Inconsistent audio on restarting

[lowCo2]

I invariably listen to FM radio while driving. At my destination I open the door, lock the car. On return the radio doesn't come back on without user intervention. Or rather, in about 80% of stops (or overnight charges) it doesn't come back on. The other 20% the radio comes on without intervention. I'm not aware of doing anything different between the two outcomes but I have a slight suspicion that this might have something to do with bluetooth pairing with my phone.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar inconsistent behavior? Did you find a solution?

This is a 2014 with about 1400 miles over three months of driving.

 

[WattsUp]

I don't listen to the radio, but always have my USB stick playing. It always comes back on when I return the car. I also have my iPhone paired with the car.

But, to test your theory, perhaps try turning off Bluetooth on your phone for a while (if you can live without it for a little bit) and see if the car more consistently resumes FM radio when you return?

 

[EVA]

LowCo2 - the same thing happens in my car. The radio seems to have a mind of its own. I think our Ford Focus ICE does the same thing. I'm pretty sure this is a MyFordTouch bit of nonsense. I'm betting on an undocumented "feature" as part of the latest software.

Don't think it has anything to do with Bluetooth pairing or not. The radio sometimes doesn't come on at all, comes on at a random station, or starts right up like normal. Doesn't matter if I'm on HD, FM, or Sirius, does the same thing - randomness.

 

[dmen]

I only noticed this happen yesterday, coincidentally. In my case it had to do with HD FM, I believe. I have a preset station that's HD, and I drove out of the range of good signal. While driving the station automatically switched to nondigital, but after a stop when I turned the car back on the radio didnt seem to know what to do.
Anyway if its bothering you, maybe try to turn off HD and see if that helps?

Other suggestion is since EVA notices same behavior on his ICE Focus, there is probably a thread about this on the Sync user's forum that you can get to from syncmyride.com.

 

[Erik]

+1
If I leave the radio on when I stop, it never plays without intervention when I start off again

If I turn the radio off when I stop, turning it back on results in normal behavior

If it's left on when I stop, when I'm off the center display will show the station frequency with no HD Radio data, and no audio.
The Audio readout to the right of the speedometer will say "Audio Off"
The lights on the center stack will be on as if the radio is on, and the volume will show as adjusting, but there's no audio
"Powercycling" the radio using it's power button will show it turning off and on per the center display, but the one right of the speedo will always say "Audio Off"

Resolved by tuning to another station, and tuning back if desired. It's all a bit glitchy.

 

[jeffand]

If you left the radio on when you turned off the car it should come back on when you restart the car. But when you restart the car thier is a delay before you hear the audio. I also noticed if you place the car in reverse before the audio comes on the sound will not come on until you have place the car in drive. Thier may also be some other quirks with the radio when the car is in reverse.

 

[WattsUp]

I tried leaving the radio on between stops/starts today, and it came back on with every start. There is a couple seconds delay (after starting the car) before the radio comes back on, but it does.

To the people having trouble... what version of MFT do you have? I have the latest "Gen2 - V3.6.2" in my FFE, and have noticed it is less buggy (overall) than previous versions.

You can check which version of MFT you have by visiting https://support.ford.com/tools/account/sync-software/history.

 

[EVA]

Both cars do exactly this - pretty much no matter which celestial source (not Bluetooth, memory stick, or direct phone connection). It doesn't do this all the time - just frequently enough to be annoying. It doesn't matter if you put the car in reverse or not, you can drive all day, the radio won't work - until you do the power cycle.

I'm on the latest version of my ford sync (or whatever you call the software for the touchscreen - the "whatever" wasn't being a luddite, that was complaining about all the darn names and websites Ford uses to manage their cars).

Honestly, it is a minor stupid annoyance. I chalked it up to a silly bug in the system and nothing more.

+1
If I leave the radio on when I stop, it never plays without intervention when I start off again

If I turn the radio off when I stop, turning it back on results in normal behavior

If it's left on when I stop, when I'm off the center display will show the station frequency with no HD Radio data, and no audio.
The Audio readout to the right of the speedometer will say "Audio Off"
The lights on the center stack will be on as if the radio is on, and the volume will show as adjusting, but there's no audio
"Powercycling" the radio using it's power button will show it turning off and on per the center display, but the one right of the speedo will always say "Audio Off"

Resolved by tuning to another station, and tuning back if desired. It's all a bit glitchy.

 

[bb6lude]

This was one of the first things that bugged me about the FFE when I got it as I listen to the radio more often than not (HD sounds so much better than Sirius IMO). I thought I was doing something wrong, and planned on checking the manual, but never got around to it. Sucks that there is no workaround.

I usually have the right side display set to Entertainment, and if the radio was on when the car was turned off, the display says "Audio Off" when the car is started the next time.

 

[Lithium]

Same observation here. I don't power cycle the radio, just change the channel with the steering wheel control. I'm my Audi S4 the volume would always return to a preset level every time you started the car. My Passat does the same.
H

 

[WattsUp]

Really weird guys... I have none of these problems leaving the radio, USB, or CD on between stops/starts. The audio always just comes back the way I left it.

Re: the radio; could the behavior I see (not so buggy) possibly be due to the fact that I let the complementary Sirius subscription lapse?

Have you guys tried power-cycling the MFT computer? (temporarily pull the fuse)

 

[Fluke]

I listen to FM radio, USB and Bluetooth streaming and always leave it on when I shutdown. Mine will intermittently change the source on startup from radio to USB. It does not do it every time, and can go for long periods where it works fine. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it other than it always goes to the same song on the USB drive.

Note to self - delete that USB song 'cause I hate it now after two years of this buggy software...

 

[Erik]

For reference:
Zombie audio. It's dead, but also alive, but not really.

 

[ChrisC]

Thanks for starting this thread. I have this exact same problem. When I get in the car, most of the time the sound system is mysteriously muted. Turning the volume up and down has no effect. I have to select one of the radio presets to get it to come on. I believe I've tried skipping presets using the steering wheel button and that does NOT work. So I have to reach for the touchscreen, and THAT is most annoying for me.

I do not have Bluetooth paired.

I did not have any HD Radio presets set. I actually do now, but this problem was happening before I set those.

Just another one of many, many bugs in this car -- more than I've ever seen in any car. I expected the see weird EV-related bugs in a frankenstein conversion like this (e.g. the value charge bug), but I'm surprised to see these bugs in the vanilla entertainment system that is shared with the regular ICE cars in the line.

On the plus side, I love HD Radio!

 

[jmueller065]

Just another one of many, many bugs in this car -- more than I've ever seen in any car. I expected the see weird EV-related bugs in a frankenstein conversion like this (e.g. the value charge bug), but I'm surprised to see these bugs in the vanilla entertainment system that is shared with the regular ICE cars in the line.

The "quirkiness" of the car is not limited to the FFE: All vehicles with MyFordTouch (and MyLincolnTouch) suffer from similar issues (one of the reasons Consumer's Reports doesn't like MFT).

All 3 of the cars we have had with MFT exhibit issues of some kind. The strange thing (and one that I'm sure is maddening to Ford) is that each vehicle had its own set of bugs. Like each MFT unit has its own personality...

 

[Jon]

Had the same problem. Sirius always came back on, but the radio usually dosen't. Have to activate voice command and say "Radio On".

 

[davideos]

I've seen some weird things from time to time, but nothing lingering. One time the radio wasn't responding and then the whole my ford touch rebooted. I think this has happened twice since I got the car 16 months ago.

Also, I've had the issue of no audio one time after restarting the car. I forget what I did to remedy the situation, but it only happened once. I used to have a problem quite often when the presets seemed to go blank. I had to change data source and back again and all was fine...i.e. SIRIUS to FM and back to SIRIUS.

If I eliminate the original source after powering off and power back on, The MFT system will go to a different source. For instance, if I have Bluetooth audio going but I don't bring the source back with me to the car, then it will select something else...I don't remember what...either USB (if present) or FM.

But 99 time out of 100, it works as expected. The remaining 1% has been an easy "on the go" remedy....and not always a bug.

 

[zeplin]

I had a similar problem and believe that your suspicion was correct about the bluetooth. Turn the blue tooth off while using the car.

 

[Jon]

Discovered this by accident. If I have the radio on when I turn off the FFE, it usually will not come on again when I start up. However, if after I start up, I activate voice command and as soon as it chimes I put it in reverse, the radio comes on. Anyone else want to verify this?

 

[marc1]

Another member of the annoying radio bug club here.

When I turn off the car with radio on, then the next time I start the car the radio is on but silent. Fastest work around I have found is to change the station. But good to hear everyone other ideas here.