[Update: so much worse now.] Can anyone activate Alexa Built-In or Mobile Apps on MY23?

Driver8 · Jan 22, 2023

When I try to activate the Alexa built-in feature on my truck, Amazon shows that I activated it successfully, but the truck always appears "offline" to Amazon and the truck gives me an error saying something went wrong with the activation.

Spent an hour on the phone with Ford, and another hour on the phone with Amazon, and neither knows what is going on.

FordPass shows my three-year trial is active.

Has anyone been able to get this working on a 2023?

Perhaps related: when I go to the mobile apps settings, the toggle button next to Mobile Apps is grayed out and cannot be turned on.

FordPass App on my phone connects to car fine.

Any ideas?

YankeeCP · Jan 22, 2023

Had no issues with Alexa set up on my 23

Driver8 · Jan 22, 2023

YankeeCP said:
Had no issues with Alexa set up on my 23

You have a Lariat, right? Are you able to switch on Mobile Apps, too?

What about someone with a '23 Pro or XLT? I wonder if it is a Sync 4-specific issue. (Or, with my luck, it is just an issue with my truck.)

Henry Ford · Jan 22, 2023

It sounds to me like your modem isn't working. On the upper right of your center screen there should be a small icon with an up and down arrow and a pointer facing northeast. If it's not there your modem isn't working.

When my truck's modem quit working I pulled the #9 fuse in the passenger footwell. It's a 5 amp mini fuse. This worked for me but a lot of people have reported disconnecting the negative battery terminal is what fixed it for them. Others have reported nothing worked. Good luck!

Driver8 · Jan 22, 2023

Henry Ford said:
It sounds to me like your modem isn't working. On the upper right of your center screen there should be a small icon with an up and down arrow and a pointer facing northeast. If it's not there your modem isn't working.

When my truck's modem quit working I pulled the #9 fuse in the passenger footwell. It's a 5 amp mini fuse. This worked for me but a lot of people have reported disconnecting the negative battery terminal is what fixed it for them. Others have reported nothing worked. Good luck!

Thanks. Modem works. Icon shows, and FordPass can lock and unlock the car.

The only other buggy things going on with the infotainment and connectivity are (1) the audio sometimes does not go through with phone calls on the first try (but if I hang up and dial again it works), and (2) the aforementioned inability to activate the "Mobile Apps" option. It's a mystery.

YankeeCP · Jan 23, 2023

Driver8 said:
You have a Lariat, right? Are you able to switch on Mobile Apps, too?

What about someone with a '23 Pro or XLT? I wonder if it is a Sync 4-specific issue. (Or, with my luck, it is just an issue with my truck.)

Yes SR Lariat - it let’s me toggle on Mobile apps- I think only pandora showed under it but can’t remember 100%

Driver8 · Feb 3, 2023

So I took my truck to the dealership to see what they could figure out. Today they returned it to me, confident that they had figured it out and everything was working. EXCEPT... not only did they not fix the problem, it is much worse now.

Currently: (1) I cannot connect through FordPass, at all, (2) Ford says my truck's modem is not communicating at all, (3) the Alexa Built-In setup menu is completely gone, and (4) I still cannot switch on the mobile apps setting.

The Ford customer service rep I spoke to today said there is a known connectivity problem with 2023 Broncos and F-series trucks, and they expect a fix by the end of the month. The rep was surprisingly blasé about the fact that my first two months with my brand new Ford vehicle will be problem plagued (at least from an infotainment perspective).