Updating Sync

[knahs42]

I am going to attempt my first SYNC update but have a question -  I know the instructions say the car must be running when applying the udpates but can the car be in motion?  I asked my service department this and they did not know.  I hate to have the car just site and run for 30 minutes or so when I could be updating and driving to work at the same time.  Also, is there anything I need to be on the look-out for?

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[stevedebi]

I am going to attempt my first SYNC update but have a question -  I know the instructions say the car must be running when applying the udpates but can the car be in motion?  I asked my service department this and they did not know.  I hate to have the car just site and run for 30 minutes or so when I could be updating and driving to work at the same time.  Also, is there anything I need to be on the look-out for?

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

The update will happen while you drive. I did mine that way.

[donhak]

I have done them both ways.  If driving just remember that you cannot park and turn off the engine until it says the update is complete.  The engine does not physically need to be running as long as the car is in the run position.  This last time my high voltage battery was almost full, so I shut off the headlights and everything else except the radio and let the update run while parked with it ready to drive.  The engine never needed to kick in before the update was complete.  The main thing during the update is patience.  There are at least four times when the update will say it is rebooting the system, and the screen will go black for 15-20 seconds before you see the flash drive become active again, the backlight on the screen come on, and the the screen finally comes back before the process picks up with the update.  Loading some of the files will seemingly take forever and then load others with very little delay.  Do not take out the flash drive before the system says the update is complete.

[fbov]

+1

 

And you get to listen to the radio while it's updating! OK, that's in the second phase...

[jestevens]

I did this for the last update (3.8?), my theory was they they seem to keep the vehicle/engine controls seperate from infotainment computer so I thought it would be okay.  It's a little funky but it does work.  Before you start the update make sure there are no other USB flash drives plugged in, just the one with the sync update; when it is done you will probably need to pair your cell phone with sync again.

 

I drove to the store and left the car running (in ready mode) while I did some shopping - by the time I got back it was almost done.  I was able to shut the doors (horn chirp because the engine is running and the fob is outside the car) and lock the car using the key fob, although the response to fob button press seemed sluggish.

[Louder North]

I had to download the Sync update file twice as the first time it appears to have been corrupted.  Then did the update in the driveway so I could watch what was going on.  Still having trouble to upload the 'confirm update' file to owner.ford.com but I've reported that on the 'Official Ford In-Vehicle Technology Rep' thread'. 

Edited January 16, 2016 by Louder North