radio FORD EXPLORER 2021 Owner's Manual

Potential station issues
Action
Cause
Issues
No action required. This is a
broadcast issue.
This is poor time alignment
by the radio broadcaster.
Echo, stutter, skip or repeat
in audio.
Increase or decrease in
audio volume.
No action required. The
reception issue may clear up
as you continue to drive.
The radio is shifting between
analog and digital audio.
Sound fading or blending in
and out.
No action required. This is
normal behavior. Wait until
the audio is available.
The digital multicast is not
available until the HD Radio
broadcast is decoded. Once
decoded, the audio is avail-
able.
There is an audio mute
delay when selecting HD2 or
HD3, multicast preset or
Direct Tune.
No action required. The
station is not available in
your current location.
The previously stored
multicast preset or direct
tune is not available in your
current reception area.
Cannot access HD2 or HD3
multicast channel when
recalling a preset or from a
direct tune.
Fill out the station issue
form at website listed
below.1
Data service issue by the
radio broadcaster.
Text information does not
match currently playing
audio.
Fill out the station issue
form at website listed
below.1
Data service issue by the
radio broadcaster.
There is no text information
shown for currently selected
frequency.
1 http://hdradio.com/stations/feedback
HD Radio Technology manufactured under
license from iBiquity Digital Corporation
and foreign patents. HD Radio and the HD
and HD Radio logos are proprietary
trademarks of DTS Ford Motor Company
and DTS are not responsible for the
content sent using HD Radio technology.
Content may be changed, added or deleted
at any time at the station owner's
discretion. SATELLITE RADIO
(IF EQUIPPED)
SiriusXM® Satellite Radio broadcasts a
variety of music, news, sports, weather,
traffic and entertainment satellite radio
channels. For more information and a
complete list of SiriusXM satellite radio
channels, visit www.siriusxm.com in the
United States, www.siriusxm.ca in Canada,
or call SiriusXM at 1-888-539-7474.
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Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Audio System

Note:
This receiver includes the eCos
real-time operating system. eCos is
published under the eCos License.
Satellite Radio Reception Factors Potential satellite radio reception issues
For optimal reception performance, keep the antenna
clear of snow and ice build-up and keep luggage and other
material as far away from the antenna as possible.
Antenna obstructions
Hills, mountains, tall buildings, bridges, tunnels, freeway
overpasses, parking garages, dense tree foliage and
thunderstorms can interfere with your reception.
Terrain
When you pass a ground-based broadcast-repeating
tower, a stronger signal may overtake a weaker one and
the audio system may mute.
Station overload
Your display may show ACQUIRING . . . to indicate the
interference and the audio system may mute.
Satellite radio signal interfer-
ence
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Service
Note: SiriusXM reserves the unrestricted
right to change, rearrange, add or delete
programming including canceling, moving
or adding particular channels, and its prices,
at any time, with or without notice to you.
Ford Motor Company shall not be
responsible for any such programming
changes. SiriusXM satellite radio is a
subscription-based satellite radio service
that broadcasts a variety of music, sports,
news, weather, traffic and entertainment
programming. Your factory-installed
SiriusXM satellite radio system includes
hardware and a limited subscription term,
which begins on the date of sale or lease
of your vehicle. See an authorized dealer
for availability.
For more information on extended
subscription terms (a service fee is
required), the online media player and a
complete list of SiriusXM satellite radio
channels, and other features, please visit
www.siriusxm.com in the United States,
www.siriusxm.ca in Canada, or call
SiriusXM at 1-888-539-7474.
Satellite Radio Electronic Serial
Number (ESN)
You need your ESN to activate, modify or
track your satellite radio account.
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Locating Your ESN
With satellite radio as the source, use the
touchscreen to select the following:
1. Select Settings. See Settings (page
464).
2. Select
SiriusXM.
3. Select
SiriusXM information.
Troubleshooting Action
Condition
Message
No action required. This
message should disappear
shortly.
Radio requires more than
two seconds to produce
audio for the selected
channel.
Acquiring…
If this message does not
clear shortly, or with an igni-
tion key cycle, your receiver
may have a fault. See an
authorized dealer for service.
There is an internal module
or system failure present.
Satellite antenna fault
SIRIUS system failure
Tune to another channel or
choose another preset.
The channel is no longer
available.
Invalid Channel
Contact SiriusXM at 1-888-
539-7474 to subscribe to
the channel, or tune to
another channel.
Your subscription does not
include this channel.
Unsubscribed Channel
The signal is blocked. When
you move into an open area,
the signal should return.
The signal is lost from the
SiriusXM satellite or Siri-
usXM tower to your vehicle
antenna.
No Signal
No action required. The
process may take up to
three minutes.
Update of channel
programming in progress.
Updating…
Contact SiriusXM at 1-888-
539-7474 to resolve
subscription issues.
Your satellite service is no
longer available.
Questions? Call
1-888-539-7474
Use the channel guide to
turn off the Lock or Skip
function on that station.
All the channels in the
selected category are either
skipped or locked.
None found
Check Channel Guide
No action required.
SiriusXM has updated the
channels available for your
vehicle.
Subscription Updated
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Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing Audio System

Automatic crash notification
system off.
Cell phone network signal
strength.
Vehicle data sharing on.
Vehicle location sharing on.
Vehicle data and vehicle location
sharing on.
Wireless charger active.
Feature Bar Select to use the radio, a USB, a
media player or a Bluetooth
device. See Entertainment
(page 441). Select to adjust climate settings
See
Climate (page 451).
Select to make calls and access
the phonebook on your cell
phone. See
Phone (page 453).
Select to use the navigation
system.
See Navigation (page
455). Select to search for and use
compatible apps on your iOS or
Android device. See Apps (page
461
). Select to adjust system settings.
See
Settings (page 464).
Cleaning the Touchscreen
See
Cleaning the Interior (page 346). Updating the System
Updating the System Using a USB Drive
Downloading an Update
1. Go to the SYNC update page on the
local Ford website.
2. Download the update.
Note: The website notifies you if an update
is available.
3. Insert a USB drive into your computer.
Note: The USB drive needs to be empty and
meet the minimum requirements detailed
on the website.
4. Follow the instructions provided to download the update to the USB drive.
Installing an Update
Note: You can use the system when an
installation is in progress.
1. Disconnect all other USB devices from
the USB ports.
2. Connect the USB drive with the update
to a USB port.
Note: Installation starts automatically
within 10 minutes.
Updating the System Using a Wi-Fi
Network Connection
Connecting to a Wi-Fi Network Select the settings option on the
feature bar.
1. Select
Automatic Updates.
2. Select
System Wi-Fi.
3. Switch
System Wi-Fi on.
4. Select
Available Wi-Fi Networks.
5. Select an available Wi-Fi network.
Note: Enter the network password to
connect to a secure network.
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Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing SYNC™ 3 E100027 E283811 E280315 E280315

Description
Voice Command
Go to the next page.
Next Page
Go to the previous page.
Previous Page
1 Add the name of the feature to the command.
Entertainment
Audio Source Description
Voice Command
Use the radio.
Radio
Use the CD player.
CD Player
Use a Bluetooth device.
Bluetooth Stereo
Use a USB or media player.
USB
Radio Description
Voice Command
Listen to AM radio.
AM
Tune to a specific AM frequency.1
AM ___
Listen to SiriusXM radio.2
Sirius Channel ___
Listen to FM radio.
FM
Tune to a specific FM frequency.1
FM ___
1 Add the radio frequency to two decimal places to the command.
2 You can say the Sirius channel name or number such as "Sirius Channel 16" or "Sirius
The Pulse".
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Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing SYNC™ 3

Sources
Press this button to select the source of
media you want to listen to.Menu Item
AM
FM 1
SIRIUS
CD
The name of the USB that is plugged in displays here.
USB
Bluetooth Stereo
If you have SYNC 3 compatible apps on your connected smart phone, they
display here as individual source selections.
Apps
1 This feature may not be available in all markets and requires an active subscription.
AM/FM Radio
Tuning a Station
You can use the tune or seek controls on
the radio bezel to select a station.
To tune a station using the
touchscreen, select: Menu Item
Direct Tune
A pop up appears, allowing you to type in
the frequency of a station. You can only
enter a valid station for the source you are
currently listening to.
You can press the backspace button to
delete the previously entered number. Once you have entered the station's
call numbers, you can select: Action and Descrip-
tion
Menu Item
Press to begin
playing the station
you have entered.
Enter
Press to exit
without changing
the station.
Cancel
Presets
To set a new preset, tune to the station
and then press and hold one of the
memory preset buttons. The audio mutes
briefly while the system saves the station
and then returns.
You may be able to add additional preset
pages using the settings option on the
feature bar.
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Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing SYNC™ 3

SiriusXM® Satellite Radio (If
Activated)
Note:
This feature may not be available in
all markets and requires an active
subscription. SiriusXM satellite radio is a
subscription-based satellite radio service
that broadcasts a variety of music, sports,
news, weather, traffic and entertainment
programming. Your factory-installed
SiriusXM satellite radio system includes
hardware and a limited subscription term
that begins on the date of sale or lease of
your vehicle. See an authorized dealer for
availability.
For more information on extended
subscription terms (a service fee is
required), the online media player and a
list of SiriusXM satellite radio channels,
and other features, please visit
www.siriusxm.com in the United States,
www.siriusxm.ca in Canada, or call
SiriusXM at 1-888-539-7474.
Note:
SiriusXM reserves the unrestricted
right to change, rearrange, add or delete
programming. This includes canceling,
moving or adding particular channels, and
its prices, at any time, with or without notice
to you. We are not responsible for any such
programming changes.
Note: This receiver includes the eCos
real-time operating system. eCos is
published under the eCos License.
The following buttons are available for SiriusXM: Action and Description
Menu Item
Touch this button to see a list of available stations.
Browse
A pop-up appears, allowing you to type in the call numbers of
a station.
Direct Tune
Once you enter the stations call numbers, you can select:The system tunes to the station you select.
Enter
You exit the pop-up and the current station
continues to play.
Cancel
You can press the backspace button to delete the previous
number.
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Action and Description
Menu Item
Replay audio on the current channel. You can replay approx-
imately 45 minutes of audio as long as you remain tuned to
the current station. Changing stations erases the previous
audio.
Replay
When you are in replay mode, you are not
able to select a different preset until you
return to live audio. Pressing this button
returns you to the live broadcast.
Live
Save the current song, artist, or team as a favorite. The system
alerts you when it plays again on any channel.
ALERT
Selecting this button allows you to enable and edit alerts.
Memory Presets
To set a preset, tune to the station then
press and hold one of the memory preset
buttons. The audio mutes briefly while the
system saves the station and returns once
the station is stored. You may be able to add additional preset
pages using the settings option on the
feature bar.
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Reception Factors and Troubleshooting Potential Reception Issues
For optimal reception performance, keep the antenna clear
of snow and ice build-up and keep luggage and other
materials as far away from the antenna as possible.
Antenna obstructions
Hills, mountains, tall buildings, bridges, tunnels, freeway
overpasses, parking garages, dense tree foliage and thunder-
storms can interfere with your reception.
Terrain
When you pass a ground-based broadcast-repeating tower,
a stronger signal may overtake a weaker one and the audio
system may mute.
Station overload
Your display may show ACQUIRING... to indicate the interfer-
ence and the audio system may mute.
Satellite radio signal
interference
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Explorer (CTW), enUSA, Edition date: 202007, Second-Printing SYNC™ 3

Troubleshooting Tips
Action
Cause
Message
No action required. This
message should disappear
shortly.
Radio requires more than two
seconds to produce audio for
the selected channel.
Acquiring Signal
If this message does not clear
shortly, or with an ignition key
cycle, your receiver may have
a fault. See an authorized
dealer for service.
There is an internal module or
system failure present.
Satellite antenna fault
SIRIUS system failure
Tune to another channel or
choose another preset.
The channel is no longer avail-
able.
Invalid Channel
Contact SiriusXM at 1-888-
539-7474 to subscribe to the
channel, or tune to another
channel.
Your subscription does not
include this channel.
Unsubscribed Channel
The signal is blocked. When
you move into an open area,
the signal should return.
The signal is lost from the Siri-
usXM satellite or SiriusXM
tower to your vehicle antenna.
Satellite acquiring
signal…
No action required. The
process may take up to three
minutes.
Update of channel program-
ming in progress.
Updating…
Contact SiriusXM at 1-888-
539-7474 to resolve subscrip-
tion issues.
Your satellite service is no
longer available.
Questions? Call 1-
888-539-7474
Use the channel guide or the
Sirius XM Settings tile to turn
off the Lock or Skip function on
that station.
All the channels in the selected
category are either skipped or
locked.
None found. Check
channel guide.
No action required.
SiriusXM has updated the
channels available for your
vehicle.
SIRIUS Subscription
updated
HD Radio ™ Information (If
Available)
To activate HD radio, please see the Radio
Settings in the Settings Chapter. See
Settings (page 464). Note:
HD Radio broadcasts are not
available in all markets.
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HD Radio technology is the digital
evolution of analog AM/FM radio. Your
system has a special receiver that allows
it to receive digital broadcasts (where
available) in addition to the analog
broadcasts, it already receives. Digital
broadcasts provide a better sound quality
than analog broadcasts with free,
crystal-clear audio and no static or
distortion. For more information, and a
guide to available stations and
programming, please visit:
Website
www.hdradio.com
When HD Radio is on and you tune to a
station broadcasting HD Radio technology,
you may notice the following indicators on
your screen: The HD logo is grey when acquiring a digital
station, and then changes to orange when
digital audio is playing. When this logo is
available, you may also see Title and Artist
fields on-screen.
The multicast indicator appears in FM
mode (only) if the current station is
broadcasting multiple digital broadcasts.
The highlighted numbers signify available
digital channels where new or different
content is available. HD1 signifies the main
programming status and is available in
analog and digital broadcasts. Other
multicast stations (HD2 through HD7) are
only available digitally.
Note:
There is also an additional feature
for stations that have more than 1 HD
multicast (For example, HD1 or HD2). The
HD logo and Radio text appears as a button.
Pressing this button allows you to cycle
through all of the HD stations on that
specific frequency. For example, if you are
on 101.1 and it has HD1, HD2, HD3, pressing
the button repeatedly causes the radio to
cycle through the HD stations in a cyclic
increasing order.
When HD Radio broadcasts are active, you can access the following functions: Action and Description
Message
Allows you to save an active channel as a memory preset.
Touch and hold a memory preset slot until the sound returns.
There is a brief mute while the radio saves the station. Sound
returns when the channel saves. When switching to an HD2
or HD3 memory preset, the sound mutes before the digital
audio plays, because the system has to reacquire the digital
signal.
Presets
Note: As with any station you save, you cannot access the saved station if your vehicle is
outside the station ’s reception area.
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