibility to keep your truck up to date and not the dealers, so you will always be met with resistance when you ask them to perform updates. Based on the list Rick posted, it will take 5-6 hours straight to update the modules on that list, and while updating modules, more updates pop up as you do them since some of them have to be installed in a specific order, so to fully update your truck, it would take longer than that.

 

That makes sense. Thank you! I can completely understand their point. Would you have a good recommendation for how to get these done without having to pay out of pocket? Will they eventually update themselves? I'm having little weird issues like the headlight system erroring intermittently or the backup assist system erroring intermittently that the dealer looked at but could not reproduce. I'm wondering if these updates may help solve the problem. Should I just leave well enough alone?

I'm surprised that the dealership can't bill Ford for the OTA update system not working and using that as the issue?

Thank you for all your help!

 

I looked up the DTC's in your truck and there is nothing there that coincides with the issues you are reporting. I had reverse assist off as I found it annoying since day one.

Yes, those modules on the list can all be updated via the OTA process. It isn't that the OTA system is not working; it is working and your truck has gotten updates and people on the forums are reporting updates on a daily basis. The problem with the OTA process is that it is not systematic and there is no way of knowing when you will get the next update nor is there a way to trigger an update being sent yo. In other words: The OTA process sucks.

 

Makes sense! One more question please!
How do the OTA updates come? Are they WiFi? LTE? Both? Neither?

 

I believe they only come via the truck's cellular data plan only. I can tell you that not a single OTA released to date requires wifi.

It's a long read, but I made a write-up of how the OTA process works with screenshot from PTS here:

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thre...process.20875/

 

Quick (stupid?) question: I just picked up my 2023 Lariat a couple weeks ago, so still figuring things out.

I have automatic updates turned on, but right now I do not have any schedules set up for scheduled updates. Do I need to do that, or will automatic updates be sufficient? I am on 6.4, so it looks like it is up to date, but the truck is a former demo vehicle, so I bought it with 4700 miles on it. Not sure if the dealer wiped out schedules or anything before it was sold.

 

I would set a time. Maybe 2am or so when you know you won't need to drive the truck.

 

Thanks!