loss of infotainment traffic

[Dereku]

I have to use Waze to get speed limits, notifications and traffic. Are you using Android? Does that even matter?

I have an apple but android’s do it too.

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[lobsta11]

Thanks for the replies. What I don't like about AA is I have to take my eyes off the road & push multiple buttons to get to the default Ford screen which I prefer. Then if I switch to Navigation, to go back I have to start pushing buttons again.

 

[Capt Jon]

You say for music and yet we have a radio for that. Personally I went for serious XM the majority of the time when I still have my Ranger. Now it's a mix between Sirius XM and CDs (yes they still exist)

Frenchy you are missing out. I have 182 Single Songs in a play list on You Tube Music that I use with AA. I can manage them easily on the split screen with Google Maps.

 

[TJC]

I get 80%-90% of that info with my old Garmin. I get speed limits, traffic congestion, accident info, etc., in real time. Don't get Police locations and music, but I don't speed and I prefer my library of music via my USB drive.

Best part... it is all free.

 

[Frenchy]

Frenchy you are missing out. I have 182 Single Songs in a play list on You Tube Music that I use with AA. I can manage them easily on the split screen with Google Maps.

I'm not missing out at all. When I'm remote, YouTube Music does me no good as I don't have cell service. That said I still have Satellite Radio! ?

 

[Frenchy]

I get 80%-90% of that info with my old Garmin. I get speed limits, traffic congestion, accident info, etc., in real time. Don't get Police locations and music, but I don't speed and I prefer my library of music via my USB drive.

Best part... it is all free.

The USB isn't too bad as long as you remember to update the play list over time. Also helps to have a radio that will play USB files(my current radio doesn't, but then again I don't have the Ranger either). For me I also have the alternative of CD's(6 CD Changer life ?).

 

[TJC]

The USB isn't too bad as long as you remember to update the play list over time. Also helps to have a radio that will play USB files(my current radio doesn't, but then again I don't have the Ranger either). For me I also have the alternative of CD's(6 CD Changer life ?).

I used to make mix CDs with MP3 files on my old 2003 Maxima. It worked out very well. Instead of 10--12 songs I'd get hundreds of them on a single CD.... and it had a 6 CD player from the factory. It was a fine reliable car.

For my old 2005 Ranger I bought a $100 Android touchscreen unit that had radio, USB mp3 and mp4 movie capability, as well as navigation and bluetooth. I'm still using the truck and android unit all these years later. In fact I drove home with 1,000 lbs of sand in the bed just this morning. And it just leveled the truck. It rides real nice with 1,000 lbs back there!

Drove home listening to my favorite artists via the USB port!

 

[Frenchy]

Even though I don't have the Ranger, I can say that I made a recent change to my Frontier that is related to this subject.

Originally I had a more Basic type Radio. Now I have the fancy Touch Screen Radio with Sirius XM and Navigation. Since I already am running the Sirius XM Radio, I decided to add the Sirius XM Traffic and Travel Link today. I will probably put another thread up later to show my comparison of the two and what my initial thoughts are as I will see both Pro's and Con's for the Sirius XM Traffic and Travel Link vs the Garmin Tread Overland with its Traffic and Weather. Regardless if you only have the Factory Navigation with Sirius XM capabilities, then I feel it is well worth the cost to have the Traffic at least as it stays up to date fairly well.

 

[Tom_C]

So, to clarify, the built in NAV is Sirius? Or is Sirius NAV something different?

I never used the Sirius radio trial, and my NAV gets it's map updates through Sync, I thought. My 5 year anniversary on my 2020 will come in March 2026.

 

[Frenchy]

So, to clarify, the built in NAV is Sirius? Or is Sirius NAV something different?

I never used the Sirius radio trial, and my NAV gets it's map updates through Sync, I thought. My 5 year anniversary on my 2020 will come in March 2026.

The Navigation that our vehicles use from the Factory is not by Sirius XM at all. What it does is use Sirius XM to give you live Traffic Data along with Weather Information close to you or anywhere that you want to be curious about if you have the Travel Link as well.

 

[Tom_C]

Ah, got it. I never really paid attention to the 'traffic' indications on the map, and I never recall ever seeing any weather information at all... probably because I didn't know where to look. Now I'll have to look to see what that is all about.

 

[Frenchy]

Don't be afraid to break thee owners manual out. It should have some information on that

 

[Frenchy]

So according to Ford you can only access the Travel Link if you have Sync 3. If your vehicle is equipped with Sync 4, then you are SOL. Unless Ford is doing something with Sync 4 to have its own weather and Traffic info for Navigation, I believe it is a bad thing for Ford to ditch.

 

[Motorpsychology]

I've never used Sirius XM, either. Apple Maps has traffic embedded in their app. It gives traffic speeds using a colored band on your route, and It also has alerts for speed traps and major road incidents. All I do is plug in my iPhone, select Apple maps from Car Play, enter my destination via voice, and all the features boot up with the map display. Google Maps does the same thing, and also displays your true speed along with the speed limit on the route.

 

[Dr_Strangelove]

Thanks for the replies. What I don't like about AA is I have to take my eyes off the road & push multiple buttons to get to the default Ford screen which I prefer. Then if I switch to Navigation, to go back I have to start pushing buttons again.

Not trying to force you to use AA, but, if there is an icon you are navigating to constantly in the menu - it's possible to customize the toolbar in Android Auto so that the "Ford" icon is nested in the bottom row of icons and is always present. You can customize the toolbar either in the Android Auto app, or from the Sync head unit when the phone is plugged into the truck.

Understand this is not an ideal scenario, however, I also assume that spending $60/yr for something your phone will do for free is also not an ideal scenario.

Good luck! The community will help you work through AA headaches should you choose to use it.

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