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Sync 3.4 Issues

Drsobczakst

New Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
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4
Points
2
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
#1
First off, I did a search in the forum before I wrote this so please, if you think I missed a chat about this already... Post the thread link b/c I'll never claim to be the smartest guy and I could have missed it!

Here are my issues : 2021 ST
Issue 1. I tried to connect to FordPass and it keeps saying "on screen access denied" but, I have never see a message on the screen in the ST.
A. What I have tried so far -
1 - FordPass reset, master sync reset, deleted app and reloaded and reloaded car profile, called FordPass to ensure old user was not still linked to the car, talked with the in vehicle tech support team and nothing they have told me worked.
2 - Conclusion, take it to a dealer......

Issue 2. The sync software is stuck on an update from 08/04/21(Build 3.4.21098) updated needed is Build 3.4.23188.
A. What I have tried so far -
1 - Tried connecting to Wi-Fi to do the update. This did not work as my ST will not see any networks no matter what. The same happens when I manually enter in my Wi-Fi data, say it "could not connect".
2 - USB update. I have tried two different drives, two different downloads all from ford.com with two different 32gb, v2 and v3 drives, formatted to ExFat files. I let the first update go for 2 hours and it just said "updating system software" and nothing else. The second one I let go for 1:30 and again the same thing, just says "Updating system software" but nothing ever changes and not errors or messaged come up on the screen.
3 - Again called in vehicle tech support and they told me to try again and do another reset and if that didn't work take it to a dealer.

My wife drive a new 23' Timberline that I got a month ago on a steal of a deal b/c the dealer never sold it and it just sat. For the heck of it I tried connecting hers to Wi-Fi as well and it still wouldn't see any networks or connect once manually entered.
So this makes me feel like its a me problem and not a ford problem, I took my ST to another location where I know the Wi-Fi data and still, no such luck..... Now I'm thinking its a ford and a me problem LOL.

I called my local dealer and they told me they will look at it and update for free b/c its still under the base bumper to bumper and the truck was blue cert'd so there is an additional bumper to bump via Ford. I want to avoid that at all cost b/c of the current S**T show with CDK at dealers right now and not being able to properly work on cars. (if you don't know what I'm talking about, google CDK Hack and you will see the mess that I'm talking about)!

So, here I am looking to all of you to see if anyone has been up against it like I currently am and ask what you all have done that might have worked for you that I have not tired!?!?!?!?! :sick::cry:

Thank you for your help and time here!
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

New Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
4
Reactions
4
Points
2
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #2
Update: So nothing has been fixed just yet however, I did notice something interesting. Maybe 1 out every 15 times I drive the vehicle for any length of time, i see the data up and down arrows in the upper right hand of the sync screen. When it is active, i can look at my hotspot data and FordPass connect data under the connectivity option. when the arrows are not there, it says hotspot is not active on this vehicle and the FordPass data times out and gives me an error message.

I tried connecting my FordPass account on my app while the arrows were there and it never gave me the access was denied message but it just says waiting to connect and to accept the message on the screen. Well....... that message never popped up so i still could not get the app to connect to the car. i tried this once today when i saw the arrows up however, when i shut the car off and came back from the store, the arrows have yet to come back even after driving to 3 more locations and having the vehicle off and on at each stop...

I'm starting to think i have a mad modem or module that is intermittently working. Again i bench marked this against my 2023 timberline and the arrows are there right away one start up and happen each time I drive that Explorer...

another thing I noticed was, if i try and look at the current sync system data, sometimes it shows the full list like build code for the current sync software and other supporting data and some times it doesnt give half the information and will say stuff like sync 3 and not sync 3.4.21098 for current software.

I made an appointment at the dealer for next week but thought I would provide the following update to see if this sparks any other ideas from people.


Thanks!
 

Cdubya

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,534
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758
Points
262
Location
NE Ohio
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
#3
You cannot say anything about the hardware until you get on 23188, the latest Sync. Previous versions were plagued by loss of memory issues, including FordPass not working.

If you cannot get the Ford USB update to work, think about CyanLabs Syn3 updater. Just do not use the Syn3 Updater to do anything but a simple Sync 3.4 update--DO NOT UPDATE MAPS OR DO A FORMAT BEFORE UPDATE or you will brick you APIM.
https://cyanlabs.net/
 

23 Explorer ST

Member
Firefighter/EMT
Messages
89
Reactions
46
Points
17
Location
NC
Vehicle
2023 Ford Explorer ST
#4
I feel your pain man. My 2023 ST is doing something similar.
I have my screen set on dark mode and it worked great for about a month and now every key on, it goes back to white screen, the radio goes from XM to FM and software updates toggle to the off position.
I did a hard reset and so far the screen stays dark but XM resets to channel 0 each time.
Following to see what the dealership does.
My dealership says nothing can be done.
I believe I’ll go to a different dealership. lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Messages
1,805
Reactions
1,566
Points
262
Location
Mondovi, WI, USA
#5
First off, I did a search in the forum before I wrote this so please, if you think I missed a chat about this already... Post the thread link b/c I'll never claim to be the smartest guy and I could have missed it!

Here are my issues : 2021 ST
Issue 1. I tried to connect to FordPass and it keeps saying "on screen access denied" but, I have never see a message on the screen in the ST.
A. What I have tried so far -
1 - FordPass reset, master sync reset, deleted app and reloaded and reloaded car profile, called FordPass to ensure old user was not still linked to the car, talked with the in vehicle tech support team and nothing they have told me worked.
2 - Conclusion, take it to a dealer......

Issue 2. The sync software is stuck on an update from 08/04/21(Build 3.4.21098) updated needed is Build 3.4.23188.
A. What I have tried so far -
1 - Tried connecting to Wi-Fi to do the update. This did not work as my ST will not see any networks no matter what. The same happens when I manually enter in my Wi-Fi data, say it "could not connect".
2 - USB update. I have tried two different drives, two different downloads all from ford.com with two different 32gb, v2 and v3 drives, formatted to ExFat files. I let the first update go for 2 hours and it just said "updating system software" and nothing else. The second one I let go for 1:30 and again the same thing, just says "Updating system software" but nothing ever changes and not errors or messaged come up on the screen.
3 - Again called in vehicle tech support and they told me to try again and do another reset and if that didn't work take it to a dealer.

My wife drive a new 23' Timberline that I got a month ago on a steal of a deal b/c the dealer never sold it and it just sat. For the heck of it I tried connecting hers to Wi-Fi as well and it still wouldn't see any networks or connect once manually entered.
So this makes me feel like its a me problem and not a ford problem, I took my ST to another location where I know the Wi-Fi data and still, no such luck..... Now I'm thinking its a ford and a me problem LOL.

I called my local dealer and they told me they will look at it and update for free b/c its still under the base bumper to bumper and the truck was blue cert'd so there is an additional bumper to bump via Ford. I want to avoid that at all cost b/c of the current S**T show with CDK at dealers right now and not being able to properly work on cars. (if you don't know what I'm talking about, google CDK Hack and you will see the mess that I'm talking about)!

So, here I am looking to all of you to see if anyone has been up against it like I currently am and ask what you all have done that might have worked for you that I have not tired!?!?!?!?! :sick::cry:

Thank you for your help and time here!
I'm not sure if this will help but it might be worth trying.
Turn off the automatic updates on the Explorer.
Then reformat a flash drive and start a new download. And then try updating again.
 

Messages
39
Reactions
19
Points
2
Location
Tulsa, OK
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#6
First off, I did a search in the forum before I wrote this so please, if you think I missed a chat about this already... Post the thread link b/c I'll never claim to be the smartest guy and I could have missed it!

Here are my issues : 2021 ST
Issue 1. I tried to connect to FordPass and it keeps saying "on screen access denied" but, I have never see a message on the screen in the ST.
A. What I have tried so far -
1 - FordPass reset, master sync reset, deleted app and reloaded and reloaded car profile, called FordPass to ensure old user was not still linked to the car, talked with the in vehicle tech support team and nothing they have told me worked.
2 - Conclusion, take it to a dealer......

Issue 2. The sync software is stuck on an update from 08/04/21(Build 3.4.21098) updated needed is Build 3.4.23188.
A. What I have tried so far -
1 - Tried connecting to Wi-Fi to do the update. This did not work as my ST will not see any networks no matter what. The same happens when I manually enter in my Wi-Fi data, say it "could not connect".
2 - USB update. I have tried two different drives, two different downloads all from ford.com with two different 32gb, v2 and v3 drives, formatted to ExFat files. I let the first update go for 2 hours and it just said "updating system software" and nothing else. The second one I let go for 1:30 and again the same thing, just says "Updating system software" but nothing ever changes and not errors or messaged come up on the screen.
3 - Again called in vehicle tech support and they told me to try again and do another reset and if that didn't work take it to a dealer.

My wife drive a new 23' Timberline that I got a month ago on a steal of a deal b/c the dealer never sold it and it just sat. For the heck of it I tried connecting hers to Wi-Fi as well and it still wouldn't see any networks or connect once manually entered.
So this makes me feel like its a me problem and not a ford problem, I took my ST to another location where I know the Wi-Fi data and still, no such luck..... Now I'm thinking its a ford and a me problem LOL.

I called my local dealer and they told me they will look at it and update for free b/c its still under the base bumper to bumper and the truck was blue cert'd so there is an additional bumper to bump via Ford. I want to avoid that at all cost b/c of the current S**T show with CDK at dealers right now and not being able to properly work on cars. (if you don't know what I'm talking about, google CDK Hack and you will see the mess that I'm talking about)!

So, here I am looking to all of you to see if anyone has been up against it like I currently am and ask what you all have done that might have worked for you that I have not tired!?!?!?!?! :sick::cry:

Thank you for your help and time here!

Are you still under warranty? I just went thru this whole fiasco a while ago. Ford, not the dealer told me they put a block on updating the new version by Wifi. They finally told me they sent out a bad update. I won't even say what I said to them after that etc., but it wasn't very nice, and they are not very smart. My dealer couldn't update to the new version either as it would throw error codes. Per Ford when they get error codes they replace the whole APIM. Works perfect now, and I took it offline before I left the dealer. Dealer told me they are replacing these all the time lately after Ford basically wrecked them with a bad update. I guess Ford isn't smart enough to send out an update to fix the bad one they sent.
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

New Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
4
Reactions
4
Points
2
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #7
Are you still under warranty? I just went thru this whole fiasco a while ago. Ford, not the dealer told me they put a block on updating the new version by Wifi. They finally told me they sent out a bad update. I won't even say what I said to them after that etc., but it wasn't very nice, and they are not very smart. My dealer couldn't update to the new version either as it would throw error codes. Per Ford when they get error codes they replace the whole APIM. Works perfect now, and I took it offline before I left the dealer. Dealer told me they are replacing these all the time lately after Ford basically wrecked them with a bad update. I guess Ford isn't smart enough to send out an update to fix the bad one they sent.

Yes I'm still under factory warranty and finally set up an appointment for Wed this coming week. I'll report back as to what they tell me! The service advisor didn't seem to happy to talk to me about it so, im guessing like you said, they are seeing alot of these any are just over it so to speak LOL!

Thanks everyone for your input here. Hope everyone enjoyed a safe 4th!
 



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