Scanning for updates...

[FiSTY]

My car hasn't been picking up calls. Checked to see Sync hasn't received any updates since March (figure this might be the culprit since my phone and android auto are up to date). So I got my (2019 USDM) hooked up to wifi... hit the scan for updates... and it spent more that 15 min "scanning"/spinning. Basically stuck there. Is this normal? Do I need to wait longer or is there a better/alternate approach?

Thanks for your help!

 

[D1JL]

Delete your phone from SYNC and then re-install it.
Sync updates are best direct from the Ford Sync web site.

 

[kivnul]

I think my car is still on version 1 of sync 3.. its never been updated. 2016

 

[Capri to ST]

So I got my (2019 USDM) hooked up to wifi... hit the scan for updates... and it spent more that 15 min "scanning"/spinning. Basically stuck there. Is this normal?

I had this same experience, where I hit scan for updates and it kept scanning, and I finally gave up. Sync 3 is supposed to update over wi-fi, but it rarely seems to.
kivnul mentioned above that his '16 is still on version 1. The only reason my '16 is updated from that is that at some point the APIM, the Sync 3 module, failed and was replaced by the dealer under warranty. At that time they updated it to version 3.
I can't do updates from the Ford owner website, because they involve downloading them to your computer and transferring them to a USB drive, and my Chromebook doesn't allow me to download files. I don't think I have the patience for it anyway, people report all sorts of problems doing that, it seems like a real pain in the butt. I think Ford really dropped the ball with the whole updating process, but mine is working fine so I'm just going to leave it.

 

[D1JL]

people report all sorts of problems doing that, it seems like a real pain in the butt. I think Ford really dropped the ball with the whole updating process,

The problem many have is that they do not format the USB correctly.
I have updated my Ford from their web site at least 3 times with no issues at all.
To bad your Chromebook will not allow you.
There is an another alternative and that is, you can order the USB from Ford however, there is a fee.

 

[Capri to ST]

The problem many have is that they do not format the USB correctly.
I have updated my Ford from their web site at least 3 times with no issues at all.
To bad your Chromebook will not allow you.
There is an another alternative and that is, you can order the USB from Ford however, there is a fee.

That's good to know, thanks.
As I thought about it some more, I remembered reading many many threads on this forum and on other Ford forums where people were reporting massive problems trying to update over USB. You could tell from their posts that many of them were quite computer savvy, and were probably doing it correctly. Maybe Ford has gotten better with the process since then.
I just remember when I bought the car Ford was making a big deal about how it would update automatically, and that's clearly not happening, so my stubborn brain rebels a bit at having to mess with it.

 

[anticon]

Ive updated sync a few times. I recently did and had some trouble because of the size of usb drive I was using. I got it to work with a 16 GB one.

 

[FiSTY]

F

Delete your phone from SYNC and then re-install it.
Sync updates are best direct from the Ford Sync web site.

This appears to have fixed the problem. Thank you D1JL!

 

[Clint Beastwood]

That's good to know, thanks.
As I thought about it some more, I remembered reading many many threads on this forum and on other Ford forums where people were reporting massive problems trying to update over USB. You could tell from their posts that many of them were quite computer savvy, and were probably doing it correctly. Maybe Ford has gotten better with the process since then.
I just remember when I bought the car Ford was making a big deal about how it would update automatically, and that's clearly not happening, so my stubborn brain rebels a bit at having to mess with it.

If you use a USB drive smaller than 8gb, the chromebooks format utility (in "Files") should format fat32, anything bigger than that and I think they force exfat which the car has issues with.

 

[D1JL]

If you use a USB drive smaller than 8gb, the chromebooks format utility (in "Files") should format fat32, anything bigger than that and I think they force exfat which the car has issues with.

Please check this.
It is exfat that the Ford site says how the USB must be formatted for Sync 3.
I did have this issue at first until I corrected it by formatting the USB with exfat.

From the Ford site.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

Ah I flipped it! Been a while


If you use a thumbdrive over 32gb it should force exfat.

If you have console access on your chromebook you can format the usb device from command line, but it's high risk since you can inadvertently corrupt the primary data partition of your device if you choose the wrong device label (/dev/sdX)

 

[Dpro]

Please check this.
It is exfat that the Ford site says how the USB must be formatted for Sync 3.
I did have this issue at first until I corrected it by formatting the USB with exfat.

From the Ford site.

View attachment 42626

tried this on mine did everything they told me too . formated exfat.

 

[SteveS]

You just have to follow the directions exactly and it will work 100% of the time. Best to print the directions so you can refer to them as you go along.

 

[jmrtsus]

If your 2016 is non nav you may find updating it a challenge. Mine never would update automatically. Ford just installed a newer version for my 2016 in 2019 after voice inputs failed that had more memory and updated. Replaced under warranty. Little late for you I think.

 

[Dpro]

If your 2016 is non nav you may find updating it a challenge. Mine never would update automatically. Ford just installed a newer version for my 2016 in 2019 after voice inputs failed that had more memory and updated. Replaced under warranty. Little late for you I think.

Ya mine is a non nav I do have extended warranty though.