MyFord Touch Performance Upgrade [Update]

A shiny blue envelope containing the MyFord Touch “Performance Upgrade” was sticking out of my mailbox when I pulled into the drive yesterday. Inside the envelope a USB thumb drive and a SD card of map data was nicely presented in a cardboard case. The upgrade was very straight forward: start the car, plug in the USB stick, wait an hour. It took mine almost 50 minutes.

Following the update, the changes are immediate and obvious. While the overall scheme is the same, much has changed with the interface. The four corners are still used to select the four sub-systems; phone, navigation, climate, entertainment, but each has a different look. The system is considerably more responsive overall. Although it still exhibits a slight delay, the touch screen is many times faster than before. I couldn’t possibly list all the changes. Just about everything is moved around and/or displayed differently. The change is pretty drastic and I was a little concerned I wouldn’t like it, but it looks and feels a bit more polished now.

So far so good. My Galaxy Nexus paired right up and everything seems to be working fine. My problems have been when Bluetooth audio stops working from my phone and a very occasional random self-reboot. I’m hoping these items have been addressed as well. I look forward to not having to reset the thing every two weeks, or so, to fix the Bluetooth audio. Only time will tell, but I’m pretty happy with it so far. I like the idea of having something I own continue to improve. It would be great if Ford could send me an update that increases the gas mileage or lowers the zero to sixty times, but this will have to do.

UPDATE: After a few weeks it looks like the The MyFord Touch Performance Upgrade has fixed my problem with Bluetooth audio, however, it looks like I have a new problem with playing podcasts from USB drives. Podcasts no longer pickup where they left off. I now wish I never would have applied the update. The Bluetooth audio problem was annoying but at least I could reboot the thing when I needed to.  

Links: Ford Press Release, Your Upgrade is in the Mail, MyFord Touch Reset Button Mod

Your Upgrade is in the Mail - MyFord Touch

Earlier this week Ford announced that upgrades to MyFord Touch will begin going out to customers this week. The upgrade will contain a USB drive with the updated software and a SD card with "all-new" updated navigation data and maps. Owners can also take their vehicles to their dealer to have the update/upgrade installed. 2013 model year vehicles will come with the updated software already installed. The upgrade offers a bunch of new features including, Audible support, improved voice recognition, and tablet compatibility. Hopefully, this will fix some of the bugs and render the MyFord Touch Reset Button Mod obsolete.

Source: Ford

MyFord Touch Reset Button Mod

I spend, on average, from a hour and a half to two hours a day in my car commuting to work and back. I pass the time listening to podcasts and audio books through my smart phone and the My Ford Touch/Sync system in my Focus. There are known problems with the system that are supposed to be addressed by a future software update. While we're waiting for the next revision of the software, I and others have to pull the fuse or disconnect the car's battery every so often to force a system reboot. This is impractical while on the road and I've done it often enough to start joking that the fuse is going to get loose in its socket and start falling out.

The My Ford Touch Reset Mod is a reset button for the car's computer. It's intended to be minimally invasive and requires no permanent modifications to the vehicle.