Loganfilm - How did the appointment with the Ford Tech go?

[dco43054]

I do have a massive contact list in the phone... 6000 entries.

Go into the phone setup and turn off the address book auto update feature and see what happens. I did that last weekend to see if that would speed up the system start up.

If your nav system is searching and reloading each time you start the Explorer, that would but an incredible drain on the system. Also - I wonder if the Nav system searches the contact list each time you try to enter a new destination.

 

[Loganfilm]

I'm going to try this today and see what happens.

If phones are capable of storing the info, then the system should be robust enough to handle it. Especially if I'm using the most popular phone on the planet....

RAM is cheap. So are faster processors. Especially when you factor in the PR tailspin related to MFT performance or lack thereof.

 

[donm527]

storing data and moving it around are two different things.

the little sucker has a 600mhz processor which is probably about the same as my first generation iphone 2G 4 years ago which i still play around with and find it slow as molasses compared to my 3gs or i4. and MFT is running a MS OS on it... not iOS so wonder really how efficient it is.

i'm imagining running a Windows 95/XP system on a 600mhz processor and understanding why the sluggishness now

I'm going to try this today and see what happens.

If phones are capable of storing the info, then the system should be robust enough to handle it. Especially if I'm using the most popular phone on the planet....

RAM is cheap. So are faster processors. Especially when you factor in the PR tailspin related to MFT performance or lack thereof.

 

[FordService]

Loganfilm, please keep us in the loop with what you find after dco43054’s suggestion.

My MFT system has issues and I do not even have a phone paired to it. I assume some of the other guy's issues could be related to their phones, but I am certain it is NOT the root of my issues.

Our system still freezes and the radio just goes wacky all the time. We can be listening to Sirius and it will show AM stations as choices, or it will just freeze and give no control over the radio.

Our navigation still crashes about 90% of the time when we look at the weather radar through Sirius travel link. It has done that since day 1, before and after the new APIM and the new version 2.8 software.

I was told that customer service would stay in touch with me on a regular basis..... they have only called me the initial one time and that was to tell me that there was nothing they could do to fix it until the software was fixed and they "appreciated my patience".

I made sure you will be called today.

Cory

 

[Vic]

I'm going to try this today and see what happens.

If phones are capable of storing the info, then the system should be robust enough to handle it. Especially if I'm using the most popular phone on the planet....

RAM is cheap. So are faster processors. Especially when you factor in the PR tailspin related to MFT performance or lack thereof.

Logan, you seem more interested in bashing MFT than actually addressing your issue. People have offered suggestions over the last several weeks and you seem more interested in foot stomping than making the proper settings. This isn't a RAM or processor speed issue.

The average smartphone takes more than one minute to transfer 1000 contacts to any other device, whether its transfering to MFT or whatever.

It will take 6 to 7 minutes to transfer the contact list that you have. That time isn't a function of MFT but it is a function of the number of contacts, the phone and standard transfer rates.

Apple realizes the issue caused by large contact list and adds a feature to help with large contact lists. As an Apple expert I assume you are already aware of that and have made the proper changes to your iPhone. MFT also addresses large contact lists by allowing the user to turn off the auto phonebook feature. The SYNC site addresses the issue of large contact lists.

 

[Loganfilm]

Vic,

I don't work for Ford, but I feel like I should put in a timecard.

I bought one of their products, assuming it would function properly and work as advertised. It most certainly does not. I didn't sign up willingly to be a Beta tester, but that's become my fate. Along with many others.

I see your point, but the fact that I have to put in tireless hours of dealer visits and research to get the car to (hopefully) one day function properly is maddening. Yes, I have slammed the system. The system has cost me a LOT of my time. Time that I value.

Of course, I would rather just have it work. Replacing the APIM has actually made it a LOT more functional than it was before. It's still not up to par with the seizing up and lagging and need for disconnecting the battery for resetting the system.

Yes. I am trying your suggestions today. I just went out and deleted the phone and disconnected the ipod. I'll leave them off today. I also just attempted (again) to run the system status checker. Seemed to install OK, but I can't get it to register as a successful install when I put the thumb drive back into the computer and log in to syncmyride. That has never worked for me.

Sorry to be such a downer, but this thing is frustrating.

 

[jrmexplorer]

Vic,

I don't work for Ford, but I feel like I should put in a timecard.

I bought one of their products, assuming it would function properly and work as advertised. It most certainly does not. I didn't sign up willingly to be a Beta tester, but that's become my fate. Along with many others.

I see your point, but the fact that I have to put in tireless hours of dealer visits and research to get the car to (hopefully) one day function properly is maddening. Yes, I have slammed the system. The system has cost me a LOT of my time. Time that I value.

Of course, I would rather just have it work. Replacing the APIM has actually made it a LOT more functional than it was before. It's still not up to par with the seizing up and lagging and need for disconnecting the battery for resetting the system.

Yes. I am trying your suggestions today. I just went out and deleted the phone and disconnected the ipod. I'll leave them off today. I also just attempted (again) to run the system status checker. Seemed to install OK, but I can't get it to register as a successful install when I put the thumb drive back into the computer and log in to syncmyride. That has never worked for me.

Sorry to be such a downer, but this thing is frustrating.

keep us informed of your progress.

I feel in some ways that you are helping all of us as hopefully Ford will learn from your experiences and implement better service when one of these MFT things dies. Mine works great now but a computer subject to the kind of vibrations a car goes through makes me a little nervous that in a few months or years mine will malfunction too. Getting Ford's attention to these issues is important.

For me it's also a bit dissapointing that the way my system functions isn't the way other people's systems are functioning.

Vic - consider it from his perspective - he bought a 50k brick - I feel that he is entirely justified in being frustrated and posting here about it.

 

[dco43054]

Yes. I am trying your suggestions today. I just went out and deleted the phone and disconnected the ipod. I'll leave them off today. I also just attempted (again) to run the system status checker. Seemed to install OK, but I can't get it to register as a successful install when I put the thumb drive back into the computer and log in to syncmyride. That has never worked for me.

Sorry to be such a downer, but this thing is frustrating.

I never could get the system status checker to successfully complete. I called the help line and they said that it would not run unless something had been updated on the system. Seemed to make sense, but who knows if they were just blowing smoke?

Agreed that you shouldn't be the Beta tester for MFT - but it seems that you are. There is something about the combination of MFT, and what you are running that is unique. One thing that is different is the nav. The rest of us who are having mediocre performance seem to not have factory nav. People with more major problems seem to have factory Nav.

Another difference is the audio head unit. The Sony is standard in the Limited. The XLT has a different head unit.

Let us know if there is any difference if you reduce the load on the system. You shouldn't have to, but if the performance differs when you reduce the load, then at least you have a cause/effect to deal with instead of uknowns.

 

[GWA1]

I have a limited with Sony And Nav and I have minimal problems compared to Loganfilm and others. running 2.8
6000 contacts. I'm in awe. i must lead a dull life with only maybe 100 contacts in phone. LOL Even when a was working I never had anywhere near that amount. I'm thinking thats a lot for MFT to handle. So what do you do for a living? Do other people have alot of contacts in their phones?

 

[gdecamp]

Let us know if there is any difference if you reduce the load on the system. You shouldn't have to, but if the performance differs when you reduce the load, then at least you have a cause/effect to deal with instead of uknowns.

This is what I think is wrong with the system in many instances...overload. It seems like a computer with not enough RAM. It loads programs until it choaks,sows down, becomes unstable and crashes. This even happens with my IPOD touch when I listen to Pandora a lot, it crashes and needs to be shut down and rebooted, then it works again. Would like to know how much RAM it has and if there is a way to reboot the system without pulling the battery cable or fuse 29? There must be a hidden sequence somewhere....

 

[dco43054]

This is what I think is wrong with the system in many instances...overload. It seems like a computer with not enough RAM. ....

I'm really interested in hearing what happens without the ipod and phone in the loop. I've noticed with my unit that if I start trying to use the voice command without waiting a couple minutes, it runs really slowly.

My guess is that they do a minimal system load in the start sequence, then layer in more functionality. And limitations really manifests themselves as it tries to check out his 6,000 contacts for updates, while he is trying to input a new destination into the nav.

I suspect as you note there is an underpowered processor and not enough memory.

And I suspect there were a group of developers who sat around a table and said "hey, this is 99% done. No one will ever have the perfect storm of system demands that will cause it to melt down." Gues what......

 

[gdecamp]

And I suspect there were a group of developers who sat around a table and said "hey, this is 99% done. No one will ever have the perfect storm of system demands that will cause it to melt down." Gues what......

Bingo....could't agree more!

 

[Vic]

MFT has 2GB of flash memory plus 512MB of RAM plus additional memory with the Freescale SOC and ARM CPU and the graphics controller. For comparisons, iPhones have either 128MB, 256MB or 512MB. Mass storage is handle via other means.

As noted by the other member, storage and transfer of data are two different issues.

To transfer the data contained in 6000 contact object files will take the average smartphone about 6 minutes. The files contain a lot more than just a name and phone number. If a user wants to transfer and constantly sync a large number of contacts that's fine but the user must realize the latency involved due to the constraints of standard transfer rates.

Apple put a setting on the iPhone to mitigate issues resulting from large contacts list. If a user chooses not to select and use that iPhone setting that's the users choice.

 

[dco43054]

MFT has 2GB of flash memory plus 512MB of RAM plus additional memory with the Freescale SOC and ARM CPU and the graphics controller. For comparisons, iPhones have either 128MB, 256MB or 512MB. Mass storage is handle via other means.

I'm not saying your are not correct about the specs - what I want to know is if it is enough to quickly run the software they are trying to run on it.

 

[gdecamp]

I'm not saying your are not correct about the specs - what I want to know is if it is enough to quickly run the software they are trying to run on it.

....and while other things are already loaded into RAM! A Windows based system is so different than an Apple based system...assuming this windows based system does things similarly to a PC windows based system?

 

[jrmexplorer]

Any updates?

Any update on whether removing your phone and ipod helps Loganfilm?

-J

 

[dco43054]

Damn, man - don't keep us in suspense. How is the system operating?

 

[jrmexplorer]

Damn, man - don't keep us in suspense. How is the system operating?

I PM'd him the other day and he told me that after deleting his phone from MFT, unplugging his ipod, doing a system reset (from the sync menu) and battery pull (to make sure his iphone was expunged from his system) AND NOT repairing and reconnecting (just running without any external devices) that things seemed to be working well. However, he was going to give it awhile to make sure everything was working before posting.

The next step for him is to start adding stuff back in to see what exactly is the problem.

 

[Loganfilm]

Sorry. I was dealing with the funeral of a friend.

Yes. Things are much better. After I got a new APIM and then experienced more troubles, I deleted my phone contents and I've avoided connecting an ipod. Seems that the system tries to search through the entire phone contents via bluetooth whenever you try to put in an address and it slows the system down incredibly, to the point of stalled failure. Since I deleted everything, the thing actually "works". It's not ideal. It bugs the crap out of me, but I can say that I can actually make it "work". Now, I'm just waiting on the new software update to see if that changes anything. If I can't eventually add in my phone book or ipod, then I don't consider the thing to be a success. I call it a fail. Right now, I have to dig through my phone to dial calls without any on screen assistance.

The thing is clunky and lags, but yes.... it sort of "works". Way better than before the APIM replacement. I haven't had a black screen pumping hot air at me in a while. I still have to undo the battery terminal to "reset" the thing every once in a while, but not constantly, like before. Is it "fixed"....? Hardly. Carrying around a 10mm end wrench to undo the battery to reset your brand new $50K car is pretty stupid.

I'm now resigned to waiting on the new "magic" update. After that, if it's still the same... I don't want the car.

 

[jrmexplorer]

Sorry. I was dealing with the funeral of a friend.

Yes. Things are much better. After I got a new APIM and then experienced more troubles, I deleted my phone contents and I've avoided connecting an ipod. Seems that the system tries to search through the entire phone contents via bluetooth whenever you try to put in an address and it slows the system down incredibly, to the point of stalled failure. Since I deleted everything, the thing actually "works". It's not ideal. It bugs the crap out of me, but I can say that I can actually make it "work". Now, I'm just waiting on the new software update to see if that changes anything. If I can't eventually add in my phone book or ipod, then I don't consider the thing to be a success. I call it a fail. Right now, I have to dig through my phone to dial calls without any on screen assistance.

The thing is clunky and lags, but yes.... it sort of "works". Way better than before the APIM replacement. I haven't had a black screen pumping hot air at me in a while. I still have to undo the battery terminal to "reset" the thing every once in a while, but not constantly, like before. Is it "fixed"....? Hardly. Carrying around a 10mm end wrench to undo the battery to reset your brand new $50K car is pretty stupid.

I'm now resigned to waiting on the new "magic" update. After that, if it's still the same... I don't want the car.

Sorry to hear about your friend....

Why do you still have to undo the battery terminal? What is happening to make you need to do this - general glitchiness? B.t.w. - pulling fuse 29 is way easier once you get used to it - takes 2 minutes and you don't have to open the hood.

-J