I thought it would be useful to collect a list of known Sync4 bugs. Hopefully, they will be fixed in an upcoming OTA update, though my fingers are not crossed - Ford has marketed OTA software updates as a feature of our new F150's, and they are about to end a full model year without having pushed a single update. Super lame. I've reported a bunch of these bugs to my dealer, and they all come back "known, Ford is working on it." with no ETA. The dealer also has no idea when, if ever, we will see OTA updates, or what cadence of updates Ford is planning to deliver if and when they get their act together on OTA updating.

If you have run into bugs with Sync4, describe them in reply below and I will keep a running list in this post updated. Also please post any workarounds you have found.

1) If you add extra pages of preset stations beyond the default 2 pages, Sync4 will forget the pages you added upon restart.
2) Sync4 periodically gets confused when wirelessly connected to Android Auto, loses connection, will not reconnect until vehicle is restarted. Workaround is to connect with a USB cable.
3) Upon restart, the Instrument cluster display always defaults to a list of view options, not the last view you were using.
4) Only one of the main screens (navigation) can be expanded to full-screen. The rest if the screens only work in split-screen. (Inconsistent UI)
5) Many folks have noted issues with saving settings - audio settings, presets etc will periodically be forgotten upon restart.
6) Audio assistant (OK Ford or Hello Ford) doesn't wake 90% of the time when you say the wake-up phrase
7) Audio assistant (OK Ford or Hello Ford) wakes up randomly, interrupting whatever programming is on - often triggered by the radio but never by the radio saying anything that sounds close to the wake-up phrase.
8) Nav occasionally does not show traffic even though it's turned on
9) Collision pre-assist warning goes off randomly even though no collision is imminent
10) Audio sometimes not go back to the station it was on when the truck was turned off. Sometimes audio is completely turned off after restarting the truck.

 

I don't have a lot of the issues noted, but I will mention that if you have issues with the center stack, like the wireless AA stuff, you can most likely resolve it by doing the soft reset button presses. It is holding Power and Seek Forward on the center stack, and you can do it from the steering wheel controls now as well, but I forget what the combo is. This resolves a lot of issues you would otherwise have to stop and restart the truck for and can be done while driving.

 

Anyone have an issue with the nav not showing traffic even though it's turned on? I've tried turning it off/on etc. Not sure what to try.

 

I’ve seen this but it isn’t consistent. Seems completely random when it works vs doesn’t for me.

 

This is so annoying but doesn’t happen every time.

Another that is annoying is depending on the audio source you are on changes what is available in the settings. If I’m on a SXM station I see SiriusXM settings but if on FM it says audio or radio settings. Can’t remember which right now.

Does Ford have a way to report bugs/issues with Sync without going to a service department?

 

I read in another forum that it was randomly working for a lot of those users and some even reported that it only worked when they were actively using the navigation and had an address plugged in. Mine so far seems to work randomly and only shows red for congested traffic and when it did show red it was completely wrong and traffic was flowing completely normal in that area. Before getting the truck I was excited about having this feature but now it really doesn't seem to work and when it does it doesn't do a very good job. I did read that Ford changed from using Sirius Traffic which they are using on the Sync 3 to using TomTom on the Sync 4.

Here is a link to the other forum thread I was reading if anyone wants to read through it. Sync 4 Navigation Traffic Thread

 

When I first got the truck a couple months ago, if I received a text message when driving, it alerted, said I had a text and asked if I wanted to reply. Doesn't do that now, reset, disconnected and reconnected phone and made sure iPhone has show notifications enabled. And, sometimes the phone doesn't connect car play till way down the road. Also, tried to push the "whatever button its called", asked to call someone. It said phone wasn't connected but it was. Frustrating for sure.....

 

1) If you add extra pages of preset stations beyond the default 2 pages, Sync4 will forget the pages you added upon restart.

The presets are linked to your personal profile. If you update your settings to the # of presets you want, save the stations you want (XM or FM) and then go to personal profiles. Switch your profile to guest temporarily and then switch back to your personal profile. Your additional presets will show up. It worked for me.

 

I know on my truck when I make changes I have to save my profile again by holding down memory seat 1 position which is my profile and it saves all my settings. If I don't do that it doesn't remember anything after I turn it off and back on again. On trucks without memory seats I don't know how you save the profile again without removing it and resaving it as there doesn't seem to be a save setting any where that I know of.

 

Only thing I've seen so far is that it doesn't always come back up with audio on and on the sirius channel I was on.
e.g. I can turn off the truck while on 70s on 7, and sometimes it comes back up with audio off. (extremely rare), and sometimes it comes back up on the sirius xm hit 1 station. No biggie, 70s on 7 is programmed as one of the buttons.
Otherwise, been lucky so far.
I had a 2020 Explorer Platinum, and that one had dozens of really nasty bugs, and the CPU's they used were EXTREMELY over utilized, Lots of times I'd have to be EXTREMELY patient, press a button, and it would think, a few seconds later, it might act. argh, no fun. The 2021 F150 is SO much more responsive. (knock on wood).