Specific text messaging issues

[openair]

9/10 times it works fine. But sometimes I get strange behaviour such as:

 

Name number unavailable for a sender whos name and number were displayed on the previous text.

 

Sometimes the prompt on the touch screen is slow to apear or does not appear at all. Sometimes the buttons don't work after it does appear.

 

The steering wheel controls for the right lcd sometimes will not listen or ignore a text but will dial the number that sent it. Sometimes it dials right away. Sometimes takes 20 seconds. Can navigate out of this listen, ignore, dial menu to the main phone menu and back in and same behaviour. Once this occurs usually sticks like this on future texts until the vehicles is power cycled.

 

Reasons I don't believe it is simply my phone or programming as dealers have been quick to blame:

 

When it won't read a text from the steering wheel controls it will if you find that text within the text log on the touch screen.

 

It often works fine for days or weeks at a time. Then acts up for 3 or 4 days in a row.

 

Also intermittently have issue with the heated seats button on the touch screen not responding.

 

Also intermittently have slow response from navigation. Calculating a route or navigating to the favourites menu on the right lcd takes 60+ seconds.

 

Does anyone else have these kind of issues? Didn't they just extend the apim warranty for sync issues?

Edited May 5, 2015 at 10:16 PM by openair

[openair]

Got a real answer from an IVT member over the phone.  These issues are not compatibility or software related that could only be fixed by future versions of Sync 2.  If these issues persist after a hard master reset, as they have in my case, they're hardware related.

[meyersnole]

Hi openair...  I too have experienced similar issues with text msgs. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. 

 

I am not a huge texter, and don't mind waiting until I get to my destination to handle my texts. The whole thing is a little gimmicky anyway as there is no easy way to respond through the system. 

[openair]

When it doesn't work, what do you experience? Does it not receive the text at all? Some strange behavior?

 

The dealer has gotten permission to replace my APIM, if the issue can be reproduced, after another hard master reset (last was three weeks ago), with a different android phone and demonstrate my phone not experiencing the issue on a new vehicle.

 

I have managed to figure out how to reproduce the listen, ignore commands becoming stuck within three texts, on three successive starts of the vehicle and three clean pairs of my phone. For a period during figuring it out, my vehicle stopped receiving any texts until the phone was repairred a few times.

 

To reproduce my listen, ignore issue: receive a text, listen to it with the steering wheel controls on the right lcd (idk voice or directional pad plays a role or not). Then receive another text from the same number (maybe any number, idk). This text will not prompt on the lcd or touch screen. Navigate back to main menu on right lcd. Ok for current call. This text will also display as name not available. Listen to text from "unknown" name/number. Receive third text from same number. This text will prompt on at least the right lcd but the listen and ignore commands will not work. Dial does.

 

Now the current call from the phone menu will always point to this text even upon receiving new ones that can be read from the touch screen. Even the exact offending text the steering wheel controls won't read can be read. The right lcd phone menu becomes stuck on this text and useless until the vehicle is power cycled.

 

While i wait until I can go jump through these hoops at a dealer so the part of ford who can authorize to replace my apim will agree with the part of ford who specializes in compatibility issues, is anyone else able to reproduce this? It's a long shot, but is anyone not able to reproduce this with a Sony phone? Even longer shot, an Xperia Z3? It behaved the same before my phone was recently updated to android 5.

 

Oh, and I called the IVT team again got a different answer. This time it boiled down to it is probably my phone. I guess if they can't agree within the same department I shouldn't be surprised I have to demonstrate and prove this myself.

Edited May 8, 2015 at 01:41 AM by openair

[meyersnole]

I honestly have not spent anytime to troubleshoot why it does not work sometime. I did work today, sometime last week I heard my phone receive a msg and the car did not notify me. Not sure why. Today I had to reboot my phone just to get it to link to the car (that was a first for me). For the most part the system works well, at times it seems to have Grimlins. 

 

iPhone 6 on Verizon, btw. But I also had issues with my iPhone 5 on Sprint. 

[openair]

I was able to reproduce this with my coworkers Samsung S5 today at work.  Making 5 tries, with 5 clean pairs, and two different phones and each time the issue was reproduced with three texts, 3 presses of ok and 1 press of left on the steering wheel directional pad.  I have never heard anything reproducible as easily as this is referred to as 'grimlins' in the tech world before.

Edited May 8, 2015 at 11:31 PM by openair

[openair]

Most of the issue seems largely isolated to the steering wheel directional pad and the right lcd. A text message that cannot be read from the steering wheel controls can be read from the listen prompt on the touch screen, the message log on the touch and the voice command 'listen to message.' ' listen to message' as in the command to listen to current call message. The listen to message # command also works.

 

The right lcd is also the only place name not available is displayed. The message log on the touch screen displays the correct name for a text the right lcd was unable to.

Edited May 9, 2015 at 04:25 PM by openair

[openair]

Have now also reproduced this with my cousin's Nexus 5.  Both before and after another hard master reset.  The only step left to complete (other than to repeat these in front of a dealer rep) is to be unable to reproduce this on another like model at the dealership.  If we cannot reproduce this on another like model at the dealership, my understanding, is that the next step from the ford hotline is to replace the APIM.

 

If anyone else is able to reproduce this using the steps I outlined above, you could probably also get your APIM replaced to resolve these types of issues.

[Russael]

I had all of my modules flashed with the latest software.  I'll go out a bit later and give this a try.

 

I have had a few instances (before the upgrades) of the car showing 'unknown' name and number while receiving a text, but never it being completely stuck where all I could do was dial.

 

Never had a text received that the car completely ignored.  It does ignore anything that comes through Google Hangouts that was sent as an IM (not a SMS message).

[openair]

Yea, IMs dont work and i dont expect them to.

 

Pasting the better description of how to reproduce this i sent to the dealer.

 

To reproduce the listen and ignore commands not working from the steering wheel...

0: Start the vehicle. Clean pair an android phone. (not exactly required but helps to eliminate possible sources of error).

1: Send yourself a text. I've been sending one word. “test"  (To reproduce this you'll need to send two more shortly. All other instructions involve only the right lcd and the right steering wheel directional pad and ok button.  Do not navigate away from any texts or menus unless stated here).

2: (This text should prompt on both the right lcd and the touch screen.) Press ok to listen.

3: Send another text.

(This text will not prompt on the right lcd.  Give the vehicle a little extra time to make sure it's through since sometimes it doesn't react in any way to this text).

4: Press left for back on the directional pad and you should be at the main menu for the right lcd. (Left no longer navigates to further menus.)

5: Press ok for current call. You will see name not available (even though it was on the previous text from the same sender) and listen or ignore. Press ok for listen.

6: Send another text. This text will prompt on the right lcd. The name will display properly, unlike the previous text, but listen and ignore will not work.  Dial will.

Navigating back to the main right lcd menu, you'll have the option to ok for current call. Pressing ok or right on the directional pad with phone highlighted brings it up again with the listen and ignore still not working.

 

Texts are sent from your phone, not the touch screen.  I now use one, two, three as my test texts instead of just 'test.'

Edited May 10, 2015 at 10:54 PM by openair

[Russael]

Well!

 

I think text messaging with mine is broke.

 

I tested receiving texts and the car completely ignores it.  It is able to send them no problem, receives calls no problem, etc.  I deleted and repaired the phone, redownloaded the phone book, and then I performed a master reset on the car but then my phone decided it didn't want to receive texts anymore, so I'll try it again later.

 

I'll try it with my work phone (A Blackberry 9930) too and see what that does.

[Timewellspent]

My wife's iPhone 6 does not receive texts, but my BlackBerry Bold 9900 works great.  Same issue with our GMC Acadia.  Mine works, but hers does not.  I wish the Ford had auto response options like the GMC, but that is getting off target.

[openair]

If I enter the vehicle with one unread text received by my phone it will appear name not available on the lcd. It will read this text but receiving one more during/after this will reproduce the same listen and other issues above.

 

If I enter the vehicle with two unread texts it will appear with the name of the first sender on the right lcd but listen will read the text of the 2nd sender.

 

I'll have to text what happens after receiving more texts in this instance.

 

In both of these cases all names are shown correct and match the correct texts on the touch screen. Again, only the right lcd has any issue.

[meyersnole]

I was able to reproduce this with my coworkers Samsung S5 today at work.  Making 5 tries, with 5 clean pairs, and two different phones and each time the issue was reproduced with three texts, 3 presses of ok and 1 press of left on the steering wheel directional pad.  I have never heard anything reproducible as easily as this is referred to as 'grimlins' in the tech world before.

 

Sorry openair, I did not mean any offense in my reply. If you comb through this forum, you will find many comments from me that state that the programming on the My Ford Touch side is very disappointing. I have very little hope that anything will be done about it now that they have stated a new direction for the system. I have experience in the software development industry and while understand how it made it out the door in this condition, I side with you expressing my disappointment. 

 

I just meant to convey this is not very important feature to me. I do not rely on text messages for anything... most of the information I get from them are informative or friends and family giving me grief. Most of the time it seems to work for me, and when it doesn't I just shrug it off (the grimilins comment). Please do not read anything more into that comment.

 

My only purpose in replying in the first place is to confirm that I, too, have issues with the system. I just have not spent any time trying to figure out why. I am just happy that it is working at all (that took quite the effort initially -- including several system resets). 

[meyersnole]

My wife's iPhone 6 does not receive texts, but my BlackBerry Bold 9900 works great.  Same issue with our GMC Acadia.  Mine works, but hers does not.  I wish the Ford had auto response options like the GMC, but that is getting off target.

Hi timewellspent... please note that using this feature with the iPhone takes an additional step to set it up.

 

Read more about it here:  http://owner.ford.com/how-tos/sync-technology/myford-touch/phone-setup/how-to-allow-sync-to-receive-text-messages-from-your-iphone.html

[Timewellspent]

Hi timewellspent... please note that using this feature with the iPhone takes an additional step to set it up.

 

Read more about it here:  http://owner.ford.com/how-tos/sync-technology/myford-touch/phone-setup/how-to-allow-sync-to-receive-text-messages-from-your-iphone.html

 

Thanks for the tip.  I gave it a shot, but still no go on either car.  I didn't do the restore on the phone as I'm not sure the Mrs. would like that.

[meyersnole]

Thanks for the tip.  I gave it a shot, but still no go on either car.  I didn't do the restore on the phone as I'm not sure the Mrs. would like that.

 

Try it again in a few days... for me it did not work right away, but it did later. I never did a phone reset, but I did do a MFT reset once to get it to work. 

 

Like I said, try it again in a day or two and see if it works...

[Hybridbear]

Thanks for the tip.  I gave it a shot, but still no go on either car.  I didn't do the restore on the phone as I'm not sure the Mrs. would like that.

I had to turn off the iPhone & back on after enabling notifications before it worked with the car.

[Timewellspent]

Try it again in a few days... for me it did not work right away, but it did later. I never did a phone reset, but I did do a MFT reset once to get it to work. 

 

Like I said, try it again in a day or two and see if it works...

 

I will give it another try.  I noticed when I check the phone compatibility on SYNC it doesn't show that it works with text, but your iPhone 6 does?

[Hybridbear]

I will give it another try. I noticed when I check the phone compatibility on SYNC it doesn't show that it works with text, but your iPhone 6 does?

We have a 5s & 6+ in our house & things work fine in both the Fusion Energi & Focus Electric. My mom has an iPhone 6 which works with their C-Max Energi too.

[Timewellspent]

We have a 5s & 6+ in our house & things work fine in both the Fusion Energi & Focus Electric. My mom has an iPhone 6 which works with their C-Max Energi too.

 

OK, thanks.  I will mess with it some more when I have time and will let you know how it goes. 

[meyersnole]

I had to turn off the iPhone & back on after enabling notifications before it worked with the car.

 

This makes sense then as I turn off my phone each night to conserve battery. 

[shaggy314]

#golfclap on the trial and error to get the EXACT steps down. Just wow. My iphone used to put texts up on the screen to read, but I think it stopped in iOS 8. I get so few to try to resolve it.

 

I'm curious with these steps and the reproduce it, if they are able to fix it and this sounds deep buried bug stuff and not a random hw failure.

[meyersnole]

#golfclap on the trial and error to get the EXACT steps down. Just wow. My iphone used to put texts up on the screen to read, but I think it stopped in iOS 8. I get so few to try to resolve it.

 

I'm curious with these steps and the reproduce it, if they are able to fix it and this sounds deep buried bug stuff and not a random hw failure.

 

shaggy  did you check to make sure the settings were still right in bluetooth after the upgrade to iOS8? And per Hybridbear, turn the phone off and back on force the change.

 

1. Tap Settings > Bluetooth > SYNC*

2. Set Show Notifications to ON.

[FordIVTteam]

Well!

 

I think text messaging with mine is broke.

 

I tested receiving texts and the car completely ignores it.  It is able to send them no problem, receives calls no problem, etc.  I deleted and repaired the phone, redownloaded the phone book, and then I performed a master reset on the car but then my phone decided it didn't want to receive texts anymore, so I'll try it again later.

 

I'll try it with my work phone (A Blackberry 9930) too and see what that does.

 

Hi Russael, 

 

Which type of phone are you connecting? I'll help with troubleshooting. 

 

My wife's iPhone 6 does not receive texts, but my BlackBerry Bold 9900 works great.  Same issue with our GMC Acadia.  Mine works, but hers does not.  I wish the Ford had auto response options like the GMC, but that is getting off target.

Hey Timewellspent, 

 

Make sure your settings are correct on the iPhone: http://owner.ford.com/how-tos/sync-technology/myford-touch/phone-setup/how-to-allow-sync-to-receive-text-messages-from-your-iphone.html Once the settings are correct, turn the engine off and back on. Have someone send you a test text message and let me know if it goes through. 

 

Kim