Bluetooth Cuts Out Constantly

[jeduncan14083]

I know this has been posted many times before, but I'm posting again to get a "bump."

My 23 Mav XLT has, since day one, had issues with Bluetooth intermittently disconnecting/reconnecting, whether plugged in or not. The issue has occurred on three of my phones, my son's phone, and my wife's phone. All are android except my wife's.

The issue is ONLY related to the phone functionality; the music stays connected, as does the other android auto functions. Here are a list of examples of issues:

1. The car will automatically go into privacy mode on a call.
2. Sometimes I can turn privacy mode off, other times I can't.
3. Sometimes Bluetooth just disconnects and won't reconnect. When I go to Bluetooth settings to turn off and on, it will be grayed out and I cannot turn it back on once I turn it off. This happens whether driving or parked.
4. Sometimes the USB ports don't work at all.
5. Often times, when the BT is connected, the phone calls (no matter the phone) are garbled.
6. The issue seems to have worsened greatly following the recent recall repair to the freezing backup camera (which, curiously I never experienced until AFTER they "fixed" it.

I have had this truck to the dealer SEVEN TIMES and most recently, when I demanded they replace the entire unit, I was told that Ford won't authorize a replacement without an error code - something that the car isnt throwing, despite video documentation of several issues and several visits to the dealership in which I have to pay for a loaner.

So, I called Ford Customer service, and to my frustration, they corroborated what the dealership said - that it has to throw a code.

I'm basically at the point of getting a lawyer involved, because I drive a LOT for work, and am on calls frequently, in a state where not using handsfree is illegal

Anyone else have any luck getting Ford to budge on replacing the module without an error code?

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[allc0re]

I'm in a '24 XLT Hybrid with similar issues.

For about a year after receiving the truck, I had no Bluetooth issues, used wireless Android Auto without problems.

Then, in the last 2/3 months it has started intermittently dropping and reconnecting Bluetooth. This caused my wireless AA to disconnect and eventually reconnect. I thought it was a wireless AA adapter issue, so I started just using Bluetooth audio straight from my phone. Nope! It drops out when using plain Bluetooth too, which I assume is why wireless AA was dropping out. I've reset the entertainment system, reset phone Bluetooth settings, forgotten and re-paired Bluetooth, tweaked phone Bluetooth developer options, and rebooted the phone all several times; nothing seems to help.

I have not yet done the backup cam recall. I was actually hoping that would improve things.

I'm hoping there is a fix for this besides modding and putting Sync 3 into my XLT.

 

[JLB]

It's a problem with my '24 XL also. Noteworthy is that the problem always occurs exactly at 90 seconds into a call. However, for me, calls with Android Auto running solves the problem, so I run AA whenever I might make or take a call.

My guess is that Ford cannot fix the problem even if they want to. The reason is that the Sync device, whether version 3 or 4, is a Microsoft product and is not designed by Ford employees but by Microsoft employees whether hardware or software engineers caused the problem.

Not to deny your frustrations, but this problem does not bother me much because I bought the Maverick for its small garage compatible size, its high power to weight ratio, and AWD. Bluetooth is nice though...

 

[allc0re]

My guess is that Ford cannot fix the problem even if they want to. The reason is that the Sync device, whether version 3 or 4, is a Microsoft product and is not designed by Ford employees but by Microsoft employees whether hardware or software engineers caused the problem.

My understanding is that the 22-24 XL and XLT models have Connected Touch Radio and not Sync. I think this is the root of the problem.

 

[Carlitos_92]

So, is there some aversion to Android Auto and/or a wired connection? Neither AA nor Apple’s CarPlay use Bluetooth for the bulk of their functionality. Easier said than done if your USB ports are unreliable, I guess.

I mean, your Bluetooth is surely supposed to work as designed, so I feel your frustration. But at some point, I’d quit playing Ford’s games and just choose the path of least resistance. Besides sometimes being finicky in connecting, CarPlay has been great in my MY23 XLT.

 

[JLB]

Neither AA nor Apple’s CarPlay use Bluetooth for the bulk of their functionality.

Both calls and streaming music always go through Bluetooth, whether or not Car Play or Android auto is connected via USB or WiFi. So however the call drop problem is mitigated or not mitigated (as the user case may be) by running AA or ACP is a mystery. In my experience, streaming audio never drops and calls drop at exactly 90 seconds, not 89 or 91 seconds. So it is almost certainly a software problem in the head unit and not a USB or Bluetooth or WiFi connection problem.

A Bluetooth earbud should solve the problem if running AA or ACP does not

 

[cf91chevy]

I had this happen. Read on here someone suggested to turn off the WiFi setting in the radio settings and it seemed to help. Still connects to Apple CP with wire. I use a wireless dongle for CP also. I tried turning WiFi off in the Sync unit and it seems to help.

 

[jeduncan14083]

So, is there some aversion to Android Auto and/or a wired connection? Neither AA nor Apple’s CarPlay use Bluetooth for the bulk of their functionality. Easier said than done if your USB ports are unreliable, I guess.

I mean, your Bluetooth is surely supposed to work as designed, so I feel your frustration. But at some point, I’d quit playing Ford’s games and just choose the path of least resistance. Besides sometimes being finicky in connecting, CarPlay has been great in my MY23 XLT.

It happens while plugged into Android Auto and Apple Car play as well.

 

[2020 GT500]

My ‘22 ecoboost xl with base radio had this issue a few times, but it has been a while. What I did to fix was simply to reboot radio by holding down fast forward button and left volume knob until I saw the ford logo. I then unpaired y phone to the radio and deleted the Maverick from my phone bluetooth setting. Then I repaired and all was good. All of the recent body control module recall I’ve actually improved the response time of my radio to connect to Bluetooth when first turning on the vehicle. It used to take something like 30 to 45 seconds for the Bluetooth handshake to happen now it’s only a few seconds… so far so good for my situation.

 

[jeduncan14083]

My ‘22 ecoboost xl with base radio had this issue a few times, but it has been a while. What I did to fix was simply to reboot radio by holding down fast forward button and left volume knob until I saw the ford logo. I then unpaired y phone to the radio and deleted the Maverick from my phone bluetooth setting. Then I repaired and all was good. All of the recent body control module recall I’ve actually improved the response time of my radio to connect to Bluetooth when first turning on the vehicle. It used to take something like 30 to 45 seconds for the Bluetooth handshake to happen now it’s only a few seconds… so far so good for my situation.

I have to do this basically every time I'm in the car.

 

[mcc63303]

Same problem with my 2024 Hybrid XL. Android phone will disconnect and reconnect constantly, along with the dash cam stopping recording and restarting constantly. Phone disconnects even if the dash cam is removed. Only 7K miles on truck, has been happening since new, before and after recall updates performed. How about it FORD, fix the problem please!

 

[skadizzle]

Anyone with a 2025 model have this bluetooth connection issue? I wonder if switching to Sync 4 fixes it at all? Mine doesn't do it very often, but still often enough that its annoying. It usually happens when I'm about to do a long ride and the only way to fix it is to turn off the car entirely or reboot the radio and I always forget the reboot "code". Ford should've fixed this after 4 years.

 

[rk06382]

Anyone with a 2025 model have this bluetooth connection issue? I wonder if switching to Sync 4 fixes it at all? Mine doesn't do it very often, but still often enough that its annoying. It usually happens when I'm about to do a long ride and the only way to fix it is to turn off the car entirely or reboot the radio and I always forget the reboot "code". Ford should've fixed this after 4 years.

I have had no issues with the Bluetooth connections to my S24 cell phone in my pocket. In fact one time, the display complained it could not find my S24 cell phone when I left home without it.

 

[Dmthomp32]

I’ve participated in probably 10-15 of threads about this topic. The stereo connections have been the worst part of the Maverick experience for me. I was hopeful at some point a recall or fix would be provided but it’s been several years without anything from Ford that I’m aware of. It’s a shame. Best of luck to the OP I gave up on the Bluetooth all together. I just direct plug in my phone most days for CarPlay.

 

[Butterscotch]

Don't rely on the over-the-air updates to fix anything. While I do not yet have a Maverick (still looking and deciding - reason I'm here) I do have a SYNC 3 Ford Edge ST that does updates but not All the options that are in the HU are updated unless I download the update to a USB drive.

https://www.ford.com/support/sync-maps-updates/

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