Siri issues after SYNC upgrade

[bds123123]

iPhone 6S IOS up to date

2014 Ford Fusion (no mytouch)

I had a SYNC malfunction that required a restart and upgrade from SYNC 4.2 to 4.6. Since the upgrade, Siri no longer works on my car. It will interrupt my audio (radio, phone call, phone audio) but Siri does not respond to my voice. Phone calls work well over bluetooth, so it seems like this is a specific issue with Siri. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Siri was probably my most used feature of the Sync service and it has been frustrating paying money to lose it. Any help would be appreciated.

[FordIVTteam]

Hey bds123123,

 

I'm happy to help! The Siri Eyes Free feature only works in the MyFord Touch systems. Are you referring to the voice when using SYNC Services and when using the voice command buttons? If you press the voice command button and say SERVICES or another command, what happens?

 

Cara

[bds123123]

On the previous version of sync, when I would hold the home button on my phone to activate siri, it would allow me to speak over Bluetooth for siri commands. Now siri does not hear me over Bluetooth.

[bookemdano]

Can confirm this myself (2010 Mariner Hybrid with Nav). I installed 4.6 last night and saw this exact same behavior. Prior to 4.6, when you invoke Siri on a paired phone, Sync engages the bluetooth headset profile to allow you to interact with Siri over the car speakers and use the Mic built into the car. After 4.6, Siri still is trying to route audio to Sync but Sync no longer engages the headset profile. As a result, you can't give any commands to Siri. It just sits there waiting.

 

And to be clear, I tried master reset, fuse pull, the new "Sync Reboot" feature, clearing the BT pairing from both phone and car, rebooting phone, trying a different phone, etc. It is 100% a bug with 4.6. I still have the 4.4 installer for my vehicle and was able to downgrade to 4.4. As soon as I did that, Siri worked again.

 

See here other reports of the same exact thing. Also affecting a Windows phone user with Cortana so it's not an iPhone problem:

 

http://www.f150forum.com/f38/sync-update-v4-6-dl3t-14d544-ag-341883/index11/#post5009937

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ford/comments/58q9v3/ford_sync_46_update_killed_siri/?

Edited October 30, 2016 by bookemdano

[bds123123]

Looks like there isn't a great solution. Is there a way to go back to the old version?

[bds123123]

Looks like there isn't a great solution. Is there a way to go back to the old version?

[bookemdano]

It does appear to be possible to downgrade back to the previous version of Sync (at least it was for me). BUT this depends on you having the installation files for that version. If this is the first Sync update you ever did then you wouldn't have the install files for the previous version. In that case you'd have to find someone online who has the same (or similar) vehicle who does have the older installation files. Maybe you could post in this thread (or start a new thread) here http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/mk3-focus/564082-sync-4-4-1-available.htmlasking if someone can send you the 4.4 installer for the 2014 Focus.

 

The dealer could probably install the older version also, although this would likely cost you some money.

 

So 4.6 didn't fix the biggest bug of 4.4 (not staying on Bluetooth Audio after the ignition is cycled) and it breaks Siri completely (unless you unpair the phone or turn off bluetooth on the phone). I wish Ford would start up a beta testing program for Sync updates. It seems like these releases aren't being tested fully before they are released.

Edited October 31, 2016 by bookemdano

[knausehouse]

I have the same problem on my 2011 MKZ hybrid. Does Ford observe this forum so they know something is a problem. BTW, I do have text messaging recognition, which I didn't have before.

[Derek Raine]

I did this update last week, Ford Sync basic on my F150. The phone works fine for calls and it now alerts me to text messages which it did not do before.

 

I use to be able to use the Hey Siri system for directions, read texts and to initiate phone calls. When I call out " Hey Siri "now the system freezes.

 

If the phone is unplugged from the USB It works fine but I cannot use the Hey Siri feature then. I have to push the home button on my phone which is illegal

 

The update basically made the sync system in my truck useless except for recieving phone calls. Ford basically made the Sync system in my truck useless.

 

I'd rather go back to the older 4.4 version .

Edited December 7, 2016 by Derek Raine

[Malimal]

having the same issue. when holding down the home button, Siri would interrupt the system like it was a phone call and allow me to interact. not it no long interrupts the systems.

[BIGGRAY]

I am having the exact same issue on my wife's 2015 fusion se. She used to be able to say "hey siri", which would prompt siri. My wife would then use her like normal. Now when she says "hey siri", it prompts siri but then does not enable the car mic. This also disables the phone mic. How can I downgrade her fusion back to the old version?

[bds123123]

I still haven't found any answers. I'd be happy to hear any suggestions or if anyone has an old version for download. It really is pretty incredible how terrible the SYNC system is overall. It's not intuitive AT ALL and with every update they just seem to screw it up more. Who is getting paid to make a hands-free function LESS hands-free?

[333kenshin]

I'm in the same boat. Most recent SYNC update broke siri. Hold down phone button activates SIRI, but neither the phone mic nor the car mic are listening. Holding down the steering wheel voice command button does nothing. Anyone have any suggestions on solutions or how to revert to previous version?

[berzerk_1980]

+1 here. I'm running iOS 10.2.

 

Can anyone running an earlier iOS confirm whether Siri is working with SYNC 4.6? It might help Ford and Apple figure out where the issue is...

[berzerk_1980]

Update... I got my hands on an iPad still running iOS 9.3.2. I tried it in my SYNC 4.6 system and had the same problem.

 

Cara, do you have any recommendations? This change makes it very difficult to use the phone while moving.

 

To be clear, this is not the Siri Eyes Free feature; in upgrading to 4.6, we have lost the ability to use Siri directly from the device while connected to SYNC.

[alcohenusa]

Same issue here with 4.6. Spoke with support and they will not acknowledge that 4.6 affected Siri in any way. It obviously has. They also claim it is not possible to downgrade to an earlier version.

 

Ford just doesn't want to address this. If they had mentioned in the release notes that the update would disable Siri, I would not have installed it. The only thing I needed from the update was the ability to reboot without disconnecting the battery or fuse.

 

Come on Ford... get back to us on this.

 

2011 Mariner

2013 Edge

[alcohenusa]

Luckily, I kept the 4.4 download and was able to roll back one of the vehicles. All seems well so far and will wait a couple of weeks before trying to roll back the second vehicle.

 

Owner site now shows I have 4.6 available to download.

[alcohenusa]

I was talking to the Service Manger at my dealer today and he said that there is a bulletin out advising against upgrading to 4.6 for iPhone users. There was not much else he could/would say about it.

[Deezul]

Same boat. Makes voice to text difficult

[berzerk_1980]

I appreciate that if this is broken for iPhone users it puts Ford in an awkward position. But if they know it doesn't work for iOS users, and the correct course of action is "go to the dealer and ask them to roll it back" I'd appreciate the advice - even if it costs money to reverse my upgrade mistake.

[alcohenusa]

berserk_1980:

 

I'd call the dealer first so you don't waste your time going there for nothing. When I contacted Sync support, they claimed there was no way to roll back. I just rolled back my second vehicle with no problems since I had the old 4.4 downloads. I would make sure your dealer can/will get the correct version for your vehicle to roll back. You'll need to re-pair any phones.

[berzerk_1980]

berserk_1980:

 

I'd call the dealer first so you don't waste your time going there for nothing. When I contacted Sync support, they claimed there was no way to roll back. I just rolled back my second vehicle with no problems since I had the old 4.4 downloads. I would make sure your dealer can/will get the correct version for your vehicle to roll back. You'll need to re-pair any phones.

Well sure. I go there about once a year for an oil change. I'll ask them then. I'm surprised/disappointed your dealer didn't try to work this with Ford.

 

I know Ford doesn't want us to downgrade, but it would be nice to hear that they're working on 4.7 or whatever and maybe even give us an ETA window.

 

I wonder if one could perform a downgrade by purchasing a SYNC module, perhaps from a similar vehicle in a junkyard.

[Deezul]

no news?

[berzerk_1980]

I approached the topic with my dealer when I was last there. I have another visit scheduled in the next three weeks. If that visit isn't too crazy maybe I'll ask them to look into it further.

 

Service manager didn't seem super confident that his tech line would be much more effective than the consumer tech line.

[Steveromo]

I have the same issue. Also unable to use my iphone to dictate a text message like I used to be able to do. Very frustrated! Wish I never upgraded!!!!!!!!!!!!