Ford Fusion: Introduction / Data Recording

WARNING: Do not connect wireless plug-in devices to the data link connector. Unauthorized third parties could gain access to vehicle data and impair the performance of safety related systems. Only allow repair facilities that follow our service and repair instructions to connect their equipment to the data link connector.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting it. The information contained in this publication was correct at the time of going to print, but as technology rapidly changes, we recommend that you visit the regional Ford website for the latest information.

Your vehicle has electronic control units that have data recording functionality and the ability to permanently or temporarily store data. This data could include information on the condition and status of your vehicle, vehicle maintenance requirements, events and malfunctions. The types of data that can be recorded are described in this section. Some of the data recorded is stored in event logs or error logs.

Note: Error logs are reset following a service or repair.

Note:We may provide information in response to requests from law enforcement, other government authorities and third parties acting with lawful authority or through a legal process. Such information could be used by them in legal proceedings.

Data recorded includes, for example:

• Operating states of system components, for example, fuel level, tire pressure and battery charge level.
• Vehicle and component status, for example, wheel speed, deceleration, lateral acceleration and seatbelt status.
• Events or errors in essential systems, for example, headlamps and brakes.
• System responses to driving situations, for example, airbag deployment and stability control.
• Environmental conditions, for example, temperature.

Some of this data, when used in combination with other information, for example, an accident report, damage to a vehicle or eyewitness statements, could be associated with a specific person.

Service Data

Service data recorders in your vehicle are capable of collecting and storing diagnostic information about your vehicle. This potentially includes information about the performance or status of various systems and modules in the vehicle, such as engine, throttle, steering or brake systems. In order to properly diagnose and service your vehicle, Ford Motor Company (Ford of Canada in Canada), and service and repair facilities may access or share among them vehicle diagnostic information received through a direct connection to your vehicle when diagnosing or servicing your vehicle. Additionally, Ford Motor Company (Ford of Canada, in Canada) may, where permitted by law, use vehicle diagnostic information for vehicle improvement or with other information we may have about you, for example, your contact information, to offer you products or services that may interest you. Data may be provided to our service providers such as part suppliers that may help diagnose malfunctions, and who are similarly obligated to protect data. We retain this data only as long as necessary to perform these functions or to comply with law. We may provide information where required in response to official requests to law enforcement or other government authorities or third parties acting with lawful authority or court order, and such information may be used in legal proceedings. For U.S. only (if equipped), if you choose to use connected apps and services, you consent that certain diagnostic information may also be accessed electronically by Ford Motor Company and Ford authorized service facilities, and that the diagnostic information may be used to provide services to you, personalizing your experience, troubleshoot, and to improve products and services and offer you products and services that may interest you, where permitted by law. For Canada only, for more information, please review the Ford of Canada privacy policy at www.ford.ca, including our U.S. data storage and use of service providers in other jurisdictions who may be subject to legal requirements in Canada, the United States and other countries applicable to them, for example, lawful requirements to disclose personal information to governmental authorities in those countries.

Event Data

This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder. The main purpose of an event data recorder is to record, in certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an airbag deployment or hitting a road obstacle; this data assist in understanding how a vehicle’s systems performed. The event data recorder is designed to record data related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less.

The event data recorder in this vehicle is designed to record such data as:

• How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger seatbelts were buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator and/or the brake pedal; and
• How fast the vehicle was traveling; and
• Where the driver was positioning the steering wheel.

This data can help provide a better understanding of the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.

Note: Event data recorder data is recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data is recorded by the event data recorder under normal driving conditions and no personal data or information (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location) is recorded. However, other parties, such as law enforcement, could combine the event data recorder data with the type of personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investigation.

To read data recorded by an event data recorder, special equipment is required, and access to the vehicle or the event data recorder is needed. In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as law enforcement, that have such special equipment, can read the information if they have access to the vehicle or the event data recorder.

Comfort, Convenience and Entertainment Data

Your vehicle has electronic control units that have the ability to store data based on your personalized settings. The data is stored locally in the vehicle or on devices that you connect to it, for example, a USB drive or digital music player. You can delete some of this data and also choose whether to share it through the services to which you subscribe.

Comfort and Convenience Data

Data recorded includes, for example:

• Seat and steering wheel position.
• Climate control settings.
• Radio presets.

Entertainment Data

Data recorded includes, for example:

• Music, videos or album art.
• Contacts and corresponding address book entries.
• Navigation destinations.

Services That We Provide

If you use our services, we collect and use data, for example, account information, vehicle location and driving characteristics, that could identify you. We transmit this data through a dedicated, protected connection. We only collect and use data to enable your use of our services to which you have subscribed, with your consent or where permitted by law. For additional information, see the terms and conditions of the services to which you have subscribed.

Services That Third Parties Provide

We recommend that you review the terms and conditions and data privacy information for any services to which you subscribe. We take no responsibility for services that third parties provide.

Vehicles With a Modem (If Equipped)

The modem has a SIM. The modem was enabled when your vehicle was built and periodically sends messages to stay connected to the cell phone network, receive automatic software updates and send vehicle-related information to us, for example, diagnostic information. These messages could include information that identifies your vehicle, the SIM and the electronic serial number of the modem. Cell phone network service providers could have access to additional information, for example, cell phone network tower identification. For additional information about our privacy policy, visit www.FordConnected.com or refer to your local Ford website.

Note: The modem continues to send this information unless you disable the modem or stop the modem from sharing vehicle data by changing the modem settings.

Note: The service can be unavailable or interrupted for a number of reasons, for example, environmental or topographical conditions and data plan coverage.

Note: To find out if your vehicle has a modem, visit www.FordConnected.com.

Vehicles With SYNC

Mobile Device Data

If you connect a mobile device to your vehicle, you can display data from your device on the touchscreen for example, music and album art. You can share your vehicle data with mobile apps on your device through the system.

The mobile apps function operates by your connected device sending data to us in the United States. The data is encrypted and includes the vehicle identification number of your vehicle, the SYNC module serial number, odometer, enabled apps, usage statistics and debugging information. We retain it only as long as necessary to provide the service, to troubleshoot, for continuous improvement and to offer you products and services that may be of interest to you according to your preferences and where allowed by law

If you connect a cell phone to the system, the system creates a profile that links to that cell phone. The cell phone profile enables more mobile features and efficient operation. The profile contains, for example, data from your phonebook, read and unread text messages and call history, including history of calls when your cell phone was not connected to the system.

If you connect a media device, the system creates and retains a media device index of supported media content. The system also records a short diagnostic log of approximately 10 minutes of all recent system activity.

The cell phone profile, media device index and diagnostic log remain in your vehicle unless you delete them and are generally accessible only in your vehicle when you connect your cell phone or media device. If you no longer plan to use the system or your vehicle, we recommend you use the master reset function to erase the stored information.

System data cannot be accessed without special equipment and access to your vehicle's module.

For additional information about our privacy policy, refer to your local Ford website.

Note: To find out if your vehicle has a connectivity technology, visit www.FordConnected.com.

Vehicles With an Emergency Call System

When the emergency call system is active, it may disclose to emergency services that your vehicle has been in a crash involving the deployment of an airbag or activation of the fuel pump shut-off. Certain versions or updates to the emergency call system may also be capable of electronically or verbally disclosing to emergency services operators your vehicle location or other details about your vehicle or crash to assist emergency services operators to provide the most appropriate emergency services. If you do not want to disclose this information, do not activate the emergency call system.

Note: You cannot deactivate emergency call systems that are required by law.