Sync 10" to 8" Screen (Downgrade) Upgrade

i8iridium · Apr 27, 2023

Decided that I was annoyed with the format of the 10" screen and how small the cameras and carplay was compared to the 8" screen. There's not a lot of instructions in this thread. I'll link a video to the disassembly from 4Dtech showing how to "upgrade". That makes it pretty clear on how to take everything apart and where the parts go.

List of Parts

8" Sync Screen - I searched eBay for 2020-23 explorer screens until i found one that was an appropriate price and in good shape - https://www.ebay.com/itm/144466632995
Sync3 LVDS Video Harness - This is the cable connecting the APIM to the screen. The 10" screen cable won't work because of the orientation of the connector. You can shave out the spot in the 8" screen back, but I didn't want to do that. Ford part was on national back order, so I turned to amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089R57XHQ
LB5Z-78042A82-AB Trim Bezel Insert $9.69
LB5Z-7813546-AC Utility Box $31.45
LB5Z-99018B40-CA Trim Bezel $91.20
LB5Z-78046B46-AAUtility Box Mat $51.40 (I have no idea why this stupid mat cost 51 bucks, but I was all in. lol)
A good attitude.

I followed the video for disassembly/reassembly and swapping out the vents. I also left the original cable in place because I didn't feel like fishing it out. Also, the new cable was a little bit long, so I had to coil it up behind the dash. Make sure you wrap it and tie it good so nothing rattles. That's pretty much it. Pictures follow. Also added some "features" with forscan to add full climate controls to the screen along with the heated seats and wheel.

The must do change in Forscan to get the screen size right: (Don't change x or --) 7D0-03-01 xxxx 00xx xx--

And before anyone asks-I am not selling my original parts.

FLHRXS · Apr 27, 2023

Nice work. It’s sad that the upgraded larger screen really is a downgrade in actuality. Ford really should make the effort to fix this. It wouldn’t cost them all that much.

Stone17 · May 1, 2023

Did you install the LED light under the screen?

ib_jigged · May 1, 2023

I agree it is sad that the 10.1" seems like a downgrade. Only if the screen actually went to the outer edges as well, it would have been closer to 12". The 10.1" should have been mounted landscaped like in the Aviator. Having a '21 F150 with the 12" and traded a '19 Expedition with the 8" to this, I really am thinking of doing the same thing.

i8iridium · May 1, 2023

Stone17 said:

I didn't know there was an LED under there.

R2D2 · May 1, 2023

Great effort. Nice to see there is no wasted screen real estate like the 10 inch one.

How do you compare the landscape interface compared to the vertical format?

How much more bigger the camera and car play screens, have grown?

Stone17 · May 1, 2023

R2D2 said:

Camera and car play is full screen.

R2D2 · May 1, 2023

I couldn't measure it with a tape. So just used the air volume knobs on both sides as a rough reference to see the difference.

The red squares are roughly the 10 inch camera window sizes. So it has indeed grown a good bit.
Same with the car play.

With that added cubby below the screen, I would say a worthy up(down)grade. I would definitely try this, provided I can get those parts from a salvage yard.

i8iridium · May 1, 2023

R2D2 said:

That's a good assessment. I think the only thing that utilizes the full capacity of the 10" screen is the built-in maps and the settings menus. That's not a loss to me because I always use carplay, and i don't spend that much time changing settings for it to be a problem.

scoobysportD · May 1, 2023

i8iridium said:

How is the touchscreen responsiveness vs the 10" screen? Because i find the 10" terrible.

i8iridium · May 1, 2023

scoobysportD said:

It's the same. That issue boils down to the underpowered processor of the sync 3 module, not the screen.

scoobysportD · May 1, 2023

i8iridium said:

Thanks for the quick reply

i'd hoped it would improve as it has less to show on the display.. i think i'd wait for an android screen then instead of going this way.

Cruise72 · May 7, 2023

Does switching to the 8" screen still retain the massage function options?

i8iridium · May 7, 2023

Cruise72 said:

I don't have them to test, but there should be no reason it wouldn't retain it. It just changes the buttons to a different size/location.

randyknight · May 8, 2023

i8iridium said:

Decided that I was annoyed with the format of the 10" screen and how small the cameras and carplay was compared to the 8" screen. There's not a lot of instructions in this thread. I'll link a video to the disassembly from 4Dtech showing how to "upgrade". That makes it pretty clear on how to take everything apart and where the parts go.

List of Parts

8" Sync Screen - I searched eBay for 2020-23 explorer screens until i found one that was an appropriate price and in good shape - https://www.ebay.com/itm/144466632995
Sync3 LVDS Video Harness - This is the cable connecting the APIM to the screen. The 10" screen cable won't work because of the orientation of the connector. You can shave out the spot in the 8" screen back, but I didn't want to do that. Ford part was on national back order, so I turned to amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089R57XHQ
LB5Z-78042A82-AB Trim Bezel Insert $9.69
LB5Z-7813546-AC Utility Box $31.45
LB5Z-99018B40-CA Trim Bezel $91.20
LB5Z-78046B46-AAUtility Box Mat $51.40 (I have no idea why this stupid mat cost 51 bucks, but I was all in. lol)
A good attitude.

I followed the video for disassembly/reassembly and swapping out the vents. I also left the original cable in place because I didn't feel like fishing it out. Also, the new cable was a little bit long, so I had to coil it up behind the dash. Make sure you wrap it and tie it good so nothing rattles. That's pretty much it. Pictures follow. Also added some "features" with forscan to add full climate controls to the screen along with the heated seats and wheel.

The must do change in Forscan to get the screen size right: (Don't change x or --) 7D0-03-01 xxxx 00xx xx--

And before anyone asks-I am not selling my original parts.

View attachment 17646
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View attachment 17651

Any info on what exactly you changed in forescan for the screen and the features?

mdl3v8 · May 31, 2023

What's the measurement of the 8" screen from outside bezel to outside bezel?

I wonder what the likelihood is that we'd be able to shoehorn a 12" SYNC 4 display in. Or if it would even communicate with the rest of the vehicle...

i8iridium · May 31, 2023

mdl3v8 said:

Highly unlikely. Sync 4 12" screen needs a specific Sync 4 APIM to operate with it. There's extra power wires on the display. I have a sync 4 unit from a F150 that had the 12" display and i couldn't get it to turn on the 8" screen.

You can get a Sync 4 APIM that was paired with an 8" screen to use any older 8" screen, but the second problem becomes communication. I couldn't even get the unit that i had to communicate on the vehicle bus in order for Forscan to find it and try to program it. I had to put it in my Mach E in order for me to program it, but still couldn't get it working properly in an older vehicle. And when i say older, I mean a 2020 mustang or my 2023 ST. There's a few archetecture changes for vehicles that use Sync 4, to include Ethernet between the APIM and the Gateway module. There's another bus that isn't used for Sync 4 that need removed from the harness. There's folks smarter than me that will likely figure it out. I just don't have the time, and I'm not going to keep tearing apart my cars to try it out. I don't have the equipment to bench test this stuff.

R2D2 · May 31, 2023

i8iridium said:

Highly unlikely. Sync 4 12" screen needs a specific Sync 4 APIM to operate with it. There's extra power wires on the display. I have a sync 4 unit from a F150 that had the 12" display and i couldn't get it to turn on the 8" screen.

You can get a Sync 4 APIM that was paired with an 8" screen to use any older 8" screen, but the second problem becomes communication. I couldn't even get the unit that i had to communicate on the vehicle bus in order for Forscan to find it and try to program it. I had to put it in my Mach E in order for me to program it, but still couldn't get it working properly in an older vehicle. And when i say older, I mean a 2020 mustang or my 2023 ST. There's a few archetecture changes for vehicles that use Sync 4, to include Ethernet between the APIM and the Gateway module. There's another bus that isn't used for Sync 4 that need removed from the harness. There's folks smarter than me that will likely figure it out. I just don't have the time, and I'm not going to keep tearing apart my cars to try it out. I don't have the equipment to bench test this stuff.

That's a cool (all?) Ford garage you got there..

I guess a bronco is missing..

i8iridium · May 31, 2023

They're alright...lol

MyNameisE · Aug 24, 2023

Looks great! I personally wouldn't go down to the smaller screen even if the 10" screen isn't as useful as the smaller one is. I do like how it looks like on the dash though. Maybe next-gen will be better

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Sync 10" to 8" Screen (Downgrade) Upgrade

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