Sync WiFi Update and Map Update Troubleshooting Tips
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 30
Likes: 4
Sync WiFi Update and Map Update Troubleshooting Tips
I recently updated both Sync and the navigation maps on my 2018 FX4 and I thought I’d share my troubleshooting here in case it’s helpful to anyone else…
I know that many have had issues with updating sync via WiFi, and I initially had issues as well. I don’t have auto updates turned on, but when I selected the option in settings to manually check for updates, all it would do was spin for awhile and then tell me to try again later. I eventually went online to Ford’s site where you enter your VIN to check for sync updates (https://help.ford.com/update-sync/). I confirmed what I already knew that version 3.0 build 19205 was available. However, after I selected the option on their website to install over WiFi, and went back to my truck to check for updates, it was finally able to start the download. Perhaps this was just coincidence, but I’m wondering if there wasn’t something triggered on Ford’s servers with me entering my VIN and selecting WiFi download that all of the sudden allowed my truck to initiate the download.
Sure enough, by the next time I turned on my truck Sync had been updated. Another thing I did was remove two USB charge cables that I keep inserted to charge my devices; I wonder if for some reason Sync was trying to load something from those ports thinking that a USB drive was inserted. Either way, if you aren’t having luck installing Sync updates via WiFi, you may want to try both those things.
As for the navigation update, I found that I had a free map update waiting for me on Ford’s navigation site. I downloaded the files and followed the instructions carefully to load the files onto a USB drive but things were complicated by the fact I use a Mac. Turns out the instructions for loading the map files onto the USB drive from MacOS aren’t exactly accurate. While exFAT is the correct format, the instructions say to use the “GUID Partition Map" scheme. However when I formatted the drive in that manner the truck wouldn’t recognize it. Instead I used the “Master Boot Record" (MBR) scheme and, sure enough, the truck recognized it.
Where I really encountered problems though was towards the end of the update. I let the update do its thing for over an hour and when I checked on my truck I noticed that the screen no longer said “Updating…” and just appeared normal. I even checked the map version in the settings menu and saw that it indicated the new version was loaded. Since I thought the installation was complete, I removed the drive. Bad move, as apparently installation was not complete. I ended up having to call support and an escalation specialist emailed me a small file that I had to load onto a USB to delete the maps so that I could start the install process over again (described in the following post: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/sync-...-issue-479252/ ).
Hopefully this is helpful to someone (perhaps a Mac user) who is experiencing the same issues that I did. I was hoping the new sync version would fix the album artwork issue when listening to songs via bluetooth from my iPhone, but those still default to the Gracenote database no matter what I do. It does seem as though bluetooth connectivity has improved with this version, as has the long-press of the steering wheel Sync button to initiate Siri on my iPhone. Otherwise I can’t tell what they’ve improved over the last Sync version.
I know that many have had issues with updating sync via WiFi, and I initially had issues as well. I don’t have auto updates turned on, but when I selected the option in settings to manually check for updates, all it would do was spin for awhile and then tell me to try again later. I eventually went online to Ford’s site where you enter your VIN to check for sync updates (https://help.ford.com/update-sync/). I confirmed what I already knew that version 3.0 build 19205 was available. However, after I selected the option on their website to install over WiFi, and went back to my truck to check for updates, it was finally able to start the download. Perhaps this was just coincidence, but I’m wondering if there wasn’t something triggered on Ford’s servers with me entering my VIN and selecting WiFi download that all of the sudden allowed my truck to initiate the download.
Sure enough, by the next time I turned on my truck Sync had been updated. Another thing I did was remove two USB charge cables that I keep inserted to charge my devices; I wonder if for some reason Sync was trying to load something from those ports thinking that a USB drive was inserted. Either way, if you aren’t having luck installing Sync updates via WiFi, you may want to try both those things.
As for the navigation update, I found that I had a free map update waiting for me on Ford’s navigation site. I downloaded the files and followed the instructions carefully to load the files onto a USB drive but things were complicated by the fact I use a Mac. Turns out the instructions for loading the map files onto the USB drive from MacOS aren’t exactly accurate. While exFAT is the correct format, the instructions say to use the “GUID Partition Map" scheme. However when I formatted the drive in that manner the truck wouldn’t recognize it. Instead I used the “Master Boot Record" (MBR) scheme and, sure enough, the truck recognized it.
Where I really encountered problems though was towards the end of the update. I let the update do its thing for over an hour and when I checked on my truck I noticed that the screen no longer said “Updating…” and just appeared normal. I even checked the map version in the settings menu and saw that it indicated the new version was loaded. Since I thought the installation was complete, I removed the drive. Bad move, as apparently installation was not complete. I ended up having to call support and an escalation specialist emailed me a small file that I had to load onto a USB to delete the maps so that I could start the install process over again (described in the following post: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/sync-...-issue-479252/ ).
Hopefully this is helpful to someone (perhaps a Mac user) who is experiencing the same issues that I did. I was hoping the new sync version would fix the album artwork issue when listening to songs via bluetooth from my iPhone, but those still default to the Gracenote database no matter what I do. It does seem as though bluetooth connectivity has improved with this version, as has the long-press of the steering wheel Sync button to initiate Siri on my iPhone. Otherwise I can’t tell what they’ve improved over the last Sync version.
Captain of Industry
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,602
Likes: 2,252
From: Arklahoma
Every Sync and map update ends with a persistent window that says it's done and you can remove your USB drive. The window stays on the screen until you close it. If that window is not on the screen, the update is not done. Learned the hard way.
