Sync3 Navigation Issues

[MarkX]

This past Saturday, my wife and I set out on a weekend trip to Cleveland, Ohio, from New York. Looking forward to a longish drive, I started to play a long opera on the Sycn3 system in my 2019 Conti Reserve. To do this, I placed a USB drive in the USB port, selected that as the audio source, found the track I wanted, and hit "play." Although the drive is mostly straightforward (head west on I-80), there are some possibly ambiguous junctions where navigation aids should be employed so I plugged in my phone and called up Android Auto and set a waypoint destination for a gas fill-up in Western Pennsylvania. I crossed the George Washington Bridge and I was following the navigation instructions in my HUD without paying too much attention to the road signs. Suddenly, I realized I was on the New Jersey Turnpike headed for the Lincoln Tunnel! No matter what destination I set in Android Auto, it kept directing me back to the Tunnel and presumably some destination other than what I was putting in. After some time-wasting detours, I turned off Android Auto and navigated the old fashioned way by following my nose informed by road signs and got back on track. After a while, it occurred to me that there was some sort of conflict between the USB drive as an audio source and the navigation in Sync3 so I closed down the audio and re-started Android Auto and satisfactory navigation resumed.

So, my question is: has anyone else had similar experiences or does anyone have any advice?

On a slightly different, but related, matter I found that Android Auto would not stay awake all the way to the destination as I expected. Over the course of the weekend, it "died" increasingly frequently, sometimes stay "up" for only a few minutes. I would unplug the phone for a while and then reconnect but that did not help. I also found that my phone got quite warm. As much as I prefer Waze (in AA) over Sync3's Google (I presume), it just was not reliable enough.

These experiences have damaged our regard for the car and its infotainment system, but I would like to hear what other people think.

 

[m1nkyb0y]

I had a disconnect problem with USB a couple years ago. I found that it was the usb port itself. I switched ports and made sure anything that I plugged in would not wiggle around, (closing the little door and immobilizing the usb wire). I haven't had the problem since.
Have you had any work done in the back of the USB port area, lately? Maybe the connector got loose somehow. Maybe it's just dirty, perhaps a squirt of contact cleaner would help.

 

[MarkX]

...
Have you had any work done in the back of the USB port area, lately? ...

Definitely not. There was no movement of the cable in the USB port. The cable is a flat cable and I close the "little door" on it which pinches it in place. And once AA is off, it stays off. If it were a "jiggle" issue, I would expect it to come back to life after a brief interruption but it does not.

 

[bbf2530]

This past Saturday, my wife and I set out on a weekend trip to Cleveland, Ohio, from New York. Looking forward to a longish drive, I started to play a long opera on the Sycn3 system in my 2019 Conti Reserve. To do this, I placed a USB drive in the USB port, selected that as the audio source, found the track I wanted, and hit "play." Although the drive is mostly straightforward (head west on I-80), there are some possibly ambiguous junctions where navigation aids should be employed so I plugged in my phone and called up Android Auto and set a waypoint destination for a gas fill-up in Western Pennsylvania. I crossed the George Washington Bridge and I was following the navigation instructions in my HUD without paying too much attention to the road signs. Suddenly, I realized I was on the New Jersey Turnpike headed for the Lincoln Tunnel! No matter what destination I set in Android Auto, it kept directing me back to the Tunnel and presumably some destination other than what I was putting in. After some time-wasting detours, I turned off Android Auto and navigated the old fashioned way by following my nose informed by road signs and got back on track. After a while, it occurred to me that there was some sort of conflict between the USB drive as an audio source and the navigation in Sync3 so I closed down the audio and re-started Android Auto and satisfactory navigation resumed.

So, my question is: has anyone else had similar experiences or does anyone have any advice?

On a slightly different, but related, matter I found that Android Auto would not stay awake all the way to the destination as I expected. Over the course of the weekend, it "died" increasingly frequently, sometimes stay "up" for only a few minutes. I would unplug the phone for a while and then reconnect but that did not help. I also found that my phone got quite warm. As much as I prefer Waze (in AA) over Sync3's Google (I presume), it just was not reliable enough.

These experiences have damaged our regard for the car and its infotainment system, but I would like to hear what other people think.

Hi MX. Sorry, I am a bit confused (it happens a lot). Since you had your Android phone plugged in and were using Android Auto, which Navigation system/app were you actually using?
Were you using the SYNC 3 onboard Navigation system, or Waze, or Google Maps, or some other Navigation app on your phone?

If you were using Waze, Google Maps or some other phone app Navigation, the directions problem was most likely due to a glitch in the app, not SYNC 3.

And the USB audio source should have absolutely no affect on the Navigation system, so my initial thoughts are that was only a coincidence.

However, the disconnect issue could be a SYNC issue, although it is near impossible to diagnose that over the Internet.

Also, have you checked the SYNC 3 update website for available updates for your vehicle, and have your SYNC system fully updated?
You can check here: https://www.lincoln.com/support/sync-maps-updates/

Keep us updated and good luck.

EDIT- And on a related note, the SYNC 3 Navigation system database is provided by HERE, not Google.

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[C Krohn]

I have Sync 3 with nav in my MKX. I've noticed that if I plug my phone in to listen to my music, the Sync 3 navigation is replaced by Apple maps.

 

[bbf2530]

I have Sync 3 with nav in my MKX. I've noticed that if I plug my phone in to listen to my music, the Sync 3 navigation is replaced by Apple maps.

Hi C Krohn. Yes it all depends on whether the driver has selected Android Auto (if using an Android phone), or Apple CarPlay (if using an iPhone), or SYNC 3 as their chosen infotainment interface when their phone is plugged in.

Good luck.

 

[MarkX]

Some time ago, I realized that I could not play audio from USB drive in the USB port once I had started Android Auto. In the case of the head of this thread, I started the USB drive audio before I plugged in AA. I think I tried to use the Sync3 to navigate as well (not AA) with the poor results but my memory is not rock-solid on that.

 

[bbf2530]

Some time ago, I realized that I could not play audio from USB drive in the USB port once I had started Android Auto. In the case of the head of this thread, I started the USB drive audio before I plugged in AA. I think I tried to use the Sync3 to navigate as well (not AA) with the poor results but my memory is not rock-solid on that.

HI MX. You may want to have that checked on your next service visit.

While I can not speak for Android Auto, I can play music through the USB/flash drive while using Apple CarPlay.

That does not offer much help with the Navigation issue, but perhaps it may help point to the underlying issue.

Keep us updated and good luck.

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[MarkX]

... I can play music through the USB/flash drive while using Apple CarPlay.

...

Yes, but can you do both at the same time over an extended period of time?

I hear you on having it professionally checked and I may do that at the time of its next routine service visit. It is not a big enough deal to merit a visit on its own.

I kinda want this to work. My drive has my entire LP and CD collection on it, north of a thousand hours.

 

[bbf2530]

Yes, but can you do both at the same time over an extended period of time?

I hear you on having it professionally checked and I may do that at the time of its next routine service visit. It is not a big enough deal to merit a visit on its own.

I kinda want this to work. My drive has my entire LP and CD collection on it, north of a thousand hours.

Hi MX. Yes, I can and have done both in my car at the same time over an extended period of time with no glitches, shut-offs etc. It was not a trick answer.

I completely understand you not considering it important enough to make a special service trip for right now. Just figured I would let you know you should be able to listen to the USB while using Android Auto. So let Lincoln fix it while still within warranty.

Let us know how you eventually make out and good luck.