Focus 2009 Zetec stereo and ipod integration - problem?

scotartt · 07-02-2010, 07:12 PM

Hi all

We've got a 2009 Zetec, bought in December 09 brand new (so < 2 mnths old at this point, not a demonstator, car built in August). I have a question about the mp3 integration on this model (which on this year/model Zetec is not the aux line-in in the glove box style integration found on the lesser models but an actual USB port inside the center glove compartment). It will also apparently play mp3s off a USB stick but I've not tried this.

Anyway, I ask a problem? with a question because I'm not sure if there is one or not.

Basic function is OK, i.e. plug an ipod and select 'aux' and the stereo will play whatever was selected on the ipod before it was plugged in. When you plug the ipod in you lose all control of the ipod from it's own controls and have to use the stereo's, which are adequate but not something that ever should be done by the driver whilst in motion (apart from skip track and volume on the control stalk).

However two things I have found with it that seem to be buggy software in the head unit. First, at least once we were travelling, I was the passenger with my wife driving and I tried to use the navigation of the ipod from the stereo controls and the damn thing just would not play the song selected. It was like it got "stuck" on the first play list.

Even at this point, turning the stereo off and disconnecting the ipod, selected the desired track on the ipod and playing it, then plugging the ipod back into the stereo's USB, and turning the stereo back on, which would normally result in the selected track being played on the stereo, did not work - the stereo unit insisted to play the original playlist. At the next convenient place, stopping the car and turning off the ignition seemed to reset the unit and thereafter it behaved as expected.

Today coming back home after a bit of a drive, we realised the stereo was only playing tracks with song titles that started with 'A'. A bit weird I know. Let me explain.

We bought an ipod 'classic' (the only one still sold with a hard disk) over Xmas, so that it our entire music collection could be in the car. I've only got an iphone and I don't want to try it blasting out a phone call over the stereo while we are driving and the other standard ipod we had was only an 8GB nano so didn't want to have to be continually adding and removing tracks to it depending on mood.

Anyway there's a lot of tracks. We realised quickly that using the stereo's built in navigation of so many tracks leaves a bit to be desired! Also we had that problem mentioned before. So we made a great big playlist with all the good driving music on it and decided to use it in shuffle mode. I think it's about 2000 songs.

Anyway today we found that really only about 200 or so are read in by the stereo unit on shuffle, in this case it was only tracks with titles starting with 'A', I guess the default sort order of the playlist is by track title.

Also, once or twice before we've had some other random glitches using the unit with an ipod attached. The navigation sometimes class out in weird ways. Once, when we had first got the car, the stereo went into a weird thing when it said it was "scanning CD 1" (2/3/4/5/6) even though there was no CDs in it and never have been. I put this down to maybe me having played with the controls 'cos we were still learning the various functions. But in light of other behaviour it has had intermittently it makes me wonder if there's some sort of software glitch in the unit.

Does anyone have any information about this stereo unit and its operation with the ipod integration because the manual is extremely light on in this regard?

Should I mention (and maybe try to demonstrate) this behaviour to the mechanic when the car goes into for its courtesy service in about 800 kms?

Any thoughts appreciated. It's the only issue with the car so far; otherwise all is happy.

thanks
scot

leakey · 08-02-2010, 01:43 PM

If you want to navigate via the ipod, why bother with the USB input? Just use a 3.5mm jack as your aux. That way all commands stop at the ipod, and the sound comming out of it is transferred via. your head phone socket.

Given the range of ipods and similar MP3 players, its not surprising that there are connectivity issues. You could up date your head unit to something with a processor running windows CE, perhaps with a navi unit in built. They seem to have pretty good on screen connectivity. Like this -

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/FORD-DVD-GPS-...item4a9e5aefd2

Also, without knowing your interface cable, maybe try this genuine ford part -
(has both connectors)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Ford-Fiesta-F...item1e5a4be5da

Good luck with it all!

scotartt · 08-02-2010, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leakey

If you want to navigate via the ipod, why bother with the USB input? Just use a 3.5mm jack as your aux. That way all commands stop at the ipod, and the sound comming out of it is transferred via. your head phone socket.

I don't think there is a 3.5mm jack. Although I haven't looked for one. It's not like the Fiesta ones where you need to use the ipod connector (control) AND the 3.5mm jack (sound). Just the USB ipod connector is required. There is a specific Ford part but the standard Apple one SHOULD work (and does, mostly, except as noted).

Also, I don't mind using the stereo, it's just that it is buggy, or at least seems as if it is at least intermittently. For a start the console displays the track details, artist, track number etc. Which is nice except when it acts weird, e.g. a playlist should have every track in the playlist, not the first 200 only ... and the intermittent moments when it goes berk ... things like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leakey

Given the range of ipods and similar MP3 players, its not surprising that there are connectivity issues. You could up date your head unit to something with a processor running windows CE, perhaps with a navi unit in built. They seem to have pretty good on screen connectivity. Like this -

Ipods are Ipods mostly. The signalling interface should be well known to a car manufacturer and other car manufacturers seem to get it right. Other MP3 players are not interfaced unless they also appear as file systems (e.g. like a memory stick full of mp3s).

Basically, this should work as advertised (i.e. with an bog-standard ipod) without having to replace a brand new cars stereo with an aftermarket one. As I said its not like the Fiesta one that also needs the 3.5mm jack for the sound.

leakey · 09-02-2010, 03:40 PM

Ok... you seem to have it all worked out then. Great!

scotartt · 10-02-2010, 12:11 AM

Well, no I don't have it worked out, I want to know if the behaviour is

a) that's just the way the damn thing behaves, or

b) faulty and I should be asking the car dealer to fix it.

as a software engineer, I understand that sometimes limitations (hardware, budget, time) cause considerations like 'the device does not have a lot of memory to hold more than 200 tracks in a playlist, so only use the first 200 tracks of a big playlist'. That's a design limitation. As opposed to a bug. And as an alternative to replacing the head unit on a brand new car with an aftermarket one for several hundred dollars.

But someone else must have plugged an ipod into the usb port of a 2009 zetec focus (the 6 cd internal changer one) and either experienced the same symptoms or not.

Wildtony · 11-03-2010, 04:08 PM

It just so happens I also have a 2009 Ford Focus Zetec, I've never bothered with the Ipod though as our stereo is currently cactus and being taken in for repair tomorrow. Once It's fixed I'll try out the Ipod and let you know.

zetec · 11-03-2010, 04:32 PM

Mate my sister has a 2009 Zetec with the iPod integration.

You need to plug in both the USB and the 3.5MM jack to get full integration to work properly. If not, it'll only play in sequential Alphabetic order. It doesn't work just through the USB, it requres BOTH the USB and the 3.5MM to be plugged in for for capability, that's they the Ford part (Y-cable) indeed has both inputs. Check the image attached.

You can use a USB stick, a 3.5mm generic input, or BOTH for full iPod integration.

It's exactly the same in my 2009 Mondeo Titanium (We're somewhat of a Ford family....). Both inputs in the Y-cable plugged into the car.

Try that and it'll fix your problems (hopefully!!!)

scotartt · 12-03-2010, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

Mate my sister has a 2009 Zetec with the iPod integration.

You need to plug in both the USB and the 3.5MM jack to get full integration to work properly. If not, it'll only play in sequential Alphabetic order. It doesn't work just through the USB, it requres BOTH the USB and the 3.5MM to be plugged in for for capability, that's they the Ford part (Y-cable) indeed has both inputs. Check the image attached.

You can use a USB stick, a 3.5mm generic input, or BOTH for full iPod integration.

It's exactly the same in my 2009 Mondeo Titanium (We're somewhat of a Ford family....). Both inputs in the Y-cable plugged into the car.

Try that and it'll fix your problems (hopefully!!!)

Thanks for the confirmation, I will order that cable. Bit of a weird design though I have to say!

zetec · 12-03-2010, 08:07 AM

Yeah it seems strange but works well. It is mainly designed so that you don't have to have a Apple iPod specifically which is fair.

The cable works perfectly.

scotartt · 13-03-2010, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

Yeah it seems strange but works well. It is mainly designed so that you don't have to have a Apple iPod specifically which is fair.

The cable works perfectly.

It's weird because if you plug just the standard apple ipod usb cable into it, the audio and everything comes through that OK without the 3.5mm jack, and the ipod shows a Ford logo, so it obviously knows there's an ipod on the other end of it! But as you said, it will only the music alphabetically (and only the first couple hundred of songs if it's a big playlist).

I will have to chase that cable down!

leakey · 14-03-2010, 03:31 PM

Not $20 like the last one, but cheaper than FORD dealer.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/GENUINE-FORD-...item27accae63a

FTe_XR8 · 15-03-2010, 10:36 PM

sorry to hijack a bit here but do you need this cable for the XR5's? as the only input jack i've found in the mrs car is the headphone one inside the glovebox and it annoys me you have to use the ipod to change songs and stuff.

zetec · 16-03-2010, 06:20 PM

No - XR5 Turbo only gets mp3 input but not full iPod integration.

It comes from a different plant (Germany) and has a different stereo.

Wildtony · 21-03-2010, 06:36 PM

Right after finally getting our car back from the dealer now with one brand spanking new stereo that actually works I have given it a whirl with the ipod.

After seeing the advice on here I used both the USB & 3.5mm jacks with the ipod. My Ipod is a 120Gb Ipod Classic.

The Ipod detects just fine, the dash displays Ipod and can navigate ok but I still seem to have a problem.

If I try to go through the list of artists on the ipod I can only get to about the C's before the system seems to ******** itself and stop working properly - it just stop detecting any artist. I have a fairly large music collection not sure if I'm overloading the memory or something. Even if it did work navigating a long artist list seems painfully slow.

The playlists on the other hand seem to work just fine so I'm not really sure what is going on here. Anyone else found a way to make it work?

scotartt · 22-03-2010, 08:32 AM

This is exactly the sort of symptom that I saw before I got the official ford cable. I suspect it's not enough just to use two separate cables (ipod usb and a 3.5mm audio jack) but rather, the ford cable might have some electronics embedded in it that help the stereo out. The ford cable plugs into just the dock connector of the ipod and then the other end has a 'Y' split and plugs into the USB and 3.5mm audio in.

I haven't tried scrolling through the raw artists list but this weekend did give it a work out in other regards e.g. navigating around the menus was a lot more solid and no errors as well as it was behaving doing things like playing by genre.

It's weird and hard to believe (as you can see near the top of the thread I had a hard time believing it) but it seems to be true. The $50 ford cable seems to make it all go away.

leakey · 23-03-2010, 09:52 AM

And another.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/GENUINE-FORD-...item45f1d159cc

XR5-Boy · 24-03-2010, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

No - XR5 Turbo only gets mp3 input but not full iPod integration.

It comes from a different plant (Germany) and has a different stereo.

Unfortunately, this is correct. But i don't care. I have the lovely note from the engine to keep me enertained :evil3:

DeKa · 29-07-2010, 09:50 PM

Can anyone tell me what iPod models are compatible with the LV Focus Zetec? I bought the cable...

I had planned to use my old iPod Click Wheel model - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1353#clickwheel - as it just sits in the drawer now that I have my iPhone. This way I could just leave the iPod in the centre console as a jukebox.

Unfortunately this model doesn't work - the headunit says incompatible device.

I might buy an old iPod on eBay or something, for this purpose but would like to know which models people have had success with. The Ford Website here http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Conte...1178869299354/
indicates that the iPod 5th generation should work but it's hard to tell http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1353#ipodfifth2

XR5-Boy · 29-07-2010, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeKa

Can anyone tell me what iPod models are compatible with the LV Focus Zetec? I bought the cable...

I had planned to use my old iPod Click Wheel model - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1353#clickwheel - as it just sits in the drawer now that I have my iPhone. This way I could just leave the iPod in the centre console as a jukebox.

Unfortunately this model doesn't work - the headunit says incompatible device.

I might buy an old iPod on eBay or something, for this purpose but would like to know which models people have had success with. The Ford Website here http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Conte...1178869299354/
indicates that the iPod 5th generation should work but it's hard to tell http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1353#ipodfifth2

I believe iPod Video (5th Gen?) onwards are supported. The old click wheel ones had a different OS structure and therefore can't be read by the stereo.

zetec · 29-07-2010, 11:20 PM

If in doubt, you should be able to use the European site possibly - www.ford-mobile-connectivity.com

scotartt · 30-07-2010, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeKa

Can anyone tell me what iPod models are compatible with the LV Focus Zetec? I bought the cable...

I use an iPod Classic, the only one still with the hard disk in it (so I can just keep all my music in the car at once), and my Wife uses her iPod nano, it's the old square-ish one. Never tried my iPhone on it, maybe I should.

DeKa · 30-07-2010, 03:08 PM

Maybe I should buy one of these refurbed models.
http://store.apple.com/au_epp_10317/...mco=OTY2ODY4NQ

The Ford of Europe site shows that iPod 5th Generation should work, as does iPod Classic and iPod Nano. Thanks for that link.

zetec · 30-07-2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotartt

I use an iPod Classic, the only one still with the hard disk in it (so I can just keep all my music in the car at once), and my Wife uses her iPod nano, it's the old square-ish one. Never tried my iPhone on it, maybe I should.

My sister uses her iPhone 3G and it seems to work just fine. Phone calls simply mute the music and then ring at a normal volume level too - so don't fear a deafening ringtone!

DeKa · 06-08-2010, 09:44 PM

I found an old iPod Nano in the drawer .. charged it up and it works (and works in the Focus. It's an MA004X/A model (First Generation).
http://ishoppe.com.au/store/images/s...black/iPod.pdf

It works perfectly when I start the car, turn the stereo on, and plug the iPod in.

When I turn the car off (leaving the iPod connected) and then return to the car and restart it, the head unit says the iPod is not connected, however the iPod thinks it is connected to the head unit. I have to disconnect and reconnect it.

Is this normal? Do others who use the iPod Classic experience this? I was hoping to just leave the iPod in the centre console (given the cable is only 30cm long anyway) as a jukebox.

scotartt · 07-08-2010, 08:12 AM

No, the iPod classic and my wife's "square" iPod nano both work as you'd expected that other one to.

DeKa · 07-08-2010, 01:18 PM

I have a friend at work who has a relatively new iPod Classic (bought last year) so I might ask if I can borrow it for 10 mins to test.

DeKa · 16-08-2010, 11:40 AM

For everyone's reference, I tried these models and confirm they work perfectly in my 2009 Focus:
- iPod Nano 3rd Generation: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1353#ipodnano3
- iPod Classic: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1353#iPod_classic_120GB

I plan to buy a Refurbished previous model iPod from the Apple Store as they are cheaper and I'll never see it anyway.