New fun problem! Automatically switching drive modes

[Bushmechanic]

Mine has done this as well. Only when my Android phone is paired and using Android Auto on the center screen. I think it's a wifi interference issue sending false signals to the computer. Probably the wires from the mode switch acting like antennae. If that's it, rf/em shielding on that section of harness would be the answer.

I don't connect anything to the vehicle wirelessly, but it's got a lot of it's own connections going on.

I would think it would be a little more wide-spread if that were the case, but who knows?

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[SlightNine]

Was your phone on the center console when this happens? They put out a lot of rf/em radiation.

 

[SlightNine]

I've not had it happen except when paired, but that could be pure coincidence.

 

[Bushmechanic]

Was your phone on the center console when this happens? They put out a lot of rf/em radiation.

It's always in my shirt pocket when I have it on me. I've got a Windows 10 Mobile phone from 2016.

 

[Bushmechanic]

Was just on the horn with Ford customer service, and they suggested they're going to run the issue up the flagpole a bit, as it's a safety issue. Hopefully they do. The dealership is still working with me on it. I strongly recommend others do the same.

There's a solution to this. It just hasn't been found yet. The more data Ford gets, the better. Who knows? There might be some currently unknowable commonality between vehicles suffering the issue.

Customer service was very polite and largely easy to deal with, but you do have to play with a phone tree a bit. I can't remember which options took me to a person, but it's fast to redial and try again if you don't.

 

[Bushmechanic]

Was just on the horn with Ford customer service, and they suggested they're going to run the issue up the flagpole a bit, as it's a safety issue. Hopefully they do. The dealership is still working with me on it. I strongly recommend others do the same.

There's a solution to this. It just hasn't been found yet. The more data Ford gets, the better. Who knows? There might be some currently unknowable commonality between vehicles suffering the issue.

Customer service was very polite and largely easy to deal with, but you do have to play with a phone tree a bit. I can't remember which options took me to a person, but it's fast to redial and try again if you don't.

Ah, now I remember.

It's the option to give your VIN that takes you to a person. Worked for me, anyway.

 

[Bushmechanic]

The only suggestion Ford had when I spoke with them again today was to seek a second opinion at a different dealership. They themselves brought up the subject of a buyback, if the problem does present itself on a test drive.

Right now, I think my dealer has over 200 miles on it trying to duplicate the issue. I'm not asking others to trust someone else with their new vehicle for so many miles, only to bring it in once.

One day this might happen at the very wrong time and, at the very least, your warranty isn't going to last forever. Best to solve problems like this before it starts costing you thousands down the line.

 

[jrRaptor]

The only thing I will add is an odd occurrence that has seemingly happened no less than 4 times out of the many times my drive mode has incurred this ghost mode switching. I always carry a Yeti water bottle or 2 in the cup holder. At least 4 times when the water bottle was either placed into or removed from the cup holder, the drive mode switched. The first time it was thought maybe the cup or hand brushed the drive mode selector so shrugged it off as odd. But the other times we made sure to make a conscious effort to not ever brush the mode selector. These were all separate driving occurrences. I've tried replicating by purposely putting cup in and out but have not been successful. And the ghost switching has happened a few times without anything in the cup holder. Yeti cups are made of stainless steel, so maybe a perfect set of conditions align to cause interference, who knows. Could be purely coincidence that it occurred with the cup. It's certainly switched on its own more times than I can remember.

So far it has been a mild annoyance, however, the last time this happened was last week and with that one, I was unable to change mode at all with the mode selector after it happened while I was driving. And I wish I would have taken a photo but the driver screen with the image of the truck had a weird image I hadn't seen before. The background behind the truck had some red lines not usually there with any of the drive modes. I was frustrated and pulled over to shut off the truck and restart. Everything was normal after that.

 

[Ultra45]

Anyone tracking if this happens after they changed the mode during the previous drive cycle?

I don't change my drive modes often. But the time this happened I had been switching drive modes on the previous couple of drive cycles.

I haven't changed drive modes recently and I haven't had the issue happen again.

 

[Bushmechanic]

Anyone tracking if this happens after they changed the mode during the previous drive cycle?

I don't change my drive modes often. But the time this happened I had been switching drive modes on the previous couple of drive cycles.

I haven't changed drive modes recently and I haven't had the issue happen again.

I've only willingly changed the mode once. I tried sport mode, but didn't like it.

Haven't touched it since, aside from correcting the modes when they change by themselves.

The only thing I do on occasion is place the suspension alone into sport mode via the steering wheel button, but I haven't tried testing yet to see if that's a contributing factor.

So far, the only constant I've found is this:

It's only happened when the truck was running. I've never just walked outside to turn it on and found it in Baja or whatever, aside from the single time I just left it in that mode overnight in frustration.

 

[Bushmechanic]

One more constant, at least so far in my experience:

It's only ever shifted drive modes to the right; into the off road modes. Never to the left.

 

[jazpdx]

Same as above, bone stock 24 2k miles. 3 times for me. Called ford and the lady looked up the truck and found a fault code U014. My dash shows nothing. I guess it goes to the dealership

 

[jdaiber]

2025 Ford Ranger Raptor- mine has gone into 4WD Lo, rear locker locked twice in the last week. Also, my Pre-Collision Assist and Automatic Emergency Braking stopped working (except when the cruise control is engaged). The dealer cant figure out what the issue is, but mine has been in the shop a lot; considering filing a buy back claim.

 

[jdaiber]

Also, the truck continues to throw codes, a lot of them....

 

[raf1919]

So I'm joining the club 2k miles and happened today driving 50mph changed to rock mode tried changing to 4L. I kept driving and after few min said conditions not met went away.

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