Been fighting this for a while now. My trucks radio is black screen but it’s lit up. I’ve tried the soft reset pulled the fuses and disconnected batteries. Still nothing. I can still connect my phone and play music. I can’t use my steering wheel buttons to change anything. But I can use the volume knob to turn it up or down. I have forscan I’ve tried resetting APIM and still nothing. I have no idea what to do. I didn’t even know you can do all of this with the fords. But I just need to do anything to get my radio back or if I have to get a new APIM I’ve also tried to use the updated on the flash drive but don’t know what’s happening because my screen is black but I did keep it plugged in for 25 mins and still nothing
SYNC Region: NA
Navigation Variant: Nav
Manufacturer Year: MY20
Install Type: OEM
Old SYNC Version: 3.3
New SYNC Version: 3.4 23188
Do you have a error message, if so what is it?
Black screen. Can’t use the steering wheel buttons to change songs or volume up or down. But can use the manual volume button.
When I first updated it. I did it through the truck and that’s when my screen was working. Then I found out about this site two nights ago. I seen where someone said download through this site and plug the usb to the truck and it should work. But it didn’t. And when I set up the isb I clicked maps bc that’s what my truck originally had. But I didn’t chose the option to update to the newest one.
I’m sorry, but the documention mentions this can happen if you have a 2020+ APIM. You have a 2020 vehicle and would have a 2020+ APIM. This is exactly what happens when you format the APIM to update maps.
You have essentially bricked the module. You can replace it or send it to someone to fix.
So could the update that I did in November off the actual radio messed up? Bc at one point of time in December the screen radio only worked on the first start up but if I shut it off and then turned it back on. It would go black screen the whole day. Does the symptoms that I was having in December, were those signs of the APIM going bad?
now if I got a apim I would have to get one with navigation right since my truck came with it?
So I have another question. Just got in the truck this morning. Plugged my phone and my music is playing but still have a lit black screen. If my apim was bricked wouldn’t it not work in general?
The 3.3 version was a shot in the dark. Only reason why I put that was because I have no idea what old version I was on before updating nor did I pay attention to see what the old one was on. So sorry if that makes it seem like a guessing game to you. I seen that I had an update on the radio when I was in the truck and clicked update. When I go to the ford site and put my vin in it shows 3.4 and that its currently up to date.
I did the update to 3.4 23188 on my actual radio no usb. Truck was on WiFi and pulled the update. Got in the truck the screen worked for the first start up. Anytime I turn it of during the day the screen would not come on. It would show the ford logo and then black lit screen. but if I throw it in reverse the back up camera will work.
Then I found out you can install the update on a usb and plug in to the truck. Thinking this would be the fix. I plugged it in and with in ten minutes the radio would go into the ford boot loop and then goes back to black screen. So even after the ford actual update and the syn3lab updater it’s still a black lit screen for both of them with the boot loop and reverse camera working. So how is it wrong?
After both update fails I can still listen to my music on my phone and the reverse camera works when I put it reverse and the logo appears every start up.
So, let clarify some things based on your latest description:’
your update to 3.4.23188 was performed by Ford’s OTA service. It worked, but since then the screen worked only for the 1st time you turned it on, other starts would boot into a black screen after displaying the boot screen (ford logo). Is this so?, only a single use per day was possible?.
you then used an USB created by Syn3updater to re-do the installation, again with black screen. Is it always black?, or you still get that 1st good boot into the UI?
Can you try running an interrogator log against the unit?, as current version set whatever build you chose your point #2.
Remember to share the log for the Syn3updater’s USB you used for upgrading.
Yes when I did the OTA the screen would only work the first start up. If I turned the truck off at any point of the day and got back into it would only show ford boot screen then automatically go to lit black screen. The next day it would do the same and for a week it was like that. Until one day got in and it would just do the boot load up screen and go black.
so then I seen where you could reinstall by using the usb. But my issue that I have is when I start the truck up the screen does it boot load up and automatically goes to a black screen. I can’t do what everyone else does and got to setting and click update. It’s literally black black screen. But like I said before I can still plug my iPhone up and listen to music and when I throw it in reverse the rear camera will work but once I go back to drive it’s back to being black screen again .
I’ve tried to start the truck up and plug the usb after the boot screen and I’ve tried plug the usb in and starting the truck. And both times I’ve let it sit for 15-20 mins. And all it does with the usb plugged in it will do the boot load up and then goes straight to lit black screen.
Thanks, now I get the picture. So this has nothing to do with Syn3updater, but the infotainment had been acting up before you even got Syn3updater. This is not trivial, sounds like a bad connection or another hardware issue.
What’s the temperature like where you live?.
About the USB port, are they powered?. If you connect your phone, does it charge / tries to start Carplay or Android Auto?.
I’m still waiting for the logs, both the USB you tried for “upgrading” with Syn3updater, and the output of the interrogator log if it works.
I live in NC. So low of 25 and highs of 90+. And I can get you the logs either tonight or tomorrow night it all depends what side quests my wife has for me when I get home.
And yes the usb ports are powered. When I connect my phone with the usb-c it charges and goes straight to CarPlay. And the other usb plug works bc when I plug the usb stick in it the light on it flashes like how it does on the computer
And as soon as I start the truck. The radio says ford. It does its little shining shit.and once my dash is done doing its thing the ford logo shines and then bam black lit screen. And at that time I can plug my phone up with the cord and go to my music and play shit. What’s even more crazier is the fact if I use maps it will say see in CarPlay and I can hear the guys voice telling me where to go but absolutely nothing on the screen it’s just black. The weird thing about it though is that I can’t use my steering wheel controls. Back/forward skip and volume up and down. If I want to change songs I have to do it off of my phone and if I want to turn it up or down I have to use the knob. And same with the reverse camera. I can put it in reverse and it displays the camera crystal fucking clear too. But once I put it in drive it’s back to being a black screen. And the button that has all my camera views doesn’t work either
but tomorrow I will get the logs for you I plan on ripping the dash apart and tracking down loose wires if there are any. and to get the model number of the apim so I can find a replacement one.
I’m not sure if you can send it “natively” (like attaching the file), but you can upload it to youtube and sharing the link. But I get the idea of what’s going on, you are not the first person to have this. There are 2 distinct sequences while turning on the truck: the first one is the booting sequence, where the log (or whatever image the user has configured) is displayed while Sync3 boots, that’s called the boot screen or boot splash. Once is initialized, Sync3 takes over and displays its UI, or theme.
That’s not a bad idea, make sure everything is well connected. But I’m not sure if that’s the culprit here, since the screen works.
It should not take long, not at all. A couple of minutes if that.
