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USB shuts down Sync system

Old Dec 15, 2011 | 03:10 PM
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USB shuts down Sync system

Had my 2011 to the dealer multiple times for this problem. If I use a thumb drive or Ipod in the usb drive sometimes it will lock up the Sync system. The voice comand button wont work. The phone button wont work. I have tried 3 different thumb drives as well as an Ipod. It is an intermitant problem. The system never has a problem unless I use the usb port. I thought I had it worked out by removing the thumb drive when I turned the truck off and reinstalling it after the truck was running but this morning it crapped out again using this method. I thought (so did the dealer)starting the truck with the drive installed was the issue but it is not. Anyone else have this issue? Dealer already replaced the Sync module. Did not help. Something in the usb port or connection. Thanks.

R
 
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Old Dec 15, 2011 | 03:27 PM
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Dang this site is slow this afternoon!

Anyway, I feel your pain. Have you by any chance updated your Sync?
Reason I ask is that ever since I bought my truck, it recognized the cheap Sansa Clip player I have through the front USB port. When I tried to sync my son's Sanas Clip Plus player, the lady in the unit told me that Sync would not play protected media.....same media as on my player that it will recognize.

Fast forward to the last couple weeks...I bought a new Sansa Zip Clip 4gb player as the other one....at 2gb...was full. Got the same message as I did with my son's player.
Going on to SyncMyRide.......it showed I needed an update. So I used my wife's Sansa flash drive an updated it. Then after the update, the unit seemed to default to the AM band on start-up. Then the next time....maybe the FM band. Then it would resume where it was left when I stopped the truck. Press the media button....no response from the lady in the unit. After 10 mins....I guess she woke up.
I bought a flash drive and did the second USB mod and so far, it will resume wherever the song on the drive was playing.....well....maybe it will as it I have asked it to sync and she refused once. Haven't started the truck lately so who knows what she will do.
But...it seemed my problems really started with the update. I guess Microsoft Sync doesn't have a "System Restore" option.

Sorry I don't know the answer...
 
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Old Dec 16, 2011 | 01:49 AM
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Mine does the same thing. But only sometimes with USB and iPod. I have the newest sync update. It's definitely a software issue. Almost as I the USB drive is interfering with the software, like a hung up hard drive. My dealer said it was my iphone not the ipod but my wife's escape uses my phone no problem.

Also, sometimes phone doesn't connect automatically if iPod is connected.

I'm just waiting for an update for sync.

It didn't help me but someone suggest doing a clean pairing of my phone to help the sync issues. But I think we are just out of luck until an update.

Besides sync is Microsoft, that is some high maintenance software designers
 
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Old Dec 16, 2011 | 08:52 AM
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Mine does the same thing.
I try to leave the thumb drive in there and about 15% of the time, it locks up sync. I just need to unplug the drive, wait about 10 seconds, and plug it back in.

Thought it was related to remote start vs normal starts, but no.

Posted the issue on the sync forum and have not gotten a response there either.
 
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Old Dec 16, 2011 | 09:26 AM
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I started my truck yesterday to check another issue and Sync showed USB2 in the display but......it did not start where it last stopped. I had to scroll to "Play All" and then it started playing. Who knows what today may bring.

I leave my flash drive plugged in all the time and I don't have a problem with my phone...an LG Octane...syncing with the unit at all.

Don't ya just love technology?
 
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Old Dec 17, 2011 | 09:05 AM
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For you guys and gals with 2011 trucks built before 07-29-2011 that are experiencing this problem, you need to have the Audio Control Module updated per TSB 11-10-22. There is a software issue with initialization communication between the APIM and the ACM that will be fixed with the update.

Jay
 
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Old Dec 17, 2011 | 09:19 AM
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Originally Posted by FireMe
For you guys and gals with 2011 trucks built before 07-29-2011 that are experiencing this problem, you need to have the Audio Control Module updated per TSB 11-10-22. There is a software issue with initialization communication between the APIM and the ACM that will be fixed with the update.

Jay
Mine was built in August - I assume this TSB wouldnt be for me then?
 
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Old Dec 17, 2011 | 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by ThirdsACharm
Mine was built in August - I assume this TSB wouldnt be for me then?
Shouldn't be for you, but strange things happen at Ford sometimes. I would still ask them to check for any updates, best to talk to the service manager directly if the service advisor won't play ball.
 
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Old Dec 17, 2011 | 11:58 PM
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I've had this happen on my Mustang a few times with an iphone 4 plugged into the USB port. One option is shut the car off, pull the key out, pull the usb device out, then restart and see if Sync is up. If it is, plug your device in. I've also had it come back after about 10 minutes on it's own when I didn't have a convenient spot to pull over and do the restart dance.

It doesn't do it often. Seems to only happen to me if I unplug my USB device, shut the car off, then plug it back in before starting up.

It's most likely a software issue of some kind. Maybe they'll figure it out and do an update. I doubt there's much to be done by swapping out any parts.

Being someone who writes software for a living and has been working on comptuers and electronics for years, I think Ford really should have included a button or some kind of combination of holding down some buttons so you could quickly "reboot" the sync module just like you would if your PC was acting up. Devices like this are complicated and no matter how well designed they're just gonna need a reset sometimes.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2011 | 05:25 AM
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Is this the same issue other 2011 owners mentioned when doing the "USB2" mod? I'm hesitant to try this yet, as I have a 2011 model.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2011 | 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by FireMe
For you guys and gals with 2011 trucks built before 07-29-2011 that are experiencing this problem, you need to have the Audio Control Module updated per TSB 11-10-22. There is a software issue with initialization communication between the APIM and the ACM that will be fixed with the update.

Jay
Guess I need to take mine in as it was built in March of 2011. Thanks for the info.
 
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Old Dec 19, 2011 | 07:34 AM
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Unless I read the TSB wrong, it appears the TSB only applies to non-navigation equipped vehicles. Just want to point that out, as I at first thought I needed the TSB until I read it.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2012 | 09:54 AM
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An update on my Sync issues...

I took my truck into the dealer last Tuesday, Jan. 3rd....and they reprogrammed the Audio Control Module. I was told that if the problem persisted, they would replace the ACM.

So far so good with the unit recognizing my flash drive and responding when I push the media "talk" button on the steering wheel. Hopefully this fixes the problem!
 
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