Preliminary progress with Android Auto / Sync 4

[Snakk Attakk]

Hey all,

I'm on Week 2 with my 2023 Bronco and it is going pretty well. I got off to a rough start as my 8" Sync 4 Infotainment system had become unresponsive multiple times in Android Auto mode. Most of the icons would not launch anything, but I could navigate between the main screen views and the display was updating. I've found similar issues reported on B6G dating back to 2022, but no conclusive resolution. This is with a Galaxy S22 over Bluetooth/Wi-Fi.

So, there is a setting which has seemingly made a difference, and that is under Settings/Connections/Android Auto/Start Android Auto while locked. This defaults to off and I've turned it on. So far, so good. With the Android Auto paradigm there isn't much need to keep the phone in a mount, so I keep it in my pocket with the screen off on short trips. That may be where the trouble started?

I haven't experimented with disabling that feature again, but there is a likely correlation there. I have experimented with USB connectivity which seems fine.

Sponsored

 

[Snakk Attakk]

Update...so Sync 4 locked up today. So that's not good. But I'm seeing a pattern. There is an Intersection of Wireless Death on my morning commute. My AA connection drops about half time time I drive through that intersection (not a lockup). I have to manually reconnect it. Well today I was interacting with AA right up to that intersection, and instead of the connection dropping I got the lockup.

So, in all likelihood it is a manifestation of an unstable wireless connection. Unfortunately, AA employs both a Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi connection, so this dramatically increases the surface area of possible software/hardware failures.

 

[IDyeti]

Update...so Sync 4 locked up today. So that's not good. But I'm seeing a pattern. There is an Intersection of Wireless Death on my morning commute. My AA connection drops about half time time I drive through that intersection (not a lockup). I have to manually reconnect it. Well today I was interacting with AA right up to that intersection, and instead of the connection dropping I got the lockup.

So, in all likelihood it is a manifestation of an unstable wireless connection. Unfortunately, AA employs both a Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi connection, so this dramatically increases the surface area of possible software/hardware failures.

I have an intersection of wireless death that I haven't been able to sort just yet either, pixel 6 pro and pixel 7. Same behavior you mention and will have to manually reconnect the AA piece, it seems to still be connected to wireless/bluetooth in some fashion but sans AA. Sometimes the audio will hiccup when wired at this intersection as well which adds to the mystery. I should put more effort into troubleshooting this, but after a full day of IT work I really hate troubleshooting my own stuff these days.

 

[Snakk Attakk]

I have an intersection of wireless death that I haven't been able to sort just yet either, pixel 6 pro and pixel 7. Same behavior you mention and will have to manually reconnect the AA piece, it seems to still be connected to wireless/bluetooth in some fashion but sans AA. Sometimes the audio will hiccup when wired at this intersection as well which adds to the mystery. I should put more effort into troubleshooting this, but after a full day of IT work I really hate troubleshooting my own stuff these days.

I know what you mean, I'm a software engineer. This intersection is a busy one so I'm guessing it's interference from all the other vehicles.

There isn't much I can do about that; all I ask is for Ford to harden the Sync 4 AA error detection and recovery. It is very brittle.

 

[GroovyGeek]

@Ford Motor Company 's software department should be ashamed of their implementation of AA. Mine freezes at least once a day where none of the buttons respond. And when it does work it does not respect my previously selected audio source and insists on switching to BT every time it finds a BT connection. Really annoying, particularly since Ford's software people also cannot be bothered to pin the Ford Sync icon to the AA bottom panel, recovering my audio source is a 4-button adventure... when the buttons work.

I am this close to buying https://a.co/d/7OHGA0i and ditching Ford's crappy software altogether. Works really well on my wife's vehicle. My patience is wearing thin, if the AA situation does not improve with the next update I am just going to do it.

 

[GroovyGeek]

So, there is a setting which has seemingly made a difference, and that is under Settings/Connections/Android Auto/Start Android Auto while locked.

Just checked. This setting was enabled on my phone and it has been freezing once a day for months.

 

[Snakk Attakk]

Just checked. This setting was enabled on my phone and it has been freezing once a day for months.

I still have the issue so that setting isn't a magic fix.

I'm not convinced this is Ford's issue after observing it for a month. The only buttons that don't work are the AA app icons. Other buttons do work, so the touch panel is working, and the Sync 4 is functioning. The trouble is, without the Sync app button it is difficult to escape from AA on an 8" display.

BUT THERE IS A WAY

If you turn the Tune hardware button, the station will change and there is a small pulldown that appears at the top of the display. If you quickly tap it, you can escape over to the Sync Audio screen. Then you can toggle the AA icon from the Phones list and recover, or just stay in the Sync UI.

Sponsored