[AmaY]

Hi All,
I just did the swap from sync 2 to sync 3 in my 2015 ford escape and I have notice some of my accessories are not longer responding , like the steering wheel volume control and the voice active as well not working , the 911 assistant not longer showing up on the screen . any help to figure it out will greatly appreciate.
Thank you

 

[Vader101]

Hi All,
I just did the swap from sync 2 to sync 3 in my 2015 ford escape and I have notice some of my accessories are not longer responding , like the steering wheel volume control and the voice active as well not working , the 911 assistant not longer showing up on the screen . any help to figure it out will greatly appreciate.
Thank you

I moved your thread to the 3G Electronics sub forum. You had posted in the 4G, which is for 2020 and newer Escapes.

 

[AmaY]

I moved your thread to the 3G Electronics sub forum. You had posted in the 4G, which is for 2020 and newer Escapes.

Oh Okay , I'm a new here. Thank you for fixing that.

 

[wiz043]

Oh Okay , I'm a new here. Thank you for fixing that.

Try doing a factory reset of sync.

 

[AmaY]

Try doing a factory reset of sync.

I have done that and still not working!

 

[jpohlman]

OK. where did the Sync 3 configuration come from?
The 2013-2015 Escapes usually require a bit of custom work to create a working config even if the Sync 3 donor unit came from an Escape.

 

[AmaY]

OK. where did the Sync 3 configuration come from?
The 2013-2015 Escapes usually require a bit of custom work to create a working config even if the Sync 3 donor unit came from an Escape.

It came from 2018 Ford Explorer.

 

[smartguy69]

Did you back up your sync 2 APIM settings. If not then you can view your factory built APIM setting on the motorcraft service website and download the file. You can then check the cars current APIM settings with what they were and adjust accordingly. Your sync 2 settings should work with sync 3.

You will need a modded ELM327 or OBDLink EX and Forscan with extended licence to make the changes.

https://www.motorcraftservice.com/AsBuilt

 

[jpohlman]

The MFT AsBuilt isn't going to work entirely on a Sync3 unit coming from something other than a C462 chassis, the Escape/Kuga/CMax/Focus are different from the rest of the Ford family.
What trim level and options are on your 2015?
I've got the AB for my 2014 Escape Ti Sync3 upgrade that should be a little easier for you to work with.
Or if you want a custom one for your VIN from someone that really knows what they are doing drop Dan a line at Sync Programming

 

[AmaY]

The MFT AsBuilt isn't going to work entirely on Sync3
What trim level and options are on your 2015?
I've got the AB for my 2014 Escape Ti Sync3 upgrade that should be a little easier for you to work with.
Or if you want a custom one for your VIN from someone that really knows what they are doing drop Dan a line at Sync Programming

Thank you so much! This is very useful information! I will check it out with them.

 

[AmaY]

Did you back up your sync 2 APIM settings. If not then you can view your factory built APIM setting on the motorcraft service website and download the file. You can then check the cars current APIM settings with what they were and adjust accordingly. Your sync 2 settings should work with sync 3.

You will need a modded ELM327 or OBDLink EX and Forscan with extended licence to make the changes.

https://www.motorcraftservice.com/AsBuilt

I did not back up the sync 2 apim, the seller told me that I didn’t need to and that it was just plug in and play but that was not the case!

 

[jpohlman]

Well it was a plug in and it did turn on and work mostly..... LOL

There are a lot of people that confuse the fact that MFT & Sync3 are different animals and Ford makes changes over time in other parts of the car.
When I did my 2014 Fusion SE, the donor was a 2019 Fusion SE with the exact same features/options and I still lost my rear view camera as well a my dual climate controls acting strange.
In order to fix it I had to use a config from a early 2017 Fusion SE that matched my car's features and options because Ford made a change to the Gateway Module in sometime in late 2017, it was either do that or find a used module from a late 2017+.

 

[smartguy69]

I did not back up the sync 2 apim, the seller told me that I didn’t need to and that it was just plug in and play but that was not the case!

It was never going to be plug and play unless he had configured it to your VIN number.

 

[AmaY]

It was never going to be plug and play unless he had configured it to your VIN number.

I asked him if he needed my vin number to configuration the car and his response was no!

 

[smartguy69]

Well it was a plug in and it did turn on and work mostly..... LOL

There are a lot of people that confuse the fact that MFT & Sync3 are different animals and Ford makes changes over time in other parts of the car.
When I did my 2014 Fusion SE, the donor was a 2019 Fusion SE with the exact same features/options and I still lost my rear view camera as well a my dual climate controls acting strange.
In order to fix it I had to use a config from a early 2017 Fusion SE that matched my car's features and options because Ford made a change to the Gateway Module in sometime in late 2017, it was either do that or find a used module from a late 2017+.

There appears to be different scenarios in any sort of upgrade. One of our members upgraded his car from sync 1 to sync 2, using an APIM from a 2016 Kuga and an ACM from a 2017 Kuga. He didn't have to programme anything or use an asbuilt file. It just worked, plug and play. Two of our moderators have done the upgrade to sync 2 at the same time helping each other as they went. Both had no handsfree calling and the other didn't have the car graphic on screen when reversing. Same car models, same settings but different years. They both upgraded at a later date to Sync 3. Neither had to use an asbuilt file from a later car. One of them I know used his sync 2 settings for sync 3.

I too had no bluetooth or handsfree calling and no park graphic on screen. This was after using an asbuilt file from an MFT car identical to mine. One setting change on the ACM gave me bluetooth and handsfree. Changing the architecture on the APIM which came from a Kuga gave me the parking graphic. I then changed the ACM to a later type from a Kuga and lost reversing chimes. One setting changed back to my original ACM value brought this back.

The only thing I am not 100% certain is the park graphic only shows on screen when reverse is selected and engine is running. I have this little thought in the back of my mind on sync 1 it worked with ignition on but engine off.

For the record I am glad I got rid of the awful sync 1 system but I wouldn't recommend doing it. For anyone thinking of taking out sync 1 and putting in 2 or 3, just change the car.

 

[AmaY]

There appears to be different scenarios in any sort of upgrade. One of our members upgraded his car from sync 1 to sync 2, using an APIM from a 2016 Kuga and an ACM from a 2017 Kuga. He didn't have to programme anything or use an asbuilt file. It just worked, plug and play. Two of our moderators have done the upgrade to sync 2 at the same time helping each other as they went. Both had no handsfree calling and the other didn't have the car graphic on screen when reversing. Same car models, same settings but different years. They both upgraded at a later date to Sync 3. Neither had to use an asbuilt file from a later car. One of them I know used his sync 2 settings for sync 3.

I too had no bluetooth or handsfree calling and no park graphic on screen. This was after using an asbuilt file from an MFT car identical to mine. One setting change on the ACM gave me bluetooth and handsfree. Changing the architecture on the APIM which came from a Kuga gave me the parking graphic. I then changed the ACM to a later type from a Kuga and lost reversing chimes. One setting changed back to my original ACM value brought this back.

The only thing I am not 100% certain is the park graphic only shows on screen when reverse is selected and engine is running. I have this little thought in the back of my mind on sync 1 it worked with ignition on but engine off.

For the record I am glad I got rid of the awful sync 1 system but I wouldn't recommend doing it. For anyone thinking of taking out sync 1 and putting in 2 or 3, just change the car.

You are right, It is a such dilemma, you get one thing and you lose other, I just don’t get!

 

[smartguy69]

The issue is that most of us can only call on our own experiences and what worked for me may be different for someone else. My view is change what you need to change to make it work and then don't go fiddling with anything that you know your car doesn't have. I enabled heated seats on mine which it doesn't have and then I couldn't get the seat symbols off the screen even when I disabled it and the orange on lights wouldn't work for the fan a/c or heated screen. I sorted it by uploading the asbuilt file so lesson learned.

Remember that just changing one digit in the APIM block can make more than one change so you need to be careful.

The one thing to remember is that it shouldn't matter whether you got the screen from a Focus, C-Max or Escape, you can make it work with programming. The issue I had with mine and the heated seats is that the car the screen came from had it but my car didn't so there was a conflict somewhere between the APIM and BCM. Uploading an asbuilt file from a car exactly the same as mine with MFT made it work about 90%. I only had to make 2 changes, one to the ACM and one to the APIM to make it work 100%.

With yours you have 4 choices.

The first would be to download an as built for an Escape EXACTLY same model as yours with same extras as your car that had sync 3 from the factory. You would upload the APIM details of the asbuilt file to the APIM.

The second would be to download your original asbuilt file using your VIN and do the same upload to your car.

The third option is to go through the sync 3 settings based on the F-150 google sheets document and then try and figure out which settings you need to change to get working what isn't working.

The last option is advised by another member to contact DanMc85. He knows his stuff more than anyone and have read a lot of his posts on another forum. Even if you fancied having a go with options 1 and 2 there is possibly some additional programming still to be done but none of it is difficult.

If you have access to an OBD reader and Forscan then take a screen shot of your current APIM settings, post them on here and let's have a look to see what's wrong.

 

[AmaY]

The issue is that most of us can only call on our own experiences and what worked for me may be different for someone else. My view is change what you need to change to make it work and then don't go fiddling with anything that you know your car doesn't have. I enabled heated seats on mine which it doesn't have and then I couldn't get the seat symbols off the screen even when I disabled it and the orange on lights wouldn't work for the fan a/c or heated screen. I sorted it by uploading the asbuilt file so lesson learned.

Remember that just changing one digit in the APIM block can make more than one change so you need to be careful.

The one thing to remember is that it shouldn't matter whether you got the screen from a Focus, C-Max or Escape, you can make it work with programming. The issue I had with mine and the heated seats is that the car the screen came from had it but my car didn't so there was a conflict somewhere between the APIM and BCM. Uploading an asbuilt file from a car exactly the same as mine with MFT made it work about 90%. I only had to make 2 changes, one to the ACM and one to the APIM to make it work 100%.

With yours you have 4 choices.

The first would be to download an as built for an Escape EXACTLY same model as yours with same extras as your car that had sync 3 from the factory. You would upload the APIM details of the asbuilt file to the APIM.

The second would be to download your original asbuilt file using your VIN and do the same upload to your car.

The third option is to go through the sync 3 settings based on the F-150 google sheets document and then try and figure out which settings you need to change to get working what isn't working.

The last option is advised by another member to contact DanMc85. He knows his stuff more than anyone and have read a lot of his posts on another forum. Even if you fancied having a go with options 1 and 2 there is possibly some additional programming still to be done but none of it is difficult.

If you have access to an OBD reader and Forscan then take a screen shot of your current APIM settings, post them on here and let's have a look to see what's wrong.

Thank you so much, this is very good information!!

 

[jpohlman]

One of the things that happened between MFT (Sync 1 was the original first generation in the 2008-2012 MY Fords first as a option kit to replace "Mobile Ease", Sync 2 is what's deployed with 4.2" screens) and Sync 3 in the C462 chassis (Escape/Kuga/Fiesta/Focus) was that the data bus protocol changed. When you do an upgrade you run into a new APIM that may or may not have the same protocol(s) enabled as other modules in the car as well as an OS change (MFT is a Ford fork of WindowsCE, Sync 3 is derived from QNX) and there's also the issue of what calibration level (Ford speak for firmware) is in each module.
As SM said above the F150 sheets have a wealth of info (some only applies to MFT such as the graphic equalizer profiles under the sound menu), in my case with our 2014 Escape I was able to get about 70% before I finally punted and paid Dan to build me a config. With his config I'd say I'm at 98% functionality, the rear view camera contrast is lower, the AC power button in the climate screen is reversed (off is on, but the hard buttons work correctly), but the steering wheel home button (2013-2014 MY) will take you directly from Android Auto to the home screen and that's functionality that Ford still hasn't restored even to newer models.

 

[Vader101]

(Sync 1 was the original first generation in the 2008-2012 MY Fords first as a option kit to replace "Mobile Ease", Sync 2 is what's deployed with 4.2" screens)

Your information is a little incorrect. Sync 1 is also the 4.2” screens on the 2013-2015 Escapes. Not sure if they still call it Sync 1 for the 2016-2019 MY Escapes. Sync 2 is the MFT for the 8” screens.