I have a strange issue with the bluetooth linked with my phone for Google Maps.

If I'm playing music from either my phone or my USB stick, Google Maps will utilise my car's speakers and tell me where to go.
If I'm playing music from the radio I won't get any directions, even directly from my phone. It seems to claim all sound from my phone but not allow it to use the speakers. Is there a setting where I can allow Bluetooth to "interrupt" the radio? It does however kick in if the phone rings.

Any ideas?

 

If relevant = 61 Plate Focus 1.6 ecoboost titanium 

Unfortunately that's the way most bluetooth systems work, unless on a dedicated media channel for BT audio through the speakers, the directions or any phone sounds for that wont come in. Phone calls and messages will due to the protocol that BT uses to deliver these items to the Sync/head units, and are seen as a different trigger for the audio stream. You can tell some phones not to send audio via bluetooth, and have them dictate maps but still be hooked up for calls and messages, it's worth checking your phone's manual if that would help you in any way.

Phones are a bit dumb for the BT side of things, unless you're able to tell then otherwise then they just throw audio at the BT device.

I doubt it has a protocol on BT for the scenario you want

it will be built for phone calls to become priority and play the ring tone and calls above all else

then its likely its built so when playing sound over the Bluetooth it plays whatever the phone is doing ...music streaming and then if a nav instruction comes on then you hear the nav, otherwise what's going to switch the unit from a ford source to an external one?

if its android you might find some odd hacking app that gets permissions it shouldn't and play ball

I use Sygic navigation on my android phone and that has an option to send the audio as an incoming phone call. There is Delay option so you can tweak the audio to play as soon as the radio switches to the phone call. 

Sygic is a paid for app but it comes with a lifetime registration. 

29 minutes ago, ColW said:

I use Sygic navigation on my android phone and that has an option to send the audio as an incoming phone call. There is Delay option so you can tweak the audio to play as soon as the radio switches to the phone call. 

Sygic is a paid for app but it comes with a lifetime registration. 

Have Sygic on my phone, and previously on my head unit in my Focus. Bluetooth phone call option for the directions is a life saver for those radios that won't interrupt the radio as you said.

In Google Maps: Settings - Navigation - Play as Bluetooth phone call

Sorry for the delayed response, busy week.

Thanks for your suggestions.

TBH, the reason I'm even using the USB for music is because I was originally using my phone to play music through Google Play but it kept wanting to shuffle my music unless i remember to turn shuffle off each time i use it, whereas I prefer to listen to albums front to back. If I could stop my focus from wanting to shuffle songs on Google Play then the other issue doesn't matter.

i.e.
Google Play on my phone without the focus = Albums don't shuffle
Google Play on my phone with BT on the focus = Albums shuffle play

I've tried saying "External Device" + "Bluetooth" + "Shuffle" + "Off" but after the world shuffle the voice commmand system just turns off and the music comes back on.

you did the basics and updated it to last available software update?

mk2

https://fordcom.de/en/download/update-sound-connect-november-2012/

or

mk3 ? (this is the early sync 1)

https://www.ford.co.uk/owner/resources-and-support/sync-bluetooth/ford-sync-1-help

both install by putting data on a USB stick and following instructions

• the mk2 list of fixes

Release: November 2012

 The update to your Ford Bluetooth and multimedia module provides you with improvements in the following areas:

 - Improved energy management in connection with USB and Bluetooth devices

 Release: April 2012

 The update to your Ford Bluetooth and multimedia module provides you with improvements in the following areas:

 - Playback of music files via the USB stick
 - Connection stability of iPod/iPhone devices
 - Connection stability for Bluetooth, telephony and music streaming via Bluetooth
 - Compatibility of mobile phones

 Release: October 2011

 The update to your Ford Bluetooth and multimedia module provides you with improvements in the following areas:

 - Supports the original Apple USB cable
 - Apple iOS 5 compatibility: display of the phones battery level and signal strength
 - Apple iOS 5 compatibility: improved stability for music streaming via Bluetooth
 - Playback of music files via the USB stick
 - Connection stability of iPod/iPhone devices
 - Connection stability for Bluetooth, telephony and music streaming via Bluetooth
 - Compatibility of mobile phones
 - Display of phone book and call lists

I've not checked the firmware, i've only just got the car (second hand) ... I'll check what firmware it is running.