Sync 3 with Apple CarPlay on 2017 FFE

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Texas FFE

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2016
Messages
117
At first I didn't see much benefit to using Apple CarPlay on my 2017 model but then I discovered the interaction with Apple Maps. On my 2013 FFE I use to use MyFordMobil to find charging stations and then send the address to the car using Sync Services. The 2017 doesn't even use Sync Services and I was having a hard time figuring out how to send an address from my phone to my car.

Then I plugged my phone into the USB port on my car and activated Apple CarPlay. I found that I could access ANY charging station in PlugShare, open up the map for that charging station, ask the map to direct me to the station and the map and directions show up on the monitor in the car center console. Any app on your iPhone that accesses Apple Maps, like Yelp, automatically sends the map to the car.

Apple CarPlay doesn't use the same map as the navigation map and the user interface of Apple Maps is different. One thing that Apple Maps does not do that I miss is interface with the budget cup so you can see what surplus you have to your charging destination. An experience EV operator should be able to overcome the loss of the budget cup feature by comparing the budget range with the distance to destination shown on the map.

I tried several ways to get the navigation map on my 2017 to give me my destinations including manually entering the address, voice locating the Point-Of-Interest, voice entering the address, etc. all of which seem cumbersome. And it always seemed like I was looking up the POI on my iPhone first. It's really nice to just be able to look up the POI on the iPhone and just point and click the map location onto the car center console.

I'm still not a big fan of most of the features in Apple CarPlay but if you find a particularly useful application for Apple CarPlay I would like to here about.
 
That describes my experience as well. It’s too bad that you lose the budget and other cluster navigation features.

Another interesting, but probably not all the useful feature: When you enter a destination with the built in nav, then plug in your iPhone, Apple Maps takes over navigation to that same address. It’s too bad the opposite doesn’t also work.
 
I don't have a particular app that I like....but I really like the interface. It was a mandate for me when I bought the car that it have CarPlay. I stream most of my music, listen to podcasts, make business calls from the car every day, use navigation (I find the factory navigation insufferable), and I don't really need the integration with the distance/charge points that you mention....possibly because I live in KC where there are literally thousands of free charge points.

Having a quality interface with my phone while in the car is fantastic. If you don't use the phone for as many things as I do, I can it becoming frustrating.
 
A question about the 2017 stereo system ... does it come with a subwoofer? I know the standard Focus' with the Sony sound system do, but they don't have to contend witha huge battery in the trunk. The standard Sony System is a 10 speaker system but the FFE has only 9 speakers. This leads me to believe there is no subwoofer in the FFE.

The stock subwoofer (on ICE models) is only rated for like 60 watts, so I'd prefer to go aftermarket anyway. Does the Sony system have preamp outputs? Any chance those are 4 watt outputs? Is the stock system head unit any good? Ideally, I'd put in a 10" sub with an 800 watt 5-channel amp to run it all.
 
Smoking_Rubber said:
A question about the 2017 stereo system ... does it come with a subwoofer? I know the standard Focus' with the Sony sound system do, but they don't have to contend witha huge battery in the trunk. The standard Sony System is a 10 speaker system but the FFE has only 9 speakers. This leads me to believe there is no subwoofer in the FFE.

The stock subwoofer (on ICE models) is only rated for like 60 watts, so I'd prefer to go aftermarket anyway. Does the Sony system have preamp outputs? Any chance those are 4 watt outputs? Is the stock system head unit any good? Ideally, I'd put in a 10" sub with an 800 watt 5-channel amp to run it all.
Bass sucks bad on the '17, so I believe not. My 2016 Mazda3's base model's sound system has better bass than the Ford. I do feel the need to add a compact subwoofer somewhere so I'm interested to see what folks come up with.
 
jmueller065 said:
There is no subwoofer in the FFE: The battery takes the room where it is on the ICE model.

That's what I figured. Has anyone put a 10" Bazooka tube in the back? https://www.southernaudioservices.com/BTA10250D-BT-Series-10-inch-250-watt-Class-D-Amplified-Tube-P33.aspx

I think 250 watts pushing a 10" would be enough to add some thump and make my commute a little better. Would it fit? I don't care about taking up space in the trunk since this will be my commuter. I have bigger vehicles for hauling my crap.
 
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