Sync 3

[Ohwell]

I checked the web site and I was saddened to see this! Your SYNC update must be completed at a Ford Dealership. Please contact your Ford Dealer to schedule an appointment. Charges may apply.

I popped into Ford chat and this is what they told me....

"With the current version 3.4.22251 there is a current known malfunction with this update that our engineers are working to resolve."

When asked if it would be available for me to download at some point ( I do not want to pay the dealer for something I can do) they replied.....

"Yes. Our Ford engineers are aware of these issues and are diligently working on an update to fix them. They are currently testing the update to make sure once it's rolled out to all affected customers, it will fully resolve the problems. Update should be available by the end of September, if not sooner, and notification will be sent to your Fordpass app, and the email attached to your owner.ford.com account."

I hope that she is correct.

Why would charges apply when you are still in the 36-month warranty period?

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[NeilP]

Why would charges apply when you are still in the 36-month warranty period?

Good question......and why are they telling me that I have to go to the dealer.

 

[Ohwell]

Good question......and why are they telling me that I have to go to the dealer.

The only thing I can think of for warranty would be if you updated with a non ford program like Cyan Labs. I don't have a lot of faith in Ford chat service from what I've seen so far, are you on 3.4.2251? From everything I have seen Cyan Labs update seems reliable to me.

 

[NeilP]

The only thing I can think of for warranty would be if you updated with a non ford program like Cyan Labs. I don't have a lot of faith in Ford chat service from what I've seen so far, are you on 3.4.2251? From everything I have seen Cyan Labs update seems reliable to me.

I do have 3.4.2251 and I have the latest maps. (Just updated the maps a few months ago)

 

[RedlandRanger]

The only thing I can think of for warranty would be if you updated with a non ford program like Cyan Labs. I don't have a lot of faith in Ford chat service from what I've seen so far, are you on 3.4.2251? From everything I have seen Cyan Labs update seems reliable to me.

I've found the Cyan labs update process to be quite a bit more robust than the Ford process honestly.

 

[Bullet]

I updated to v. 21388 via CyanLabs, because v. 22251 was crap. Ford released v. 21338 and I over-wrote the CyanLabs with the Ford version. Went quickly and cured the issues. Took about a week for Sirius XM to populate correctly. I went to their site and reset the radio too. Still took a few days to repopulate. All seems good now (fingers crossed).

 

[underwhelmed]

Forest, there is a long and helpful discussion under "Sync3 Issues" you need to check out. The short version is that the software update that come out a few months back was F-up by Ford, and that version (3.4.22251) will eventually stop allowing the radio to function normally because it is not clearing its short term memory.
The symptoms most folks were having include the unit loosing its memory when you shut the car off. When it is turned on, it goes to AM, the Bluetooth connection has been forgotten, and driving route being reset. You then must spend a minute or three resetting everything, every time you start up. Others reported different issues, like yours.
An outside group called "CyanLabs" has a method which allows the radio to be rolled back to an earlier, stable, version, and this has worked well for me.
Only in the last two weeks did Ford own up to a fault here, so a permanent solution might be on its way.

Thanks for posting this. My unit started crapping out on my trip home from a week of camping and fishing yesterday. So might not be my APIM as suspected?

 

[Forrest Pennington]

Unfortunately I was told by dealership that it has nothing to do with a corrupt download. My unit needs to be replaced.(according to dealership) 61 k.
Blank screen sometimes not always
Loss of Nav history.
Phone connection lost but shows not
Voice control sporadically not workin
Wifi disconnects when key off.

I am pee ohd. New unit 600. Install 500. On a 19 ranger. JEEZ!!!

 

[alcohenusa]

Unfortunately I was told by dealership that it has nothing to do with a corrupt download. My unit needs to be replaced.(according to dealership) 61 k.
Blank screen sometimes not always
Loss of Nav history.
Phone connection lost but shows not
Voice control sporadically not workin
Wifi disconnects when key off.

I am pee ohd. New unit 600. Install 500. On a 19 ranger. JEEZ!!!

First they told you that Ford was working on a fix for your issues. Now they say it is a hardware problem. I think you should try updating the software yourself. Starting with the rwdata cleaner from Cyan Labs. Then Master Reset and then update to the latest. What have you got to lose at this point?

 

[Radioman]

First they told you that Ford was working on a fix for your issues. Now they say it is a hardware problem. I think you should try updating the software yourself. Starting with the rwdata cleaner from Cyan Labs. Then Master Reset and then update to the latest. What have you got to lose at this point?

Totally agree with @alcohenusa . As he said, "What have you got to lose..."

 

[samsd]

Unfortunately I was told by dealership that it has nothing to do with a corrupt download. My unit needs to be replaced.(according to dealership) 61 k.
Blank screen sometimes not always
Loss of Nav history.
Phone connection lost but shows not
Voice control sporadically not workin
Wifi disconnects when key off.

I am pee ohd. New unit 600. Install 500. On a 19 ranger. JEEZ!!!

Ford chat told me I needed a new TCU, telematics something, the latest Sync version from Ford cured all the problems I was having and now is issue free. Don't think this is a hardware issue.

 

[Bullet]

Unfortunately I was told by dealership that it has nothing to do with a corrupt download. My unit needs to be replaced.(according to dealership) 61 k.
Blank screen sometimes not always
Loss of Nav history.
Phone connection lost but shows not
Voice control sporadically not workin
Wifi disconnects when key off.

I am pee ohd. New unit 600. Install 500. On a 19 ranger. JEEZ!!!

I've heard of A LOT of folks having the dealer tell them the unit is dead-in-the-water. Only to have the owner dig deeper and find it IS the Sync system malfunctioning due to software issues.
I mean I wouldn't be totally surprised to hear the APIM was toast. Hardware can only take so much heat from trying to do it's job. With ill-equipped software running the show, hardware can crap-out.
I wouldn't throw-in the towel until I checked every avenue. It could take some time to clean out enough memory for the system to accept the latest download. But it worked for me.
With research on CyanLabs and elsewhere, I've seen folks get hardware replaced and the system STILL will not accept software adequately.
Chin-up and keep researching. I'd go to CyanLabs and look at discussions there.
Your time is worth a lot of $. But you could go a long way to save $1200 and reduce risk with other issues if they dig in to the system.

 

[VAMike]

I've heard of A LOT of folks having the dealer tell them the unit is dead-in-the-water. Only to have the owner dig deeper and find it IS the Sync system malfunctioning due to software issues.

Yes, the dealers have no real clue how to handle software issues, and the fact that the sync system has a pathetic update process means that their one solution (update) often doesn't work very well. The only remaining option is to throw hardware at it. When someone reports that their dealer says their head unit is broken and needs to be replaced I just roll my eyes. I'm sure that might happen sometimes, but mostly it just means that the dealer doesn't know how to actually diagnose the problem and has no other ideas.

 

[hughesjv]

Oh boy! I am not going to tough anything at this point though I just received this email about the new updated map:

Hi Robert, Are you ready for new adventures on the open road? Introducing the SYNC® 3 Navigation Map, designed to help you follow your own road and be connected at the same time. Complete with touchscreen and voice-activated commands, it’s easy to use, and makes inputting destinations before any trip simple. Plus, SYNC® 3 keeps track of previous searches and points of interest so the system can quickly populate familiar destinations. Now is the perfect time to start using the SYNC® 3 Navigation Map. The latest version update is available for your 2019 FORD RANGER. The software updates include new features that will improve your navigation experience and keep you informed. Visit your local Ford Dealership or click on the link below to get the latest SYNC® 3 Navigation Map. Let us help you prepare for the road ahead.

​ Update SYNC® 3 Map

​

​ ENHANCED DRIVING EXPERIENCE IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY

​

​ Here's Whats New* Millions of New Map Updates New Roads Speed Limit Updates New Points of Interest Updated Turn Restrictions & Traffic Changes ​ Learn More *Data points above represent the changes in the HERE Map Database from Q2 22. Exact data may vary by product. The current Map version is NA 2 22. ​

​

​ Ship Directly to Your Home or Contact Your Local Ford Dealership to Update Today

​

​ NEW 5 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION PLAN $199 Update SYNC® 3 Map

​

Other annual update options available: Preloaded USB shipped directly to you for $149 or 1 file download for $109

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I have that version and have subscribed but when I try to use voice control for navigation the system tells me it won't work until I update my maps...which I did but still the same issue.

 

[alcohenusa]

I have that version and have subscribed but when I try to use voice control for navigation the system tells me it won't work until I update my maps...which I did but still the same issue.

From personal experience, when voice commands are broken after updating maps, it means that the USB was removed too soon. Rerun the map update and wait until all the restarts are done with the complete message remaining on the screen.

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