[2dash2]

Hi All,

I'm Joining this forum and this thread as I've had utter nightmares (and literally 100's of emails with CRC) with this issue....

Sequence of events;
Oct 31st 22 - Took delivery of My 72 plate ST Line Vignale, complete with dynamic matrix LEDs
Nov 28th 22 - they failed. Drooped towards road, terrible beam pattern, big rectangle things, no auto centre on start up.
Dec 22 - Diagnosed as ILLEGAL beam pattern and due to a module fault, new module ordered. Car remains at dealership, I'm placed in a courtesy car.
Jan 23 - no module date available - I'm placed in a hire car.
Feb 23 - New module arrived, fitted, did not cure.
March 23 - Second module, same outcome - doesn't work. FMC start to try and blame my nextbase dashcam. Not having that!!
April - Not a single action occurs on error car.....
May 2023 - I start to give up. I order a replacement car. FMC admit defeat and stop even trying to fix the fault. Essentially, the provision of a WHOLE NEW CAR is the remedy!!! :-0
July 2023 - I swap the whole car for a "like for like" replacement. Essentially I order a new car and the existing goes in as a Px

Last night 30th September - Dynamic Matrix LEDs fail in exactly the same way on the new car as they did on the old.

PLEASE - can anyone suggest any good angles of approach with this one? There is absolutely nothing unusual about the way that the car is being used and no adaptations have been made. I haven't even fitted the dashcam to the new car....

I'm going into bat on Monday. Have already emailed my (incredibly helpful) dealership. It's not their problem, it's FMC's problem.

Clearly, any help you guys can give would be massively appreciated!!


Thanks in advance,

David

 

[sparkymatt]

@2dash2

Have you bothered to read this thread? Just a few posts back, there is a stated fix for this. Its a software update to a couple of modules.

Here's what it says in Ford's PTS (formerly ETIS):
View attachment 913218

My ST is booked in on 16th Oct for this update. The service dept were well aware of this. Maybe you should quote this PTS number to your dealers service department.

 

[jasonde1788]

@2dash2

..... Just a few posts back, there is a stated fix for this

Definitely. Print out the screen clip I attached. It's taken directly out of their service info system and they can look up the SSM number. I can't believe any dealer doesn't know this

 

[2dash2]

@2dash2

Have you bothered to read this thread? Just a few posts back, there is a stated fix for this. Its a software update to a couple of modules.



My ST is booked in on 16th Oct for this update. The service dept were well aware of this. Maybe you should quote this PTS number to your dealers service department.

Hi Matt,
Thanks for your reply, which I genuinely appreciate.
Yes of course I've bothered to read the thread.
I see a number of possible solution directions in the thread and am simply looking for the best direction of travel when I go into bat tomorrow morning.
This issue has caused me (and by the looks of it many others) real issues over the last nearly 12 months.
My 72 plate car was in the dealership for over 6 months, after the dealership found that the beam pattern in the fault condition was illegal.
I waited for all of that time while FMC "tried" to figure out and eventually they gave up and a whole new replacement car - for real - was the fix (which cost me money to get into too) ... only for the problem to recur on the new car too.
Please then forgive me for seeking to find out if there is now a definite cause and definite solution for the problem.
I will obviously direct them to SSM 51844 as a start but I need some certainty otherwise I'll be rejecting the car under consumer goods law and walking away. I've had enough of this now and have some really gnarly other stuff going on in my personal life (elderly relatives)
I'll certainly be keeping this thread posted with any developments.
Cheers,
David

Definitely. Print out the screen clip I attached. It's taken directly out of their service info system and they can look up the SSM number. I can't believe any dealer doesn't know this

Thanks Jason,
That clip will hopefully prove invaluable tomorrow morning, and in solving the problem. 🫰
Cheers,
David

 

[mach206]

When I had the lamp issue before it got updated; the solution which worked for me was to fully press the clutch in before starting the car. The lamp issue only occured (for me anyway) was when I pressed the start button as I was pressing in the clutch the same time .

Hi Matt,
Thanks for your reply, which I genuinely appreciate.
Yes of course I've bothered to read the thread.
I see a number of possible solution directions in the thread and am simply looking for the best direction of travel when I go into bat tomorrow morning.
This issue has caused me (and by the looks of it many others) real issues over the last nearly 12 months.
My 72 plate car was in the dealership for over 6 months, after the dealership found that the beam pattern in the fault condition was illegal.
I waited for all of that time while FMC "tried" to figure out and eventually they gave up and a whole new replacement car - for real - was the fix (which cost me money to get into too) ... only for the problem to recur on the new car too.
Please then forgive me for seeking to find out if there is now a definite cause and definite solution for the problem.
I will obviously direct them to SSM 51844 as a start but I need some certainty otherwise I'll be rejecting the car under consumer goods law and walking away. I've had enough of this now and have some really gnarly other stuff going on in my personal life (elderly relatives)
I'll certainly be keeping this thread posted with any developments.
Cheers,
David

 

[2dash2]

When I had the lamp issue before it got updated; the solution which worked for me was to fully press the clutch in before starting the car. The lamp issue only occured (for me anyway) was when I pressed the start button as I was pressing in the clutch the same time .

Hi Mach
Thanks very much for this.
What a strange cause/solution 🤔
Are FMC aware of this?
Cheers
David

 

[mach206]

I read it somewhere when somebody else had this problem. It worked for me whilst waiting for my car to go in for the update. No idea if FMC are aware of this temporary solution though.

 

[jasonde1788]

I read it somewhere when somebody else had this problem. It worked for me whilst waiting for my car to go in for the update. No idea if FMC are aware of this temporary solution though.

Yes, I posted this somewhere. I read on the PTS system (Ford internal) that the low lights issue "could" be initiated by trying to start the car without the clutch pressed (manual) or brake pressed (auto). So Ford were well aware if it. I suppose this has been superseded by the software fix.

 

[2dash2]

Hi All
The SSM related remedy has been applied to my vehicle. Two off night drives completed and all is well for now.
Thanks so far all, in particular to Jason for posting that remedy information SSM.
That's the power of Forum just like this one!!
Cheers - feeling better about the car now, hope it lasts!!!🤞🤞🙂

 

[stevdoge]

Hi All
The SSM related remedy has been applied to my vehicle. Two off night drives completed and all is well for now.
Thanks so far all, in particular to Jason for posting that remedy information SSM.
That's the power of Forum just like this one!!
Cheers - feeling better about the car now, hope it lasts!!!🤞🤞🙂

Fix is a software update direct from Ford, instruct your local Ford garage to get in touch with them. I've had two MK4.5s and both had the issue, both fixed by software update.

 

[ST Jon]

Mine is going in for the software update at the same time as the first service next month.

I had an initial failure just after picking the car up last year (as mentioned in another thread) and all in all its been well behaved, well, until leaving Gatwick airport at 2am last Friday morning...

Got onto the M23 and noticed the beam was pointing downwards, pulled over into several refuge spaces just before getting onto the M25 and turned the car off and left it for a few minutes each time which didnt correct the issue. Eventually I was forced to drive, albeit, very cautiously along the M25 to Cobham Services where I parked the car up and went for a coffee and left the car for 45 minutes. Thankfully it decided to correct itself and just as well cos the rain was of biblical proportions and visability was near on impossible by the time I came out again so I was ready to call the breakdown company to get me the remaining 80 miles home should they not have corrected themselves.

I've told the dealer I want the lights updating but will take the info from this forum to tell them exactly what they need to do (SSM) so thanks for that!

 

[Hitchin_Brian]

I reported the headlight issue when my ST had it's first service at the end of September and told them about the software fix.

The garage found there were three software updates outstanding on mine which were done on a return visit.

All seemed ok however I noticed the lights didn't appear to go through the self levelling routine and looked like they were pointing quite high.

A week or so later I was driving in the dark one night and kept getting flashed, even tooted as some points.

I stopped using the car after that and it went back into the dealership.

They said the lights needed the level adjusting. I don't if this is a software fix or a physical levelling of the headlight unit.
All I would say is make sure the dealer tests the lights before giving the car back after the software upgrades. I know my dealer didn't.

Since then it appears ok but I've lost a lot of confidence in the car after that night.

I'm trying to trust the lights again and let the automatic adjusting full beam do it's thing but every time a car comes towards me I'm having to fight the urge to switch it off.

 

[KmullST]

Here's what it says in Ford's PTS (formerly ETIS):
View attachment 913218

Thanks to Jasonde1788, have had car to the dealers today with the light problem and was told they could not fix until they diagnosed the problem. After telling them what the problem was and showing them this post they took the car in and did the software update, been out for a run tonight and all seems good 👍

 

[jasonde1788]

Thanks to Jasonde1788, have had car to the dealers today with the light problem and was told they could not fix until they diagnosed the problem. After telling them what the problem was and showing them this post they took the car in and did the software update, been out for a run tonight and all seems good 👍

Brilliant, I'm really happy it worked out. Equally saddened that the dealers don't know this stuff though.

 

[sparkymatt]

Brilliant, I'm really happy it worked out. Equally saddened that the dealers don't know this stuff though.

They should be aware as it was released as a bulletin back in 2023. Anyone complaining of the headlights not calibrating and staying in low position needs to have a software update.

 

[Luz]

They should be aware as it was released as a bulletin back in 2023. Anyone complaining of the headlights not calibrating and staying in low position needs to have a software update. View attachment 918295

Sorry to resurrect an oldish thread, but hadn’t driven my car in the dark till today and the headlights dont seem right to me, this is how they look on dipped beam….

Are they supposed to light up more of the road than this, it’s as though they are too low, so is this likely the issue being discussed in this thread which needs a software update?

Here is another video where they kind of work more like I expected but I had to put them to full beam myself for them to do this….

 

[mach206]

100 percent it needs the software update. Show the dealer the video and tell them it needs an update.

 

[Luz]

100 percent it needs the software update. Show the dealer the video and tell them it needs an update.

Thanks, will contact my main dealer and ask them to sort it, is in ford warranty till November this year. so don’t expect any issues…. We will see!!!

 

[KmullST]

There’s a screenshot of the service bulletin in this thread take a copy of that to the dealer, service manager where i took mine was a bit clueless but the tech that done the job had done a few so all good

 

[Luz]

Had this sorted last week, took it into main dealer and now the lights behave as they should and I can see when driving at night!