iPhone 7 Bluetooth connectivity with Ford SYNC malfunctions

The issue is most definitely with the iPhone, as my 6+, 6S+, and my significant other's Note 5 work flawlessly. FWIW, I am having this issue on iOS 10.0.1 and 10.0.2.

I am having the problem, too. I have a 2015 Escape and got my new iPhone 7 just over a week ago. I paired the new phone the weekend I got it and it worked great for a week and now - nothing. It won't connect, it won't play, I repeatedly get a message saying "Bluetooth Media Disconnected." Several full resets later and I still have the same problem. i can't even get my music or podcasts to play using a USB cord. My iPhone 5 sometimes had connection problems but I'd just shut the phone off, turn it back on, and that always fixed it. I have to believe it is a Sync software problem and I'm hoping an update will fix it. In the meantime I have an appointment to take it to Ford for them to look at it, but I'm disappointed it has come to this.

Now, after further testing, I may actually have to agree that it is a Ford issue. I went home and tested my iPhone on a pair of Bluetooth headphones and a Bluetooth receiver for my stereo system and both worked without a hitch.

I have found the same thing too. I had my phone locked in a box last night in a place where there was no cellular reception. When I went to retrieve it, the cellular status said "no service". I often give the cellular option a slide at this point to restore connection, but this time I just left it at "no service" and tried driving home. And I was able to get through the whole trip (about 15-20 minutes) with perfect audio. No skips, stutters, drops... nothing. It just worked. Obviously, this is not an acceptable scenario, as cellular service is needed to take/place calls and to stream from the internet without wifi. But it is notable that the lack of cellular activity fixed the bluetooth issue completely. I wonder if it is some kind of interference. I notice that Cessna is in NYC. I am in the DC-metro area. Also, I am using ATT, which I believe uses GSM frequencies.

I will test your theory today. I'll put my iPhone into airplane mode and see how it works without cell signal. I am also on AT&T. I'd be interested to know if Verizon/CDMA users have this issue as well.

This issue is not specific to ford as i have read on readdit and experienced issues as well.

My brothers 2013 kia optima has same issue.

His 7+ as well as my 7+ both experience cut outs and turning off in his car.

Tried hard reset, reset all network settings, unpair/repair, forget device and delete from car.

Still have issue.

In my 2015 Subaru STi, i dont have the audio issues. However, i have to manually connect every time i start the car. Not a unpair/repair, but i have to go into the car stereo, list the phone and hit connect. Very frustrating.
Iphone 6, 6+, and 5s do not have any of these issues in either vehicle.

I have the older Sync in my 2011 F150. There has not been a sync update for years and the stupid radio forces you to hit the button every time you start the truck to switch from line in to BT. 7+, 6+ have never had an issue in my F150.

Cessna, thanks for the airplane mode suggestion. I have just confirmed the earlier theory.

Airplane mode + BT + wifi (ie: no GSM cellular) = perfect BT audio

Turn cellular back on = BT skips, stutters, and drops connection

Also confirmed Airplane Mode + Bluetooth works without a hitch. What a strange issue. Hopefully Apple recognizes it sooner than later.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

I have left a bug report at the above link. I hope others will also do this so that Apple will expedite some kind of fix action.

Not a technical person here, but it may be that the iPhone 7 or iOS 10.0.2 may be having an issue with music playback while negotiating incoming notifications via LTE such as Facebook's or while fetching data. I am on AT&T. Sound drops out and comes back on intermittently. Does this happen with all carriers? I'll experiment with turning notifications off while traveling. I drive a VW GTI 2012. Never experienced this issue before.

So far, users from this thread have come to the conclusion that this issue is limited to GSM networks i.e. AT&T. Verizon seems to be unaffected.

I have tried turning airplane mode on then back off, while SYNC was trying to connect a phone, and my iPhone 7 would then connect.

Thanks for the tip, but the issue that most of us are having is that the connection will eventually break up and disconnect as long as a cellular connection to a GSM provider is enabled. It is specific for customers of AT&T and T-Mobile.