iOS 4 disabled Ford Sync System

Question

iOS 4 disabled Ford Sync System

I have an iPhone 3GS that was working great with iPhone OS 3.1.3 in my Ford Focus with Microsoft Sync. I updated to iOS 4 yesterday, and today I was unable to see the phone using USB. Bluetooth seemed to work fine, and I can still use the phone features with Sync.

I didn't think anything of it, until I got home. I plugged in USB device after USB device that used to work fine, and now NONE of them work. The only thing that has changed was my upgrade to the new iOS 4. If you have a car with the Sync system, you may want to read around, there are many people having this problem.

Dell Dimension E650, Windows 7

Posted on Jun 22, 2010 7:02 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 23, 2010 12:18 PM in response to VillainousOne

I am experiencing the exact same issue with my Ford F150 with Microsoft Sync.

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Answer 2

Jun 23, 2010 12:24 PM in response to TheBoneMan

Exact same issue with my 2010 Honda Fit Sport, the USB jack no longer supports my phone. Before it used to fuss about asking me if I wanted to turn off wireless services to cut interference, to which I always checked NO to, since I had no interference.... but now not only does my radio flash UNSUPPORTED, my Iphone just simply says "This device is not configured" etc, and has only one choice, the "dismiss" button.

I am highly agitated about this new "update", and this is just the most annoying problem it's brought. I'm currently searching for a way around it, as I do not have Bluetooth, and the sound system to plug in the AUX jack is not only inferior sound, it's inconvenient.

If you find a fix for this, or a way to roll back to the old OS without destroying all data on the phone, please post here, I will be tracking this thread.

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Answer 3

Jun 23, 2010 4:46 PM in response to VillainousOne

So, I talked with a very helpful Apple Tech last night after calling the AT&T number (not sure if he really worked for Apple or AT&T or both, so not sure where the credit would go).

Anyways... even the engineers that work on the iOS are having problems with the new iOS working with their audio systems. So this leads me to one question... if the engineers knew it was buggy software and that it could mess up audio systems all over the place, why in the world did they release it?

Side Note: my phone now likes to turn on the iPod feature at random and start playing. I had it laying on my desk during a meeting with a client this afternoon, and was quite embarrassed when it started playing the track I had been listening to earlier today.

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Answer 4

Jun 24, 2010 8:45 AM in response to VillainousOne

Here is a fix that I found while messing around with my Sync System last night:

First, prepare a USB flash drive to use to update your Sync System.
Download the current version of the Sync firmware from your syncmyride account.
(You must do this even if you already have the latest version)
Next, pull the fuse for your sync system. For my Focus, this was under the dash and labeled #13. Keep in mind that yours is possibly different, so look at the fuse box cover and/or your owner's manual to make sure.
Leave the fuse out for approximately 15 minutes.

Once the Sync system has sat for 15 minutes, replace the fuse.
Plug the USB stick into your Sync system and allow the firmware to update.
If you are told the current firmware exists, you may be OK, but I chose to re-flash the unit to make sure.
Make sure the firmware fully installes (the v2.1 release I installed took about 10 minutes to complete, you have to wait for 2 confirmations before it is done)
Next, wipe your phone from Sync if it was previously paired to it. I did a standard delete of all bluetooth devices (two iPhones paired).

Once this was complete, I was able to reconnect my iPhone with iOS 4 via bluetooth, and I can now connect it to the USB port and control it.

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Answer 5

scshupe

Level 1

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Jun 26, 2010 5:24 PM in response to VillainousOne

After updating to iOS 4 on my iPhone 3GS I have this exact problem. However, when I signed into my syncmyride account to download the current version of the sync firmware (v2.1) i could not download it. i contacted sync and they said that because i had previously reported v2.1 being successfully (which it was)installed they could not give me another download of the firmware. is there anywhere to get sync v2.1 so that i can re-install it in my 2009 F150?

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Answer 6

TexasRN

Level 1

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Jun 28, 2010 12:52 PM in response to scshupe

Above didn't help with me.. Still unable to use USB port to choose music through nav screen. You still need Sync 2.1?

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Answer 7

Jul 6, 2010 9:12 AM in response to VillainousOne

I tried the above and had to luck. Well, that's not entirely true. Sync will now recognise USB devices, just not my iPhone. It connected the first try for about 2 seconds then disconnected. Now it will no longer recognise my iPhone as a USB device.

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Answer 8

Jul 8, 2010 12:04 PM in response to TheB0neMan

Found this on another thread and it worked for me:

The method used to recognize the USB device has a clever bit of code in the firmware to improve the connect time once the initial handshake with the device has been established. So after the update to iOS4, the host device (Car Stereo) still thinks that it is connecting to the un-updated client device (iPhone prior to updating to iOS4) The updated client device (Your iPhone with iOS4), must fool the host device (Your car stereo), into believing that it is an entirely new device. This is done by connecting your iPhone to the stereo head USB port with the iPhone switched off completely. This is achieved by holding down the top power button on the iPhone until the red slide bar comes up and prompts you to shut the iPhone down. Do this and then with the car stereo switched on, plug the iPhone into the USB socket and wait till the iPhone starts of it's own accord. If it does not start, press the top power button on the phone until it starts. This will force the host device (Your car stereo) and the client device (Your iPhone) to re-negotiate the handshake between the devices and get you back to where you will once again be happy.

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Answer 9

bblande

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Jul 17, 2010 8:09 AM in response to TheB0neMan

Boneman, this didn't work for me and I tried it twice....

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Answer 10

Aug 17, 2010 6:10 PM in response to VillainousOne

Same thing happened twice on my 2009 F150 with Microsoft Sync, except in my case, once it blew the USB port, this other time it had to be hard reset with the fuse pulled to get it back working. Luckily I'm under warranty with the truck still. Spoke with Ford about the problem and they are completely blaming Apple for this and say there is nothing they can do to fix the issue, it's something in the new IOS in both the bluetooth communication and the way it allows the system to access the music files that has changed. We have to wait on Apple to resolve this issue it seems.

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Answer 11

pvmobile

Level 1

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Aug 17, 2010 6:45 PM in response to Serincino

I posted this on another post, thought I would drop it here. My iphone3gs dropped sync connection with my 2009 Ford Edge. USB port wouldn't charge or connect, only bluetooth audio which *****.
I had my Edge with sync into the dealership. Apparently it was my iphone 3gs causing the problem. They said one of our ipods needed an update and it locked the sync usb out. I checked my wife's ipod nano for any updates and it was fine. She was using it successfully today. Then I plugged in my iphone 3gs and it locked it out again. I was reluctent to upgrade to 4.0.1 because of some postings in this forum. I have now done the update. My dealer notes said that when it locks:disconnect the car battery for at least 3mins. This resets the brains in most cases. It should reboot up restored. This worked for me. Been working eversince. Updating Iphone was key. Hope this works for you.
Scott

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