SYNC Tips

Category

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Reduce the amount of noise inside your SYNC-equipped vehicle, If there are several people talking at once, loud wind or road noise, or other ambient noise, SYNC will not be able to recognize your voice commands.

All SYNC Tips by Category

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Voice Command Tips

There are several reasons SYNC may not be recognizing and responding to your voice commands accurately. Here are some tips from the engineers.

Too Much Noise

Examples:

Speaking Commands

Speak your commands in a smooth, steady and confident manner - yelling or speaking slowly doesn't help. Also, speak your commands directly towards the SYNC microphone located on the top side of the rearview mirror and be sure you are close enough to the microphone.

Examples:

Pronounce Words In Exact Order

Use the exact words in the complete voice command. Check out the Voice Command Card for an easy-to-carry list of the correct wording of the voice commands. Also, be sure to say all the words in the voice command in the correct order.

Examples:

Correct

"Phone Call Mark"
"Play Track The Great Divide"

Incorrect

"Dial Mark", "Phone Mark"
"Call Mark Phone"
"Play Song The Great Divide"

Exact Title

Check your media device and speak the exact name of a track or album as it is listed.

Examples:

If the name of the album is listed as "Star Wars The Motion Picture Soundtrack" on your media device, SYNC won't recognize just "Star Wars." You need to say the full title "Star Wars The Motion Picture Soundtrack".

Sometimes the title on your media device may also include extra words. If the album title is listed as "California Remix featuring Rihanna", you will need to say "California Remix featuring Rihanna" in order for SYNC to find the title on your media device.

Longer Names

Sync's voice recognition works better with longer names. Rather than set up your phonebook with only "Jim", "Joe" or "John", try using longer names like "Jim Stanley", "Joe 123" or John Stock Broker.

Examples:

Exact Name

Check the format of the contacts in your phonebook. Remember, you have to say the contact part of your voice command exactly as its worded in your device.

Examples:

You may have used a coding system built into your device to attach a code to a contact, like ICE for "In Case of Emergency" attached to "Emily" so it becomes "ICE Emily" in your phonebook.

Did you attach your own code to the contact in your phonebook? Like "AAA John" or "BBB Mary".

Using a first name only when the phonebook has the contact listed by both first and last name. If both the first and last name are used in the phonebook, "Jane Smith", SYNC will not recognize the contact if you just say the first name, "Jane".

Also, if both the first and last name are used in the phonebook, check the order in which your device lists them. If you phonebook has the contact listed as "Smith, Jane", SYNC won't recognize "Jane Smith".

Remember that if your phonebook has the contact information in all capital letters," JANE SMITH", this means you will need to spell out the name for SYNC.

Substitute non-English characters

SYNC may not be able to match your pronunciation of a word that contains a character not found in English. If SYNC is having trouble understanding a sound, for example, the French "é" you could replace it in your phonebook with the approximate English spelling of the sound, "ay." In this example, try changing the contact name in your phonebook by typing in "Renay" for "René."

Examples:

Mobile Phone Tips

Having trouble pairing or connection your phone with SYNC? Maybe your Phonebook is acting up, or you just can't hear the phone when it is connected to SYNC. Then try these mobile phone tips from the engineers.

Reset Device

If you are having trouble connecting your device with SYNC, try resetting your device. Consult your device instructions for information on how to safely reset your device.

Examples:

"Clean" Pairing

If you are having trouble Bluetooth pairing your device with SYNC, you can try a "Clean" pairing. First, delete your device from SYNC, or perform a master reset of SYNC, which will also delete the device. Next, delete SYNC from your device. Then try Bluetooth pairing the device with SYNC again.

Examples:

Security & Auto Accept Settings

You can check the security and the "auto accept/prompt always" for the SYNC Bluetooth connection on your device and make sure they are set correctly for pairing with SYNC. Consult your device instructions for the correct settings.

Examples:

Software/Firmware Update

Determine if your device needs a software or firmware update, perform it, and try again once the update is complete.

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Browse To Confirm

Browse your Phonebook in the SYNC Phone menu. This will confirm both what has been downloaded and its format.

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Missing Contacts

If SYNC displays "Phonebook Downloaded" but your Phonebook is empty or missing contacts in SYNC, it could be that these contacts are stored on your device's SIM card. Consult your devices instructions for information on how to move them from your device's SIM card to its internal memory. Once you've moved them, try downloading your Phonebook to SYNC again.

Examples:

Turn Off Auto Phonebook Download

You might also want to try turning the Auto Phonebook Download setting on SYNC to Off. This will help stabilize your Phonebook by mimizing its interactions with your device on every key cycle.

Examples:

Ringtones And Pictures

Some device's Phonebooks may experience problems working with SYNC due to a unique picture or ringtone associated with a specific contact. This can result in the device not sending this contact to SYNC or not being able to work with SYNC to make and receive calls for this contact. If you consistently have problems with a particular contact, remove that contacts special ringtone or picture following your device's instructions for this function. Then re-try using the device's Phonebook with SYNC.

Examples:

Add Contacts

If your Phonebook won't download from your device to SYNC, use the ADD Contacts feature to customize the SYNC Phonebook.

Examples:

Low Volume

If you have trouble hearing your calls because the volume is consistently low, try turning up the volume of your device while it is connected to SYNC. Many devices phones have a dedicated volume for Bluetooth/Hands-free devices like SYNC.

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Media Device Tips

Having trouble connecting your media device with SYNC? Then try these mobile phone tips from the engineers.

Reset Device

If you are having trouble connecting your device with SYNC, try resetting your device. Consult your device instructions for information on how to safely reset your device.

Examples:

USB Cable

If you are having trouble connecting your device with SYNC, check to see if you are using the USB cable provided and/or approved by the device's original manufacturer. Some aftermarket cables that have not been approved by the device's original manufacturer may cause connection problems with SYNC.

Examples:

Temperature

Be sure to follow the device manufacturers instructions when it comes to using the device in extreme hot or cold temperatures, especially if you leave the device in the car. Exposing your device to temperature extremes may cause problems using it with SYNC.

Examples:

"What's Playing" Command

If you are having trouble getting SYNC to recognize your pronunciation of information like the artist's name, the album title or the track title, try using the "What's Playing" command. When you say "What's Playing", SYNC will speak the information to you in its voice. Then you can use SYNC's pronunciation or the information to improve SYNC's voice recognition when you say the information.

Examples:

Driver Services Tips

Having trouble submitting a report? Or maybe you want to turn off the Run a Report prompt? Here are some tips from the engineers.

Turning Off Prompt

If you are annoyed by the "Would you like to run a vehicle health report" prompt, or if you just aren't interested in using this feature, you can turn it off. Just go to your Vehicle Health Report menu and select "Turn Off Auto Report".

Examples:

Registration

If you're having trouble submitting a Vehicle Health Report and/or using the Services feature, check on syncmyride.com in your SYNC Owner account to be sure that the cell phone you are using to submit the Vehicle Health Report is registered in your account and that your caller ID is not blocked.

Examples: