Microsoft Sync Problems

[ElMonoDelMar]

Does anyone have Sync installed on their Ford vehicle? If so, how has your call quality been?

I've got a new Ford Escape with Sync installed and everyone I talk to complains that they are unable to understand me. I have heard that their are upgrades the dealer can do to the microphone to correct the problem.

When I took the vehicle to the dealership, they installed one software update and declared the problem solved. I'll admit that the call quality is better, but it's still far from usable in many situations. I've called them back to ask that they install the microphone upgrade to improve the quality a little more, but they claim that I sound perfect and there is no reason for the upgrade.

I've called Ford directly to complain and they've told me that they're working on the issue with the dealership. I'm hopeful that they'll get the issue resolved soon but I find it unacceptable that I can't get reasonable warranty support from my local dealer.

On a related note, my company rolled out 7 fleet vehicles with Sync including mine. I'd have to say the call quality is very poor with all of them though some of them are better than others. I'm not sure if it has to do with the pitch and clarity of the user's voice or if it has more to do with the individual cars. We're all using the same cell phones on the same providers so I wouldn't think the issue would be with the phones.

 

[Eli]

I know not what you speak of.

 

[ElMonoDelMar]

You know when all of the adults speak in the old Peanuts show? Yeah, it's like that.

 

[brblx]

it sounds like the dealer probably has one TSB in regards to mic quality, and the manufacturer is working on developing a better solution. it's not abnormal for stopgap solutions to be issued, and the dealer really can't do much else. in some cases, features may never be perfect (or even functional- volvo's BLIS comes to mind, it was a joke and all the techs knew it), but they'll probably get a solution if the problem is that widespread.

have you tried another dealer? i'd at least give one a ring, if they tell you the same thing, it's pretty likely they're going by the book and not just being lazy.

edit- haha, speak of the devil. just saw a ford commercial for a blind spot indicator, and i'm sure it's a straight copy of volvo's flaky camera system.

 

[ElMonoDelMar]

Originally posted by: brblx
it sounds like the dealer probably has one TSB in regards to mic quality, and the manufacturer is working on developing a better solution. it's not abnormal for stopgap solutions to be issued, and the dealer really can't do much else. in some cases, features may never be perfect (or even functional- volvo's BLIS comes to mind, it was a joke and all the techs knew it), but they'll probably get a solution if the problem is that widespread.

have you tried another dealer? i'd at least give one a ring, if they tell you the same thing, it's pretty likely they're going by the book and not just being lazy.

edit- haha, speak of the devil. just saw a ford commercial for a blind spot indicator, and i'm sure it's a straight copy of volvo's flaky camera system.

TSB...that's what they called it. Yeah I got the 3 TSB numbers from the dealership where I picked the vehicle up. It's actually in a different town from where I live so I was hoping I could just bring the numbers to my local dealer and they could do the updates. The local dealer only wanted to do the software update and not the mic hardware update. I think Ford is going to force them to do them all eventually.

I really don't feel like taking a whole day off to get the TSBs addressed at a different dealer.

 

[CurseTheSky]

My dad has a '09 Fusion with Sync and hasn't run into any problems (well, other than not being able to figure out how to use it... he should just trade cars with me 😛). I know it doesn't help much, but at least the problem doesn't plague ALL Sync-equipped cars.

 

[woodie1]

Ah, the joy of owning a new car that needs warranty work.

 

[ElMonoDelMar]

Originally posted by: woodie1
Ah, the joy of owning a new car that needs warranty work.

One of the reasons I will never buy new. You can expect a used car to need work, but when I'm driving around with 12 miles on the odometer the last thing I want to do is take it into the garage.

 

[exar333]

Originally posted by: woodie1
Ah, the joy of owning a new car that needs warranty work.

Yes, because nothing is worse than getting free car repairs. Much better to pay for them...

😕

 

[ElMonoDelMar]

At least when you pay for the repairs the dealers are happy to do them for you. They don't like to do the free warranty work even though Ford reimburses them for it.

 

[brblx]

because ford pays about half of what customers do and it's harder to get paid.

if there's a TSB that advices mic replacement, i'll really be on them to do that.

 

[ScoobMaster]

I know this will not help your problem at all, but here is my experience FWIW:

I have a 2008 Fusion SE with SYNC and have had ZERO problems with the microphone / phone voice clarity or connection. It originally had SYNC 1.0, I upgraded it myself to 1.2, and had the dealership upgrade it to 2.0 (to add the 911 assist and vehicle health report). I never had any issues with call clarity an any of the versions (both with my phone and my wife's phone). We have Verizon wireless service.

I would also recommend posting your experience and questions over at this user created Ford Sync Forum

 

[woodie1]

Originally posted by: ExarKun333

Originally posted by: woodie1
Ah, the joy of owning a new car that needs warranty work.

Yes, because nothing is worse than getting free car repairs. Much better to pay for them...

😕

From what the op said he is NOT getting free car repairs.🙂

 

[exar333]

Originally posted by: woodie1

Originally posted by: ExarKun333

Originally posted by: woodie1
Ah, the joy of owning a new car that needs warranty work.

Yes, because nothing is worse than getting free car repairs. Much better to pay for them...

😕

From what the op said he is NOT getting free car repairs.🙂

I certainly wouldn't pay for repairs to faulty tech in a new car. The OP should know better than that.

As for the comment about dealer's not liking to do warranty work, I have never experienced that at all. Any warranty work I have had done the dealer was very gracious and often times tried to fix more than what was even wrong.

With my new Nissan, the dealer was more than happy to fix some dealer-installed tint that wasn't installed very well (even though they weren't the dealership that installed it - it was brought from a different state when I bought it). Be firm, be fair, and the dealership should treat you right. If not, find somewhere else to go.

 

[ElMonoDelMar]

Well I got a call back from Ford corporate today. They told me that they spoke to the dealer to encourage them to take another look at my vehicle. I'm supposed to call a guy at the dealership using the Sync tomorrow morning. I was told if the guy cannot hear any problem with the call quality then further repairs will not be made. I don't imagine anything will change tomorrow but I'm hopeful that they'll do the repairs just to shut me up.

If they refuse to do the repairs again, then I will have to drive an hour away to another dealership that has offered to do the repairs. I just hate the idea of taking a day off of work to get a simple problem fixed that could be done at my local dealer.

I have had problems with this dealer in the past while having repairs done on my personal car. Unfortunately, this dealer owns the GM, Ford, Nissan and Subaru dealerships in the area. He knows he's got the market cornered and can be a jackass all day long without losing hardly any business. The only dealer worth his salt in my area is the Chrysler dealer. I'll be getting all of my off-warranty repairs done there in the future.

 

[heymrdj]

Are you sure you're not using Sync with a very shitty network? One of the downfalls of incar calling systems is that you amplify what is already a shitty call quality. Your work may not be with the best network around.

 

[ElMonoDelMar]

Originally posted by: heymrdj
Are you sure you're not using Sync with a very shitty network? One of the downfalls of incar calling systems is that you amplify what is already a shitty call quality. Your work may not be with the best network around.

I have 2 cell phones, one is att and the other Verizon. The call quality is equally shitty with both providers.