2010 LX WS fiesta - BT audio not working!

[rayjay1234]

Hi guys
I'm new to Ford and so far have been happy with my fiesta. Just bought it used in Feb 2013

The car pairs with my iPhone 5 (ios 6) and I can make and receive calls through voice control or otherwise. The aux cable works for playing music.

However there's no option for me to play BT audio. I have the LX so there's no USB port.

I took it to adrien brien ford in adelaide and they said after two attempts on two different dates that the car wasn't capable of playing BT audio. I called Firs australia and explained to them what was on the website showing 2008+ models capable of playing BT audio streaming.

An I wrong here or does the LX truly not have the ability to play BT audio? I told them I'd read online that the BT module needed to be updated. The dealer said they'd ordered some cable the first time I went in. The second time with the cable they said they didn't know.

Help!!!

[trumpy73]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't. But I'd be more than happy if someone can prove me wrong.

[rayjay1234]

I'd be disappointed if it didn't but at the same time it would put the whole issue to bed once and for all. I've emailed another Ford dealership in Adelaide to see if they can help me out because I'm pretty tired of going back to this dealership only to be told "your car doesn't have the capability, I've worked on it for a few hours now and I can't sort it out" but then that is different than what the website is saying. I assumed the stereo system (bar the USB) was the same general format on models of the same year? Could be wrong.

[trumpy73]

Keep us posted definitely as I'd love to have that feature.

There's threads on WP from people who have successfully applied a 'patch' using their USB port to make BT audio work, however as you pointed out the LX has no USB port.

I'm assuming I do have the latest head unit update as I recently took it to a dealership for an unrelated BT issue and they said they updated it.

[rayjay1234]

Yeah I'm with you, it just *seems* like the answer I get from the dealership is a cop out.
Answer 1 (when I first brought it in): just use your aux cable
Response: its a feature of the car, I want it working
Answer 2 (second trip): your car isn't capable
Response: on Ford.au it says its a feature of all 2008+ Fiestas
Dealer response: You'll have to take that up with Ford then
Me: !!!!!!!!!

haha, sensing my frustration?

[trumpy73]

I'm with you there. Must admit I always assumed (perhaps wrongly) that WS didn't have that feature.

Btw..Do you have a source for your 2008+ info?

PS: I just realised that I never really checked for BT audio (using AUX - which apparently the EU models use) after the upgrade. Although I'm 99% sure it's not going to work, I'll check it out when the Mrs gets home and report back.

[rayjay1234]

http://www.ford-mobile-connectivity.com/

If you select car --> fiesta --> model week 24/2008 --> select your phone (iPhone 5 here) --> shows compatibility with everything running iOS 6

If thats not the case Ford needs to seriously update it's website.

[trumpy73]

hmmm you're right.

[Pursya]

What happens when you ask;
"External Device."
Answers external device
"Bluetooth"
Should answer Bluetooth.
And then you just say "play"

[rayjay1234]

I'll try that Pursya, will let you know what happens. Thanks for the tip!

I should note that on my iPhone itself when I go into the MP3 player, there is no option to send the audio to anything else. In a friends car (BMW 3 series), my iPhone shows that little triangle logo in the bottom right and I can export the audio output to bluetooth as long as the phone is paired to the car. I don't get that output. When I am in my garage the output logo is there but the only options are for my Airport Express in the house.

[vhcbm]

try pressing the AUX button twice also. only option on the voice commands is "line In".

I cannot get into it either. never have been.

[rayjay1234]

Yeah voice command and double pressing aux doesn't.
Lady from another dealership told me that it's only available on zetec models. I don't know how that makes sense? Aren't the features of te stereo the same?

[Pursya]

Have you looked at the video on this page?
http://www.ford-mobile-connectivity....wnloadsUpdates

Check your owners manual. Is there a USB dock in your glovebox?
I recall another position mentioned as well when I did the update, but cannot remember it.
I'll keep thinking.....

[rayjay1234]

No exposed USB slot in any of the LX models. That video requires a USB in order to do the update so without a dealership to do it I'm out of luck :S

I'm still going to push the issue with Ford until there is absolutely no way it can be done. It says it on the website, until one of them shows me the line that says "Zetec models only" I refuse to believe it.

[Pursya]

What I can see browsing the net, is that there was a Bluetooth module change sometime in 2008.
The cars with the old module cannot be upgraded. The new module may or may not have a USB port fitted to it. Hard to tell.
eBay has the upgraded module for $670!
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GENUINE-F...ht_2258wt_1014

[rayjay1234]

Thanks for the info.

Wouldn't mine (being a 2010 model) have the new module if the change came in 2008? Therefore mine should be upgradeable provided I have the right equipment to do so (ie. the dealer). I replied to the ford dealership in Norwood. I'll let you know what they say regarding the zetec-only nonsense.

[In Focus]

Something like this any good?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ctm/Charger-Da...d=200808344966

[rayjay1234]

Hey yeah that's awesome, looks really promising. If I can't get this fixed through Ford (and I should...) I might try and look this way. Wonder if it'll work exactly like BT audio and all my steering wheel to control the playback, etc.

I see you had a 2010 Focus. Did it have BT audio?

Edit: Seems like the link changed from the Belkin thing to an eBay listing. That listing probably doesn't look like it'd work. The Belkin maybe.

[trumpy73]

I tested it out again with my (supposedly) updated Head Unit firmware and it's a no go. Unless there's some specific update for BT audio, the one performed by my dealer when I was having unrelated BT issues doesn't seem to do the trick.

[vhcbm]

The BT unit is under the glovebox where the aircon duct is. pain in the rear to get to and the USB port on it isn't your average sized port so I haven't been able to try it.

[Pursya]

I have this in my Toyota;
http://www.buymac.com.au/product/bel...FYggpQod0B4AAg

It streams audio from the iPhone, not bad either. And does hands free phone as well.
But of course it's actually an FM transmitter not a Bluetooth streamer. But it is Bluetooth for the phone of course.
Drawbacks, hard to skip a track, no going back, no repeat track . And you have to have to have a dedicated FM station button for the device.
When the phone rings, you need to change to radio and the dedicated button to receive the call.
No voice control, no tack listing/readout.
A nice device, but. No substitute for the full voice control n the fiesta.

[rayjay1234]

Nah not really what I'm looking for. I've got the bluetooth on the phone working fine, the reason for pursuing the BT Audio was to remove the cable clutter that is currently taking up the front of my car.

Hopefully someone else has experience (or SUCCESS) with getting the LX model to play BT Audio

[frecklefox]

I am also interested to know if this can be done. In the same boat with my 2012 WT CL.

[rayjay1234]

I got a call from another dealer and they said BT audio can only be done with the USB-BT module. That to me is unacceptable. Ford customer service in Victoria called and asked me to go back to the original dealer I went to and they are going to try again. Ill be writing a letter for Ford Australia about this. Don't advertise something on your website then turn around and say its only on the higher end model (unless you say that on the website).

[trumpy73]

Any specific USB-BT module? Is is something I can purchase?

[rayjay1234]

Well the guy from the dealership quoted that it would cost a lot of money (not worth the upgrade) but I don't know how much the part itself would cost sorry. He quoted $5000 all up for the upgrade. I flat out said no but I also think that was a shocking overexaggeration. Thats a third of the cost of what I paid for the car...

[trumpy73]

LOL $5000!! If the quote is any indication I'd take the remainder of what they said with a bucket of salt. Knowing Ford and there history of CS I might start looking at ebay hacks to see if I can get this to work.

[rayjay1234]

Haha yeah I took the $5000 quote as a "we dont want to do it so we'll quote an outrageous sum". I wonder if I'd called the bluff and asked to book it in how much it would actually cost. Replacing the module would take no more than an hour (once they had the module there) and the update would take maximum 45min

[trumpy73]

I did some research and despite Ford's claims about BT on their website, it's pretty much clear that if you don't have USB then BT streaming does not work.

I stumbled onto this thread where you can retrofit USB (BT module and USB cable) at a reasonable cost (approx $300) and make it all work. It just takes time to read through the topic and work it out but it seems very doable. Keep in mind it's probably much easier to find 2nd hand parts in the UK.

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums...ith-bluetooth/

[Caydus]

Originally Posted by rayjay1234

Nah not really what I'm looking for. I've got the bluetooth on the phone working fine, the reason for pursuing the BT Audio was to remove the cable clutter that is currently taking up the front of my car.

Hopefully someone else has experience (or SUCCESS) with getting the LX model to play BT Audio

No success at all, had a look into doing it, but figured it wasn't worth the hassle.

Before I decided to sell, i was thinking of finding a way of relocating the aux jack to where my phone is mounted with a switch toggling between either aux jack. The parts can be easily found at Jaycar and removing the trim between the aux jack and the glovebox was actually quite easy after the episode with the centre armrest.