• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Sync 3.4 Issues

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #21
Just noticed this thread.
I went through this with my 21’ F150 Powerboost.
After many apts, calls, etc. Being pist!
I insisted we get a new apim and tcu per engineers. That fixed it.
What broke it was an ota update. Totally bricked the unit.
Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah, it seems to be the fix for others too and that's what so silly about all this, It's not like this is the first time you know?!?! Ford is just hoping to not have to replace it LOL.. Lucky for me, the Tech is a long time friend who just happens to work at my closest dealer so I know his pushing the issue!
 

Messages
190
Reactions
89
Points
27
Location
Sumner County TN
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST 400a
#22
Retail an APIM is about $1000. The TCU I forget. Then they have to sideload the programming. Put me through hell.
Even now with my 23 ST, it had issues that I ended up fixing. I bought Forscan, a commercial style interface and if I have to, I pay for a short subscription to the Ford software.
You can have 6 modules that can be updated and if they have nothing to do with the prob you are having, they won't update them while in there. Thats a biggest bunch of BS.
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #23
Retail an APIM is about $1000. The TCU I forget. Then they have to sideload the programming. Put me through hell.
Even now with my 23 ST, it had issues that I ended up fixing. I bought Forscan, a commercial style interface and if I have to, I pay for a short subscription to the Ford software.
You can have 6 modules that can be updated and if they have nothing to do with the prob you are having, they won't update them while in there. Thats a biggest bunch of BS.

So let me say this, although I know of Forscan, I don't know the difference between what Ford dealers use and Forscan however, my buddy did tell me that he has it and has had to use it to help fix cars that had bricked modules and other things. He told me he is going to scan everything on the ST regardless b/c it was blue certified by another dealer and if there is anything wrong or has to be replaced, the dealer that blue cert'd the car has to flip the bill no matter what. So, I'm getting a loaner and told them keep it till its right or burn it to the ground HAHAHAHA!
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #24
Just noticed this thread.
I went through this with my 21’ F150 Powerboost.
After many apts, calls, etc. Being pist!
I insisted we get a new apim and tcu per engineers. That fixed it.
What broke it was an ota update. Totally bricked the unit.
Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
yes sir! That is where I am at right now.

Ford took the ST yesterday and tried updating everything again and surprise, surprise.... nothing took.

so they ordered up an Apim that should be here tomorrow and we will see if that takes care of it. more to follow!
 

Messages
190
Reactions
89
Points
27
Location
Sumner County TN
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST 400a
#25
yes sir! That is where I am at right now.

Ford took the ST yesterday and tried updating everything again and surprise, surprise.... nothing took.

so they ordered up an Apim that should be here tomorrow and we will see if that takes care of it. more to follow!
No TCU?
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #26
No, not yet anyways......... I mean, Ford Corp had the tech flash the updates like 5 times over two visits to try and get it to work. They really seem the dealership to take this one step at a time before they put $1000+ parts and time into it for free to me LOL! As stated before, the Tech is a friend of mine so i know he is doing all he can so i cannot get angry there. Plus they gave me a 2024 F150 as a loaner so its not like I'm rolling around in a Branco Sport or something:cool::cool::cool:.

If I had to take a step back and look at this from an outsider with my Computer/Software Engineering degree it would say this about everything - I have dug into the car and the Sync more than lets say a regular customer and I have found that the previous owner never set up anything with the system...Heck its 21' with 20K miles on it, the guy never even drove the darn thing. FordPass was never registered, the Sync software was never updated, its still reading the build date as the last known update, the TCU works intermittently and oddly enough, it only works when the truck is willing to let me use the WIFI modem to search for networks. With all that being said, my guess is the current software is too far out of date for anything to link up with the new updates. I'm sure there are "if-than" statements in the background of the coding trying to make stuff happens but the "if's" in the coding aren't able to pick up the right environments to complete the update.

For now, I'm going to drive the piss out of this F150 and be glad that all this is covered under warranty LOL!
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #27
Final Update (for now)...

So the dealership put in a new APIM and then reprogramed everything in the car. I went to the dealership on Sat and had to spend about 20 mins getting the car and my FordPass account set up but for now, everything seems to be 100%!

Here is what I had to do to get the car set back up. I had to delete the car out of my FordPass account and re-add it once and then it took 6 requests and 3 vehicle restarts to get it to finally let me approve the rested inside the car. It also took me 3 different tried to get stuff like location services turned back on. (not sure if this is going to end up being a foreshadow of a TCU needing to me replaced) but for now. She seems to be happy and back to what i would think is the original performance....

I will say, i do already miss the massive sync 4 screen in that 2024 F150 they gave me LOL! Cant wait for someone to find out a way to get the new 2025 screen in to our Gen STs
 

BR_ST84

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
10
Reactions
8
Points
2
Location
chesterfield michigan
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#28
My issue started last week. none of my pre sets are saved and the Nav screen is only showing half the screen...(when the damn thing isnt blacked out) I do the soft reset set when it freezes just so i can use the radio or andriod auto. So from what im gathering from this thread is that i need the update to my software? Is this something I should have the dealer do? I did the latest update over wifi and its still shit lol.
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #29
My issue started last week. none of my pre sets are saved and the Nav screen is only showing half the screen...(when the damn thing isnt blacked out) I do the soft reset set when it freezes just so i can use the radio or andriod auto. So from what im gathering from this thread is that i need the update to my software? Is this something I should have the dealer do? I did the latest update over wifi and its still shit lol.
This sounds more like a hardware issue like mine turned out to be. Can you tell us what update you have on there right now? The latest version 3.4.23188, maps NA2.22. If you have the latest stuff then I think its time you take it to the dealer b/c what you have described above is common with the Blue screen and half blackout. My guess is they will be replacing the Apim like they did in mine.... its the brain behind the sync system...
 

BR_ST84

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
10
Reactions
8
Points
2
Location
chesterfield michigan
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#30
This sounds more like a hardware issue like mine turned out to be. Can you tell us what update you have on there right now? The latest version 3.4.23188, maps NA2.22. If you have the latest stuff then I think its time you take it to the dealer b/c what you have described above is common with the Blue screen and half blackout. My guess is they will be replacing the Apim like they did in mine.... its the brain behind the sync system...
I have the latest version 3.423188...Sounds like its dealer time, lol. Thank you for the reply!! How long did the dealer take roughly for them to replace the APIM?
 

Cdubya

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,693
Reactions
842
Points
262
Location
NE Ohio
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
#31
I would do a master reset first. You will need to enter all your settings again but worth a try.
 

Messages
190
Reactions
89
Points
27
Location
Sumner County TN
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST 400a
#32
This sounds more like a hardware issue like mine turned out to be. Can you tell us what update you have on there right now? The latest version 3.4.23188, maps NA2.22. If you have the latest stuff then I think its time you take it to the dealer b/c what you have described above is common with the Blue screen and half blackout. My guess is they will be replacing the Apim like they did in mine.... its the brain behind the sync system...
Maps are 2.23 now. Been a couple months. Just a heads up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #33
Maps are 2.23 now. Been a couple months. Just a heads up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #34
I have the latest version 3.423188...Sounds like its dealer time, lol. Thank you for the reply!! How long did the dealer take roughly for them to replace the APIM?
I dropped it off on a Wed and got it back Saturday... That's with them trying to force update the APIM, ordering and new one when that didn't work, install of the new one and reprograming.
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
950
Reactions
530
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#35
If you're out of warranty and have to pay to replace the APIM then factory reset is a smart move. A lot of people had their APIM's replaced unnecessarily before the update 23188 came out last September. Also, I remember some had to do a factory reset multiple times before they were able to insaltt 23188. I was lucky that my installation worked the first time back in early September 2023.
 

BR_ST84

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
10
Reactions
8
Points
2
Location
chesterfield michigan
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#36
If you're out of warranty and have to pay to replace the APIM then factory reset is a smart move. A lot of people had their APIM's replaced unnecessarily before the update 23188 came out last September. Also, I remember some had to do a factory reset multiple times before they were able to insaltt 23188. I was lucky that my installation worked the first time back in early September 2023.
I have 4800miles on it. I'll just let the dealer unfu$# it lol. My luck I'd do the hard reset and it would completely take a shit.
 

BR_ST84

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
10
Reactions
8
Points
2
Location
chesterfield michigan
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#37
Thanks all for the replies! Greatly appreciated
 

OP
D

Drsobczakst

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
37
Reactions
26
Points
12
Location
Chicago
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #38
I have 4800miles on it. I'll just let the dealer unfu$# it lol. My luck I'd do the hard reset and it would completely take a shit.
I will say that I did 3 factory hard rests and nothing changed and the dealership did it 2 times on there end as well with no luck. It didn't brick the unit at all but all the settings were gone LOL.

Like hbalek said, you have a 23,with 4,800 on it so its covered under warranty for sure and if i remember, the Blue screen of death or half screen is actually under a TBS... Its a known problem that Ford acknowledges. Call your local dealer, tell them what's going on and that you need a loaner car while they do their thing. They will have it for a few days b/c Ford Corp will have the dealer try a number of things before they just replace parts... Luckily for you, you seem to have the most current update so you wont have to waste time with update BS like i did. The guy that owned my ST never did one of them! it was still on the original version from the BUILD DATE!

Also, thank you for your service brother! I did 8yrs USMC 05-13
 

BR_ST84

New Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
10
Reactions
8
Points
2
Location
chesterfield michigan
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#39
I will say that I did 3 factory hard rests and nothing changed and the dealership did it 2 times on there end as well with no luck. It didn't brick the unit at all but all the settings were gone LOL.

Like hbalek said, you have a 23,with 4,800 on it so its covered under warranty for sure and if i remember, the Blue screen of death or half screen is actually under a TBS... Its a known problem that Ford acknowledges. Call your local dealer, tell them what's going on and that you need a loaner car while they do their thing. They will have it for a few days b/c Ford Corp will have the dealer try a number of things before they just replace parts... Luckily for you, you seem to have the most current update so you wont have to waste time with update BS like i did. The guy that owned my ST never did one of them! it was still on the original version from the BUILD DATE!

Also, thank you for your service brother! I did 8yrs USMC 05-13
Thanks Drsobczakst

I appreciate the feed back ill be calling the dealer sometime soon and let them deal with it! I thought i had a lemon until i started doing some digging. Glad I found this Forum, lots of good horror/good stories and experiences lol.

Thanks for your service as well bro!
 

Cksutler

New Member
Messages
10
Reactions
1
Points
2
Location
Raleigh, NC, USA
#40
I'm also having the issues on a 2020 ST that is no longer under warranty. Any advice for what my next steps should be with no warranty? Sign up for extended warranty now? Anything I can do on my own without dealership?
 



Top