Radio shuts off exactly 60 seconds after ignition turned off?

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

I recently noticed a change in the behavior of my 2018 Explorer Sport Sync3 radio. In all the time I've had it, it used to remain "on" for exactly 10 more minutes after shutting down the ignition... before shutting itself off. However, something has changed recently, as it is turning the radio off at exactly 60 seconds after engine shut-down, which is very frustrating!

I double-checked the settings for my vehicle, using FORScan, and the setting is set at 30 MINUTES (apparently a default)... but, it's never stayed on more than 10 minutes each time (which isn't even a choice within the settings presented in FORScan). Strange.

Anyway, I tried "resetting" that setting to now be set at 40 minutes, and testing afterwards show that it was once again longer... but still no more than its original 10 minutes! And then, while running errands today, it has once again reverted back to shutting-down at exactly 60 SECONDS!

Has anyone ever experienced this issue, and/or, come up with a sure fix for it?

 

[Mbrooks420]

It is probably also adjusted by the health of your battery. If your battery is recent, perhaps you have the fairly common corrosion issue on the battery terminals.

 

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

I don't think that's an issue, as the battery is only a year old, and, the BMS (Battery Management System) that monitors the battery is designed to alert the driver if there are any issues in that area... and it never has. Terminals are clean and shiny as well.

More than likely, it's some kind of corrupted software issue (since this feature is all software-driven), but I haven't been able to identify the source of the problem, nor the fix for it.

But, I do thank you for your input!

 

[peterk9]

I recently noticed a change in the behavior of my 2018 Explorer Sport Sync3 radio. In all the time I've had it, it used to remain "on" for exactly 10 more minutes after shutting down the ignition... before shutting itself off. However, something has changed recently, as it is turning the radio off at exactly 60 seconds after engine shut-down, which is very frustrating!

I double-checked the settings for my vehicle, using FORScan, and the setting is set at 30 MINUTES (apparently a default)... but, it's never stayed on more than 10 minutes each time (which isn't even a choice within the settings presented in FORScan). Strange.

Anyway, I tried "resetting" that setting to now be set at 40 minutes, and testing afterwards show that it was once again longer... but still no more than its original 10 minutes! And then, while running errands today, it has once again reverted back to shutting-down at exactly 60 SECONDS!

Has anyone ever experienced this issue, and/or, come up with a sure fix for it?

Hi Bob. The radio should turn OFF as soon as you turn OFF the ignition. It should not stay ON unless you used the radio ON/OFF button to turn it ON. If you used the button, then it should stay ON for about 20-25 minutes before shutting down.
I seldom use the radio switch. I always leave it ON so that it automatically turns ON when I start the vehicle and it shuts OFF right when the ignition is turned OFF. The radio has never remain ON for 60 seconds in any of the Explorers or Lincolns I've had.

Peter

 

[Michael Blackburn]

How it works in my 2018 with the Sony system:
Entering car:
Do nothing - System turns on, no music, turns off after 60 seconds. Press radio power for 30 minutes of music.
Activate Acc mode - system turns on, music plays (either 10 minutes or 30 minutes or until battery dies, don't know)
start car - system turns on / continues on, music plays
Leaving car:
turn engine off - music plays for 10 minutes then shutdown. Press radio power for 30 min of music.
open door - system shuts down

 

[peterk9]

Forgot about opening the door after turning engine OFF. If you don't open the door the power saver system will shut down most everything after 10 minutes. That should address that one. The only time the radio should not come back ON when you start the vehicle is when you have turned the radio OFF with it's control switch. The fact that it comes on and you have no sound seems to be an nidication that there is an issue perhaps with the Audio Control Module (ACM). There is no 60 second timer that I'm aware of or have read about.

Peter

 

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

Hi Bob. The radio should turn OFF as soon as you turn OFF the ignition. It should not stay ON unless you used the radio ON/OFF button to turn it ON. If you used the button, then it should stay ON for about 20-25 minutes before shutting down.
I seldom use the radio switch. I always leave it ON so that it automatically turns ON when I start the vehicle and it shuts OFF right when the ignition is turned OFF. The radio has never remain ON for 60 seconds in any of the Explorers or Lincolns I've had.

Peter

Hi Peter,

Under my usual scenario, it still turns off exactly 60 seconds after you turn off the ignition (meaning, not immediately), but I DID do some more experimenting, based on what you shared here. I found two scenarios would occur.... first, when it turns off at the 60 second timing mark, it will turn back on immediately IF you simply push the main power button again... something I had never tried before! After doing that, it was still "on" as of about 3 minutes, before I had to exit the vehicle and go about my business.

Secondly, I also found that, IF you do that, the radio will then actually stay ON... even if you open the door and leave the vehicle! In other words, you then have to manually turn it "Off" again, before leaving the vehicle... unless you want it to continue to play away (at least until it hits its built-in timer limit). Unfortunately, I have had the time nor patience to stick around long enough to see how long it will continue to play, before the timer shuts it down. Is it back to 10 minutes again? Or, is it at the 40 minutes I'd supposedly reprogrammed it to (via FORScan)?

I will look further into these questions, once I have more time to spend on the issue, but I do thank you for your information, all of which pointed me in a much better direction!

 

[peterk9]

The radio, like the buttons on the visor are always powered. You can activate them without the need for the key being around.
The radio if turned ON by its own button will remain ON, even if you exit the vehicle and inthis scenario, unless the radio is turned OFF by its own button, it will stay that was until it times out. On mine, I believe it is about 20 minutes. If the radio is ON when you turn the ignition OFF it should turn OFF as soon as you open the driver's door. If you remain in the vehicle after shutting it OFF then I believe the Battery Saver Program will shut the radio down after 10 minutes.
That's the way mine works. Not sure about the 60-second thing.

Peter

 

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

Yes, the radio typically turns off when I open the doors... except when I tested turning it back on again, before exiting the vehicle (as I mentioned earlier).

Out of curiosity, though, I tried turning the radio "on" with no key present, and all I got was about 60-seconds of the "System off to save battery / Please turn ignition off or start engine" warning message on the display (even though the ignition was not "on", nor was the engine running). Again, no key present to do anything.

Next, I tried bringing the key fob into the vehicle (but again, didn't start or otherwise turn on the accessory or ignition), and simply pushed the radio "on/off" button. Nothing happened at all... not even the warning message this time.

Lastly, and with the key still present, I pushed the "start" button one time, to put it into accessory mode, and the radio then came on.

I must be missing something here... LOL!

 

[peterk9]

Sounds like you have battery issues. If it was recently replaced did you allow the vehicle to sit undisturbed for 8 hours and did you have the Battery Management System reset to erase the old battery's memories?

Peter

 

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

I replaced it about a year ago, and followed those steps to the letter. I only drive it maybe once a week, and sometimes less, so I'm sure the sitting so much could be a cause for that message.... although last week, I drove it about 20 miles, and then two days later, that same message popped-up. But it's always started up immediately for me, regardless of whether or not that message has shown up (which is rare).

 

[peterk9]

I've had those 'low battery' messages come up several times on my vehicles, past and present. I only drive about 1800 miles a year. Every time the message comes up I put the battery charger on it and then it's good to go for a few more months.

Peter

 

[AdamWest436]

Mine did that and ended up losing the CCA part of the battery in the cold. Once I reset it in forscan, it was fine except random occasions where I see the screen with the blue progress bar pop up on the radio 20 seconds after shutting the vehicle off. The verry next day it would be fine again like it never did it.

 

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

Like I mentioned previously, I've never had a problem starting my vehicle, and, since placing my previous post, I've remembered that I also used to get the same message once in a while on my previous XLT... but again, never a starting problem (just a curiosity and an annoyance).

I can only guess that it's because I'm retired now, so I probably only average going out in the Explorer a couple of times every two weeks... so maybe, in my case at least, my less than normal usage might possibly play a part in triggering the message?

 

[peterk9]

Like I mentioned previously, I've never had a problem starting my vehicle, and, since placing my previous post, I've remembered that I also used to get the same message once in a while on my previous XLT... but again, never a starting problem (just a curiosity and an annoyance).

I can only guess that it's because I'm retired now, so I probably only average going out in the Explorer a couple of times every two weeks... so maybe, in my case at least, my less than normal usage might possibly play a part in triggering the message?

Like you Bob, I also never had starting issues and like am retired and driving infrequently. The battery charger was a very good investment.

Peter

 

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

I do have a battery charger, but I've never had to use it on either one of my Explorers. It just seems to start flawlessly, without effort, each and every time, even when that message occasionally shows up. I'm always good with a reliable start!

 

[Bobs2018ExplorerSport]

Just an update, that I've been driving my '18 at least once a week lately, and I haven't seen that "saving power" message ever since I started making it a point to drive it more...

 

[The Speculator]

Could be related to the driver's door ajar switch if you're also experiencing courtesy lighting issues and the like.