You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

JLB3 Author

Level 1

69 points

iPhone 7 Bluetooth connectivity with Ford SYNC malfunctions

I'm using my iPhone 7 with my 2016 Ford Fusion with SYNC. The Bluetooth connection worked flawlessly with my iPhone 6S. Today, the iPhone 7 experienced significant connectivity issues, including regular dropouts, dropping the connection entirely, and music just stopping playing. Not a cellular data issue as the songs were on the iPhone. Resetting network settings, turning bluetooth on/off, and dropping/re-connecting to the car did not fix the issue. No equipment or other things have changed except the switch to the new iPhone.

I fully don't expect there to be a "solution" other than a software update or returning this phone, but has it happened to anyone else?

Posted on Sep 17, 2016 1:19 PM

Top-ranking reply

khustek

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Jan 25, 2017 10:52 PM

I ended up returning my iPhone 7 Plus (model A1784) and repurchased an iPhone 7 Plus (model A1661). So far the music skipping and random disconnects while on calls is gone. I did a lot more research on these Apple forums before going into the Apple Store and ultimately deciding to return and repurchase. There is another forum that has 43 pages of responses about the same issue. I posted a very long response there and am including a link if you'd like to go there and get more information. It's worth a read as it may help and will explain my logic for doing the return and change in models.

Re: iPhone7 Bluetooth issue in the car

View in context

253 replies

Dec 1, 2017 9:20 AM in response to JLB3

I have the same trouble with my new Iphone 7, i had an iphone 4s and all worked well conecting with my sync in my 2015 ford F150 but when i switched from my iphone 4 to my iphone 7 it wont connect ! i also have tryed all of what you tred to make it work and even reset my ford sync by pulling the fuse but to no avail. Iphone needs to fix the problem !

meat2002

Level 1

4 points

Dec 11, 2017 12:43 AM in response to JLB3

I have been looking for someone with the same problem as me but can't find anyone with exactly the same issue, I've seen a lot of people with sound quality issues but my problem relates only to connecting calls on SYNC in my Focus 2013. I can play music via BT no problem and can initiate a call using voice command but as soon as the call connects it 'unsyncs' and the call routes back to my iPhone 7 plus. It still shows on the display that the call is in progress and even tells me the name of the person I'm speaking to/call duration etc. but the sound won't play through the car. If I try to switch part way through a call it fails and if I give up and put it on loudspeaker then try to switch to SYNC it reverts to the phone again. As soon as I disconnect the call my music or podcast will immediately re-commence. I have unpaired my phone, factory reset SYNC but no joy. I'm on iOS 11.2 Very frustrating...

Dec 11, 2017 7:53 AM in response to meat2002

I finely solved my connectivity issues by deleting my phone on my sync then went to my iPhone 7 and in the bluetooth area i choose ignore this sync and went back and reinstalled it on my ford f150 and this time it synced fine

Dec 12, 2017 5:23 AM in response to meat2002

I have a 2012 F250 and after upgrading last Friday to 11.2 I have the same problem with the phone calls however I cannot get my phone to connect for music via bluetooth and it won't even play music when I use the USB port in the truck and try to play that way. I have tried disconnecting my device and reconnecting, I've tried resetting the network settings on the iphone. Nothing works.

yotis

Level 1

4 points

Jan 12, 2018 9:58 AM in response to JLB3

Same problem here...

Current IOS 11.2.1, reset to default factory, re-pair, tried all tricks out there...nothing works.

My biggest problem is taking calls in my car when the iPhone is connected via Bluetooth. If I try the Airplane trick mentioned earlier, I can't take calls, so not really a workaround in my case.

Jan 17, 2018 6:13 PM in response to JLB3

I had the same problem! I don't know if you found a solution to yours but I did not. I tried all of the same things and even took it in to the Apple Store. They cleaned it and did a hardware test which did not detect any problems.

But being on the go and needing SYNC for work, I have been unsuccessful in finding a solution. HELP!

Feb 24, 2017 12:42 PM in response to mcgalb

I'm from The Netherlands. IT should be under settings. This is how it should look like:

tauberfa

Level 1

14 points

May 3, 2017 12:55 PM in response to Jewels72nd

Jun 8, 2017 2:42 AM in response to JeeBeetje

Yes, similar issues with Bluetooth connection on iPhone 6.

In attached picture is the sync version.

Sep 27, 2016 4:15 AM in response to JLB3

I have the same issue with a 2014 Fiesta ST, using an iphone 7+. I tried returning the phone. The replacement has exactly the same issues. I would love for a software update to fix this.

Sep 27, 2016 4:53 AM in response to JLB3

Exact same problem in my 2013 Ford Taurus with Sync 2. Would love to know of a fix!

Sep 27, 2016 6:31 AM in response to JLB3

I don't have a solution, but I do notice that although the problem exists with the phone in any state, it seems to be exacerbated by running any app that uses the phone's GPS antennas.

For now, I have been going through the extra step of plugging my iPhone 7+ into USB every time I get in the car. The BT phone connection might still drop eventually, but at least I can use navigation and listen to streaming music stations without the random skipping, stuttering, and dropping of connection. BT has now become dangerous and is going to get someone killed in a car accident.

I can't wait for an iOS update that will fix this.

Sep 27, 2016 6:59 AM in response to davidsignal

I can't wait for an iOS update that will fix this.

Maybe it is a SYNC update that is needed.

JLB3 Author

Level 1

69 points

Sep 27, 2016 7:05 AM in response to JLB3

For what it's worth, Apple called me directly about the error and offered to run a diagnostic while I was in the car. I got in the car and tried to reproduce the error and could not -- this was after the most recent iOS update had been installed. If you haven't done that, I would try it. That said, I also don't drive much, so I only have had one long trip on which this happened. If you're having problems as well, I would contact AppleCare and see if they will set something up.

I kind of LOLed at the suggestion that Ford's product needs an update. Ford's product works perfectly fine with every product out there EXCEPT iPhone 7. The problem is obviously something with the iPhone 7, which hopefully the latest software update fixed. But again, if you're still having problems, they seemed very interested in helping me out and I assume will be the same for everybody.

Sep 27, 2016 8:22 AM in response to Gerald Edgar

I don't care who does the update, as long as I can regain the bluetooth functionality that previous iPhones offer. Apple did design the new iPhone 7, which has broken a useful feature. So the onus is on Apple. But if Ford is willing to fix Apple's bug, I will take that too. I hope that somebody will make it just work.

iPhone 7 Bluetooth connectivity with Ford SYNC malfunctions