I just got a snail mail letter from Ford telling me that I'm due for a map update. I went to the website indicated in the letter and it's down for maintenance. I wasn't going to update for $149. I've had my truck for 3 1/2 years and I've only been somewhere that I didn't know how to get there a couple of times. I used the Nav just to try it but Google would have been fine. I just thought it interesting that the day I got the letter the site is down for maintenance.

 

I updated my 2016 last year for $109.00.
Waste of money. I was meeting friends at a restaurant that I only knew the name of the place. Plugged it into my navigation system and nope. Nothing. Googled it and got the address. Plugged the address into my navigation system and ended up 5 miles the wrong direction.
Went back to my phone and we made it.
No update for me this time. I learned my lesson.

 

I only got the Navi system because it was really cheap adder at the time, and if I am somewhere way out and don't get good cell signal for Google maps, my hopes are that the Navi with satellite will get me close to where I need to go.

 

The couple of times that I've used it it was spot on.

 

I got that same letter for my 2016... I'll pass. Like the others have said, worst case if the nav can't find somewhere I need to go, google maps on my phone can. The only reason I have nav is because it happened to be on the truck I picked out on the lot.

 

It's been down since Friday - perhaps overwhelmed by people like me who just updated to Sync 3.4 and now want to download the latest map update (which is free to download, or $40 if you want them to send you a pre-loaded thumb drive.

I had a weird problem with my nav for about a month where it wouldn't compute routes, but that somehow fixed itself (WiFi update?), and other than that it's worked pretty well. I like having my map on the large screen with upcoming turns or exit services. It does traffic via the satellite link about as well as Google or Waze.

 

I've used mine hundreds of times. And I must admit that in larger cities it works fine. But get into a rural area with growth in the last 5 years , and it's a crap shoot.

So I still have my garmin and google maps . (and a compass)

 

Is this something that say 200 of my friends can share or is it VIN specific?

 

I won't spend the money to update the factory Nav. But, I have to say, the maps in my 2018 have been very good, and have rarely let me down. I have found restaurants, places of interest, and all kinds of things in several states by using the factory Nav. without issue. The only problem that I have run into is that the area where I live is still growing, and recent streets are obviously not in the database. Like another user said, I still have my Garmin with free lifetime map updates that I use in those instances. But I prefer the large screen on the factory Nav over my phone or the Garmin.

 

My letter was specific to my 12016 but the letter gives the link to get started. It will ask for your VIN or ESN which I would assume would tell what's available for all models. After that, I have no more answers because the site's down for maintenance. Link to Sync page