Ford Unlocks Sync AppLink Capabilty for 3.4 Millions 2010 and Newer Vehicles
1/14/14, 02:53 PM
#22
Legacy TMS Member
Ford has confirmed that AppLink will be introduced as a free upgrade to current owners later this year. I am unable to provide information on which specific systems/vehicles this will be introduced to at this time. As more information becomes available, I'll continue to share. Here is a link to the article I'm referring to: http://media.ford.com/content/fordme...customers.html
Kim
Kim
11/14/14, 10:06 PM
#28
Normally, you would expect a radio to return to the source that was on when it was powered down. I have no idea why Sync won't perform that simple function. My Sync systems even have a setting called Autoplay that is always set to "on". Yet even when the Bluetooth input is on at start up, it will not automatically play music from my phone. Even if the display reads "Bluetooth Media", I have to push the button, the radio will say "Bluetooth Audio. Please say a command" and I have to say "Bluetooth Audio" to get it to play.
Now that winter is here, my next biggest Sync failure will plague me until spring. If I remote start my truck when my phone is out of range, I cannot connect to Bluetooth by any means except by the following process. I have to shut the truck off, open the door and lock it with the remote fob while I sit inside (this kills the delayed power function and turns off the radio immediately). Then I have to unlock the truck with the remote fob. Then I can start it so it will reboot Sync and find the Bluetooth on my phone. Every other Bluetooth radio I've owned has been able to find and connect to the primary phone even if it was out of range at start up.
Let's face it, there is a reason that Sync by itself has dropped Ford from near the top of the quality rankings to near the bottom of the quality rankings. Sync is garbage by design and there is no avoiding it in the prepackaged world of ordering a Ford vehicle. If you want anything but the cheapest base model, you get Sync and there is no way to fix it without a complete replacement.
11/15/14, 08:15 AM
#29
Mach 1 Member
Sending you a PM, Boss 0960.
11/15/14, 09:56 AM
#30
Cobra Member
I found that if I turn the key to the ACC position and pause just a second before starting the car it gives Sync enough time to recognize the presence of my USB thumb drive, which is my usual music source.
11/15/14, 03:24 PM
#31
I want to use Bluetooth music 100% of the time I'm driving. I have not been able to get a thumb drive to work in either of Sync equipped vehicles. I've done the whole dance about formatting the drives properly but even if I can get Sync to find the drive, it won't play the music because it's not authorized to play content protected music. This is despite the fact that I legally purchased all the music that I own. So even if Sync works well enough to find my music, it won't play it for me on principle.
Luckily, I had an old iPod that I could connect to the USB that actually works. I need that for the many times that Sync won't find my phone on Bluetooth at all. I still haven't found a workaround for the times when Sync doesn't initialize correctly and the only source available is radio. All these problems go away if Sync would just work properly.
11/15/14, 03:32 PM
#32
Cobra Member
Mine will say that when it first recognizes the thumb drive, but it does go ahead and play from the thumb anyway. It first has to initiate voice commands and then index all the music on the thumb and that takes a while, but then it works fine.
11/15/14, 03:48 PM
#33
I did get to the index part of the process once. I gave up after about 10-15 minutes of indexing one playlist of about 100 songs. I'm in the vehicle because I've got places to go. Ain't nobody got time for that.
11/15/14, 05:14 PM
#34
Cobra Member
Mine has never taken anywhere near that long, and I have a thumb with over 300 albums on it. I put together a Word doc with how I setup my thumb drive and would be happy to send it to you. If interested, PM me with your email address.
11/15/14, 06:04 PM
#35
I've noticed it depends a LOT on the type of drive connected to the USB. Some slow USB drives will take 3+ minutes, but my new iPhone takes < 30 seconds, and also indexes as it plays.
11/15/14, 07:06 PM
#36
Mach 1 Member
Join Date: April 17, 2013
Location: Hickory Creek, TX
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I love SYNC- and the ability to stream Pandora- but the whole system causes nothing but worry.
My system splits 50/50 between defaulting to the radio or the USB. That doesn't really bother me, since I just hit the voice command button, say "Mobile Applications," then "Pandora" and I'm on my way. However, about once a week, all I get is a "beep beep" from the system- which will then not accept any verbal commands. The only thing to do is pull over, turn off the car, restart, and then the system works. This occurrence has increased in frequency over the past few months- so I am left to wonder if the system is going kaput!
C'mon Ford- you could do better than this! I have to wonder if anyone is even looking into the many little flaws in the system- which should be "fixable" with a downloadable update. At $2k, I have to believe Ford makes out like a bandit on the "electronics package," so would it really kill the bottom line to assign some intern to develop a fix?
My system splits 50/50 between defaulting to the radio or the USB. That doesn't really bother me, since I just hit the voice command button, say "Mobile Applications," then "Pandora" and I'm on my way. However, about once a week, all I get is a "beep beep" from the system- which will then not accept any verbal commands. The only thing to do is pull over, turn off the car, restart, and then the system works. This occurrence has increased in frequency over the past few months- so I am left to wonder if the system is going kaput!
C'mon Ford- you could do better than this! I have to wonder if anyone is even looking into the many little flaws in the system- which should be "fixable" with a downloadable update. At $2k, I have to believe Ford makes out like a bandit on the "electronics package," so would it really kill the bottom line to assign some intern to develop a fix?
11/15/14, 10:27 PM
#37
PM'd. Thanks. I know it should not take that long to index with only a limited number of songs on a thumb drive. That's why I gave up. Even to get to the point where it would try to index was a pain. It would be nice to have one Sync function that works consistently and reliably.
11/17/14, 12:55 PM
#39
Cobra Member
PM'd. Thanks. I know it should not take that long to index with only a limited number of songs on a thumb drive. That's why I gave up. Even to get to the point where it would try to index was a pain. It would be nice to have one Sync function that works consistently and reliably.
I feel your pain. I also only really use Bluetooth to connect to my smartphone for audio streaming and it is annoying (but not a deal breaker) that it doesn't always default to the last chosen option.
I had a little bit of trouble getting a flashdrive to work as well.
make sure its formatted to fat32 and create a folder called music and dump your folders/subfolders or just any MP3 files directly into the music folder. it should work.
the key is to make sure your flashdrive is formatted as FAT32.
11/17/14, 08:30 PM
#40
2014 Ford Mustang applink question
I have a 2014 Mustang GT that came with no navigation system. It did have sync and applink on it. I did the whole oem navigation retro fit for my car. Navigation system that came out of a 2012 Mustang GT500 cobra. An issue that I have been having is the 2012 came with no APPlink. The cool thing is that I can voice activate mobile apps still because I have my sync module from my 2014. Is there any way to update the 2012 nav radio unit to get mobile app buttons to appear on the screen. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
