New Sync My-Ford (non-touch) update (Ver 4.4) on owner.ford.com site

[HotPotato]

 

Just logged in and noticed SYNC My-Ford (non-touch) update (Ver 4.4) was available for my 2013 CMax SE. It was added sometime in the last 4 weeks (since I last logged in).  

 

Has anyone installed this update? If so, have you noticed improved bluetooth connectivity? 

(With my current SYNC version, I frequently have to turn-off/turn-on bluetooth on phone to get connected.)

 

Below is summary of update:

 

What's included in this update?

FJ5T-14D544-AB SYNC v4.4

Bluetooth© Connectivity Improvements:

• Enhanced Bluetooth phone connection stability
• Enabled track information to be displayed for Bluetooth-streamed media including metadata such as song title, artist name and album title
• More robust Message Access Profile (MAP) functionality to handle SMS reception and Text2Speach output
• Media Connectivity Improvements:
• Improved media connectivity for USB-equipped Apple devices, as well as streamlined device initialization and authentication process
• Previous USB or Bluetooth media source playback now resumed after ignition cycle
• AppLink Functionality Improvements:
• Better AppLink customer experience with more robust features and reliable functionality

 

2010-2013 Basic SYNC and SYNC with MyFord (without Voice-Activated Navigation)

The v4.4 software update will add AppLink, in addition to improved quality updates, for 2010-2013 model year customers without Voice-Activated Navigation (who do not already have AppLink).

2010-2014 SYNC with Voice-Activated Navigation

This software will provide improved quality updates only for 2010-2014 model year customers who have Voice-Activated Navigation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YAY!!! Thank you for sharing this! Looks like it will address some of the infuriating reliability and connectivity problems for those like me who use their iPhone as the near-exclusive music source, and this news comes just in time for my next dealer visit.

[Madmax98]

Where can we find our software update version numbers?

 

Also,I'm having a heck of a time trying to connect the myford mobile app with my 2013 Energi.

 

Tried resetting fuse,re'adding vehicle several times through app and through the owner.ford.com site, system continues to drop the VIN from the app.

 

I did get a couple prompts to accept control, but since the last time I pulled and replaced the fuse as instructed by Ford Phone support, I haven't seen any requests to link with the car on the car console.

 

I'm currently waiting for 'a Ford Engineer' to call me back with case number they opened.

 

I gotta wonder why this is happening.  Security too tight on this process.

No idea what is actually happening.

 

A lot of rumors and guesses,i.e. keep car out of garage to get satellite signals, etc..

 

Anybody else have issues they could resolve on their own to get the myfordmobile app set up?

 

Thanks.

 

[Noah Harbinger]

I sometimes have trouble, but basically it is a Microsoft product - you have to adjust your speaking to match the programming. The exact opposite of Android and IOS. My favorite error is to speak too quickly after the prompt. That messes up every time.

 

I don't think it has anything to do with being a Microsoft product as a system design constraint limitation. The vehicle's voice control has to be entirely self-contained, so it must run on a system with limited computing power. Siri / Google voice assistant / Cortana all have *massive* server farms doing the voice processing on the back end, using the phone as just a microphone.

[nsteblay]

I have a 2013 SEL with the latest 3.6.2 (I think).  It's been working great. Have an iPhone 6 and use it for music (Bluetooth, USB, Pandora) all the time and it hasn't skipped a beat.  It will read my text messages.  Siri works great so I can send texts if I need to.  Update to the latest Nav, that works fine.  Sirius radio is working great.  Voice recognition can drive you crazy but all voice recognition can drive you crazy.  I don't know, I feel like Ford finally got it debugged with the latest release.  Getting good gas mileage.  Happy as a clam.  Been a great value.

[HotPotato]

This thread, software update, and post apply to the NON-TOUCHSCREEN stereo.

 

It was almost a year after getting the car that I figured out the sequence to make the system reliably send music from an iPhone: 1) verify Bluetooth is turned on on the phone, 2) plug in the USB cable, 3) only then turn on the car, 4) immediately switch to RADIO, 5) wait for Bluetooth icon to appear in center display, 6) only then switch to AUX. If you're lucky, it will connect in USB mode. If you're unlucky, it will connect in LINE IN mode and you'll feel like putting your fist through the dashboard, but instead you'll pull the voice paddle and say "Bluetooth Audio," since that usually works when USB doesn't.

 

Don't ask me why Bluetooth needs to connect before USB will reliably work...maybe the Bluetooth connection time happens to match the USB authentication time.

 

I think the idea of this update is that you won't have to do steps 4-6 anymore - it should just pick up in USB mode by itself if that's what it was on when you were last in the car. Since the update was installed, I can't say I've found that to be the case...but the USB and Bluetooth Audio connections are less likely to randomly fail as I drive, which is a big plus.

Edited May 16, 2015 by HotPotato