Please forgive me if this has already been asked. I did do a search and didn't find anything.

Back in March I updated my sync 3 from v2.3 to v3.0. Looking at the ford owners website tonight it shows I have a v3.0 update. Thought that was weird so I looked closer. the 3.0 update I did in march was jr3t-14g381-al. the new listed one is jr3t-14g381-am

Does anyone know what the differences are? Any chance it corrects the absolutely maddening tendency of the sync screen to be brighter than it should be at night?

 

This software release is the latest update in our continued efforts to improve system performance, device connectivity, and the overall SYNC experience.

This software contains all previous enhancements, so there is no need to install any other updates. The installation of this update will take up to 60 minutes to complete. DO NOT remove your USB drive or turn off your vehicle. You must wait until Installation Complete is displayed on the center screen before removing your drive or turning your vehicle off.

While the update is loading, SYNC will not recognize your mobile phone or media device. Be sure your vehicle engine is running (not in accessory mode) throughout the entire installation process. Although your vehicle must be in park when you initiate the installation process, once the download process has begun, you may drive your vehicle.

 

I was struggling with getting my update to report back to owner.ford.com (wouldn't take the .xml file upload) and redid the whole install with the -am (previous install was -al version). At the end, the version number (-25) was exactly the same as -al was. I don't think there's any significant difference - except this new one actually allowed me to report the upgrade. Bug fix, perhaps?

 

I could never get the site to take the xml file from the last update either. With this new update, it uploads the file successfully, but the site still says I have an update available.

 

I need to see if the site has mine. I had to get my APIM replaced by Ford (under warranty just barely), and I now have v3.0. My APIM apparently is the newest part number, one version newer than what is in the 18's according to the radio technician.

 

My radio has been acting up intermittently for the last few weeks...
I'll be using the navigation, then notice that it's no longer moving & a "No GPS" notice is on.

The radio stops responding, touch screen doesn't work, can't turn it off, nothing.
When it does this, my iPhone won't connect (so I can't switch to Apple Car Play either)

After about 5-10 minutes (it varies) the radio will start going through all the things I touched when I was trying to get a response.
I took a picture of the screen, but of course the dealer said if they couldn't duplicate it there may not be much they can do... (of course)...

I checked the "owner site" and it said I had an update available (Ver 3.0) I checked my truck & it says it's on 3.0...
So I had it search for updates (I have autoupdate enabled) but had it "check now" & it said it started to download an update:
JR3T-14G381-AM_130568.tar.gz (except the progress bar doesn't seem to move)

I wonder if this is the cause of my "intermittent" problems"... I only have about 6 months left on my warranty... if it's a hardware issue I want it fixed! This dang truck cost too much for this crap not to work!!

 

What was yours doing (or not doing) that it needed to be replaced?

 

It wouldn't hardly keep my phone connected via bluetooth anymore, during songs via the USB it would skip to an extent it was maddening (which was reminiscent of early CD days if you tried to walk and listen). The GPS completely stopped working and would show I was off in the middle of a field. Hooked Forscan up and it had a DTC for "Internal System Failures" for the APIM.

Literally exactly what yours is doing. Take it in ASAP since you're close up on warranty. I'm at 31,000 miles and almost 2 years. I was almost at 30,000 when they fixed it. Radio tech says it's pretty common, he's seen a few repeat customers, and Ford has superseded the part number a few times trying to make it work.

 

I just downloaded JR3T-14G381-AM and will install it in the am after work. Hopefully I'll be able to report in this time.

 

Just plug in the usb on the way to work. This is a small download. Mine only took about 5 minutes.

The update does not show up on the owners site, the last update took about a week to show up.