Explorer SiriusXM Stuck "Acquiring Signal" (Intermittent) 2018 Models

[15Limited]

As I figured they need to replace the antenna.

Contact your service dept and get yours fixed...

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #18-2358
Sirius Satellite Radio With 4G TCU Modem - Loss Of Signal/Acquiring Signal Message Displayed - Built On Or Before 13-Nov-2018

Issue: Some 2018-2019 Explorer vehicles built on or before 13-Nov-2018 equipped with a 4G telematics control unit (TCU) modem may exhibit an Acquiring Signal message with a loss of satellite radio reception while driving in unobstructed areas.

Would you post the full TSB please? Thanks

 

[jmr061]

Can't do that. Contact your dealer.

 

[PlatinumOwner]

Would you post the full TSB please? Thanks

Loss Of Signal/Acquiring Signal Message Displayed – 2018 Ford Explorer & Escape

Some 2018 Explorer and Escape vehicles equipped with a 4G TCU modem may exhibit an Acquiring Signal message with a loss of satellite radio reception while driving in unobstructed areas.

If normal Workshop Manual (WSM) diagnosis and testing does not indicate a fault and no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) are stored, do not attempt any repairs at this time.

Engineering is investigating, monitor OASIS for updates.

To assist with the investigation, use the Report A Vehicle Concern link at the bottom of the OASIS report and complete the form.

Applies To:
Ford Escape 2018
Ford Explorer 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10144949-9999.pdf

 

[15Limited]

Loss Of Signal/Acquiring Signal Message Displayed – 2018 Ford Explorer & Escape

Some 2018 Explorer and Escape vehicles equipped with a 4G TCU modem may exhibit an Acquiring Signal message with a loss of satellite radio reception while driving in unobstructed areas.

If normal Workshop Manual (WSM) diagnosis and testing does not indicate a fault and no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) are stored, do not attempt any repairs at this time.

Engineering is investigating, monitor OASIS for updates.

To assist with the investigation, use the Report A Vehicle Concern link at the bottom of the OASIS report and complete the form.

Applies To:
Ford Escape 2018
Ford Explorer 2018

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10144949-9999.pdf

Unfortunately this is not the resolution TSB. See post above...appears TSB 18-2358 will show/tell dealer the corrective action.

 

[PlatinumOwner]

Unfortunately this is not the resolution TSB. See post above...appears TSB 18-2358 will show/tell dealer the corrective action.

I believe only the dealers have access to that info.

 

[peterk9]

Joined the forum to jump in on the conversation. I've had the same issues as described by others in my new 2018 Explorer. Bought it a few months ago and SiriusXM was working fine for a week or two then stopped worked for about 10 days. Brought it into the dealer just to make sure I had a record of it in case it takes a while for Ford to fix. They basically said, as others have mentioned, that we'd just have to wait until a fix was released. It's been working off and on for the past couple weeks, but definitely not "fixed."

Today I noticed "SiriusXM Updating..." on the display shortly after I started the car. After that it has been working, so I'm not sure if this is related or not.

Welcome to the Forum Kevin.
The Sirius Updating is a regular thing that I believe updates the programming and has nothing to do with the "Acquiring Signal" issue. For that you have to visit the dealer to have the antenna assembly replaced. See post #239 above.

Peter

 

[kevinrossen]

Welcome to the Forum Kevin.
The Sirius Updating is a regular thing that I believe updates the programming and has nothing to do with the "Acquiring Signal" issue. For that you have to visit the dealer to have the antenna assembly replaced. See post #239 above.

I spoke with my dealer today and they have to order the antenna and said they'll call me when it's in. He said it would probably be a few week.s

 

[Petoskey Bill]

I took my car in to the dealer Dec 4 to be checked out and they said the whatchamacallit module needed to be replaced (I don't remember what he said but it had nothing to do with the antenna). I went in armed with my knowledge from this forum and this specific problem with the Sirius reception was news to him. I had to bring it back on Dec 17 to have the whatchamacallit replaced. After 2 hours a different service guy said "Hmmm, the whatchamacallit module is not the problem but you are right about the service bulletin about the antenna. There is a problem with cellular+Sirius pickup in the stock antenna. We are waiting to hear from Ford" I get a call today, " We got more info from Ford and you need new antenna to correct the cellular+Sirius problem. Bring it in Dec 28. It will take at least 3 hours to replace". I hope this does it.

 

[Sgt1411]

I took my car in to the dealer Dec 4 to be checked out and they said the whatchamacallit module needed to be replaced (I don't remember what he said but it had nothing to do with the antenna). I went in armed with my knowledge from this forum and this specific problem with the Sirius reception was news to him. I had to bring it back on Dec 17 to have the whatchamacallit replaced. After 2 hours a different service guy said "Hmmm, the whatchamacallit module is not the problem but you are right about the service bulletin about the antenna. There is a problem with cellular+Sirius pickup in the stock antenna. We are waiting to hear from Ford" I get a call today, " We got more info from Ford and you need new antenna to correct the cellular+Sirius problem. Bring it in Dec 28. It will take at least 3 hours to replace". I hope this does it.

Unfortunately, that's the norm now at many dealerships, information on this forum is most often more accurate and timely then what the dealership Service staff have. It's kinda sad that a vehicle owner has to use an online forum to educate a dealership but there are many examples of that here.

 

[Franklin Field Jr.]

Got a text message from the dealer that sold me my Explorer with them offering $10 off my next service appointment with them. My reply was I ripped into them and Ford for not fixing something that has also been going on way to long. About two hours later I got a phone call from the service department advising of a December 16th TSB and an antenna replacement that is needed AND a two week wait getting the parts. SO I guess according to him this is a fix and takes one and a half hours to do. The got a text message that the parts are ordered and he will keep me posted. I will update when it is done and or does not work.

 

[jmr061]

Got a text message from the dealer that sold me my Explorer with them offering $10 off my next service appointment with them. My reply was I ripped into them and Ford for not fixing something that has also been going on way to long. About two hours later I got a phone call from the service department advising of a December 16th TSB and an antenna replacement that is needed AND a two week wait getting the parts. SO I guess according to him this is a fix and takes one and a half hours to do. The got a text message that the parts are ordered and he will keep me posted. I will update when it is done and or does not work.

I already posted this info back on the 17th...please see Explorer SiriusXM Stuck "Acquiring Signal" (Intermittent) 2018 Models (which is a direct link to the post I made referencing the TSB)

 

[peterk9]

I understand your frustration with this issue but I can't see why you ripped into the dealer since they had no control over that issue. It is Ford that caused the problem and eventually found out that the entire antenna assembly had to be replaced. Ford is the one telling the dealer that this is the fix. It's unfortunate that in this case that the dealer is the one caught in the middle of the situation. It has been mentioned here several times over the years that Ford has a serious communications problem not only with its customers but dealers as well.

Peter

 

[Franklin Field Jr.]

I understand your frustration with this issue but I can't see why you ripped into the dealer since they had no control over that issue. It is Ford that caused the problem and eventually found out that the entire antenna assembly had to be replaced. Ford is the one telling the dealer that this is the fix. It's unfortunate that in this case that the dealer is the one caught in the middle of the situation. It has been mentioned here several times over the years that Ford has a serious communications problem not only with its customers but dealers as well.

Peter

PETER,

I guess you did not see my prior posts about this or maybe I did not totally explain. The purchasing dealers is half an hour away and originally when I had this issue I researched it online and came across this forum. With that information in mind and when I contacted my sales person and the warranty guy at the Ford dealership and explained that to them, I knew that there was a Ford problem and that there was a TSB out already. I questioned the warranty guy when he "finally" got back with me if he checked about the TSB and he said he had and there was nothing and to bring the vehicle in. I did for the forth time, since I had a damaged console when I originally purchased the vehicle, that was replaced three times before they got an undamaged piece to put in the vehicle. YES, three times Xs a half an hour drive both ways. When I got to the dealership they had it in the shop for almost an hour, only to have the service guy tell me there IS an issue and there was a TSB from August and Ford was working on it and "I had to call them from time to time too see IF Ford had a fix". So YES I am frustrated and YES I took it out on both Ford and the dealership I purchased the vehicle from. I think I have a right to do that. I have not called them and of coarse they have not called me. Why would they ... it's only a radio program issue. The text I received for a discounted service work gave me the option to say something and I did. IF I hadn't done that they would never call me and I would continue to be without SIRIUS radio. That six month free trail I would hope would be fixed also. Sirius credited me almost a year that I already carried over from my last Explorer, so I only have the free 6 months that is up next month. Don't know how they are going to replace the shark fin since it's painted the color of the vehicle (if that's part of the fix) and I truly hope they don't screw up my headliner etc. replacing whatever. I have already tried taking out the secondary antenna they added in 2018 off the vehicle months ago and no change. Hope they know what they are doing. I've always been a Ford guy BUT this is a little much especially with the price WE all have to pay for them.

 

[15Limited]

PETER,

I guess you did not see my prior posts about this or maybe I did not totally explain. The purchasing dealers is half an hour away and originally when I had this issue I researched it online and came across this forum. With that information in mind and when I contacted my sales person and the warranty guy at the Ford dealership and explained that to them, I knew that there was a Ford problem and that there was a TSB out already. I questioned the warranty guy when he "finally" got back with me if he checked about the TSB and he said he had and there was nothing and to bring the vehicle in. I did for the forth time, since I had a damaged console when I originally purchased the vehicle, that was replaced three times before they got an undamaged piece to put in the vehicle. YES, three times Xs a half an hour drive both ways. When I got to the dealership they had it in the shop for almost an hour, only to have the service guy tell me there IS an issue and there was a TSB from August and Ford was working on it and "I had to call them from time to time too see IF Ford had a fix". So YES I am frustrated and YES I took it out on both Ford and the dealership I purchased the vehicle from. I think I have a right to do that. I have not called them and of coarse they have not called me. Why would they ... it's only a radio program issue. The text I received for a discounted service work gave me the option to say something and I did. IF I hadn't done that they would never call me and I would continue to be without SIRIUS radio. That six month free trail I would hope would be fixed also. Sirius credited me almost a year that I already carried over from my last Explorer, so I only have the free 6 months that is up next month. Don't know how they are going to replace the shark fin since it's painted the color of the vehicle (if that's part of the fix) and I truly hope they don't screw up my headliner etc. replacing whatever. I have already tried taking out the secondary antenna they added in 2018 off the vehicle months ago and no change. Hope they know what they are doing. I've always been a Ford guy BUT this is a little much especially with the price WE all have to pay for them.

Yes, sounds very frustrating.

What secondary antenna did you remove? Where?

 

[Franklin Field Jr.]

Yes, sounds very frustrating.

What secondary antenna did you remove? Where?

The one that extends out of the shark fin and is new for the 2018 Explorers ... removed it and unscrewed it months ago and no change ... possibly the internal stuff that the antenna screws into is blocking it he signal for he other main antenna

 

[peterk9]

From what I read here, the entire antenna has to be replaced and that is why the headliner has to be taken down. Looking at the antenna on my 2017, it appears as though the the antenna is painted before it is installed on the vehicle. In any case, if not pre-painted, then the dealer will likely have to ship it off to their body shop to have that done.

Peter

 

[Petoskey Bill]

Took my car in today. My receipt shows the work done today as "PERFORMED TSB 182358A 1.0 REPLACE THE AUDIO UNIT ANTENNA ASSY". Everything is fine now.

The initial repair that was done the first time I brought the car in on 12/17/18 was replacement of RECEIVER ASY (PART JB5Z-18C869-A) and STANCHION-RA (PART JB5Z-18936-AD), which did not correct the problem, as we knew it wouldn't.

Everything was still on warranty so no charge to me.

 

[Franklin Field Jr.]

Took my 2018 Explorer in Friday 4 January 2019 and 4 1/2 months after my initial complaint and in the 1 1/2 hours they said it would be fixed it was. The antenna was replaced as per the TSB others have posted. Originally they contacted me that they had a fix after I responded negatively to a discounted text message they sent me almost two weeks ago. Ironically ... they guy that set the appointment up was out Friday and the service rep could not find my appointment on their schedule however, they took the vehicle right in on time. NOW the next issue. SIRUS refuses to give me the time lost of the six month free SIRUS radio ... or 4 1/2 months. That was told to me after over an hour on the phone with me repeatedly explaining that they were initially informed and I had NO usage for those months. I hung up. I contacted Ford and their area Rep is supposedly going to contact me Monday. I also left a message with the service rep who text message enquirer about their service Friday. Told him it was great BUT he never checked with his people about loosing 4 1/2 months of initial SIRUS radio and getting that back. So we will see ... SIRUS is working well as it should.

 

[jmr061]

I wouldn't expect Sirius to deal directly with you on extending the free period as it wasn't their issue to begin with. It was an issue with the vehicle. That is something your service dealer or selling dealer should contact Sirius about. You shouldn't even be involved other than to initiate it. And yes Ford should have thought about this exact issue (extending free trial) to begin with regards to the antenna issue and having it resolved.

 

[Petoskey Bill]

The first time I took the car in to get repaired, the dealer said it was a Sirius issue. While I was still at the dealer, I called Sirius and insisted that their rep talk to the Ford guy. When they were done talking, it was clear I was going to need to come back for the real fix (the service bulletin was published just a few days later). It was during that phone conversation when I had both the Sirius rep and the Ford guy on the phone that the Sirius rep said they would put my service on hold till the repair was in place at my "suggestion" (insistence). My Sirius time was extended by the the time it took to get the part and do the repairs (a week). I'm not sure Sirius would have done anything if I did not have them talk to the Ford guy at the same time. It did not make up for all the subscription time lost but it was something