Fan Speed Control: automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions

[Dude]

I have a 2022 Badlands, Premium Package with Dual Heater/AC Controls. I searched the forums for fan speed control and did not find my question answered. My question applies to the A/C (not to Heat control) and the reason I ask about fan speed control is that it is very hot where I live as much of the year is over 100 degrees F. Turning down the fan speed during voice operations when it is very hot outside is not desirable.

In the context of this post, voice operations include making or receiving phone calls (can be via Bluetooth or via CarPlay) and including Google Maps Navigation prompts. For these, fan speed at 5 or higher is automatically reduced to fan speed 4 as described below in the Owner's Manual. I have found that fan speed is not reduced when using built-in Nav (the 360+ Navigation) or while using Waze instead of Google Maps.

Documented in the Owner's Manual, "USING VOICE RECOGNITION" Section within the SYNC3 Section is the following. In my Owner's Manual, the info is found on Page 372 but other versions of the Owner's Manual may be on a different page:

"Note: Depending on the current climate control settings, the fan speed may automatically go down while issuing voice commands or while making and receiving phone calls via SYNC to reduce the amount of background noise in the vehicle. The fan speed will automatically return to normal operation once the voice session ends. You can adjust the fan speed during a voice session, simply press the fan buttons (or turn the fan knob) to increase or decrease the fan speed to the setting you prefer.

To disable this automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions, press and hold the climate control AC and Recirculated air buttons simultaneously, release and then increase fan speed within 2 seconds. To re-enable this feature, repeat the above sequence."

In my Badlands, the procedure to disable this automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions does nothing except to turn off the A/C. That is, the automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions is not disabled as described in the above section of the Owner's Manual.

I have contacted Ford Customer Service and I have a case elevated to Ford's Customer Experience Specialist and both confirm that the Bronco Sport should operate correctly as described in the above section of the Owner's Manual. Ford setup a service appointment with my local Ford Dealership and today the Ford Service Advisor followed the instructions in the Owner's Manual and does not know (yet) why the procedure to disable this automatic fan speed reduction feature will not function as described in the Owner's Manual.

My next step would be to schedule a future service appointment, leave the Bronco Sport with the dealership for a minimum of 1-2 days for the service tech to note the issue in Ford's service system and then to work with a Ford Field Service Engineer to determine why the disable automatic fan speed reduction feature does not work as documented.

Has anyone on this forum tried the disable automatic fan speed reduction feature as described in the Owner's Manual and has this feature working for them? If so can you please describe which Bronco Sport (or other Ford vehicle) you know supports the disable automatic fan speed reduction feature and if you are doing this differently than as described above? My suspicion is this feature works for SYNC2 vehicles but not in SYNC3 vehicles (like a Bronco Sport) but I cannot confirm my suspicion. Thanks!

Sponsored

 

[Osco]

Dude !
You really really need to find a hobby. :’P

 

[Dude]

Dude !
You really really need to find a hobby. :’P

it’s the dry heat. No water. Brains are fried from the AC automatically getting shut down.

 

[Folkman]

it’s the dry heat. No water. Brains are fried from the AC automatically getting shut down.

@Dude… The “it’s a dry heat” is a trap!!!! I feel the pain tho when I go to get my kids at 3pm 115 and I forgot to remote start… and I need to be on a conference call. This year was better. Some moisture so the breeze cools instead of blasting.

I missed that in the manual. I’ll have to try it. I have a 2021 badlands. My wife has a Sync 2 vehicle and it doesn’t have the fan reduction in the first place. For that matter, neither did my 2015 mustang. Before it turned into a bucking pony. One day. Late last year. It just up and changed.

 

[Osco]

it’s the dry heat. No water. Brains are fried from the AC automatically getting shut down.

Yeah dude, I feel ya, I get in my black bs, it’s a hot day, a/c is on max, phone rings, the blower powers way down. I crank it right back up and turn the phone volume up. Wife wonders why I’m yelling at her… LOL

 

[Dude]

@Dude… The “it’s a dry heat” is a trap!!!! I feel the pain tho when I go to get my kids at 3pm 115 and I forgot to remote start… and I need to be on a conference call. This year was better. Some moisture so the breeze cools instead of blasting.

I missed that in the manual. I’ll have to try it. I have a 2021 badlands. My wife has a Sync 2 vehicle and it doesn’t have the fan reduction in the first place. For that matter, neither did my 2015 mustang. Before it turned into a bucking pony. One day. Late last year. It just up and changed.

Good to know about those vehicles. My guess about the disable feature working for SYNC2 was not correct. Today will be another hot day here. I would like to know your results if you want to try the disable feature in your Bronco Sport. Thanks!

 

[GT1]

I have a 2022 Badlands, Premium Package with Dual Heater/AC Controls. I searched the forums for fan speed control and did not find my question answered. My question applies to the A/C (not to Heat control) and the reason I ask about fan speed control is that it is very hot where I live as much of the year is over 100 degrees F. Turning down the fan speed during voice operations when it is very hot outside is not desirable.

In the context of this post, voice operations include making or receiving phone calls (can be via Bluetooth or via CarPlay) and including Google Maps Navigation prompts. For these, fan speed at 5 or higher is automatically reduced to fan speed 4 as described below in the Owner's Manual. I have found that fan speed is not reduced when using built-in Nav (the 360+ Navigation) or while using Waze instead of Google Maps.

Documented in the Owner's Manual, "USING VOICE RECOGNITION" Section within the SYNC3 Section is the following. In my Owner's Manual, the info is found on Page 372 but other versions of the Owner's Manual may be on a different page:

"Note: Depending on the current climate control settings, the fan speed may automatically go down while issuing voice commands or while making and receiving phone calls via SYNC to reduce the amount of background noise in the vehicle. The fan speed will automatically return to normal operation once the voice session ends. You can adjust the fan speed during a voice session, simply press the fan buttons (or turn the fan knob) to increase or decrease the fan speed to the setting you prefer.

To disable this automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions, press and hold the climate control AC and Recirculated air buttons simultaneously, release and then increase fan speed within 2 seconds. To re-enable this feature, repeat the above sequence."

In my Badlands, the procedure to disable this automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions does nothing except to turn off the A/C. That is, the automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions is not disabled as described in the above section of the Owner's Manual.

I have contacted Ford Customer Service and I have a case elevated to Ford's Customer Experience Specialist and both confirm that the Bronco Sport should operate correctly as described in the above section of the Owner's Manual. Ford setup a service appointment with my local Ford Dealership and today the Ford Service Advisor followed the instructions in the Owner's Manual and does not know (yet) why the procedure to disable this automatic fan speed reduction feature will not function as described in the Owner's Manual.

My next step would be to schedule a future service appointment, leave the Bronco Sport with the dealership for a minimum of 1-2 days for the service tech to note the issue in Ford's service system and then to work with a Ford Field Service Engineer to determine why the disable automatic fan speed reduction feature does not work as documented.

Has anyone on this forum tried the disable automatic fan speed reduction feature as described in the Owner's Manual and has this feature working for them? If so can you please describe which Bronco Sport (or other Ford vehicle) you know supports the disable automatic fan speed reduction feature and if you are doing this differently than as described above? My suspicion is this feature works for SYNC2 vehicles but not in SYNC3 vehicles (like a Bronco Sport) but I cannot confirm my suspicion. Thanks!

Regarding the manual instructions, the more you read the more things you will find that are not only incorrect for your model Bronco Sport, but don't apply to any Bronco Sport - they are typically for Ford Escape models. My favorite is telling people where to put the key fob for a starting when the battery is dead. Hint - it is not in the arm rest - it's in the front cubby under the controls where some models have a charging pad.

 

[Folkman]

Good to know about those vehicles. My guess about the disable feature working for SYNC2 was not correct. Today will be another hot day here. I would like to know your results if you want to try the disable feature in your Bronco Sport. Thanks!

I’ll give it a shot. Siri makes the fans drop too so should be a simple test for a QA.

 

[Folkman]

I’ll give it a shot. Siri makes the fans drop too so should be a simple test for a QA.

@Dude

nope. Doesn’t do a damn thing. It is what it is I guess. Just gotta be better at pre-starting it. There are just a lot of AT&T dead spots out here.

 

[Dude]

@Dude

nope. Doesn’t do a damn thing. It is what it is I guess. Just gotta be better at pre-starting it. There are just a lot of AT&T dead spots out here.

Thanks for confirming your vehicle also does not support the procedure to disable the automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions.

I will drop this topic now and just manually press the fan speed higher if needed when certain voice prompts happens (e.g. Siri and voice phone calls). Lowering fan speed also happens for Google Map prompts but those are very short duration. It is interesting that the built in 360+ navigation voice prompts and voice prompts for Waze do not lower the fan speed.

 

[Folkman]

Thanks for confirming your vehicle also does not support the procedure to disable the automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions.

I will drop this topic now and just manually press the fan speed higher if needed when certain voice prompts happens (e.g. Siri and voice phone calls). Lowering fan speed also happens for Google Map prompts but those are very short duration. It is interesting that the built in 360+ navigation voice prompts and voice prompts for Waze do not lower the fan speed.

I would think it is the app that is the root of the issue. There is probably some signal they send to let the system know they are in one state or the other and the car responds appropriately.

the difference in app behavior points to app being the cause of the issue, and the latency difference as well.

Guess we will just have to cope… it’s not the worst thing given the whole package. At least the valley should start to cool soon…. Right? I hope? Please?

 

[Dude]

I would think it is the app that is the root of the issue. There is probably some signal they send to let the system know they are in one state or the other and the car responds appropriately.

the difference in app behavior points to app being the cause of the issue, and the latency difference as well.

Guess we will just have to cope… it’s not the worst thing given the whole package. At least the valley should start to cool soon…. Right? I hope? Please?

Yep it’s a minor annoyance but to my GF it’s a major issue. She runs hot lol. And probably by end of November the lower temps here will return. I see the highs in the next week are all in the 90s but unfortunately that’s still too hot.

Where to go that has more moderate temps, no looming clean water issues, no hurricanes, no tornadoes, no earthquakes, limited rain and wind (better for bike riding and hiking), plenty of nearby lakes for boating, great scenery and nearby camping, etc.??

 

[Glamdring70]

Wild idea, but what you're trying to do is mess with the Sync settings. I think what needs to happen is that you need to hit those buttons on the Sync screen. Now, you might ask, how? Yeah, you can't. Ford inexplicably hid the Climate screen from us. Now, I know some people have managed to use ForScan and re-enable the Climate screen (something I plan to do as well). I wonder if maybe, just maybe, using that procedure on the Sync controls instead of the hard buttons would have that effect.

More frustrating to me is that there seem to be a TON of valid Sync commands that simply do not work on the BS Sync or have been taken off the command list. Example : "Climate... Fan Minimum". Best I can seem to manage is if the AUTO climate is on I can use "Climate... Set 68 degrees" (in freedom units of course).

Maybe someone that has "Climate" on their BS can attempt to verify the fan reduction preference exists?

 

[Folkman]

Yep it’s a minor annoyance but to my GF it’s a major issue. She runs hot lol. And probably by end of November the lower temps here will return. I see the highs in the next week are all in the 90s but unfortunately that’s still too hot.

Where to go that has more moderate temps, no looming clean water issues, no hurricanes, no tornadoes, no earthquakes, limited rain and wind (better for bike riding and hiking), plenty of nearby lakes for boating, great scenery and nearby camping, etc.??

Absofreaking nowhere.

but we do have places like Beaver Creek we can hit up on a hot day

 

[Dude]

Wild idea, but what you're trying to do is mess with the Sync settings. I think what needs to happen is that you need to hit those buttons on the Sync screen. Now, you might ask, how? Yeah, you can't. Ford inexplicably hid the Climate screen from us. Now, I know some people have managed to use ForScan and re-enable the Climate screen (something I plan to do as well). I wonder if maybe, just maybe, using that procedure on the Sync controls instead of the hard buttons would have that effect.

More frustrating to me is that there seem to be a TON of valid Sync commands that simply do not work on the BS Sync or have been taken off the command list. Example : "Climate... Fan Minimum". Best I can seem to manage is if the AUTO climate is on I can use "Climate... Set 68 degrees" (in freedom units of course).

Maybe someone that has "Climate" on their BS can attempt to verify the fan reduction preference exists?

That’s a great suggestion and you may well be correct. To remind others, here is the Climate screen enabled via FORSCAN. I have not done this yet but now I’m motivated to make this FORSCAN mod to see if using the button procedure on the Climate screen will disable the automatic fan speed reduction feature during voice sessions. Thank you for this most excellent idea!!

And I share your frustration that many valid Sync commands do not work on the BS Sync or have been taken off the command list. Documented in the Owners Manual and documented on the SYNC3 help screen itself however a slew of commands are not available.

Sponsored