The Voice is gone

[CaptRR]

Well this is an interesting problem. My 2012 escape sync was working great and all, listening to some podcasts over bluetooth. Life was good, and the sun was out. Anyway went to get gas turned off the car, when I turned it back on I could not get the voice to say anything. The sync display says listening but their is no voice at all.

 

I know sometimes a bluetooth phone causes problems so I unpaired the phone. Deleted from it the sync system, but still their is no voice, and it accepts no commands, just sits their with "listening..." on the display, and it never times out. This has persisted for about a week now and I am pretty close to taking back to the dealership to fix, but I figured I would try asking here first.

 

I think I need a reboot

Edited February 9, 2012 by CaptRR

[CarbineTX]

I have the same problem with my 2011 Ford Fiesta. It worked fine for about 5 months then, no voice. I can receive phone calls, dial phone calls on the instrument panel, but cannot speak or hear the Sync lady. Nothing seems to help. I will likely need to bring it back to the dealer.

[BAJ]

I have the same problem with my 2011 Ford Fiesta. It worked fine for about 5 months then, no voice. I can receive phone calls, dial phone calls on the instrument panel, but cannot speak or hear the Sync lady. Nothing seems to help. I will likely need to bring it back to the dealer.

 

Same problem with my 2008 Explorer. It has been working for 3.5 years with 3 different phones, then about two weeks ago the voice stopped. Initially I figured the VOICE button failed, but then I realized the radio display changes when I press the voice button, so that's not it. My symptoms are similar to those described above.

 

I tried updating to the latest version of Sync, but either something is really hosed or the upgrade cannot be done w/o the dealer as Sync fails to acknowledge the existence of the USB drive with the upgrade.

 

???

[BAJ]

Voice is back! I did some googling and found an F-150 forum discussing this and they recommended doing a Sync Master Reset - that did the trick! The procedure should be detailed in your owner's manual, but on my 2008 Explorer I pressed the phone button, then scrolled to "System Settings", "Advanced" and "Master Reset". It wipes out the BT pairings and phonebook, and USB/media info, so you do have to re-pair your phone(s) and allow some time for scanning of media. But it all works again just like it had for the previous 3.5 years!

 

Good luck,

-Brad

[PrinzII]

I have a 2011 Edge that is experiencing the same problem. I have done the following already:

• Unpaired and re-paired mine and my wife's phones (Samsung Galaxy SIII)
  
• Turned Bluetooth On and Off
  
• Master Reset and paired the phones again
  

 

After the Master Reset, the voice came back but now, it has disappeared again.

[tominmn]

Took delivery of a 2013 Edge SEL with an 8 in. touch screen three days ago. The "Voice" disappeared two days ago, after pairing a second phone. I have deleted that phone, deleted and "re" paired the original phone and also tried a master reset. Still no voice. Debating if I want to do the update to 3.2.2 or whatever it's called. I won't sit there with the engine running for 45 to 60 minutes while it tries to update. Really? I guess this is still less frustrating than the leaky PTU "smell problem" I had on my 2007 Edge. When will I ever learn not to buy Fords anymore?

[rockchie]

have you tried to pull the fuse assigned to sync and wait a while and then plug it back in?

 

that usually solves most problems concerning SYNC and if that doesnt work then your better off updating sync

[ladybird4]

If your having problems take it to the dealer and they might do the update

for you since you are having a problem. Also once the update is started

if you do the self install you can drive the car. You just cant turn it off until

its done. If you need to make a stop just let it run and put a not on it updating

please do not steal. The system really works good when it works and really

does not crash or have that many problems.

[tominmn]

I did pull fuse #29 in the fuse box inside the vehicle on the driver's side under the dash. That seems to have resolved the missing tone prompt after pushing the voice button and sync now responds as it should. Reading here and on Ford's forum, it sounds like this is a temporary fix and the problem might return? We're leaving on a 3 hour road trip later today, so I might install the 3.3.2 update Ford says it needs. Or maybe not?

[rockchie]

I did pull fuse #29 in the fuse box inside the vehicle on the driver's side under the dash. That seems to have resolved the missing tone prompt after pushing the voice button and sync now responds as it should. Reading here and on Ford's forum, it sounds like this is a temporary fix and the problem might return? We're leaving on a 3 hour road trip later today, so I might install the 3.3.2 update Ford says it needs. Or maybe not?

 

yes i would update the system,

and the fuse pull alot of times is only a temporary fix but can last a long time

but the updates usually can fix the problem permanently

 

so just do the update it shouldnt take that long and hopefully this solves all your problems

:D

[tominmn]

 

 

yes i would update the system,

and the fuse pull alot of times is only a temporary fix but can last a long time

but the updates usually can fix the problem permanently

 

so just do the update it shouldnt take that long and hopefully this solves all your problems

:D

 

Did the update with no problems!

[rockchie]

Did the update with no problems!

 

awesome!, hopefully it doesnt have any more problems

[Carol Young]

My voice stopped on my 2013 Edge Limited 4 times and the master reset did not help.

I've had it to the dealer twice now the first time someone at the dealer

fixed it but this last time, which was just a few days ago they had a guy

come in that just works the sync system, he reprogramed everything and told

me the phone I have(Samsung Galaxy S III) could be the problem and I should take

the battery out of the phone once a week and wait a few minutes before putting

it back in. Don't know yet if it will solve the problem. Oh, and I might add I've

only had my Edge since June of this year.

[jason wernli]

I have a 2013 F-250 purshased new in November of 2013. I have had this problem occur more than 20 times. I have done more resets and software upgrades than can be counted. It has been to the dealer 9 times. The entire APIM computer has been replaced...still no luck. I have a Galaxy SIII phone and tech blamed it on that. So after they replaced the computer I connected ONLY to my wifes new iphone...guess what...failed again. Dealership has NO IDEA what to do with me. This is ridiculous. Any suggestions??????

[FordIVTteam]

I have a 2013 F-250 purshased new in November of 2013. I have had this problem occur more than 20 times. I have done more resets and software upgrades than can be counted. It has been to the dealer 9 times. The entire APIM computer has been replaced...still no luck. I have a Galaxy SIII phone and tech blamed it on that. So after they replaced the computer I connected ONLY to my wifes new iphone...guess what...failed again. Dealership has NO IDEA what to do with me. This is ridiculous. Any suggestions??????

 

Hi, jason wernli -

 

I'd like to look into this further. Is your truck equipped with MyFord Touch or a standard radio?

 

Do you phone book contacts happen to have any emoticons stored within the names?

 

Jaclyn

[jason wernli]

It has my MyFord touch. I don't believe it has any emoticons. That issues was brought up months ago. I was also informed that my address book might be "too large" but they could not tell me how large "too large" was. I deleted half of my contacts. Still did not help. The system failed when my phone was not even connected to it, so it seems to me that it is not related. My truck is at the dealer right now and they have my cell phone to test it. Pretty inconvenient....

If there is anything that you can do to help, I would really really really appreciate it.

[FordIVTteam]

It has my MyFord touch. I don't believe it has any emoticons. That issues was brought up months ago. I was also informed that my address book might be "too large" but they could not tell me how large "too large" was. I deleted half of my contacts. Still did not help. The system failed when my phone was not even connected to it, so it seems to me that it is not related. My truck is at the dealer right now and they have my cell phone to test it. Pretty inconvenient....

If there is anything that you can do to help, I would really really really appreciate it.

 

Thanks, Jason, the reason is ask is because smiley faces, hearts, even pound signs, or periods within a contact have been known to cause issues within the system.

 

When you say the system failed without your phone being connected, what exactly was happening? Also, do you know which software version you're currently running?

 

Jaclyn

Edited September 19, 2014 by FordIVTteam

[jason wernli]

I am not sure of the software version. I know it is current. The truck is still at the dealer today, so I cant verify right now.

I dont think I have anything like that in my contacts... does that just apply to the phone number fields, or anywhere with the contact...ie the notes sections???

I would like more detail on this.

I have been told that my phone may be the critical piece to this puzzle, but they cant tell me why??? The dealer put a new APIM in my truck, and I went on a 2 week trip with my family. During this time, I did NOT sync my phone with the truck. I only sync'd my wifes new Iphone. The system failed in the same way. Coincidence, I don't think so...

When it fails, you push the call button, and it will show "listening" on the bottom left corner of the touchscreen, but it never says "say a command". Once it fails, it will only work again after a master reset. This normally fails about 2 weeks after the system has had a master reset. My system has been reset probably 30 times since it got the truck last november. This problem started the week I got the truck and has continued ever since. The dealer has had the vehicle 10 of the last 30 days. This is the 10th time it has been there.

[jason wernli]

Is there ANY chance that this could be heat related??? No one has ever mentioned this but it just dawned on me...

[jason wernli]

Have you given up on me?

[FordIVTteam]

I am not sure of the software version. I know it is current. The truck is still at the dealer today, so I cant verify right now.

I dont think I have anything like that in my contacts... does that just apply to the phone number fields, or anywhere with the contact...ie the notes sections???

I would like more detail on this.

I have been told that my phone may be the critical piece to this puzzle, but they cant tell me why??? The dealer put a new APIM in my truck, and I went on a 2 week trip with my family. During this time, I did NOT sync my phone with the truck. I only sync'd my wifes new Iphone. The system failed in the same way. Coincidence, I don't think so...

When it fails, you push the call button, and it will show "listening" on the bottom left corner of the touchscreen, but it never says "say a command". Once it fails, it will only work again after a master reset. This normally fails about 2 weeks after the system has had a master reset. My system has been reset probably 30 times since it got the truck last november. This problem started the week I got the truck and has continued ever since. The dealer has had the vehicle 10 of the last 30 days. This is the 10th time it has been there.

 

The emoticons can cause issues when they're in the phone number field or the contact name itself. For example, "Jaclyn :)".

 

Please PM your VIN so I can take a look at your software version. Also, is your truck still at the dealership?

 

Have you given up on me?

 

I haven't given up on you,Jason, sorry for the delay.

 

Jaclyn

[Emme]

I am having the exact same problem with my Escape. Out of the blue, the system just plain stops listening to voice commands. I have done at least 20 system resets and the dealer did a software reload with the latest version 2 weeks ago. To me, this is not an acceptable solution as I lose all of the stored data in the Nav unit. Today the voice command is not working again.

 

What is the next step to get rid of the problem?

[jason wernli]

I feel your pain. My dealer replaced the APIM, which is the computer that controls the system. This did not solve my problem. Ford Tech support still claims that my phone is the problem...however, my system still failed when my phone was not connected. I got a new phone today, and I get my truck back on Monday. We will have to wait and see... If mine fails again with the new phone, I will be asking Ford to replace my truck. This is the 13th time at the dealer, and I have reset the system another 20 times or so...

[jason wernli]

I am back to give an update. I used my truck with my new phone for about a month...and then it failed again. I am really sad that my truck has not been able to be fixed over a problem like this. Ford is replacing the truck...

[ltlrags]

If you've tried all the things mentioned here (the master reset and the factory defaults and the firmware update)... you may find that they don't help at all. Some people say that even removing the fuse doesn't work for long. Before resorting to that painful, all day (or maybe multiple day) and possibly expensive visit to the dealer, try what worked for me.

 

The key is the fuse. But you have to pull the right one, and you have to clean or replace it.

1. Check your owner's manual for the fuse configuration -- look for "fuse" in the index in the back and find the INTERIOR fuse config not the engine compartment fuses. It's different for every car, so don't just pull 29 or 13 because that's what you read here.
2. Look for the fuse for "Voice Control." It may differ for your vehicle, so look for something similar or something related to the radio/SYNC. For the 2014 Fusion it's fuse 32.
3. Clean the fuse connections or replace it altogether. A pencil eraser is a simple and effective contact cleaner. The simple act of pulling a fuse will often clean enough of it to let it make contact again, but the problem will reoccur quickly if you don't clean it better than that.
4. With the fuse out, turn on the car and see if SYNC will come on. If NOT, then you have the right fuse. Congratulations.
5. Replace the fuse. You don't have to leave the fuse out for 30 minutes as I read in another thread. The loss of electricity is immediate -- there is no backup battery inside the radio maintaining its settings.
6. Turn things on and WAIT 30 SECONDS then try the voice command. If it still doesn't work, then you might need an exorcist... or the dealer, whichever you think is the lesser evil.

By pulling the fuse and cleaing it, you did two things that fixed the problem: 1) interrupted power to SYNC completely (turning the car off doesn't), 2) provided a longer lasting fix through clean contacts. Good luck!

Edited August 13, 2015 by ltlrags