Hi

I have a 15 plate Focus Titanium and was wondering what the USB port in the dash is for because on my focus it doesn't charge my phone and it doesn't recognise any USB memory sticks (I've tried a few all formatted to FAT32), yet the USB port inside the 'media hub' (the armrest) works perfectly with the same memory sticks and phone. Does anyone have any information about it, as my dealer is telling me it's for phone charging only, even though it doesn't charge mine! I don't suppose it's a major problem but it's annoying me, especially the information the dealer is giving me.

I have asked this question within another post but it was an old topic and I didn't get many replies, none of which answered my question, sorry for asking again if you have already responded to that post.

Cheers for any info.

It should read memory sticks just fine.
Your Dealer doesn't know what they're talking about, none of the usb slots in a mk3.5 Focus produces enough power to charge a phone at more than a very low rate.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Cheers for the reply. I've booked it in again, third time lucky, I hope!

Well I took it back in for the third time, when I picked it up they again said there was nothing wrong with the USB port as it is only for charging, I took them out to the car and connected my phone, it didn't charge! They said it would have to go back in for further investigation. They also said the rattle that had appeared, after they had been messing with the dash the last time it was in, had been fixed, as it was a known fault with some kind of connection to the Sync system (?). As I drove away the rattle started before I even got out of the dealers car park! Cue one rather angry phone call to the dealer and one calmer one to a Ford customer experience assistant. Back to the dealers again next week..... 

As Stoney said, should read USB storage and charge your phone, mine does. There should be no reason why yours doesn't.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers for the info Andy

Hi, I have a 2015 Focus with USB port is the dash. It charges my iPhone perfectly and I use it to play music using a memory stick.

Cheers for the reply Damian.

Prior to taking my car in today, I actually looked up a few cars on the Ford ETIS site, which were for sale at the dealers and found one built a month after mine. Before I booked my car in I asked the sales manager who sold me it, could we test my phone and USB memory stick in the car that was for sale, we went to the car plugged in the phone, which started charging and then the memory stick, which was recognised and started playing the music files. I told the service department this when I booked it in but now I'm currently arguing with the service department, as they are still telling me the mechanic has contacted the factory and the USB port is only for charging. When I reminded them I'd tested another car with the sales manager present, they are now saying that the software is different to the other car so it only charges the phone, when it won't even charge mine!!!

Just had another call, now they are saying they cannot update the software because of problems they are having with Ford and can I go back in to see a mechanic???

I'm getting rather annoyed with them now!

 

Well I've finally got somewhere, after meeting the technician (mechanic) we tested his phone in the car, it didn't charge. He went and got the technicians phone, who said there was nothing wrong with the USB port because it was charging his phone, plugged it in, it didn't charge! I had downloaded an app on my phone called Ampere to test both the USB ports, the media hub USB was outputting around 480 mAh but the dash USB was outputting less than half of that, this is why it would not charge. The technician said he'd check his wife's car as it was the same spec and age as mine and call me the next day. He called next day and confirmed that the dash USB port on his wife's car charged his phone and played music off a memory stick. With all this information they have now finally admitted there is a fault with the dash USB port, however, now they are blaming it on the Sync 2 software and saying it needs an update, which they can't do because Ford have put a hold on it! I'm pretty sure a low power output wouldn't be caused by software but more likely a hardware / bad connection problem?

The USB port IS NOT designed for charging of phones. It meets the standard criteria for being approved for USB 2.0 which will output a maximum of 500ma. Get a proper charger.

It will trickle charge at best, definitely not enough to maintain a device that is turned on.

Maybe enough to put a bit of charge into a device that is totally flat but that's about it.

Lighter socket chargers are going for pennies now.

I know it would only trickle charge but the problem with it was it was not doing anything, it wouldn't recognise a memory stick or even trickle charge the phone. I was being told by my dealer, who had consulted the Ford technical team, that it was only for charging a phone and nothing else, it took 4 trips to the dealer and a lot of arguing, with the helpful information provided by members on this forum to back me up, before they admitted it was faulty. I have a proper charger but I wasn't just going to give up and walk away, I suppose drive away would be more accurate, when I knew the USB port was faulty.

Anyway, thanks for all of the replies some of them were very helpful, which I appreciate.

It has been repaired and is now working correctly. Apparently it was a loose connection so much for the Ford 'Technical' team saying it was for charging only! However, I do now have the latest software version loaded on the Sync II unit!