Music on thumb drive and no way to change it when moving. 2025 Ranger XL

[DesiG]

Hi all. New here.
I leased a 2025 Ranger XL. Yes, a lowly XL with the STX trim package. Im coming from a 1995 Chevy C1500 Silverado so all the tech is new to me. I was happy to find that I could load a thumb drive with my music, and Sync would index it and I could scroll and play whatever I wanted from the touchscreen. Only to find out that it locks you out when the vehicle is moving. I have spoken to general support, In vehicle Technology and Connected Services. According to them, I have no built in voice control. They are telling me that there are no connected services available for my vehicle because of the trim level. Only voice control I can get is through connecting my phone and using Siri. But siri wont control the onboard entertainment system. Sure, I can get apple music or spotify or whatever and control that through my phone. Or, I can hook up one of my DAP's and change the music on the screen of the little player ... but scrolling a tiny screen while driving isn't the smartest idea. Otherwise ... no voice control available to control the music on the thumb drive. This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Offer a feature that is all but unusable when the vehicle is in motion. Doesn't matter the trim level, that's just stupid.

Questions. Does this sound right or am I missing something?
And if I'm not missing anything, is there any way to overide the lock out.
Again, this is a lease so I cant do anything drastic.

Hope that all makes sense.

Thanks

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[Motorpsychology]

Hi all. New here.
I leased a 2025 Ranger XL. Yes, a lowly XL with the STX trim package. Im coming from a 1995 Chevy C1500 Silverado so all the tech is new to me. I was happy to find that I could load a thumb drive with my music, and Sync would index it and I could scroll and play whatever I wanted from the touchscreen. Only to find out that it locks you out when the vehicle is moving. I have spoken to general support, In vehicle Technology and Connected Services. According to them, I have no built in voice control. They are telling me that there are no connected services available for my vehicle because of the trim level. Only voice control I can get is through connecting my phone and using Siri. But siri wont control the onboard entertainment system. Sure, I can get apple music or spotify or whatever and control that through my phone. Or, I can hook up one of my DAP's and change the music on the screen of the little player ... but scrolling a tiny screen while driving isn't the smartest idea. Otherwise ... no voice control available to control the music on the thumb drive. This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Offer a feature that is all but unusable when the vehicle is in motion. Doesn't matter the trim level, that's just stupid.

Questions. Does this sound right or am I missing something?
And if I'm not missing anything, is there any way to overide the lock out.
Again, this is a lease so I cant do anything drastic.

Hope that all makes sense.

Thanks

Not trying to be wise guy just genuinely helpful: Have you tried posting your question on ranger6g? I don't know if the base infotainment changed along with the Sync4 in the 2024 and newer Rangers; our 2019-23s have Sync 3 and maybe a different base system in the XL

 

[DesiG]

Ok. Thanks and Thanks

 

[DesiG]

Waiting on registration for Ranger6G

Found a similar thread there. Actually, almost identical. Looks like Ford is taking away features as the years go by. Someone with a 2024 XL has the same "issue". And one of the reply's echoed it. I'll have to go with what connected services told me. No voice on the 2025 (and apparently 2024) XL's other than what you get when you connect your phone. No connected services packages available either for the lowly XL. Maybe Ford will realize how dumb this is before my lease is up in the next 3 years and decide to offer an update to return the feature. Should have taken away the ability to load a thumb drive with music if they were not going to give you a way to change artists or albums when the vehicle is moving. Of course, the system talks to me, in a womans voice, warning me to use voice commands while driving. I would if I could lady. It's talking to me but I can't talk to it ... They should take that away as well. It makes the situation even more ridiculous. As it stands, looks like I'm resorting to scrolling the screen on a little DAP or going to streaming services. I don't even have unlimited data plan on my phone. I never use it. Would be funny if it wasn't so idiotic. I'm aggravated but If I bought the truck I would be really peeved.

Thanks again gentlemen.

 

[RangerBill]

Hi all. New here.
I leased a 2025 Ranger XL. Yes, a lowly XL with the STX trim package. Im coming from a 1995 Chevy C1500 Silverado so all the tech is new to me. I was happy to find that I could load a thumb drive with my music, and Sync would index it and I could scroll and play whatever I wanted from the touchscreen. Only to find out that it locks you out when the vehicle is moving. I have spoken to general support, In vehicle Technology and Connected Services. According to them, I have no built in voice control. They are telling me that there are no connected services available for my vehicle because of the trim level. Only voice control I can get is through connecting my phone and using Siri. But siri wont control the onboard entertainment system. Sure, I can get apple music or spotify or whatever and control that through my phone. Or, I can hook up one of my DAP's and change the music on the screen of the little player ... but scrolling a tiny screen while driving isn't the smartest idea. Otherwise ... no voice control available to control the music on the thumb drive. This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Offer a feature that is all but unusable when the vehicle is in motion. Doesn't matter the trim level, that's just stupid.

Questions. Does this sound right or am I missing something?
And if I'm not missing anything, is there any way to overide the lock out.
Again, this is a lease so I cant do anything drastic.

Hope that all makes sense.

Thanks

Can you go to the next/previous song in your playlist using the radio tunning knob?

 

[DesiG]

I don't normally use playlists but yes, you can advance to next track or go back to previous tracks with steering wheel buttons or on the touch screen with the vehicle moving. I don't know if it would advance to the next album after the last track of the album you are listening to. For someone who uses playlists exclusively, the lock out probably wouldn't be much of an issue. What you can't do is get into the main menu to bring back up the artists or albums or genre's etc list.

Edit. You can also scroll through the current album that is playing. The main menu button is what is locked out.

 

[airline tech]

Do you have a Push To Talk button on the steering wheel?
if yes - then I suggest to pull up some of the Sync 4 videos on how to use Voice Commands and see if you find any information that helps.
I am not sure where the microphone is located on the 6G, the 5G is just above the drivers head.

 

[airline tech]

Hmm - I will be honest and with my 5G I never use voice commands, I have an old Iphone as my media player, playlist set to (alphabetical) Song Name, and if I want to skip the song I just hit next (forward) track.
I did play with voice commands when I first got the truck, to me it was cumbersome to remember (in memory) the exact words it took to get the feedback I was seeking and never ventured deep into using it to its full potential.
Be it navigation, media or climate control, the physical buttons provided a mush easier user experience for me.
I may just have to revisit this and try it again as I do not remember if I actually had voice control on the (Iphone) Media Only (as there is no cell service) on that device as now its simply a (Ipod)
If I recall it had to be (Apple Car Play) connected for it to work and then play media through that connection for Voice Commanded Playlist Control.
I do not remember for sure, so I would have to revisit this and try it.

 

[DesiG]

Do you have a Push To Talk button on the steering wheel?
if yes - then I suggest to pull up some of the Sync 4 videos on how to use Voice Commands and see if you find any information that helps.
I am not sure where the microphone is located on the 6G, the 5G is just above the drivers head.

Yes. There is a push to talk button. It directs you to connect a phone. Once you connect the phone any type of push on the button, short or long, only brings up the phone. There is no menu item in settings to turn on voice commands (Ford Assistant). Nor to use a wake word.

 

[got3fords]

Not trying to be wise guy just genuinely helpful: Have you tried posting your question on ranger6g? I don't know if the base infotainment changed along with the Sync4 in the 2024 and newer Rangers; our 2019-23s have Sync 3 and maybe a different base system in the XL

This.

 

[Big Blue]

I have a chip with some 8000 tracks and counting on it. I have it set to random. Like @airline tech if a song comes up I'm not in the mood for I hit the next track button on the steering wheel and move on.

I also have not used voice search much at all. Having to remember the correct syntax and artist, album, and title, is too much for my poor old brain to handle while driving.

 

[mrmike7189]

I also have the XL model. I have also found that I cannot use Android Auto unless my phone is plugged in by wire to the truck. It will not work wirelessly like the Bluetooth on my phone /truck do.
Another gripe I have is the AM/FM radio does not pick up radio stations unless they are local stations. Never had a problem with any other vehicle picking up signals. Must be a crappy antenna on the roof? Its the OEM antenna, not the stubby! Any ideas?

 

[Joeiconic]

I’m 62, and even I know physical media is a dinosaur.

 

[Big Blue]

I’m 62, and even I know physical media is a dinosaur.

Haven't you heard vinyl is coming back. Besides some of us don't like paying streaming subscriptions.

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