View Poll Results: How many of you have utilized the SYNC3 update?
Upgraded
627
69.05%
Choosing to wait for Ford
281
30.95%
Voters: 908. You may not vote on this poll
Current SYNC 3 and CarPlay/Android Auto Information
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
I logged into the Owner site, and it stated that my MY2016 F150 XLT was eligible for the 2.2 update.
WiFi-based auto update refused to pick it up, so I went the USB route.
Formatted 4GB USB stick with FAT32, downloaded the update, unzipped it and put it in the root of the USB drive as indicated by Ford's instructions.
Started the truck, put the USB stick in the far left USB port.
Update started immediately, but ran for over an hour before I got tired of waiting in the truck and turned it off.
I'm a little nervous with all the reports of updates taking from 8 - 30 minutes. Any ideas why mine is taking so long? Coming from 1.0.
WiFi-based auto update refused to pick it up, so I went the USB route.
Formatted 4GB USB stick with FAT32, downloaded the update, unzipped it and put it in the root of the USB drive as indicated by Ford's instructions.
Started the truck, put the USB stick in the far left USB port.
Update started immediately, but ran for over an hour before I got tired of waiting in the truck and turned it off.
I'm a little nervous with all the reports of updates taking from 8 - 30 minutes. Any ideas why mine is taking so long? Coming from 1.0.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
From: Northern Virginia
Something is bothering me about what Javthree wrote that I want to point out for others, cause it's been a while since I've put anything here.
The Led backlight doesn't indicate a specific hardware module version; even if it did, the old hub is Android Auto compatible, by which I really mean OAO compatible (Android Open Accessory Protocol), granted you have a version of Android and hardware handset which supports it. (Some Samsungs may require to be in dev mode to run the android auto app (google: S4 debug mode)).
As I posted a long time ago, and is probably buried in the forums now (lost forever); the USB hub only needs to be swapped out if you want Apple Car play. The device handler in QNX will only allow iOS to become the device host as long as the hub and version of sync can both support and handle Apple's iAP2 protocol. I suspect the old hardware (hub) may have a bandwidth throughput limitation.
This is so important to Ford, you'll notice Ford even added a field to display that Sync 3 version 2.0 and up now supports iAP2; it's in general info there somewhere.
So yes, congrats to Javthree, Android Auto works for you. But I'm willing to bet if you plug in an iPhone CarPlay will not function.
With regards to why; it's because Android Auto is an app and Sync 3 remains as the host. For CarPlay, iOS needs to become the host device and Sync 3 has to pass permissions over to the iPhone or some wizardry of the likes.
I suspect Apple is probably gathering data in vehicles when CarPlay is running. But if you're the tin foil hat type of person, you should probably not have any infotainment system or onboard telematics in the first place, there are far scarier boogie men out there then some devs at apple.
What's very interesting and has never been answered, which I also brought up, is that if you look at QNX code in sync 3 V1.0, iAP2 is listed as a functional protocol that's blacklisted (along with SD cards and for some reason specific Kensington thumb drives (internal issued Boot Key perhaps?).
I had said somewhere that any hackers could probably write a script to enable CarPlay without swapping the physical hub. But that's more of a task for people who are smart at that kind of thing, such as everyone who attends Pwn2Own.
I'm not one of those people. I've had a successful day if I can turn on my toaster.
Fortunately, I'm lucky enough to share an office with someone who help develop QNX. But his only advice he can give me, is "don't fu*king touch it", lol.
The Led backlight doesn't indicate a specific hardware module version; even if it did, the old hub is Android Auto compatible, by which I really mean OAO compatible (Android Open Accessory Protocol), granted you have a version of Android and hardware handset which supports it. (Some Samsungs may require to be in dev mode to run the android auto app (google: S4 debug mode)).
As I posted a long time ago, and is probably buried in the forums now (lost forever); the USB hub only needs to be swapped out if you want Apple Car play. The device handler in QNX will only allow iOS to become the device host as long as the hub and version of sync can both support and handle Apple's iAP2 protocol. I suspect the old hardware (hub) may have a bandwidth throughput limitation.
This is so important to Ford, you'll notice Ford even added a field to display that Sync 3 version 2.0 and up now supports iAP2; it's in general info there somewhere.
So yes, congrats to Javthree, Android Auto works for you. But I'm willing to bet if you plug in an iPhone CarPlay will not function.
With regards to why; it's because Android Auto is an app and Sync 3 remains as the host. For CarPlay, iOS needs to become the host device and Sync 3 has to pass permissions over to the iPhone or some wizardry of the likes.
I suspect Apple is probably gathering data in vehicles when CarPlay is running. But if you're the tin foil hat type of person, you should probably not have any infotainment system or onboard telematics in the first place, there are far scarier boogie men out there then some devs at apple.
What's very interesting and has never been answered, which I also brought up, is that if you look at QNX code in sync 3 V1.0, iAP2 is listed as a functional protocol that's blacklisted (along with SD cards and for some reason specific Kensington thumb drives (internal issued Boot Key perhaps?).
I had said somewhere that any hackers could probably write a script to enable CarPlay without swapping the physical hub. But that's more of a task for people who are smart at that kind of thing, such as everyone who attends Pwn2Own.
I'm not one of those people. I've had a successful day if I can turn on my toaster.
Fortunately, I'm lucky enough to share an office with someone who help develop QNX. But his only advice he can give me, is "don't fu*king touch it", lol.
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
I logged into the Owner site, and it stated that my MY2016 F150 XLT was eligible for the 2.2 update.
WiFi-based auto update refused to pick it up, so I went the USB route.
Formatted 4GB USB stick with FAT32, downloaded the update, unzipped it and put it in the root of the USB drive as indicated by Ford's instructions.
Started the truck, put the USB stick in the far left USB port.
Update started immediately, but ran for over an hour before I got tired of waiting in the truck and turned it off.
I'm a little nervous with all the reports of updates taking from 8 - 30 minutes. Any ideas why mine is taking so long? Coming from 1.0.
WiFi-based auto update refused to pick it up, so I went the USB route.
Formatted 4GB USB stick with FAT32, downloaded the update, unzipped it and put it in the root of the USB drive as indicated by Ford's instructions.
Started the truck, put the USB stick in the far left USB port.
Update started immediately, but ran for over an hour before I got tired of waiting in the truck and turned it off.
I'm a little nervous with all the reports of updates taking from 8 - 30 minutes. Any ideas why mine is taking so long? Coming from 1.0.
Mine is doing the same thing. If you figure it out let me know and if I do I'll let you know.
Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
I did a master reset and tried reinstalling and now I keep getting "bad installation file"
Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 129
Likes: 35
From: Canada
I did the update from the Ford owner website successfully; took about 15 minutes from start to finish (w/nav via a jump drive). However the website won't let me upload the .xml file for verification...anyone else have that issue? The website will just say "upload unsuccessful, please try again"
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 225
Likes: 26
From: SE Wisconsin
I have the same issue. I just got a 2017 XLT Screw and my Sync3 version is 2.0 and my Ford account says its current. What year is your truck?
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
A few CarPlay observations
(1) I have a 2016 Platinum with Sync 3 and Nav. It had v2.0 of Sync 3. I installed the new USB hub and was playing around with CarPlay when I hit the Delete CarPlay button. I could not get it back, even after a master reset - the entire settings button was gone, even though Android Auto was still there. I thought I was hosed from CarPlay, but I got brave and loaded v2.2. It fixed it. Maybe it's just me, but I would stay away from the "Delete CarPlay" button!!
(2) CarPlay initializes fine when I plug in my phone or start the truck with it plugged in. Then, I start to miss talking to the Climate system and some of the other Sync 3 features, so I Disable (NOT Delete) CarPlay. When I Enable CarPlay, it won't come back up unless I unplug and re-plug in my iPhone...is that how it's supposed to work? I've been looking for a USB cable that passes data with a power on/off switch so I could cycle the connection without having to fiddle with the phone plug...any ideas???
It's also the same for the Sync 3 Applications, they won't come up if I have my iPod plugged in, so i have to unplug it, use the Apps, then plug it back in...a switch would work well for that too...most of the switches I have seen either switch power but don't pass data, or switch data but not power...I think both need to toggle to jump start the CarPlay or Apps...I may have to make one.
Thoughts?
Maybe I'm just too obsessed with media options...I probably deserve that comment...
(2) CarPlay initializes fine when I plug in my phone or start the truck with it plugged in. Then, I start to miss talking to the Climate system and some of the other Sync 3 features, so I Disable (NOT Delete) CarPlay. When I Enable CarPlay, it won't come back up unless I unplug and re-plug in my iPhone...is that how it's supposed to work? I've been looking for a USB cable that passes data with a power on/off switch so I could cycle the connection without having to fiddle with the phone plug...any ideas???
It's also the same for the Sync 3 Applications, they won't come up if I have my iPod plugged in, so i have to unplug it, use the Apps, then plug it back in...a switch would work well for that too...most of the switches I have seen either switch power but don't pass data, or switch data but not power...I think both need to toggle to jump start the CarPlay or Apps...I may have to make one.
Thoughts?
Maybe I'm just too obsessed with media options...I probably deserve that comment...
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
So far, 61 minutes on the first try, 33 minutes on the next (and will continue as I drive tomorrow).
Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
did it take after the factory reset? Mine keeps saying bad installation file. I even re downloaded it from ford and reformatted my thumb drive