USB completely unrecognized

[Jimmy Frink]

First and foremost:

 

I cannot believe how crappy SYNC is.

 

Second: This is in regards to my 2015 Focus using plain old SYNC (not SYNC 3 or SYNC MFT, no voice-navigation either).

 

I've ran into just about every problem imaginable when it comes to SYNC. I've had files deemed "unreadable" or "corrupted" that work fine through my PC and PS4, I've had USB devices randomly disconnect, I've had devices unable to recharge because of the USB. I've had voice problems. I've had phone problems. But this one here is what's making me tear my hair out (this time, at least).

 

USB devices simply are not detected.

 

Case in point: I have a 64GB USB 3.0 PNY thumbdrive. It works flawlessly with everything but, you guessed it, SYNC. Originally, I had a whole mess of music on there that was working well enough for my purposes. One day, I noticed that a LOT of the id3 tags were incorrect. I removed the drive and plugged it into my computer, only to find the id3 were actually correct, but were not displayed correctly through SYNC. Confused, I transferred the USB back to my vehicle, only to find that they were still incorrect. Frustrated, I went to the magic Google machine, and learned that FAT32 is a better partition than what I was using NTFS when it comes to SYNC. Thinking that might help me avoid this problem and potential future ones, I formatted the drive to FAT32, put my music back on, and plugged it into my car's USB port. It has not been recognized since.

 

I have tried the following to absolutely no avail:

 

1. Reformatting to NTFS

2. Reformatting to ex-FAT

3. Used a different thumbdrive (a 2.0, attempted with all three partitions)

4. Allotted the car ample time to rest before plugging the drive back in

5. Allotted the car ample time to read the device (sitting for 10 minutes burning gas, hoping it was just being slow)

6. SYNC Master Reset

7. SYNC reversion to factory defaults

8. Screaming and cursing

 

I've tried everything I could think of to get this damn thing to work. I even tried to update, thinking there'd be some weird way it'd smell my USB drive if there were an installation file present. Nope. It just refuses to work. I've looked everywhere online, asked fellow Ford SYNC owners, and even threatened to leave my car for a new Honda. Nothing, nothing, and nothing.

 

If I need to take it in, I'd like to know that as soon as possible. I drive alone 99% of the time and do not want to have to use my phone or a line-in while driving, as I'm not fond of committing moving violations (or paying the resulting fines). If there is, however, some magical workaround, I'd much rather try that than go through a dealership; they don't often know what to do, and it still costs me money just for them to look.

 

 

Suggestions are appreciated. Please forgive my cross nature; it's just that my frustration with this machine is mounting. I paid a whole lot of money to make sure I had SYNC in my vehicle, due to the MASSIVE convenience it'd bring, but instead I'm here begging for help.

 

Thank you in advance.

[FordIVTteam]

First and foremost:

 

I cannot believe how crappy SYNC is.

 

Second: This is in regards to my 2015 Focus using plain old SYNC (not SYNC 3 or SYNC MFT, no voice-navigation either).

 

I've ran into just about every problem imaginable when it comes to SYNC. I've had files deemed "unreadable" or "corrupted" that work fine through my PC and PS4, I've had USB devices randomly disconnect, I've had devices unable to recharge because of the USB. I've had voice problems. I've had phone problems. But this one here is what's making me tear my hair out (this time, at least).

 

USB devices simply are not detected.

 

Case in point: I have a 64GB USB 3.0 PNY thumbdrive. It works flawlessly with everything but, you guessed it, SYNC. Originally, I had a whole mess of music on there that was working well enough for my purposes. One day, I noticed that a LOT of the id3 tags were incorrect. I removed the drive and plugged it into my computer, only to find the id3 were actually correct, but were not displayed correctly through SYNC. Confused, I transferred the USB back to my vehicle, only to find that they were still incorrect. Frustrated, I went to the magic Google machine, and learned that FAT32 is a better partition than what I was using NTFS when it comes to SYNC. Thinking that might help me avoid this problem and potential future ones, I formatted the drive to FAT32, put my music back on, and plugged it into my car's USB port. It has not been recognized since.

 

I have tried the following to absolutely no avail:

 

1. Reformatting to NTFS

2. Reformatting to ex-FAT

3. Used a different thumbdrive (a 2.0, attempted with all three partitions)

4. Allotted the car ample time to rest before plugging the drive back in

5. Allotted the car ample time to read the device (sitting for 10 minutes burning gas, hoping it was just being slow)

6. SYNC Master Reset

7. SYNC reversion to factory defaults

8. Screaming and cursing

 

I've tried everything I could think of to get this d*** thing to work. I even tried to update, thinking there'd be some weird way it'd smell my USB drive if there were an installation file present. Nope. It just refuses to work. I've looked everywhere online, asked fellow Ford SYNC owners, and even threatened to leave my car for a new Honda. Nothing, nothing, and nothing.

 

If I need to take it in, I'd like to know that as soon as possible. I drive alone 99% of the time and do not want to have to use my phone or a line-in while driving, as I'm not fond of committing moving violations (or paying the resulting fines). If there is, however, some magical workaround, I'd much rather try that than go through a dealership; they don't often know what to do, and it still costs me money just for them to look.

 

 

Suggestions are appreciated. Please forgive my cross nature; it's just that my frustration with this machine is mounting. I paid a whole lot of money to make sure I had SYNC in my vehicle, due to the MASSIVE convenience it'd bring, but instead I'm here begging for help.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Hi Jimmy Frink,

 

I regret to hear that you're experiencing so many issues with SYNC, and I understand how frustrating this must be for you. For additional troubleshooting, please perform a SYNC Module Reset using the steps below, making sure that the vehicle is parked with the engine running:

 

1. Select radio.

2. Hold the power button (center of the volume knob) + the right-seek button at the same time for up to 5 seconds.

 

Let me know how it goes!

Barb

[Jimmy Frink]

Barb,

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, performing a Module Reset only tested my speakers. I went through every menu that came up, and there was nothing else to do. The problem persists.

[Jimmy Frink]

... nothing? No other workarounds?

[Escaper2]

This is just what I'm going through on my 2016 Ford Escape S. SYNC refuses to see any files on my flash drive. I threw in the towel today. I ordered a bluetooth media player. Now if it will recognize that.

[LintBall]

Is there any resolution to this? My Sync doesn't. It won't work at all for my phone, when I plug my phone into the USB slot, it randomly charges it and randomly stops charging it. It very rarely actually let's me connect my phone, but I'd say 99%of the time doesn't. I can't get it updated, as it doesn't recognize my new USB drive.

 

I'm basically stuck with radio and Sirius. I haven't tried the CD, as I've only had the car a couple days, a 2015 Ford Fusion. Standard Sync.

[LintBall]

I'm open to any aftermarket replacement Bluetooth systems that will fit, preferably that will replace or use the buttons.

[Mike Stark]

I'm having the same problem. After working, it suddenly stopped reading my USB drive correctly (wouldn't alllow me to move from album to album, just started playing in file order). Then, after I stopped to go into a store, it refuses to read THAT USB drive at all. It wouldn't let me access PLAY MENU at first, only allowing me to get SYSTEM SETTINGS. I got a message telling me that the system can't play protected media (none of it is protected), then it seems to vacillate between seeing the drive and not seeing it, 'INITIALIZING' but not detecting the files. The drive is FAT32. I'm just disgusted at this point.

[Multitask]

Things to try:

Try another flash drive

do a Master Reset

does it see anything else in that port, if not, could be a bad port or APIM

[Muzicman61]

On 5/7/2016 at 1:18 AM, Jimmy Frink said:

... nothing? No other workarounds?

 

Well you definitely need a USB 2.0 device.  USB 3.0 is not supported even on Sync3.  And my manual state file format must be FAT16/32 but later in the manual states FAT, exFAT and NTFS are supported.  You don't state (that I saw) the year and model of vehicle but that really shouldn't matter.

 

What I would be curious to see if what happens if you plug your phone into the USB port(s).  Does the phone charge?  Does Sync recognize the phone as a media device?  You may have to check your USB settings on your phone to see what mode it goes into when attached by USB.  It may be possible that your USB port has fried.

 

You might also try using voice commands and calling out USB... USB2... USB3 and see what responses you get.  This could tell us if Sync is even acknowledging the ports.