From The Drive · Byron Hurd · · 1m 10s
Ford Maverick Owners Report Random Starts
Ford Maverick owners say their trucks turn on randomly without warning.
In brief
Ford Maverick owners say their trucks turn on randomly without warning. Ford Maverick owners report trucks starting unexpectedly, likely due to remote start features or user error. Originally reported by The Drive.
Maverick Owners Report Random Starts
Ford Maverick owners claim their trucks turn on randomly without warning, prompting Facebook group discussions in late September.
“One purported owner claimed that they found the truck running in their garage one morning, not the first time somebody has claimed that”
Remote Start Options
The Maverick offers two remote start methods: a key fob button sequence and an app that schedules starts for future times.
“There’s the old-fashioned version that uses a button on your key fob, and then there’s the newfangled app version”
Key Fob Unlikely Cause
Pressing multiple buttons on the key fob to start the car makes accidental activation difficult, even if the fob is hidden.
“Starting the car remotely from the key fob itself requires pressing multiple buttons in sequence”
App Scheduling Risk
The app allows scheduling starts without security prompts, enabling unauthorized users to activate the truck without the owner knowing.
“the app doesn’t prompt the user for any additional security challenges when scheduling a remote start”
Hybrid System Theory
A hybrid battery protocol might activate the engine if the battery state of charge runs too low, but this is unlikely to cause random starts.
“the Maverick hybrid has a built-in protocol that can command a remote start if the hybrid battery pack’s state of charge runs too low”
User Error Explanation
Owners may simply forget to turn off their cars, as hybrids still require manual shutdown even with modern button interfaces.
“Owners are simply forgetting to turn off their cars”
The headline
Ford Maverick owners report trucks starting unexpectedly, likely due to remote start features or user error.
