Ranger Mods

I apologize if this is answered elsewhere, but I couldn't find an answer here.

In January, my PX2 was running Sync 3.0 Build 19205 with Map version F8. I downloaded the 2.8GB update from the German Ford website, extracted the zipped file to a fresh USB, and installed it according to the instructions here and on the German website. About 25 to 30 minutes later, I received the update confirmation on the display in the truck and removed the USB. I shut down for a few minutes and after restarting, confirmed that I now have Sync 3.0 Build 20204 with Map version F8.

I logged back into the German Ford site and uploaded the XML file on the USB to confirm the update. Since January, every time I check the German and U.S. Ford sites, they show a new update to download, but it is the same update I successfully installed in January. To satisfy my curiosity, I downloaded the update and installed it, but now the process takes about five minutes before I receive the on-screen notice to remove the USB. After a five-minute shutdown, the version is still 3.0 Build 20204. I did this three times, and the results are always the same.

The only difference in the XML files are the date and time of the of the update. The rest of the information in each of the five or six versions of XML files is identical.

Since January, I make nearly weekly uploads of the XML file on the Ford website while logged into my Ford customer account. Each time, I receive confirmation the Sync update has been confirmed. A few days later, I check for updates, and the same zip file is ready for me to download and install.

The dealer doesn't have any answers, other than keep uploading the XML file and hope the Ford server eventually makes the next update available. The latest map update here is F9, but I can't access the map update until Ford recognizes my Sync is fully updated.

Has anyone here experienced or know of similar issues with Sync updates?

I had the same thing happen to me, always telling me I have an update but always ending up with the same version.
My fix was simple, I have it updated by Ford at service time.

This is one of the differences between German and Australian Ford dealers (I'm sure there are more). I took the truck in for service last December fully expecting to see the latest Sync and map version. When I picked up the truck the versions had not changed, and when I asked the service manager about this, he directed me to the Ford website.

I asked today, and the assistant to the service manager recommended I keep trying the website. I think I heard him chuckling.

I'm updating my Sync 3 upgrade saga, and am happy to report that it is as complete as it's going to get. I made an appointment with the Dealer specifically for the Sync 3 and map update. As long as the truck is under warranty, there is no charge for the Sync updates, but they will charge me about €120 for the map updates. I could do all of this myself at no cost, but I can't get to the map update because the Ford server will not log the Sync update with the XML file.

I had an appointment at 1000 and arrived 30 minutes early. The Ford website the dealer uses confirmed that I needed a Sync and map update. By 1000, my truck was in a bay connected to a battery charger and the shop computer. About 20 minutes later, the service manager told me the update was finished, and confirmed that Version 3.0 Build 20204 was the most recent version for my truck. He was ready to start the map update, but recommended I do this myself because it would take about four hours.

While he was sitting next to me, I logged into my Ford account to check the Sync status, and sure enough, the Ford website showed my Sync was up to date and I had a 25GB map file to download. I agreed to load it myself and left. That might not have been the best choice at the time.

When I returned home, I downloaded the huge map ZIP file (about two hours) and quick formatted a 64GB USB2 stick using exFAT (mistake #1). I didn't have any 32GB USB sticks or I would have used it instead.

After the download was complete, I unzipped the file on the hard drive (mistake #2), which took about two hours. After the files were unzipped (not the TAR files), I moved them to the formatted 64GB USB stick (about an hour). By now, I had invested about five hours to make a map update USB. There would be more hours spent before I was done.

Once in the truck, I inserted the USB into one of the ports and started my two-hour drive. The update started and after the initial warnings about interrupting the update, I began a leisurely drive around the countryside. At about the 40-minute point, I saw the notice that the first part of the update was complete and a restart was needed when possible. By the time I could find a place to pull over, the update resumed, so I continued driving. About an hour later, I noticed the "Update in Progress" notice at the top of the Sync screen was gone. I checked the map version, and it was now F9, which is the current version for my truck. Yippeee!!! or so I thought.

I pulled into a parking lot for the restart and pulled out the USB. Immediately, there was a warning notice that an update was interrupted (or something like that). I did the restart anyway. The map appeared to be correct, and a couple of new roads that were missing from the F8 version were now visible on the F9 version.

Each time I restart the truck, I see the same notice that the update needs to complete. I put the USB stick back into the slot, and the update started again. About 30 seconds later, I saw this notice:


I tried several times over the next couple of days to restart the update, but nothing worked and I always saw the same error notice when I inserted the USB stick. When I checked the SyncMyRide folder on the USB, there was no XML file, so I knew the update had not properly ended.

To make this long story somewhat shorter, here is what I did in a last attempt to fix this:

1. Formatted the 64GB USB stick using exFAT and unchecked the "quick format" option in Windows. This took about two hours to complete.
2. Downloaded a fresh copy of the zipped map update from the Ford server, which took about two hours.
3. Extracted the files directly to the 64GB USB stick instead of extracting to the computer and then copying to the USB stick.
4. Disconnected the Ultragauge from the OBDII port.
5. Performed a Master Reset in Sync.
6. Inserted the USB stick and waited.

The update started and went well beyond the times it had previously failed. Twice during the start of the update, the Sync display showed a notice asking if I wanted to enable WiFi for updates. The choices were "Yes", "No", and "Remind me later", and I chose the last option both times.

I drove around again, and at about the 40-minute point, received the same notice as before that the first part of the update was done and a restart was needed when possible. As in the first time, the update restarted, so I continued driving.

At about the 70 minute point, I went to the McDonald's drive-thru for lunch and then drove to a nearly empty parking lot to eat while the truck idled and the update continued. By now, I was past the point where the update notice disappeared, so I was pleased.

At about the 90-minute point, the Sync screen displayed the update complete notice. I closed the notice window and about a minute later removed the USB stick. Then I shut down the truck while I finished my lunch.

When I restarted the truck, I was pleased to see this notice:


When I returned home, I checked the SyncMyRide folder on the USB stick and the XML file was there. I logged into my Ford account and uploaded the XML file as I did many times with the Sync update XML file. I just checked the Sync update status in my Ford account, and there are no updates available, so the Ford server accepted the XML file.

Now I can update the maps in my wife's 2019 Mustang. We took her Mustang in for the annual service last weekend, and they updated the Sync to Version 3.4.

I updated my sync 3 px2 ranger to sync 3.4.21020 with the new 2020 maps using https://cyanlabs.net/fhub/ all works well

SeaJay wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 2:48 pm I updated my sync 3 px2 ranger to sync 3.4.21020 with the new 2020 maps using https://cyanlabs.net/fhub/ all works well

and I just noticed that with this update QWERTY finally stays enabled