Ford Sync 3 USB connection broken with IOS 11.2.5

I have a C-Max Energi, which in California, means I can use the HOV (carpool) lanes even when there's just me in the car. The Sync navigation takes this into account and will adjust the route for using these lanes. None of the apps I've tried (Google Maps, Apple Maps etc.) have this feature.

FYI, the 11.3 beta did get my phone working again. The only thing was I had to delete and re-add the phone in the bluetooth configuration in Sync.

ANOTHER RELATED BUG: Is anyone else having the issue, where when using carplay with apple music on ford sync 3 and iOS 11.2.5 the metadata (song title and album name) are not syncing over from CarPlay to your dashboard display or the sync 3 system when on the home screen of sync 3 with CarPlay still running in the background? Basically I can see the song info if I go into the now playing screen of CarPlay but nowhere else in the system, my dash, or sync 3.

I can attest that the Public Beta of 11.3 fixes the sync issues. You just have to be aware that you will have to re-setup any of your blue tooth connections. Not just the Sync, but any other head-sets or speakers you connect to your iPhone.

I had same issue. Was able to update to IOS 11.3 beta. Everything was working fine for about 2 days and now both of my USB ports cannot even detect my USB for even a second. iPhone indicates that it’s charging for a couple seconds and then stops. Then starts and then stops (similar to when you have a broken USB cord) but I have tried with 3 separate cords. SMH fix this Apple.

I to have the same issue, had the ford focus/iPhone for a few years and never had any issues, Soon as me & the wife updated to the new IOS we can no longer connect to ford sync. Apple need to rectify this asap.

A lot of what you described, I'm seeing as well. And I'm pretty sure it's a combination of iOS 11.2.5 AND Sync 3, v2.3

I think it's related to v2.3 because I have two 2017 Ford vehicles: an Explorer and a Fusion. The Explorer is still on Sync 3 v2.2 and everything USB-related works great. The Fusion updated to 2.3 over the air the other night, and that's where I'm seeing the problems similar to others here. Here's what I see:

1) Plugging into either USB port gives me the "Connected to <device>" message, but after I change to that source, I get the message: "The media device is not available" after about 10 seconds. Yet the phone charges correctly.

2) Sync 3 apps are not found/loaded on Sync 3 Applink even though they are running on the phone (Pandora, iHeartRadio,...)

3) CarPlay works just fine, when activated. No disconnects. Everything works as expected.

4) Bluetooth on or off doesn't seem to correct the problem

and the strangest of all:

5) If I reboot the phone running 11.2.5, everything works great upon restarting!! All Applink apps show up as expected, I can recognize the USB device and listen to audio from all apps - just the way it's supposed to work! However, as soon as I unplug USB from the device and plug it back in - BOOM - back to the same problems described above.

Curious if anyone suffering these problems can get it to work after a fresh iOS restart.

So, I understand Beta 11.3 fixes this, but I despise running Beta iOS versions. I'm hoping all this will be ironed out in Sync 3 v3.0. At least it better be as I'm anxiously awaiting Waze native integration. At this rate though, we'll probably get 11.3 before we see 3.0 drop.

Okay, I take back what I said about it not happening on Sync 3 v2.2. I hadn't been in that car in a while, but I just tried it, and sure enough, it shows the same incorrect behavior as v2.3. But I did try the iOS reboot on this car, and it too started working perfectly until I unplugged and replugged.

Great news! Well, it seems like it's at least good news:

11.2.6 which just came out this evening seems to have addressed most of the problems - at least for me.

Before, I could not change sources to the USB device in 11.2.5 - now it allows me to play the USB source without any problems. So, that's the great news.

The not so great news is that it looks like external apps are working better than they were before. When I first tried it, they all popped up (Ford+Alexa, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Stitcher) and they all seemed to work. When I tested the unplug and replug, USB audio still worked great, but the aforementioned apps were a little sketchy. I couldn't get all of them to reappear on the Apps screen and when I tried Ford+Alexa, it listened to me, but didn't respond.

So, in the end, this is way better than it was with 11.2.5. All I really wanted was my Apple Music and Podcasts and both are working reliably now.

Go get your 11.2.6.

I too have the same issue despite updating to 11.2.6 in my 2017 Fusion Hybrid. Alexa+Ford shows up for just a split second on Sync then goes away.

Also updated to 11.3 beta and still have the same problem. Did Sync master reset and reinstalled iOS app several times.

Any ideas?

@Techmato and @galvez-architect: I'm curious if you guys are able to play audio to Sync 3 through USB now that you're on 11.2.6. Because that's what 11.2.6 seemed to fix. That was definitely broken in 11.2.5 and has yet to fail now that I have 11.2.6.

What's iffy is the behavior of Applink as you've mentioned above. I sometimes see the apps pop up then disappear from the Apps screen, and when they do stay up on the screen, an app like Alexa+Ford sometimes works and sometimes ignores my request. It seems hit and miss on apps though I will say that it works better on my Sync 3 v2.2 vehicle than it does on my Sync 3 v2.3 car.

@pupk What you describe with AppLink also persists in 11.3 Beta 2. I have had this same issue with mobile application support being spotty at best on three different Fords and Lincolns over the past few years, so it seems to be pervasive going all the way back to the horrible Microsoft-engineered Sync 1.

Other users may also be able to verify that when an app icon disappears, which usually means that cover art will also do your fault to the Ford generic images, or disappear completely, or show the incorrect art for something completely unrelated. And when that happens It’s generally not long after that the connections which is to Bluetooth and the button for USB becomes unresponsive until you unplug and re-plug the device.

Based on my personal experience with every version of Sync, it seems that Apple doesn’t vette Ford connectivity problems properly before releasing a new iOS update, and over the years I have found Ford to be completely uninterested in fixing These pervasive issues. I love the cars, but I think this is inexcusable. Any other car brand I have owned, and the cars belonging to friends I have connected to universally work perfectly with my iPhone.

Make no mistake that this is a problem that originates with Ford’s implementation. Apple bent over backwards for many months working with me one on one to try to solve these problems, but Ford corporate would not return messages to me, and my dealer basically told me I was crazy And that there was nothing they could do and no one has ever complained about any of these problems before besides me. I think everyone in this forum knows that is not true.

Ok I have some developments, however they are somewhat half baked. In short Apple car play works awesome. I love it I wish I didn’t have to plug it in to get it, such is life always room for improvement. However the Bluetooth is completely broken. I have done at least 4 complete resets and installs with sync3, my iphone8 and myford pass. (Including hard resets for all) both systems have the latest software/firmware. Still no change, it connects for about 10 seconds and then cuts off and tries to reconnect. Which it does and the cycle repeats. While in the process of adding and disconnecting my phone none of the buttons work or are delayed 20 seconds. I did some more research and found a discussion on a Ford 150 forum who noticed problems with the “no gps” icon on the screen coupled with the above behavior. After much Sturm und Drang with multiple f150s and their trips to the dealers on this forum, they discovered it was a bad APIM module, within Ford Sync3. The posters had these modules replaced and now everything works. I find it interesting that if it is the case my APIM module went out, that it roughly corresponded with the 11.2.5 update. However since my phone updates all the time and often with little thought from me, they may have little to do with each other, it may be that’s just when it went back. My memory now colored with that possibility, now sees possible signs like having intermittent “No GPS” icons on my baby screen before the failure, and that it seemed maybe to work after that update for a day or so then stopped. It is hard to be sure I live and work on a small island off the coast of Texas, and drive a whopping 2.5 miles to work. (I’m never in the truck that long to come to any proper conclusions) I will go to the mainland on Monday and have the dealership look at it. They are aware of APIM problems but are required to do their do diligence before doling out a $450 dollar part. We will see (thank God it is still under warranty)!

There is one oddity that I just noticed with Apple Music via the USB source. Sync 3 Audio's list of my iPhone's Playlists is a much smaller list than what I actually have on the phone. And when I go to Sync 3's Audio via the Bluetooth source, I see every single Playlist correctly displayed and available.

Anyone else seeing the same thing?

I have noticed this before. I think it’s because via USB device needs to be indexed, and buy a Bluetooth it’s just relaying the information that’s on the device. At least that’s my assumption.

Sent from my iPhone