[Gryffindor101]

I will add to the fire because it appears that Ford is completely leaving the chronic APIM / ACIM issues to us to resolve.

Short story - 2013 SEL, bought new, love the car! Had it in twice as detailed below in my email thread to local dealer customer sat liaison. So dealer now wants $900 to repair what I view as a problem reported under warranty 6 years ago that was never resolved. Dealer committed to respond in 24 hours - that was 15 days ago.

Partial email thread:
Sent: 8/26/2019 2:38:04 PM
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX,
Subject: RE: Regarding your recent visit with us


OK, since I have been out of town and the link to Ford survey has expired, I will provide feedback via a response to this email.

I am very dissatisfied with Ford and XXXXXXXX Service’s handling of the issue I am experiencing with my 2013 Escape.

I merged your thread with one of the existing threads on changing the ACM. Have a loon thought some of the other posts for some possible help.

 

[mbobo514]

I merged your thread with one of the existing threads on changing the ACM. Have a loon thought some of the other posts for some possible help.

Thanks! I will review and appreciate the help.

 

[Sbgood]

Thanks to everyone on this forum. My wife has a 2014 Ford Escape and sound was not working, replaced the CD player/ACM module and sound is back and saved a ton of money.

 

[Leothelion]

Welcome to the forum!

Those are the antenna leads for the AM/FM and Satellite Radio (I don't know which is which, even if you don't use Satellite just put 'em both back in the correct place). Do Not Cut The Antenna Leads In Your Car Harness !

See below (detail of a photo 'stolen' from a classified ad pic by @HayaiKuruma)

• The 'button' you push only goes down ~1mm and is very stiff
• You are pulling/removing the entire 3/8" wide x 5/8" high black connector which includes the nylon part with the 'button' and all the part wrapped in black - NOT just the cable/its metal end (same for the other 'mustard-colored' one)
• When the 'button' is pushed correctly, the connector will slide off with no resistance whatsoever.
• I've found that a pair of needle-nosed pliers with serrated 'grippy tips', one tip on the 'button' and the other tip on the bottom of the connector, squeezed gently but firmly and then pulling outward, works for me. Don't 'pull' until the button is 'pushed'.
• If you buy an ACM with the connectors in place, practice on that before doing it on your own in-car harness ;-)

Oh, and you are correct, the extended warranty referenced by @ralph7up relates only to the APIM - not the ACM.

Other considerations when installing a used ACM .... it should be a plug-and-play procedure as long as the replacement ACM comes from an Escape with the identical audio system (e.g. "Sony" sound if your Escape has "Sony" sound, non-Sony 6-speaker > non-Sony 6-speaker, non-Sony 9-speaker > non-Sony 9-speaker). Note: NAV/non-NAV is not a factor - it's the audio system features that need to match for plug-and-play simplicity.

If the replacement ACM is from other than an Escape or is a different audio system, it can be made to work but that may involve some ACM re-programming effort using FORScan. There's help with that here if needed. Note that HD radio and satellite radio cannot be added by re-programming - you must have a 'hardware match' insofar as those features.

Also, if you have an active Sirius subscription .... the replacement ACM will have a different unique Sirius ESN number hard-coded into it - you'll have to contact Sirius support to get them to transfer your subscription to the new ESN. The new ESN is on the Serial Number bar code tag on the ACM (it will also be correctly reported on your MFT menu when the replacement ACM is installed). If you don't have a current Sirius subscription you can just ignore this - you or a later owner can get a new subscription any time by giving them the ESN reported on your MFT screen.

Hope that helps, you should have no problem finding a replacement used ACM for MUCH less than new MSRP, good luck!

BIG THANKS!!! I have been all over the internet the last week trying to find this answer, no one else on any other forum has been able to help. I have my new acm and am pulling my old one out but I for the life of only could find "just cut them and put your own in". So thank you so much for answering this man's question so I may happen upon it! WOO!

 

[rab0316]

Hello. Looking for some advice. While removing my old ACM I broke one of those small connectors on the bottom left corner in the rear of the module. The plastic was hard and brittle and when I squeezed to pull it out the plastic connector broke. On the used ACM that I purchased the connectors were included as the junk yard just cut the wires. My question is can i splice the connector from the replacement unit onto the wire from my car? Is that even possible? Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[murcod]

My question is can i splice the connector from the replacement unit onto the wire from my car? Is that even possible? Thanks in advance for your advice.

You'd be better off removing the terminal pins from the plugs and swapping the plug shells over.

 

[smartguy69]

You can also buy replacement plugs. I assume you are taking about the FAKRA connectors. Are yours black and white.

 

[rab0316]

Thanks for the reply smartguy69. Yes the plugs are the small ones on the back and they are black and white. The white one broke. I was able to splice the plug from the junk yard ACM on to the wiring in my car. Thought it was worth a shot and it worked great! Happy to have my radio back!

 

[Cryan]

Just an FYI. Finally bit the bullet and took the 2014 Escape Titanium to the dealer for no audio problem. Diagnosed as needing ACM replacement, which I expected.

But here's the thing that's worth noting...the part they will put in (for $775...$150 diagnostic, $150 install, $475 part) is refurbished from Ford! There are no new ones to be had, said my dealer guy. The dealer mechanic removes the broken one and sends it to whoever Ford is using for this, they refurbish and sell it to a dealer for installation in another vehicle.

When I told the service manager that these were available on eBay for $100-$150 he said, "hunh." I'd have tried to do this myself except for the fact that I'm old as dirt and almost crippled myself checking the fuses under the glove box on the passenger side ....whoever designed that little setup must have been tiny and high.

Good for those of you who did the swap out yourselves. You saved about $600.

 

[smartguy69]

That's a lot of money. I bought a sync 2 ACM from Ebay for £35 ($50). It took me maybe twenty minutes to install. I have a working sync 1 ACM in the garage that I am going to send for scrap as I don't have the time or inclination to bother with eBay. Perhaps I should donate it to Ford so they can reduce their costs. There is no difference between the sync 1 and sync 2/3 ACM apart from programming. I guess they changed the ACM in the G4 which could explain why there are no new ones available. It hasn't taken long for new supplies to run out.

 

[slipknothollywood]

You need to check the fuses in the cargo area. The Titanium has the Sony audio and the power amplifier for the speakers is not in the head unit up front. The power unit is located in the spare tire well forward and to the left of the spare tire in a recess in the hard foam. But the fuse for it is in the RJB.

Check fuse F23 in the rear junction box (RJB) which is under the panel on the right side wall of the cargo compartment.

im actually having trouble with that fuse, it keeps blowing. i changed the acm, which made the steering wheel buttons and evyerthing else work again, but the f23 wire keeps making fuses blow. should i change the wire harness? i traced it back to the amp harness and when i put a ohm to it, it saya 1.5

 

[murcod]

i changed the acm, which made the steering wheel buttons and evyerthing else work again, but the f23 wire keeps making fuses blow. should i change the wire harness? i traced it back to the amp harness and when i put a ohm to it, it saya 1.5

So it's 1.5 Ohms with the amplifier unplugged from the harness?

 

[slipknothollywood]

So it's 1.5 Ohms with the amplifier unplugged from the harness?

plugged in

 

[murcod]

plugged in

Try unplugging it and check the resistance again. That will tell you if it's a loom problem or possibly the amp.

 

[missyp]

Welcome to the forum!

Those are the antenna leads for the AM/FM and Satellite Radio (I don't know which is which, even if you don't use Satellite just put 'em both back in the correct place). Do Not Cut The Antenna Leads In Your Car Harness !

See below (detail of a photo 'stolen' from a classified ad pic by @HayaiKuruma)

• The 'button' you push only goes down ~1mm and is very stiff
• You are pulling/removing the entire 3/8" wide x 5/8" high black connector which includes the nylon part with the 'button' and all the part wrapped in black - NOT just the cable/its metal end (same for the other 'mustard-colored' one)
• When the 'button' is pushed correctly, the connector will slide off with no resistance whatsoever.
• I've found that a pair of needle-nosed pliers with serrated 'grippy tips', one tip on the 'button' and the other tip on the bottom of the connector, squeezed gently but firmly and then pulling outward, works for me. Don't 'pull' until the button is 'pushed'.
• If you buy an ACM with the connectors in place, practice on that before doing it on your own in-car harness ;-)

Oh, and you are correct, the extended warranty referenced by @ralph7up relates only to the APIM - not the ACM.

Other considerations when installing a used ACM .... it should be a plug-and-play procedure as long as the replacement ACM comes from an Escape with the identical audio system (e.g. "Sony" sound if your Escape has "Sony" sound, non-Sony 6-speaker > non-Sony 6-speaker, non-Sony 9-speaker > non-Sony 9-speaker). Note: NAV/non-NAV is not a factor - it's the audio system features that need to match for plug-and-play simplicity.

If the replacement ACM is from other than an Escape or is a different audio system, it can be made to work but that may involve some ACM re-programming effort using FORScan. There's help with that here if needed. Note that HD radio and satellite radio cannot be added by re-programming - you must have a 'hardware match' insofar as those features.

Also, if you have an active Sirius subscription .... the replacement ACM will have a different unique Sirius ESN number hard-coded into it - you'll have to contact Sirius support to get them to transfer your subscription to the new ESN. The new ESN is on the Serial Number bar code tag on the ACM (it will also be correctly reported on your MFT menu when the replacement ACM is installed). If you don't have a current Sirius subscription you can just ignore this - you or a later owner can get a new subscription any time by giving them the ESN reported on your MFT screen.

Hope that helps, you should have no problem finding a replacement used ACM for MUCH less than new MSRP, good luck!

So are you saying that when your radio doesn’t work and it’s the ACM you have no recourse on using the Premium Care plan that one would purchase?

 

[2Scoops]

So my daughters car has started having issues with the radio. She is also telling me her phone will not connector. The unit turns on but doesn't do anything sound or connection wise. Phone doesn't connect. Could this be something else going on with the ACM?

 

[kkejflem]

Hello- I have to replace my ACM on my 2015 Ford Escape. Should I remove the old one to order the exact part first to get the part number? Are there any websites you recommend for ordering the ACM? Thanks, Kat

 

[smartguy69]

Hello- I have to replace my ACM on my 2015 Ford Escape. Should I remove the old one to order the exact part first to get the part number? Are there any websites you recommend for ordering the ACM? Thanks, Kat

Ideally for it to be plug and play you would need the exact same code including the last two letters. You have a different set up with radio in the USA but over here in the UK a newer model ACM will work with an older sync system after the asbuilt settings have been used for the replacement ACM. That also works the other way around as well as I upgraded my sync 1 with a sync 2 system and used the original sync 1 ACM. I now have sync 3.

Over here the breakers are charging a fortune for a Kuga (Escape) ACM, yet one for a Mondeo (Fusion) is about half the cost or less. The Fusion one shares a similar engineering part code in the "19C107" part and it would be interesting to know if it could be used in the Kuga / Escape. I know over here the one for the Focus cannot be used as it cannot be programmed, certainly not with Forscan.

The amount of failures of the 2012-2015 sync 1 ACM's we have over here is quite surprising and it seems to be down to a common fault. Surprised that nobody has taken one apart and found what's blown as it could be an easy and cheap repair.

Good luck in your search.

 

[spaid1988]

May not apply to everybody's issues. But I have a 2013 Ford. Escape titanium radio started off making static noises I Then completely cut out a few weeks later. Would be intermittent would come back on 1 day static next and then stop working.
So I look at the forms found various solutions. I know I'm not paying $300 for AC. M. That's older than my daughter. I reflowed the board myself. Did not fix the problem while I was troubleshooting it. I hooked it up with out the CD player module connected Walla. Radio workfine, then running it now. For a week. Without the city player in it works fine. No issues reconnected the CD player today to confirm radio would not work. Did the static thing for about 5 minutes and then completely one out. I believe it may be a power issue or something wrong with the CD module itself.
But I don't use cd's anyways. Just want the Bluetooth and navigation to work. So I'm running it when no city player so far no problems. Save some money in compromise may not work with everybody's.

 

[spaid1988]

May not apply to everybody's issues. But I have a 2013 Ford. Escape titanium radio started off making static noises I Then completely cut out a few weeks later. Would be intermittent would come back on 1 day static next and then stop working.
So I look at the forms found various solutions. I know I'm not paying $300 for AC. M. That's older than my daughter. I reflowed the board myself. Did not fix the problem while I was troubleshooting it. I hooked it up with out the CD player module connected Walla. Radio workfine, then running it now. For a week. Without the city player in it works fine. No issues reconnected the CD player today to confirm radio would not work. Did the static thing for about 5 minutes and then completely one out. I believe it may be a power issue or something wrong with the CD module itself.
But I don't use cd's anyways. Just want the Bluetooth and navigation to work. So I'm running it when no city player so far no problems. Save some money in compromise may not work with everybody's.

Sorry about grammar issues I used speech to text the text