Just purchased a 2013 SEL, have some update questions

[roadkill401]

I just purchased a used Edge 2013 SEL from my local ford dealer. I have read up as best that I can about updates but am not sure if I totally understand everything.

 

My car comes with the touchscreen Sync and Navigation system, but is missing the SD card from what I am told that has the navigation maps on it. I was told that they would give me the latest version when the car is prepped and ready to be picked up.

 

 

I got the how to check the MFT version, but don't know if this is at all releated to the navigation system?

 

How do maps for the navigation system get updated? is it like a TomTom or Garmin system or are you at the whim of Ford to release updates? I have tried to get a map list from fords http://www.navigation.com/ but it keeps telling me that :

It seems that we were unable to find an available product for you but we'd still like to help.

Not much help for me really and it's friday night now so no help until next week if I call them.

 

I also noticed that the unit has 2 USB plugs. I don't own an iphone and my android phone is pretty old, so I was wondering if I could put music onto a USB drive and plug it in to have my music in MP3 there? But this brings up some more questions.

 

what size usb drive can the MFT Sync unit handle?

is there a maximum number of songs, directories, tree levels ...?

what version of ID tagging does this unit work with?

 

I had an older Ford Escape that didn't like the ID3v2 tagging at all. I don't want to be trying to convert my music to something that won't work. Any help to what is liked and works would be helpful. The dealer is clueless.

 

Any other help tips or advise is much appreciated.

 

Matt

 

 

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Welcome to Edge ownership and the forum, Matt! I am sure our intrepid membership (including Rebecca from Ford's In-Vehicle Tech team) can have you sorted out shortly

[akirby]

What does it say in the upper right hand corner of the screen? Does it just say Information or missing SD card? If it says information then your car did not come with navigation and you can't add it. If the dealer advertised it that way you have recourse.

 

Map updates are currently available from Ford for $129 or thereabouts. There is only one upgrade available so far - A5.

 

You can use up to a 32 gb usb drive for sure but it has to be powered by the usb port or you have to add an auxilliary power source. I think some have used a 64 gb also. Just make sure the format is FAT32.

 

If your Escape didn't like your mp3s then the new one probably won't either. How do you store them on your computer?

[roadkill401]

I finally got the VIN number from the dealer and the car is supposed to be ready for me to pick up on Tuesday. I have checked with the Sync web site and it says that the previous owner (it's a CAP or I think that is what they were saying) ford executive didn't bother to update the unit in any way, so it's still running the MFT 3.2.2 software.

 

I guess I will find out if they screen says anything on Tuesday when I pick the vehicle up. I am told they will give me a newer A5 sdcard. We will see but it is writen on my bil of sale word sheet.

 

I was talking with a friend who I found out has the same model Edge that I just bought. His solution to music was not to bother with trying to get the files in an MP3 file format that Sync likes, but simply to plug in an old Ipod Classic with all the music on it and simply leave in in the car. I do have an older 60gb version kicking around somewhere. I can easily get all my songs converted over to the apple format and loaded.

 

Looks like I am good to go. Thanks for the help.

[akirby]

If you're using itunes then you can easily copy the songs to a flash drive using a free program iTunes Export. It works great.

[chipworkz]

Regarding the Navigation, from what I have read here you may not even want to use it once you get it. I use Google maps on my phone which is "live" and it gives you route updates based on traffic so if a faster route becomes available, it will let you know. From what I have read here, the Ford Navigation is pretty bad.

 

Regarding the MP3 files, I just use the Bluetooth connection on my phone to play my music. You launch your music player or online music service (Google Play for me) on the phone and then you use the car controls to adjust volume or to skip forwards or backwards. You can't search for music through the car and still need to change Genres and such on the phone but for sound quality, this is a big advantage. The SEL sound system is pretty disappointing so if you use a USB stick or basic MP3 player, you are stuck with the basic Bass, Mid and Treble controls of the car. Using my phone, I have a program called Viper Audio http://vipersaudio.com/blog/ which dramatically improves the sound. It has a 10 band equalizer along with other options like Viper Base which can make it sound like you have a subwoofer when you really don't. It really is an amazing app. It isn't just a base booster but does some amazing sound processing to even make ear buds sound like there is a subwoofer without any distortion or over driving of the speakers. The point isn't to get people to install this app since not everyone will be able to but to point out that using the phone instead of a USB stick or basic MP3 player can give you much improved sound quality.

 

The stock speaker are some of the cheapest I have seen. Below are some pictures showing the stock front speakers vs the Infinity 682.11cf Kappa speakers that I installed. The rear speakers are the basic Ford speakers that does not have a separate tweeter and looked Identical to the speakers I took out of my 1999 F350.

 

I don't want to sidetrack your thread and if you like how the stock system sounds then use a USB stick or Ipod and be happy.

 

Oh and you are getting a CPO (Certified Pre Owned) vehicle not CAP.You can't go off the website as far as what version MFT it is running. If the previous owner never updated the website or ran a Vehicle Health Report, it will not show what version is actually running in the vehicle. Once I ran the Vehicle Health Report, it updated the website and now shows the current version. It was showing the version when the car was first sold previously to that.

 

I hope you enjoy it once you pick it up! I love mine with the exception of the sound system which I am working on.

 

 

 

 

[roadkill401]

Thanks for the heads up on more sound options.

 

For me, I have not found a car that sounds all that good ever. I have since given up trying and moved over to the side of thinking that I am using the car to really get from point A to point B. Having something to listen to along the way is nice especially if is something that I like to listen to, but will be very forgiving of the quality as it's there purely as an accompaniment. When I want to listen to music, I have a proper hifi stereo system at home that will properly reproduce the music correctly. I fail to see the point for me to try and spend anything on getting an acoustically challenged vehicle to sound right.

 

Though, that all said... when I get my telephone upgraded, I might look into putting the music onto it with a better player that I can just leave in the car and forget about.

[FordIVTteam]

Hi Matt,

It looks like everyone answered your questions, so I'll chime in with a few other helpful things.

- Have the dealership update the MFT software for you (so you can have time playing instead of installing).

- After you purchase, go to www.Support.Ford.com and create your SYNC account.
- You can also find a lot of useful information here:
http://support.ford.com/topics/sync-technology-sync-myford-touch

I can't wait to see pictures!

Rebecca

Edited September 22, 2014 by FordIVTteam

[good2Bking]

Chipworkz, the link in your post does nit work, but I looked up vipersaudio on google play and everything is in Chinese. Do I have the correct app? Also, looks like the most recent is for android 4.3 and my S4 is running 4.4.4

Can you tell me if this is the app you were referring to?