System Operation: Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2017 Lincoln Navigator and 2017 Ford Expedition. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Accessory Delay Feature

The accessory delay feature allows the audio system to be operated for a preset period of time after the ignition is turned off and a front door has not been opened.

AM/FM Radio

The AM/FM antenna receives radio waves and sends them to the antenna isolator module. The antenna isolator module amplifies the signals and sends them through the AM/FM antenna coaxial cable to the ACM. The radio waves are converted into fluctuating AC voltage and sent as left and right analog audio signals to the speakers.

Audible Prompts

The APIM receives stereo inputs from connected mobile phones and mono inputs from the SYNC ® microphone.

Stereo and mono inputs, voice prompts, the TTS feature, ringtones, and any audio received through a connected mobile phone are transmitted to the ACM as stereo or mono sound.

The TTS feature speaks information so that it does not have to be read from the display.

Audio Extended Play

This feature allows the audio system to operate with the ignition OFF, regardless of door latch position. When the power button on the FCIM is pressed, audio system functionality is enabled and remains active for a period of 20-60 minutes, depending on configuration settings. To turn the audio system off, the power button on the FCIM is pressed. Audio extended play will not function if the battery load shed is active.

Audio Input Jack Mode

When a portable audio device, such as an iPod ®, is connected to the vehicle audio system through the audio input jack, audio from the device can be played through the vehicle speakers. Only the volume can be controlled by the vehicle audio controls. All other functions such as seek, fast forward, pause, etc. must be carried out on the device itself.

No metadata (information such as artist, album title, song title, and genre) is transferred when a device is connected to the audio input jack.

Battery Load Shed

The BCM uses the battery current sensor to monitor the battery state of charge. The battery current sensor is attached to the battery ground cable. With the vehicle OFF and the ignition in ACC or ON, a load shed message is sent over the CAN when the BCM determines that the battery state of charge is below 40%, 45 minutes have elapsed, or 10% of the charge has been drained. This message turns off the audio system to save the remaining battery charge. Under this condition, SYS OFF TO SAVE BATT is displayed on the centerstack infotainment display to notify the driver that battery protection actions are active. To clear the load shed state, start the vehicle.

Bluetooth Mode

Bluetooth is a secure, short-range radio frequency that allows devices to communicate wirelessly through radio waves. The operating range of a Bluetooth signal is a maximum of 9.75 m (32 feet).

The Bluetooth interface can accommodate both Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and Bluetooth-enabled media devices. The SYNC ® system allows interaction with several types of customer Bluetooth devices, including mobile phones and media devices. The APIM contains an on-board Bluetooth chipset, which enables certain wireless devices to interact with the system. Any Bluetooth device used with the SYNC ® system must first be paired with the system before it is operational.

Only one Bluetooth phone and one Bluetooth media device can be connected to the system at any one time. If an additional device of either type is paired with the system and made active, the APIM disconnects any active connection and establishes a connection with the new device.

When a new Bluetooth device is added, the APIM and the Bluetooth device must be paired together. Most Bluetooth devices can pair with the SYNC ® system, although functionality may vary. To determine if a Bluetooth device is supported, verify the customer device is on the compatibility list for the current APIM software level.

Pairing a Bluetooth device is accomplished through the "Add Device" selection of the phone menu. When pairing a device, the SYNC ® system generates a unique PIN that must be entered on the Bluetooth device in order for the pairing process to be successful. There are also some device-specific actions that must take place. For information on the pairing process, refer to the Owner's Literature.

It is important to understand that not all mobile phones have the same level of features when interacting with the SYNC ® system. For a list of compatible phones, refer to SyncMyRide website.

MyKey ® Audio Operation

When a MyKey ® is in use, the following restrictions are activated:

The audio system is muted until the safety belts are buckled when the Belt-Minder ® feature is activated. The MyKey ® "BUCKLE UP TO UNMUTE AUDIO" is displayed in the information display.
- This is a standard setting and cannot be changed.
Satellite radio adult content stations are blocked by being muted.
If "Always On" is selected in the MyKey ® menu, 911 assist and the Do Not Disturb features are enabled and cannot be disabled.
The audio system volume is limited to 45%. In an attempt to exceed the limited volume, the MyKey ® VOLUME LIMITED message is displayed in the centerstack infotainment display.
- This is an optional setting.

Refer to the Owner's Literature for more information on MyKey ®.

Rear Seat Audio Controls

The audio RCU module allows rear seat occupants to control the audio systems volume, select the media input, display the radio station, display SIRIUS ® radio channel, CD track and clock. The rear seat audio controls are integral to the audio RCU module. The rear seat audio control requests are sent from the audio RCU module to the ACM over the I-CAN.

Satellite Radio

Satellite radio is a subscription-based service.

The satellite radio roof-mounted antenna receives signals containing data (station call letters, artist names, song titles, etc.) and digital satellite radio audio. These signals are sent through the satellite radio antenna coaxial cable to the satellite radio receiver built into the ACM. The ACM separates the data from the audio. The data is sent to be displayed on the centerstack infotainment display, and the audio is converted into fluctuating AC voltage and sent as left and right analog audio signals to the speakers.

Speed Compensated Volume

The ACM adjusts the audio system volume based on the VSS signal to compensate for speed and wind noise.

When a MyKey ® is in use and the MyKey ® radio volume limiter is enabled, the speed compensated volume is disabled.

Steering Wheel Switch Functions

The RH steering wheel switches operate the volume +/-, seek +/-, and the audio system SYNC ® functions.

The RH steering wheel switches contain series of resistors. Each steering wheel switch function corresponds with a specific resistance value within the switch.

The SCCM sends a 5-volt reference voltage to the RH steering wheel switch on the input circuits. When a switch is pressed, the voltage is routed through the corresponding resistor(s), and then to ground through the SCCM. The SCCM monitors the resultant voltage drop to determine which switch was pressed. The voltage drop varies depending upon the resistance of the specific switch pressed.

The SCCM sends a network message to the APIM for the SYNC ® switches and to the ACM for the redundant audio controls.

SYNC ® AppLink™

SYNC ® AppLink™ allows the customer to control smartphone applications by using voice commands and in-vehicle controls. Data is transferred from the customer's device to the APIM through Bluetooth, or through the USB port with Apple ® devices.

SYNC ® Services

SYNC ® Services is a subscription-based service. For SYNC ® Services subscription information, refer to SyncMyRide.

The customer's mobile phone is used to access and download the SYNC ® services. SYNC ® services information received by the customer's mobile device is sent to the APIM.

The GPS antenna, integral to the GPSM, is used to detect the location and direction of the vehicle.

SYNC ® services includes the following features:

Business search
Personalized text alerts
Real-time traffic updates
Turn-by-turn directions

SYNC ® services allows the customer to receive updates for:

Entertainment
News
Sports
Stocks
Travel
Weather

SYNC ® System

The SYNC ® system is a hands-free communication and entertainment system that supports many features. All features are not available with every phone.

The SYNC ® system provides the ability to:

Connect media devices (such as an iPod ® or USB device) in order to play audio files.
Control the entertainment system using voice controls.
Initiate an emergency call (911 Assist™) when the airbags deploy.
Play media files via a paired Bluetooth-enabled audio device.
Produce vehicle health reports.
Send and receive phone calls via a paired Bluetooth-enabled phone.
Send and receive text messages via a paired Bluetooth-enabled phone.

USB Audio Mode

The USB port can be used for connecting a media device (such as an iPod ®) with the device's available cable, or for directly plugging in a portable mass storage device, such as a thumb drive. When playing media files stored on a mass storage device, the SYNC ® system only plays files that do not have DRM protection. The USB port can also be used for uploading vehicle application upgrades. The USB port is powered by the APIM, so no external power source is needed to power a device plugged into the USB port if the device supports this feature.

In addition to audio information, metadata (information such as artist, album title, song title, and genre) may also be sent to the APIM from a device plugged into the USB port. The APIM uses the metadata to create indexes that can be used to sort for particular music, based on customer preference. Not all USB devices can send metadata to the APIM. When a new media device is connected to the SYNC ® system, the APIM automatically indexes the information. This may take several minutes (depending on the amount of data on the device), and is considered normal operation. When a device that was previously connected to the SYNC ® system is reconnected, the APIM updates the index (rather than creating a new one), which reduces the amount of time needed to index the device.

Voice Recognition

Voice recognition is used for many vehicle functions, including the audio system. The microphone relays the microphone input to the APIM through dedicated wiring. The TTS and voice prompt features speak certain text information and interaction requests to minimize driver distraction by having to look at the audio system display while driving. The ringtone alerts the driver to an incoming call. The microphone is also used to detect outgoing audio during a phone call.

Audible prompts can range from a simple tone to more elaborate spoken text, based on the customer setting. When interaction mode is set to standard, detailed guidance is provided. When interaction mode is set to advanced, most prompts are tones only and minimal audible guidance is provided. Refer to the Owner's Literature for further information on voice interaction.

The audio signals for the TTS and voice prompt features, ringtones, and audio from the outside device during a phone call, are sent from the APIM to the ACM.