New to Sync 3 (updates)

[Davexxxx]

My truck has sync 4 and updates happen with no other input from me, other than having auto update enabled. It is not connected to my home WIFI.

I know there are significant differences between the 2 systems but I'm having a bit of trouble sorting it out.

On sync 3, I know the phones can pair via bluetooth for calls and messages but for android auto, the phone must be plugged in to the data port.

I also know that Ford pushes connection to WIFI. They do on my truck too, even though it isn't necessary.

I know some talk about owner loaded updates via thumb drives.

Questions.

1) Will sync 3 update without connection to my home WIFI? I can enable it if necessary, its just that the router is at the other end of the house, so the signal in the garage is a bit sketchy.

2) If it must have WIFI, can it do so through the phone's hotspot, or other wifi connection?

3) In either case, must the car be on? My truck does not require that.

4) Is there a good sync 3, 101 type thread, that would list the latest builds and answers to these questions?

Additional info.

There are no problems with the car to my knowledge. Seems really nice.

The only clear date I can find on the window sticker, is 9/27/2024, so I'm guessing it was built near then.

We actually went to look at a different BS but bought this one instead and gave the dealer almost no time to do anything more than clean it and fill it with fuel. If they checked updates ???

On the main screen, it says SYNC 3 ver 3.4, build 23188. Nav Maps ver NA 2 22.

When scanning for updates, it says there must be a WIFI connection, OR, through the Ford Pass app. She has Ford Pass on her phone and is logged in. ???

It also says software is up to date 7-7-2023. Mid 23, for a late 24 vehicle?

Thanks in advance!

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[thomasm23]

You are up to date with SYNC 3.4 Build 23188

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/sync-3-4-build-23188-is-the-current-version.11594/

Your Navigation Maps are out of date.
NA 2 23 is the latest.
It looks like they have never been updated. You have 3 years of free opportunities to update the Maps.

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/sync-navigation-map-update-na-2-23-now-available.11356/post-199302

1) Will sync 3 update without connection to my home WIFI? I can enable it if necessary, it’s just that the router is at the other end of the house, so the signal in the garage is a bit sketchy.

You can do a manual update. See above.

2) If it must have WIFI, can it do so through the phone's hotspot, or other wifi connection?

You can update SYNC via WiFi. I always download to a computer and copy to a USB flash drive. See above.


3) In either case, must the car be on? My truck does not require that.

The car must be running during all updates. See above.

4) Is there a good sync 3, 101 type thread, that would list the latest builds and answers to these questions?

Yes. Look under the SYNC section.

 

[Davexxxx]

Thanks a bunch.

"Yes. Look under the SYNC section."

Yes, well, I thought I was there and I did read several threads about it. I guess its just kinda hard for me to believe that it has to be so cumbersome, when my sync 4 is, set it and forget it.

 

[thomasm23]

The Bronco Sport is based on the Escape platform. In 2021, both the Escape and Bronco Sport used SYNC 3.4 systems. All 21-24 Bronco Sport vehicles were equipped with SYNC 3.4

2025 Bronco Sport is equipped with SYNC 4 systems. To accomplish this, the entire dash needed to be revised.

SYNC 3.4 is easy to update via USB flash drive or WiFi downloads directly to the vehicle. We have not seen any updates for 18 months now. Build 23188 is working fine.

Navigation Map updates are issued every year and must be installed by downloading to a computer and copying to a USB flash drive. The update will take around an hour with the vehicle running.

 

[Mark S.]

You can do a manual update. See above.

To clarify, SYNC 3 will not automatically update unless you have it connected to WiFi.

The car must be running during all updates. See above.

This is what Ford recommends, but I've completed several updates without running the engine. The danger is that SYNC might shut itself off before the update is complete. Running the engine ensures SYNC remains powered up. If you choose to attempt an update without running the engine be sure you have the fastest USB drive available.

 

[Davexxxx]

"This is what Ford recommends, but I've completed several updates without running the engine. The danger is that SYNC might shut itself off before the update is complete. Running the engine ensures SYNC remains powered up. If you choose to attempt an update without running the engine be sure you have the fastest USB drive available."

Yes, I running an experiment about that now.

Saw a vid saying background updates were possible as an option (with caveats) and decided to connect it to the home WIFI, late last night. Accessory only. The engine was off.

Checked for updates and it automatically started downloading one. As the main sync is supposedly up to date, I'm supposing it must be the maps.

No way I was going to leave the car on accessory all night and shut it off. Checked this morn.and the progress bar does show movement. Very slow movement but progress. Shut it off again. I'll check again in a few hrs.

If the main updates happen, thats really all we need, since we won't be renewing the Ford Nav subscription on this vehicle, once it expires. Just wanted to start as up to date as possible.

 

[Mark S.]

No way I was going to leave the car on accessory all night and shut it off. Checked this morn.and the progress bar does show movement. Very slow movement but progress. Shut it off again. I'll check again in a few hrs.

The recommendation to leave the engine running is for manual updates, i.e. downloading the update from Ford, copying to a USB drive, then connecting the USB drive to the SYNC usb port. Over-the-air updates using WiFi occur in the background and do not require the engine to be running. Theoretically, the update file(s) will download over WiFi, then the update process begins the next time you start the engine. It is during the update process--when the update files overwrite the current SYNC files--that Ford recommends leaving the engine on.

 

[thomasm23]

"This is what Ford recommends, but I've completed several updates without running the engine. The danger is that SYNC might shut itself off before the update is complete. Running the engine ensures SYNC remains powered up. If you choose to attempt an update without running the engine be sure you have the fastest USB drive available."

Yes, I running an experiment about that now.

Saw a vid saying background updates were possible as an option (with caveats) and decided to connect it to the home WIFI, late last night. Accessory only. The engine was off.

Checked for updates and it automatically started downloading one. As the main sync is supposedly up to date, I'm supposing it must be the maps.

No way I was going to leave the car on accessory all night and shut it off. Checked this morn.and the progress bar does show movement. Very slow movement but progress. Shut it off again. I'll check again in a few hrs.

If the main updates happen, thats really all we need, since we won't be renewing the Ford Nav subscription on this vehicle, once it expires. Just wanted to start as up to date as possible.

Any update on your navigation map updates?

 

[Davexxxx]

Yeah, its downloading but super slow.

Maybe 25% complete?

If it doesn't finish correctly, I'm not gonna fool with it. We aren't going to renew the subscription anyway and I just think its nuts to spend an hr+ downloading the thing on my computer, still have to move files around and then spend another hr+ with the engine idling in the driveway.

Not gonna do it.

 

[Dude]

Yeah, its downloading but super slow.

Maybe 25% complete?

If it doesn't finish correctly, I'm not gonna fool with it. We aren't going to renew the subscription anyway and I just think its nuts to spend an hr+ downloading the thing on my computer, still have to move files around and then spend another hr+ with the engine idling in the driveway.

Not gonna do it.

That’s why lots of us use the USB Device method for Sync/Nav updates doing the update when we know we are going on a long drive - we do the update on the long drive. I agree with you about the engine idling aspect.

 

[thomasm23]

If you let the vehicle download maps it will take many, many days. It will download many separate files. When all the large files have been downloaded to the vehicle, the installation will start.

If you download the entire maps to a computer and then copy it to a USB flash drive, you control the installation process.

There is no “subscription” for the navigation maps. You are allowed 3 opportunities to download and install a yearly map update at no charge. After the 3 years, there is a fee for a one-time download per year. The fee is payed when the download is made.

 

[Davexxxx]

Coming back to this ... Noticed last night that the update screen noted a successful update 3 days ago.

But when I checked the build versions, they hadn't changed.

So, either the notice is wrong, it was something else, not warranting a build# update or maybe a partial update of the maps?

The progress bar is at a new, lower level of completion. Thats what makes me think it might be the latter.

As soon as we got home, it automatically hooked up to the home WIFI and started downloading again.

What I still have a question about, is that when away from home, the screen says it must have a WIFI signal, OR access to Ford Pass. My Wife has her phone bluetoothed to the car and Ford Pass on her phone but it doesn't seem to matter. Would it need to be plugged into the data port to use the Ford Pass connection?

 

[Dude]

Even Ford doesn’t recommend the download over WiFi unless the signal is strong enough and there is a high data rate. I disabled the auto updates and update only via my USB Device. Very reliable update that way.

 

[Davexxxx]

Yeah, I'm gonna be hard headed about this

I'm used to sync 4, which is a set and forget it system, so it'll be OTA, or not at all.

With Android Auto, she doesn't even need the factory nav. Its an extra. Nice to have but only worth so much work on my part. Especially, if it is always a year late, vs near real time updates.

 

[Dude]

Yeah, I'm gonna be hard headed about this

I'm used to sync 4, which is a set and forget it system, so it'll be OTA, or not at all.

With Android Auto, she doesn't even need the factory nav. Its an extra. Nice to have but only worth so much work on my part. Especially, if it is always a year late, vs near real time updates.

It’s your choice of course but long term owners of Sync vehicles have experienced a lock up of the Sync screen (most recently caused by a defect in the Sync 3.4.22251 release) that required a dealership visit to correct.

Sync 3.4.23188 has been very reliable but have not seen new Sync updates for 18 months now. And the Nav updates are just too large in my opinion to allow updates over WiFi.

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