Sometimes Ford Sync users experience difficulty getting their iPhone to properly “call” their contacts, and often the solution is as simple as clearing your phone’s contact list.
iPhone users, and yes, even owners of Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Microsoft and Blackberry smartphones, may not be aware that they have entered their phone contacts incorrectly. If the Ford Sync or MyFord Touch system cannot correctly identify your contact, then you will not be able to complete the phone call effectively.
Take a moment to review your phone’s contact list. On the iPhone, tap the “Contacts” icon. Your screen should display the contact’s first name in “normal” font (lighter font). The last name will be in “bold”. If you haven’t figured it out yet, go back to your app screen and tap the “Settings” icon. Then tap the “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” icon. Scroll down to the “Contacts” heading. Underneath you will see “Sort Order”. Select “Last, First”. Then select “Show Order” and select “First, Last”. Using this setting will give you a phone contact list with all of your friends listed in alphabetical order by First Name within the first letter of Last Name.
Where we’ve seen people with sync issues is when they put the contact’s first and last name on the name line. For example, using the photo above, Michael Alexander would be entered into the “Name” line of a new contact file and saved. The problem comes from the Ford Sync system that wants to be able to differentiate between the first and last name. Put the first name on the first name line and the last name on the last name line, then the sync system will “find” your contact when you call, for example “Call Michael Alexander”.
DO NOT put smiley faces, punctuation and other strange signs in the name.
For example, “Michael Alexander “
The Sync system will not be able to interpret the name and emoticon. So don’t use emoticons.
Also, if the phone number is “Home”, “Work”, “Mobile”, or “Other”, put it on the appropriate line to save the phone numbers. Don’t clutter the name line with “Michael on cell phone.” Again, this confuses the sync system so it cannot properly index and recognize the name.
Here’s a quick video on how to use your iPhone with the Ford Sync or MyFord Touch system.
And, if you used SIM cards to store phone numbers and contact information in the past, then don’t transfer those files to your smartphone even in the “SIM-saved” format. A SIM card is a small portable storage chip that allows the transfer of a phone book, but is stored on a secure level that Sync cannot access. You can view your phone’s contact list and see all the names. However, if they are all “saved to SIM”, your Sync system will not be able to “see” them. Edit your contact list with the names you call most often and select “save to phone” and not “save to SIM”.
Finally, enter your names in upper and lower case. Do not save names in upper case. Sync doesn’t recognize all caps (usually) unless you spell it letter by letter.
As a note, every time you edit or update your phone book, the next time you start your vehicle, the Sync system will go through your contacts and “see” any changes you’ve made.
Also, remember that Sync’s voice is “seeing” a potential name or word from syllables and phonetics. Ethnic words may not be understood. Even a name like Nita (pronounced Nee-ta) would be pronounced as “Ny-ta” by the Sync system. So instead of misspelling a name just for the sync system, why not give your friend another nickname, like “My best friend” or “The crazy one.”
Apple uses a lot of proprietary programming, so even if you have photos of your friends in your iPhone contacts, they may not always transfer through the sync system.
So take a look in your phone book. If you’re having trouble calling a contact by name, it may be due to these factors.