I have the strangest issue. I have a 2016 with sync 3, updated USB port and carplay. It's worked great ever since I did the update (about 2 months). However, this past week, CarPlay will not turn on when I leave for work in the mornings. I unplug, replug, repeat over and over and nothing! I've deleted the phone, added the phone, repeated and same issue. Here's the strange part. After work, I get back in the truck and BAM! CarPlay works on first plug in, no issues. I thought maybe it's a setting on the phone, but I have two iPhone 8's (work and personal), but are configured very differently, and both do not work in the morning.

Also, I can go into CarPlay settings and disable CarPlay, this would typically pop up Waze on the native sync screen, but nothing. Looking through the different sources and only bluetooth is listed, no USB. But the phone is charging.

Has anyone had this issue? it's baffling me....

Thanks in advance.
JIM

 

I had similar problems. Sometimes it would not recognize the phone at all, sometimes only WAZE under Ford Apps would come up as the navigation (even though the Ford Apps was disabled), sometimes it would lock up (could unplug the phone, plug it back in later and still no changes) until I shut the truck off. Eventually I discovered resetting SYNC would always make it work for me. When it is not working, hold the OFF button and ==> (right) button for about 8-10 seconds (resets sync). The screen will go blank and reboot SYNC. Every time I did this mine would connect and act fine for a short time. I ended up taking it to the dealer when it was not working, they tried their own phone and did not work. So I did the reset with the service writer standing there and all came right up. They agreed (on the 3rd time) to look at it, and ended up replacing the APIM under warranty. My guess is the APIM (Sync) is going...… Just a thought....

 

Thanks breakers28. I will try performing the reset. If that doesn't work, I will take it before the warranty's up.

 

 

I have had the same issue with my 2019 King Ranch. The bluetooth works fine. However, when I plug in phone, the carplay doesn't recognize. It sometimes locks up the unit and I have do restart the Sync by holding power and seek right. I'm planning to take it to the dealer.

 

I have never been able to use my apps through sync like pandora or waze. They never come up no matter what. Sometimes right at start up pandora will pop up for a second then it’s gone.

 

My issue is similar. Every few mornings, CarPlay will lock up. If I shut off the truck and open/close the door, CarPlay won’t restart. Also, my GPS goes haywire. I get a “no GPS” icon on the screen. I never have an issue in the afternoon. I suppose the truck has to go completely to sleep for the system to reset on its own.

I will I’ll try the “off - right seek” combination next time the problem happens.

Its been happening a little more frequently lately. My truck sits outside at night. I wonder if it doesn’t like cool morning weather.

 

When I bought my truck I had an Android phone and Android auto worked occasionally; mostly not. It got so bad once I had to do the factory reset for the system to work.

Fast forward to now and I'm back to iPhones. I had to put in a new USB hub for Carplay but it works flawlessly every time. Even when I start navigation on my phone then plug it in SYNC immediately connects, switches to Carplay and continues the navigation guidance through the truck without interruption.

Sometimes the problem is not the vehicle but it could be the phone. What model iPhone do you have and what version of iOS is it running?

Try plugging in someone else's iPhone and see how the truck responds.

 

I’m running an iPhone 8 with iOS 12.2 (current version).

 

Are you using the Apple lightning cable or an aftermarket one? It seems insignificant but sometimes when you're trying to do data transfers the cable that came with the phone works better.