Has anyone with Sync3 Nav successfully updated their maps?

[UofMEngineer]

Inside information? Estimate for ETA? Or even a general sense of when they normally release updates?

Although, I'm not sure I want to wait for too long since the previous method of updating seems to have pulled from the shelves after only a few months...

Hard to say given the whole map update on SYNC 3 has been a bit different. It’s generally always been in production vehicles prior to the update (so far) so I’d guess it won’t be too soon. Only a guess though as now that they have this site running maybe it’ll run smoother from now on?

Sponsored

 

[Grimmer]

Yeah, it seemed to me that the NA XX number was 2 years behind the model year... So, if that holds going forward, the MY 2020 would have the NA 18 installed. So if that is the one available through the link above, might be worth pulling the trigger now...

 

[Grimmer]

Also, the dealership replaced my head unit early on. Here's hoping they properly updated Ford's records when they did it...

 

[UofMEngineer]

Yep, MY20's right now ship with 18. They'll switch over to 19 at some point.

 

[Grimmer]

My heart skipped a beat there for a second. I searched for "Sync 3 Nav Updates" and followed the links through owner.ford.com until I arrived at a page that looked just like the one linked above (sorry, not I'm not going to enter vehicle data through an unverified link). Everything seemed fine, but then the website said "sorry you can't...call customer service..." DAMN IT!

I had a thought that either the browser timed out or crapped out, so I tried another browser and it successfully found the update and went to the next page. Whew !!

Throughout the order process it did not state which map version they are selling... Fingers crossed

 

[Grimmer]

Yep, MY20's right now ship with 18. They'll switch over to 19 at some point.

The website for the updates has a footnote that claims their changes included statement is based on HERE database updates between Q1 2017 and Q1 2018... not that it has any bearing on the release date of NA 19, but maybe Q1 2020?

 

[Grimmer]

@aclosedmind... Did it take more than 5 minutes between when you clicked the "place order" button and when it moved to the "order complete" step?

Thing has been swirling forever. Not sure if it has to do with them creating the order, or if it has locked up on me again. Even if it takes time to custom build the VIN and ESIN into my download file, they should process the payment and include a statement that I can download once an email arrives or something.

Now how do I know if I should wait or start over and risk a double order?

 

[michail71]

What a terrible web site! I haven't been able to get through it on any browser.

Even the chat feature crashes. I checked the browser developer tools and it looks like the chat client isn't licensed.

I think checking the VIN causes the whole site to crash and recycle.

 

[Grimmer]

When the purchase got stuck for me at "place order", I went back to the original browser that got stuck on the VIN check and it worked the second time... All the way through to the end.

 

[michail71]

When the purchase got stuck for me at "place order", I went back to the original browser that got stuck on the VIN check and it worked the second time... All the way through to the end.

I finally got through but the download is so slow.

 

[Grimmer]

Yup, the fastest I saw was 7MB/s.

Now copying to USB at only 5 MB/s. Not sure what's slowing it down, but it is 1/3 done and it is in a 3.0 port and a 3.1 stick. Not sure if I can get it any faster so I don't want to cancel.

I didn't see anything in the instructions about a maximum USB capacity. I could only find a 128 MB stick, so I hope it doesn't choke. Some reported issues with big USB drives when trying to update Sync3.

I guess I'll have to run the engine for an hour while I wash the car...

 

[Grimmer]

Update success! I haven't tried the actual maps or navigation yet, but the map version changed from NA 14 to NA 18.

The 128GB USB stick worked just fine (exFAT).
I plugged in the stick and then started the car... about the time the connection to my phone finished up the top row of the screen said "Updating System Software...", but it disappeared a few minutes later.
There was no other indication that it was working on something for the next 25 minutes. (I assume this time was spent copying the files to the Head Unit.) Wish there was a progress indicator. (Don't give up, let it work.)
After 25 minutes, a dialog box popped up that said an update was in progress and only had a "close" button. I clicked it after a few minutes.
From then on the top line of the display had the message "Updating System Software..."
It worked on it for another 20 minutes or so until another dialog box appear saying that the update was complete, that I should remove the USB drive and the changes would take effect with the next ignition cycle.

I put the car back in the garage and left it alone for several hours while I worked on other stuff. I went back to check the map version and saw that it has been updated.

 

[michail71]

I successfully updated as well.

Unfortunately, the 2018 maps are still outdated for my area. We have a whole missing interchange on I95 that doesn't appear. Guess I'll have to wait a few more years. I mostly use Android Auto anyway.

This may help with the phantom gas stations.

 

[rmreid17]

What browser is everyone using to get it to work? I have tried chrome and IE and neither one worked

 

[Grimmer]

I used Microsoft Edge and Chrome. They both got stuck at different points. It was Edge that finally worked and completed all the downloads.

Sponsored