How-to: use Siri to turn on your Ranger + other shortcuts!

[renato23]

This Ranger is my first "connected" car. I got so excited with the possibility to control my car from an app on my iphone. Very cool.

The excitement lasted about a week. Yes, it is cool. But I have to unlock my phone, open the FordPass app, click (or slide) to make the action you want.

First I tried using "Shortcuts" from apple to create a simple way to take this actions. Using this method I was only able to use the lock/unlock using the native FordPass options. Yeah. Definitely some progress but I wanted more.

Deeper in my research, found a Reddit post with some shortcuts to download that promised to work the way I wanted. Even with some security concerns, I decided to try them out.

???W-O-W???

That's what I was looking for this whole time! Not only it worked, it gave me lots of possibilities. Now I can ask Siri (from my phone or even from my apple watch): "Siri, turn on Ranger". And as it wasn't enough, she also respond "Ranger turned on" by writing on the screen and also by voice.

Now I have specific shortcuts for:
- Turning the car on/off
- Locking/unlocking
- Ask where my car ir (opens maps and shows the location) - not really useful to me
- Ask how is my oil life - not useful to me as well

And I added two shortcuts to my phone home screen and used a picture I took from my DRL (the same I use as my profile pic here). One is for turning the vehicle on. The other is for locking the vehicle.

Here is the link to the Reddit post:


Disclaimer: I still have some security concerns. For it to work you have to insert your ford pass login, password and also your car VIN. Try this at your own risk.

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[superj]

Dude, thats awesome. I am not computer literate enough to do this though

 

[renato23]

Dude, thats awesome. I am not computer literate enough to do this though

That's actually super easy. I can assist you if you want. Is your phone an iphone?

 

[superj]

That's actually super easy. I can assist you if you want. Is your phone an iphone?

No, so its even tougher. Android

 

[Blue Ridge Raptor]

I hear you about the security concerns. I’m assuming you can lock/unlock and start/stop - but not drive with just the phone, correct?

 

[Awirez]

No, so its even tougher. Android

Hi Jason. Android should be able to do this as well. It will depend on what version of OS (Android 13, 14, ...) you have and what phone you have. Some manufacturers, like Samsung, have their own user interface that deviates from the stock Android user interface. So you may want to search for how to create a routine with your phone brand.

For Android this is most likely synonymous to "Routines". Think of routines as like setting up a macro for an automated process from your smartphone. Once the routine is setup correctly, it only requires a trigger (button, phrase, etc.) to start the automated process.

I've also read there are some indications this may work with IFTTT and Alexa.

I cannot test or attempt to set this up yet. My truck build is at the end of March.

How to create Android Routines (and a few of my favorites to get you started) | ZDNET

How to create Routines in Android Auto | Android Central

 

[joordan]

This Ranger is my first "connected" car. I got so excited with the possibility to control my car from an app on my iphone. Very cool.

The excitement lasted about a week. Yes, it is cool. But I have to unlock my phone, open the FordPass app, click (or slide) to make the action you want.

First I tried using "Shortcuts" from apple to create a simple way to take this actions. Using this method I was only able to use the lock/unlock using the native FordPass options. Yeah. Definitely some progress but I wanted more.

Deeper in my research, found a Reddit post with some shortcuts to download that promised to work the way I wanted. Even with some security concerns, I decided to try them out.

???W-O-W???

That's what I was looking for this whole time! Not only it worked, it gave me lots of possibilities. Now I can ask Siri (from my phone or even from my apple watch): "Siri, turn on Ranger". And as it wasn't enough, she also respond "Ranger turned on" by writing on the screen and also by voice.

Now I have specific shortcuts for:
- Turning the car on/off
- Locking/unlocking
- Ask where my car ir (opens maps and shows the location) - not really useful to me
- Ask how is my oil life - not useful to me as well

And I added two shortcuts to my phone home screen and used a picture I took from my DRL (the same I use as my profile pic here). One is for turning the vehicle on. The other is for locking the vehicle.

Here is the link to the Reddit post:


Disclaimer: I still have some security concerns. For it to work you have to insert your ford pass login, password and also your car VIN. Try this at your own risk.

this is interesting, but why going through all this when you can add buttons to control whatever you want directly in the iPhone control screen?no need to open FordPass etc and no security issue

 

[Shadow Black Ranger Rapto]

Impressive! Let me know if you figure out a way to have Siri or Alexa adjust heated seats/steering wheel. Can’t believe such basic controls are so small and difficult/unsafe to adjust while driving.

 

[superj]

Dude. I read what you said and understand the words but i dont know any computer things. The last phone stuff i did hacking on was an iphone 3 and i just followed a yourube video to do it

I am ok reading the stuff you do. It sounds super cool but its out of my ability

 

[renato23]

I hear you about the security concerns. I’m assuming you can lock/unlock and start/stop - but not drive with just the phone, correct?

Correct. Still, I had to insert my fordpass login and password. I don't know how this information is treated. Probably it's secure, I'm just kind of paranoid. ?

this is interesting, but why going through all this when you can add buttons to control whatever you want directly in the iPhone control screen?no need to open FordPass etc and no security issue

Your screenshot already has the answer for your question.

Because that way I can only lock and unlock the car. The function I use the most is the START ENGINE because I live in a really hot area and turning the car on before entering it makes the interior much cooler, as I set on Ford Pass to turn on AC MAX.

Impressive! Let me know if you figure out a way to have Siri or Alexa adjust heated seats/steering wheel. Can’t believe such basic controls are so small and difficult/unsafe to adjust while driving.

My car does not have seats/steering wheel heat. Check if by any chance Ford Pass let's you choose what turns on when you turn your car on, so that way you would set to every time you remotely start your car those functions start as well, just like I did with my air conditioner.

 

[superj]

Thats what i use also since its very hot here most of the year, also

 

[Baticr]

You know what would be awesome, if you can completely disable and then re-enable you car, so that car thieves can’t take your car. Like a remote kill switch.

 

[Dingus83]

this is interesting, but why going through all this when you can add buttons to control whatever you want directly in the iPhone control screen?no need to open FordPass etc and no security issue

How!?!?
I would like to do that.

 

[D. Sampson]

How!?!?
I would like to do that.

On iphone (ios 18.3.1)- Open the controls screen by swiping down from the top right of the screen, hit the "+" sign at the top left, then hit "add a control" at the bottom. Scroll until you see "Ford Pass".

 

[joordan]

Impressive! Let me know if you figure out a way to have Siri or Alexa adjust heated seats/steering wheel. Can’t believe such basic controls are so small and difficult/unsafe to adjust while driving.

those controls are automated based on the temp you set. there is a setting in sync4 that allows you to select the behaviour when remote start. then whatever method you use for remote start it will switch on all the accessories. my car during winter warms up the air, put the heating on steering wheels and seat on at max temp.

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