Sync 3 Map Update Issue

[DG97]

Hi all,

I have done the F7 sync 3 map update which was available for my mk8 Fiesta. It took a little while (around an hour and a half) which is what I expected. When it completed, it said I could take the USB out and the changes would take place upon restarting. Great! 

Unfortunately, I took the USB back home to upload the log file to Ford. The xml log file was not generated during the update. I cannot confirm the update without it online and I also cannot re-run the update as it is already installed. 

Does anybody have any ideas?

 

Thanks.

[Mavroz]

Why not just ask the dealer to update the software when you take the car for its healthcheck or if you are unfortunate to need any warranty work?

The dealer may charge a fair whack now if you need their intervention ..

[martinf64]

I've just done the F7 map update and no xml log file was generated too. Searching on the TalkFord website Sync3 forum revealed this seems quite common with feedback from Ford indicating the log file doesn't need to be uploaded and is therefore not generated. One suggestion is if you have wifi connected, do an in-car software update check. This should come back with software up to date however the belief is this check updates the Ford system to match the vehicle software/maps version. You need to give it 24hrs after doing this check before doing another Sync3 software check on the Ford website. Not sure whether this actually works, I only did a wifi check this morning so will check the website over next couple of days.

[Funkywill58]

I have just done the update on my titanium  x and gave ford the log file it generated. However the car says maps are still  version 6.1

[Jeffas]

Mine updated ok and shows as version F7, but I didn't get the xml file either.

[Jonson]

Doesn't the Ford faq say that if no log file is generated, try to run update again, system will recognise it has already been applied and generate a log file if there isn't one?

[DG97]

Hi all,

thanks for the replies.

I’d done a standard Sync update myself before and it was a simple process and everything worked fine. Maps are basically the same process but just take a bit longer so I thought to just give it a crack in my spare time. If it ends up needing their intervention, my dealer is fairly decent and i’d try to see if that would be classed as warranty work as the process itself has a fault 😜

the xml needs to be uploaded to their website otherwise I can’t get future map updates. I did try the WiFi method but I can’t get close enough to my house to get in range and for unknown reasons sync doesn’t want to connect to my iPhone hotspot. I tried doing it via Applink (FordPass app basically via the phone connected via usb) and it begins to scan for updates but on a 20 minute journey, it didn’t ever actually do anything. 

I tried to run the update again but the log file didn’t generate again then the memory stick “was locked in” according to ford whatever that’ll mean so I needed to use a different usb which as I work in IT I have an abundance of anyway so i’ve redownloaded the update and will give it another crack and see if it gives me the log file this time. If it doesn’t, in to the dealer it goes I think! 

[DG97]

Ok, so I have tried to do the process again. I did a master reset first. Then plugged in the installation USB. It almost immediately said installation completed and that I can remove the USB which is expected as the map version is already installed. According to the Ford guides, this should trigger the xml file to generate again. Unfortunately, when I returned home and plugged the usb up to my laptop, the xml is not there. 

Going to take my car to the dealer as there's not much left that I can try. Quite frustrating as in principle, the process is straightforward and well thought of by Ford but unfortunately, given especially that others also sometimes dont get their log files, the process doesnt quite work the way it should. 

[martinf64]

3 minutes ago, DG97 said:

Ok, so I have tried to do the process again. I did a master reset first. Then plugged in the installation USB. It almost immediately said installation completed and that I can remove the USB which is expected as the map version is already installed. According to the Ford guides, this should trigger the xml file to generate again. Unfortunately, when I returned home and plugged the usb up to my laptop, the xml is not there. 

Going to take my car to the dealer as there's not much left that I can try. Quite frustrating as in principle, the process is straightforward and well thought of by Ford but unfortunately, given especially that others also sometimes dont get their log files, the process doesnt quite work the way it should. 

You should have a look at the TalkFord website Sync3 forum, there are users on there who have gone thru this and have been told by Ford there is no need to upload the log file to their database. Maybe that's why the log file isn't generated and why on a map update we are missing that file. I have tried syncing via wifi but website still saying I have a map update waiting so will be interesting to see what feedback you get from the dealer. 

[DG97]

I'm going to check that site out, thanks. 

Could possibly be the case that you don't need to upload anything back. Then again, the ford instructions for the map update have the log upload as the file stage on their map update guide so it would really be odd for that to be the case. 

I'm going to try and nip in tomorrow or Friday to see if a technician can just explain it but might end up that they need to book it in. I'll send in an update when I have one. 

[martinf64]

Ford website now saying my maps are up to date and no longer offering a download, so looks like connecting Sync3 using a wifi connection and checking for update manually under the settings tab works to update the Ford database. Not sure what you can do if your wifi router is out of range, maybe park outside somewhere that has free wifi and try an in-car update that way.

P.S. If you do manage to check for update via Sync3 wifi it seems to take a couple of days before the Ford database is updated so keep checking.

[DG97]

4 hours ago, martinf64 said:

Ford website now saying my maps are up to date and no longer offering a download, so looks like connecting Sync3 using a wifi connection and checking for update manually under the settings tab works to update the Ford database. Not sure what you can do if your wifi router is out of range, maybe park outside somewhere that has free wifi and try an in-car update that way.

P.S. If you do manage to check for update via Sync3 wifi it seems to take a couple of days before the Ford database is updated so keep checking.

Great! I think i’m going to try the free WiFi approach. Struggling to workout why Sync won’t use my iphones connection but hopefully i’ll get it sorted soon enough! 

[DG97]

So, got a bit of an update... 

As I mentioned, no luck getting the xml file if I retry the map update alone direct from a USB. 

I still can’t get sync 3 to use my iPhone’s hotspot as a WiFi source. I tried a free WiFi place which connected fine, the update seemed to time out and gave a message that the previous update scan didn’t complete fully. I gave up on the free WiFi as I dont really have time to sit and wait for it to do something in a car park 😃

i also emailed Ford directly and the response was interesting...

 I hope you are well, I am sorry to hear of the inconvenience you have encountered. 

I can confirm that you would not receive a .xml file when completing the outstanding map updates for your vehicle, therefore you are required to do no more once the updates are complete. 

In reference to the wi-fi update system, we have been advised to inform you to disable this feature at this time; the feature is under review, and is not currently working at full capacity. 

[DG97]

So, no xml for a map update alone and the WiFi updates don’t work properly. 

I think it’s time for Ford to update their documentation to stop the confusion. 

My only guess left is that whenever the next Sync 3 update comes out, the log file for that will kill two birds with one stone and let Ford know that I have the latest maps. 

[p.harv]

Updated my Sync 3 on Saturday, screen says it is the latest version and also managed to send the xml file back to Ford.

Will check tonight to see if the Ford site says I now have the latest version and then try the map update.

Just to mention the xml file was inside the folder with around 8 items inside it.

My update was done using a USB stick (formatted exfat) and downloaded from Internet Explorer.

 

Paul.

 

[DG97]

2 hours ago, p.harv said:

Updated my Sync 3 on Saturday, screen says it is the latest version and also managed to send the xml file back to Ford.

Will check tonight to see if the Ford site says I now have the latest version and then try the map update.

Just to mention the xml file was inside the folder with around 8 items inside it.

My update was done using a USB stick (formatted exfat) and downloaded from Internet Explorer.

 

Paul.

 

Was that the full Sync update to the newest build? 

When I did my map updates, my Sync 3 was already up to date so I only had to update the maps and not Sync so it looks like based on that and Ford’s response that if you do a map update alone, no xml file is created.

When I updated my Sync to the newest build, that did generate an xml without issue. 

[DG97]

Sorry, just realised you said you was going to try the map update later so that is an answer to my earlier question - that you did a Sync and not map update 😃 

Will be interesting to see if you get a log file for the map update or not. 

[Eric Bloodaxe]

5 hours ago, DG97 said:

 

In reference to the wi-fi update system, we have been advised to inform you to disable this feature at this time; the feature is under review, and is not currently working at full capacity. 

So they've come clean at last and admitted it doesn't work.............😀

[Gigabit]

Is this separate to the Sync software or are they one and the same?

[Gigabit]

Just checked on the Ford SYNC site.

Quote

Your Maps software needs updating. Approx. 22.1GB

 

😮

[p.harv]

Attempted the map update last night but failed miserably, looks like I'll have to download again and try a different usb stick.

The download last night included the very large file (20+gb) and three other files.

One of these others was a very small zip file that could not be unzipped - guess this may be the problem!

Certainly a challenge these updates and not as straightforward as the Ford instructions on the update page!!

 

Paul.

[DG97]

9 hours ago, Gigabit said:

Is this separate to the Sync software or are they one and the same?

Yes, the maps and sync software are two separate updates that require two separate downloads. 

[DG97]

23 minutes ago, p.harv said:

Attempted the map update last night but failed miserably, looks like I'll have to download again and try a different usb stick.

The download last night included the very large file (20+gb) and three other files.

One of these others was a very small zip file that could not be unzipped - guess this may be the problem!

Certainly a challenge these updates and not as straightforward as the Ford instructions on the update page!!

 

Paul.

If you download again, the file you download will come as a zip file, only unzip this file and not the tar.gz (or whatever the extension is inside the folders). If I understood your post correctly, you tried unzipping multiple files. Only the file you download needs unzipping and nothing else 😊

[p.harv]

23 hours ago, DG97 said:

If you download again, the file you download will come as a zip file, only unzip this file and not the tar.gz (or whatever the extension is inside the folders). If I understood your post correctly, you tried unzipping multiple files. Only the file you download needs unzipping and nothing else 😊

Getting there now DG97, downloaded again last night and just unzipped the main file. You are then left with one very large folder plus 2 small files. Travelling to work this morning it has done the first part of the update - upto re-start the car. Hopefully it should be fully updated when I arrive home this evening - fingers crossed!

Thank you for the advice upto now - Paul.

[DG97]

No problem Paul, glad to see you’re getting there 🙂 

The second part of the install takes roughly the same amount of time/maybe a tiny bit more. When it’s done you will have a pop up appear to say your update is finished and to take your usb out. Then when you restart your car after that, the maps will be up to the latest version.