Hey all,

I’m determined to make a Sync 3 APIM work in my 2012 FX4. From what I’ve read, and what I can gather, most deem it impossible without a harness swap and re-pinning, but I have spent the past weeks trying to co-relate the harnesses from the MFT 8” screen in the 2011/2012’s and the 2013/2014 (and ultimately 2016-2020). I will be using an APIM from a 2017 F150. I have most of the kinks worked out, and know what has to be re-pinned, except the climate control and the FCIM (front controls interface module, AKA the radio bezel).



My main concern is retaining the controls for the heated and cooled seats which currently have physical buttons. and the HVAC vent controls, which currently are controlled on the screen. When correlating the wiring diagrams for the FCIM, both FCIMs have connector C2402, which has circuits VDB06/07, the medium speed can bus. But only the 2013 has connector C2403, and VDB13/14 the multimedia comm network which I cannot find on any wiring diagrams for the 2012. On that same connector is a dedicated line for the hazard light switch. I am under the assumption that the multimedia communication network doesn’t exist in the 2012 and earlier models, and on the 2012 everything goes through one connector.



So, ultimately, my question is how would I re-program the APIM via forscan to control the fan position from the screen, as I do not have physical controls. At this point Im strongly considering leaving the factory bezel in. I’ve attached photos of both bezels to give some reference. If anyone has any more insight into this, please let me know, as I’m willing to be the guinea pig for simplifying this otherwise daunting swap. Also, if anyone knows how I would go about swapping in the 2013 bezel, and if that’s do-able, then also please let me know.





my 2012

2013

 

It's overly complicated. Here's one difference, for the heated/cooled seats.
2013:


2012:


All this is computer controlled. The physical buttons are digital/computer buttons, not direct commands to the final destination. So, your HVACM needs to be able to communicate with whichever FCIM you use, possibly thru the APIM.
Example, heated seat: Pressing the physical 2012 button is no different than tapping the 8" screen for turning on the heated seat. Both send a computer signal to the HVACM, which then sends a signal out to the DCSM, which then finally sends a specific signal to the TED to turn on the heat. Seems like 2013 adds a trip through the APIM.

So, you need to swap computers, not just harnesses. I'm not sure how to identify which will communicate with each other and need to be swapped, might just be trial and error unless you can find someone that has done this already. Do you have the 2013 diagrams so you can see the full ICAN (multimedia)? Which diagrams do you have, Ford or other?

 

I do have the diagrams. I’m just mooching off my buddys identifix, which has been crucial here. It’s not so much a question if I can get HVAC controls to display on the APIM- I know it’ll work, it just a matter of it communicating properly. I’m going to do more digging tonight and look at some more diagrams.

 

So after looking at a physical layout of the CAN networks on both a 2012 and a 2013 (took a lot of digging on identifix, but I found it), it looks like in the 2013's, the only reason why the I-CAN network exists is solely because of the newer sync versions and just because it can (sigh).
On the ICAN network lives:

• IPC (instrument cluster)
• FCIM (front controls interface module),
• FCDIM (front controls display interface module; AKA the screen, previously designated as the FDIM/front display int. module in the 2012)
• DSP (audio digital signal processing module/the amplifier for sony systems, I believe)
• ACM (audio control module).
• APIM (accessory protocol interface module)

I-CAN Network connects to the OBD 2 port via pins 1 and 9, which otherwise would remain unpopulated.

The APIM, ACM and the IPC each have dedicated connections, AKA the only things physically wired to the network. But the FCIM and the FCDIM connect to the network via the APIM. How you access it via a scan tool, like forscan, is via the Instrument cluster. In later models, they changed this by adding a dedicated gateway module right after the OBD2 port, from what I can see on wiring diagrams, at least for a 2016 Limited- but the cluster is the stand in for the gateway module. The I-CAN network was later re-named HS-3 can, and the exact same things live on that network, with the addition of DACM-C- which is that stupid noise thing that goes through the speakers for ecoboosts only, but lives in the DSP.

The I-CAN network connects to the APIM via pins 19 and 20 in a 2013, and on a 2016 those same pins are renamed to HS3 CAN lines. So after looking at these diagrams, it looks like that all this means is that the APIM is now the middle man between the I-CAN, HS and LS CAN lines.

The HVAC Module lives on the MS CAN regardless of a 2012. A confusing thing is that Identifix shows both the 2012 4 pin and 2013 6 pin FCIM as available connectors on the 2013 diagrams, but when I look at used sync 2 and sync 3 bezels (4" and 8") on ebay, both units show a 6 pin connector, not a 4 pin which is used on the 2012. The wiring colours look like they're the same on both, leading me to believe that the FCIM really lives on the MS CAN, but just goes to the I-CAN on the 8" models and is later re-directed via the APIM back to the MS-CAN.

I'm documenting everything I do here to see if this is viable enough with used parts. I'm going to go to my local salvage yard and pull a 2013/14 bezel, try it first sans adding a cluster, and later a cluster if need be. I might only need the cluster for programming the FCIM, and swap my old one back out if it doesn't need it for anything besides that. Who knows, maybe if i just stick it right onto the MS CAN i might be able to throw 2013 as built FCIM data into it and go from there and figure out the other details after, since it looks like the APIM sends out heated/cooled seat commands via the MS CAN back to the HVAC module anyways.

Stay tuned,

Signed an overconfident determined to a fault idiot.

 

Yep

I have a 13, upgraded to a 16 Sync3, then recently upgraded to a Pioneer aftermarket. So far much happier with the Pioneer. Although I haven't got the Ford mic working. Need to either figure that out or just wire in the Pioneer mic.

 

Following. I have done about 5 sync 2 to Sycc 3 upgrades from my personal and friends vechicals. Those are easy but to do the 2012..... I am very intreagued to see if you can get this done. My son has a 2012 and would love to get Sync 3 in it. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

Update- I re-pinned an “add a backup camera” harness for older models that I found on Amazon. I repinned it as 2012 omitting certain things (I.e- aux port) and re-pinned it as a 2016 on the female end. I tested the APIM last night and no dice. The screen powered up, but then shut off. Im using an APIM out of a later model buy-back hybrid focus that was crushed.

Radio still worked (ACM and DSP still
powered up) but I think the lack of an HS3/I-CAN bus is my biggest obstacle. If anyone knows if it’s possible to “disable” it using for-scan or emulate it in an in vehicle setup- please let me know.

more to come!

 

Update for y’all.

I’ve done some digging and came across the CyanLabs forum. HUGE shoutout to them; specifically user excelsxor and his thread here, where they use an Arduino board (microcontroller used for tinkering) and a TJA1050 CAN bus transceiver (pre made for use cases like this) to allow the APIM to turn on in a bench setup, play around with it and re-program it with ForScan.

I’m going to attempt to use this in conjunction with the factory FCIM to see if I can still retain some controls. IF I can avoid using the upgraded FCIM, I’m going to stick with that route, but I’ve got the 2013/2014 FCIM with dual zone climate.

How I would go about swapping out the FCIMs becomes complicated because the newer FCIMs live on the I-CAN bus and the older ones MS CAN only. IF I need to use that one, ill need to make a conversion/interpreter board that can monitor the ICAN and convert it back to MS CAN. I doubt ill need this, mainly because the HVAC is controlled on the MSCAN bus regardless of model year, up until 2016 anyways, as that is what I’ve found looking at diagrams so far, but it’s a hill I'm willing to climb if the need should arise

I’m using chat gpt to help me potentially write code and it seems somewhat optimistic and we’ll see what happens. If I need to sniff out the can signals, thats going to be a huge challenge but we can see if that pans out, and worry about it if I need to.



Just so everyone knows how much Im into this, because I know ill get the inevitable “android units are cheaper”

APIM (half price because screen was broken)-$50 at my local junkyard (plus glass-$40 on amazon)

FCIM from salvage yard- complete ***’y- $50

Add a camera APIM t-style harness-$20 on amazon

TJA1050 CAN BUS transceiver (2 pack) -$18

BluePill Arduino board (2 pack)-$13

OBD2 Female harness (I don’t need this, but I might program it with my desktop instead of my laptop)-$18

12v-5V step down converter-$10

I have a USB module kicking around, and snagged some connectors from the junkyard for the price of pocket.99

Most of the above can be had for cheaper by shopping on aliexpress/Alibaba/bangood etc. I just grabbed these on amazon because the had the quickest delivery (same day). All in, Im $200 in, not including stuff I already had (tools, wires, etc) and it seems kinda reasonable If I can pull this off.

 

One comment. The apim and screen are not one unit. May not actually help as nobody seems to know that.

 

fair enough. Most people think they're like early/mid 2000's double din navigation units. Just came across someone that thought this exact same thing on the f150 subreddit. Ive gotten a couple from the wreckers in the past and they've always included the screen attached to the apim