Updating SYNC in the ST (Wireless)

MyNameisE · Apr 6, 2023

I picked up the ST about 5 days ago and I LOVE this thing. Anyway, I decided to park it in the garage today, and take the corvette.

I stopped in the dealership yesterday to see if they can perform the upgrade, they mentioned it would take them hours due to their internet being slow. However, they showed me what I had to do.
I got home last night, connected it to my Wi-Fi. This morning I parked the ST in the garage and turned it off. Can the car still update even if the car is off? Or do I have to keep it on idle for a little bit?

I saw some documentation about it being upgraded via USB but it requires the car to be on. I guess I'm confused, does the car need just accessory power to get the update installed? or should I just keep the ST running for it to do updates.

Thanks in advance

Dale5403 · Apr 6, 2023

I update mine using a USB. Turn it on but I don't start it. That has worked for me a number of times. If you try to update OTA I think you need to check for updates while running and then once it starts you can shut it off. I have not been able to do it that way so I could be wrong. Good luck.

hbalek · Apr 6, 2023

Dale5403 said:

It can take days to update over wifi espeically if it gets interrupted to save battery. I've done it both ways but more with the USB which takes less than 30 minutes usually.

Blue Beast · Apr 6, 2023

MyNameisE said:

I picked up the ST about 5 days ago and I LOVE this thing. Anyway, I decided to park it in the garage today, and take the corvette.

I stopped in the dealership yesterday to see if they can perform the upgrade, they mentioned it would take them hours due to their internet being slow. However, they showed me what I had to do.
I got home last night, connected it to my Wi-Fi. This morning I parked the ST in the garage and turned it off. Can the car still update even if the car is off? Or do I have to keep it on idle for a little bit?

I saw some documentation about it being upgraded via USB but it requires the car to be on. I guess I'm confused, does the car need just accessory power to get the update installed? or should I just keep the ST running for it to do updates.

Thanks in advance

Welcome to the forum.

MyNameisE · Apr 9, 2023

Update: I could update to the latest build using the USB route. The wireless route is horrific. I left my car in the garage with a strong wireless connection for 12 hours, and it didn't even update. So I'm unsure of what people are saying about it updating while it's "off" but that wasn't my case. I originally was getting a USB unreadable error, I was using a 2.0. Now that I used a USB 3.0 it worked without problems. I had the ST on for roughly 35 minutes, with it successfully updated.

At some point I'll upgrade the navigation, it seems that its' 12GB and that is a f*ck ton. It's no biggy since I use car play anyway.

Sgt1411 · Apr 9, 2023

MyNameisE said:

I feel your pain, it's the one thing that makes me crazy because I love the ST looks, power, and handling. How they could screw up a multimedia system so badly is beyond comprehension. Through some contacts I have had the opportunity to provide feedback to people at Ford who are involved in the SYNC program. I learned that they PURPOSELY designed the system to update in the background but not all at once, in chunks, so over multiple connections to strong WiFi. WTF?.........who does that?....nobody else in the automotive business I can think of. To put things into perspective all one needs to do is drive a JEEP with U-CONNECT .....or better yet drive Genesis with their new system and you will see just how poorly executed SYNC3 and SYNC4 is.

I could except SYNC3 in my 2021 ST if they had some succession planning and installed an APIM that will handle the conversion to SYNC4 but of course that didn't happen. If you want a multimedia system that is up to current standards you have to sell your vehicle, very frustrating.

MyNameisE · Apr 9, 2023

Sgt1411 said:

Yeah I owned a Wrangler JL and it had an OTA update, it was great. Would do it automatically then let me know. I personally knew that the Sync 3 system was a little buggy, in the terms of the reverse camera, and stuff. Currently, I have to call Ford Support tomorrow to figure out why "reauthorization" to add the ford pass mojo.

I'm just glad the USB method works as well as others are saying, minus some of the nuances. Are there any place to get "release notes" of the updates? Like what was changed etc.

hbalek · Apr 9, 2023

One time I did an OTA update and it took several days if not weeks to complete. So usually use the USB.

Sgt1411 · Apr 9, 2023

MyNameisE said:

Yeah I owned a Wrangler JL and it had an OTA update, it was great. Would do it automatically then let me know. I personally knew that the Sync 3 system was a little buggy, in the terms of the reverse camera, and stuff. Currently, I have to call Ford Support tomorrow to figure out why "reauthorization" to add the ford pass mojo.

I'm just glad the USB method works as well as others are saying, minus some of the nuances. Are there any place to get "release notes" of the updates? Like what was changed etc.

Nobody on any of the forums that I watch has ever seen a publically released new version change doc

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Updating SYNC in the ST (Wireless)

MyNameisE

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