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Has anyone downloaded any system updates over wifi yet?
- Thread starter ExplorerST
- Start date
My previous vehicle, a 2017 Explorer Sport had the same Sync 3 update feature via WiFi. But in the 3 years I had it, I wasn't ever able to perform an update this way. It just kept on spinning and timed out. I even tried it on multiple WiFi networks. It never worked! (I work in the Tech Marketing Space and am experienced with WiFi)
So what I had to do for Sync updates was to download the latest update file via the Ford Owners site to a USB drive, and then walk it out to the vehicle perform the update directly to Sync. This did work.
But don't hold your breath for any updates though. Again in my previous experience, Ford is very slow with Sync updates. There was maybe one Sync update per year at best. You can go to the Ford Owners website https://owner.ford.com and it will tell you if there is an update for your VIN.
I think our only hope with this is the upcoming Sync 4. Hopefully, Ford has addressed this issue and many others. And double hopefully Sync 4 will be available as an update (via USB stick) for the ST.
I for one am disappointed that Ford just gave us the same old Sync 3 with all of its issues in these brand new Explorer ST's. I had thought that they had updated these systems, but now I see they just moved around the buttons in a user interface update. The same buggy system behind the large screen.
Last thought: This is a reminder to me that Ford is an old legacy large car/truck company. They put software in their vehicles only as a convenience to compete in the market. Contrast this to a software company that makes cars (Tesla). Tesla pushes software updates almost as fast as our Apple/Android phones get updated. I'm not making a comment on the right or wrong of the two differences. But when it comes to software, I expect that there will be a process in place to as rapidly as possible improve the software. This is what's missing from Ford. Do you have access to the Ford software support team to report these bugs and then get an expected update timeframe? The answer is no because you have to turn to sites like this to get the real info about your new vehicle.
My ST is now two weeks at the dealer with no expected timeframe on when I will get it back. You can see the complete list of my vehicle issues in this post. Not feeling very good about the decision to stick with Ford and get this ST. https://www.explorerst.org/threads/st-teething-pains.140/
So what I had to do for Sync updates was to download the latest update file via the Ford Owners site to a USB drive, and then walk it out to the vehicle perform the update directly to Sync. This did work.
But don't hold your breath for any updates though. Again in my previous experience, Ford is very slow with Sync updates. There was maybe one Sync update per year at best. You can go to the Ford Owners website https://owner.ford.com and it will tell you if there is an update for your VIN.
I think our only hope with this is the upcoming Sync 4. Hopefully, Ford has addressed this issue and many others. And double hopefully Sync 4 will be available as an update (via USB stick) for the ST.
I for one am disappointed that Ford just gave us the same old Sync 3 with all of its issues in these brand new Explorer ST's. I had thought that they had updated these systems, but now I see they just moved around the buttons in a user interface update. The same buggy system behind the large screen.
Last thought: This is a reminder to me that Ford is an old legacy large car/truck company. They put software in their vehicles only as a convenience to compete in the market. Contrast this to a software company that makes cars (Tesla). Tesla pushes software updates almost as fast as our Apple/Android phones get updated. I'm not making a comment on the right or wrong of the two differences. But when it comes to software, I expect that there will be a process in place to as rapidly as possible improve the software. This is what's missing from Ford. Do you have access to the Ford software support team to report these bugs and then get an expected update timeframe? The answer is no because you have to turn to sites like this to get the real info about your new vehicle.
My ST is now two weeks at the dealer with no expected timeframe on when I will get it back. You can see the complete list of my vehicle issues in this post. Not feeling very good about the decision to stick with Ford and get this ST. https://www.explorerst.org/threads/st-teething-pains.140/
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You are so right! If they are going to promote all this technology why can’t they have a process in place (that actually works) to update it when the inevitable issues arise? There will always be bugs in these new systems that need to be addressed. Isn’t this the 21st century? And the year of this vehicle is 2020?? I don’t understand how these auto executives keep their jobs, because they sure as hell aren’t keeping up with the times.
To have an update system where the icon goes round and round, but nothing ever happens—this is inexcusable. At least eliminate the update option from the software if this BS is never going to work.
To have an update system where the icon goes round and round, but nothing ever happens—this is inexcusable. At least eliminate the update option from the software if this BS is never going to work.
It just checked for an update but didn't actually download one (there isn't one right now). For some perspective: to complete a major update in my last Explorer Sport with Sync 3. I took at least 30 min from a USB drive to install the update. Not to mention the 15 or so minutes to download and transfer the file to the drive on my computer. The file had many resource files from the drive to install so it took a while. It's nothing like doing a daily update to an App on your phone. Hopefully, Sync 4 will make it easy for us.
Unfortunately, everything I have read said we won’t be able to upgrade to sync 4. Anyone else read something different? I will be ticked if we can’t. This would be a quick drop in our values. Who would buy our early 2020s with sync 3 when they can get a later 2020 with sync 4?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I haven't initiated any updates but last week I received a notification on my FordPass app that a sw update was completed and that i needed to restart the vehicle. It didn't give me any information about what the update contained and i haven't noticed anything different with the user interface or car behavior
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