I got this iPhone for emergencies, and have been adding numbers like crazy the past week.
Why isn't it syncing with my Macs???

I've turned on and off Mac iCloud preferences to force a sync, but nothing.
I have iCloud as Default Account on my iPhone, but I hesitate fooling around with settings because I can't afford to lose the contacts.

I'm totally freaked out and pissed off that this isn't working, because the only reason I got this damned cell phone is so I have my emergency contacts EVERYWHERE.

Any help would be appreciated.

I see instructions to export vCard on my Mac, delete all contacts, delete account on iPhone and set up a new one. WHAT ABOUT THE NEW CONTACTS ON THE IPHONE???
Can I export those?

Holy sh!t lost all the new contacts. I think I'm going to cry…

Why aren't you syncing it with your mac?

I got the contacts back on my iPhone, but it still won't add new contacts to iCloud.
I'm at work right now and will sync with my mac at home.

I've emailed all new contacts to myself, deleted my iCloud account, then added it again. Still nothing.

I'm going to wait until I get home to try again.

Sounds like it's working!

Sorry... hope you get it worked out. I'm sure it's something simple.

Okay, the only thing I did different in the past few months was adding my work email account (Exchange account). I noticed in the Groups settings that there was a separate row with my work email checked.
When I unchecked it, new contacts disappeared. When I check it, they returned.
After I deleted my work email account on my iPhone, then added the new contacts, everything is back in sync.

Did the Exchange account screw everything up? Very confusing, considering they didn't show up on my work Mac. Wish I had taken a screen shot first…

I'll try adding it again later, but I'm done with computing for the day. :p

Special thanks to jim for calling me up and trying to help me fix it.

Ah ha, that's it.

On the phone in Settings>Mail etc> under Contacts you had the Default Account chosen as the Exchange Account instead of iCloud.

BTW now that you removed Exchange, you won't have a Default Account setting under Settings>Mail etc> Contacts unless you have another account entered. When you add the Exchange Account back you'll then see the Default Account option.

After creating the new account go back to Settings, then tap again on Mail etc for the Default Account option to appear.

Here's an article that will help.

If you are creating a new contact manually by tapping the plus button within either the Contacts or Phone apps the contact will only be created in the default account if more than one account is selected from the “Groups” listing.

If you want to create a contact in your non-default account, you must first go to the “Groups” by tapping the button in the top-left corner in the Contacts app and then ensure that the group that you want to create the new contact in is the only group selected. You can then return to the Contacts view, tap the plus button and create the contact as you normally would.

Not true, see my first post. "I have iCloud as Default Account on my iPhone".
I knew that setting was there when I first added Exchange.

So if I understand correctly (HA!), I should unclick the Exchange account, select the group, then add the new contact, then recheck Exchange.

At least I think that's my work around if it happens again…

I know, RTFM.

Odd, they were going to Exchange though. Maybe deleting the Exchange account and adding again will fix it. Good Luck!