Focus Fanatics Forum banner

Suggestions for information screen

8K views 35 replies 16 participants last post by  h4v1n9fun 
#1 ·
I'm writing in the hopes someone from Ford monitors this forum and cares about owner suggestions. Here's my $.02 about the information screen between the tach and the speedometer on my 2013 Ti.

The bottom row displays the gear selection, compass heading, outside temp, and odometer. It is in low light, and I love it. Cruise control info on top is also great.

However, for the large, bright main portion of the screen, I have a number of choices, none of which are very important to me. I mean, the trip odometers and timers, the gas mileage info and the MyKey info may be important *sometimes*, but not important enough to be the brightest and centermost thing in my line of sight. Likewise the car image that I suppose will tell me if there is a problem with my car. Just don't need to see that all the time.

I would love it if Ford would add some other options for the main portion of the screen. One option would be to turn it off completely, except for emergency information. That would be "easy on the eyes" for long drives.

Another option might be to display the current speed and the current speed limit. Maybe current speed would turn red if it exceeds the speed limit. Right now, speed limit is only displayed on the map screen, and it is very small and hard to read.

Maybe other readers have other ideas?
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I'd like it to show the the gear you are in - when I pull it into Sport mode it just shows S until I hit the +/- selection to change, then it starts to show what gear it's using in sport mode. I think it should show what gear you are in the minute you pull it into sport would be useful.
 
#5 ·
Have you checked the price on a UK Focus? The starting price there is $22,533.35 vs $16,200 here. Base Titanium is $31,155.44 (with incentives) there vs $24,350 (no incentives) here. Features (many government mandated) cost.
 
#6 ·
That graphic of the car on the right side of the screen used to be replaced by the upcoming turn when I had an active route in Navi. It no longer does - just displays the graphic all the time. Have I inadvertently turned this off? I want it back!
 
#7 ·
You must have Navi? I don't but when I use Sync Directions the upcoming turn does display there, and in the MFT info quadrant. I'm still running 3.0.2 but will be installing 3.5.1 soon - which are you running? Have you tried a master reset?
 
#25 ·
Thanks, Jaclyn. I do have the in-dash nav system. But the instructions on the web page you referenced don't work for me. Their step 1 is to press the AUX button. I don't have one of those. I think I have been all through the menu system, and I don't see Master Reset anywhere.
No problem, jeff_nc. I apologize, it looks like I copied the wrong link. Here are the correct instructions:

http://support.ford.com/sync-technology/perform-master-reset-sync-myford-touch

Please let me know if this helps.

Jaclyn
 
#26 ·
No problem, jeff_nc. I apologize, it looks like I copied the wrong link. Here are the correct instructions:

http://support.ford.com/sync-technology/perform-master-reset-sync-myford-touch

Please let me know if this helps.

Jaclyn
OK, found it! I'll wait until I have some time to spare to do this. Actually, everything has been working fine, except that the "next turn" used to show up on the information screen where the car image is, and now it doesn't. Not a big issue, just curious.
 
#12 ·
I would love a couple things
-Instant MPG
-abilities to control music (whats playing etc.) and ability to switch (like ford edge)
-navigation top 5 (arrow to street address and then the voice command comes in, recent addresses that instantly calculate when selected, closet 5 Of each POI (maybe im asking too much
-digital speedo, tach, and other options
-AM/FM tuning?
 
#13 ·
I'm with you Marin. I'm sure I've tuned station on my Sony before using the arrow keys around the volume control, and I believe we do have a kind-of digital display on the center info center when the speed control is set, the current speed shows in digital form in the left top corner. I don't have nav, I use a Garmin and have used Sync directions - not bad but you have to reset it via a phone call if you go off route or miss a turn instead of simply getting a recalculation - kind of a PITA.
 
#16 ·
This is a fantastic topic. I'd prefer to redesign the entire interface. Flatten the hierarchy, because it's too distracting to have to navigate up, down, left, and right within a menu tree while trying to drive.

Create the following display choices. Use the up/down arrows to cycle through them:

1. Trip meter #1. Display mileage, time, and mpg. Double right-click to reset all three in one go.

2. Speedometer. Show current speed, distance to empty, mpg since startup.

3. Trip meter #2. Display mileage, time, mpg. Double right-click to reset.

4. Traction control. Press OK to toggle between "Disable Traction Control" and "Enable Traction Control".

All displays can include the outside temp and compass direction at the bottom.

I include the traction control toggle for quick access. The times I need that feature are almost always when I'm stuck at a stop sign and unable to move, and cars are piling up, and I need to disable the feature quickly.

I put the Speedometer display in between the trip meters on purpose. That way I can make the speed display my default, and I can get to either trip meter with one click.

No need for a hold-down delay on resetting, nor for any sub menus. Just let me right-click twice quickly to reset the trip meter, so that I can get my attention back on the road. Reset all all three data elements in one go.

One click on the OK button from Display #4 toggles traction control. That's fast and easy, just what you need when under pressure to get moving in a snow-covered intersection.

No need for any submenus at all. They are just a distraction and a danger. Eliminate them. Simplify. Reduce cognitive load from having to drive the interface. Make the goal always to return attention to driving as fast as possible.
 
#17 ·
I don't like the idea of a giant digital speedometer in the center of the screen as a glowing distraction, besides is it really that hard to read the actual analog speedometer just to the right of the 4.2" lcd?

The whole reason why it requires you to hold the button down for 5-10 seconds to disable the traction control is to make sure you actually intended to turn it off. It is there for legal liability reasons, therefore if it was disabled it was the drivers fault if they wrecked due to conditions or driving too hard and they can't say they accidentally brushed the button and turned it off. Turning it on all you need to do is press the ok button once and its re-enabled.

The same delay on the trip computer reset is a little bit long (especially when you have to reset each item), but again its to confirm the driver's intention, so an accidental press for 1 second does not reset the trip timer/ trip odometer/ average mpg calculation.

Distance to E should be on the trip 1/2 screens as it currently is (although broken up to the 4-5 screens vs the one shown in the European model in the pictures linked to in this thread.

Flattening the menu structure isn't that necessary as long as you're only going between trip one and trip two as it can be done by muscle memory only without actually looking at the screen imo. Can it be done? Yes, but should it be done? Maybe.
 
#19 ·
I usually reset all three while sitting at the pump after filling up before I ever put the car back into gear... No need to hurry or worry about my driving. It doesn't take that long [confused]
 
#20 ·
Even at that, the elapsed time is off. It won't be perfectly in sync with the other two values.

And sometimes one wants to reset whilst driving. In the old days, one would simply push a button on the dash, and job done! Now I have to push and scroll and hold, and do that three times. It's a laughable approach.
 
#29 ·
The OP asked for suggestions. I threw mine in. Rather than just complain about those aspects I dislike, I instead posed a solution that is workable within the current hardware design.

Keep in mind that my purchase decision boiled down to a single question:

"Could I adjust to and tolerate the user-interface in return for the wonderful driving experience"​

For me, the car is polarizing. I love the way it handles. Yet the user-interface is nowhere near the same level as the driving experience.
 
#30 ·
Give me a larger gear indicator for when i am in Manual mode, preferably in a different, more noticeable color. Superimposed over the "car" maybe?
 
#33 ·
Please add large digital spedo
I'd like to see this too. I think it would be good to add it in the trip info. So you could scroll down to it if you wanted to see it. I know the car is capable of getting a digital speed because it tells me the cruise control speed I set it at.

Better yet...release an SDK so programmers like me could really have some fun with it!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top