Help needed – Bricked APIM JR3T-14G371-BJG after failed update (Ford Escape 2018, SYNC 3)

Ford SYNC 3 Support CyanLabs Update Support
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1

Hello everyone,

I need some help with my APIM module.
Car: Ford Escape 2016-2018
APIM part number: JR3T-14G371-BJG (8GB, Non-Nav).

What happened

After a failed USB update my SYNC 3 unit went completely black.

No screen output

No USB power

No signs of life in normal mode

However, in FORScan the APIM module is still detected. I can start flashing, and during programming the radio buttons briefly light up, but when the process finishes everything goes dark again.

What I have tried

Tried different USB sticks and FAT32 formatting

Tried multiple factory update packages

In FORScan: module reset, APIM As-Built load/write, forced overwrite

Still the same result: programming seems to complete, but the module won’t boot.

Symptoms

APIM detected in FORScan, responds to flashing

Buttons light up only during programming

After flashing → black screen, no USB, no SYNC boot

Looks like a typical “bricked APIM” situation after wrong/partial firmware.

What I’m looking for

  1. The correct set of VBF / calibration / as-built files for APIM JR3T-14G371-BJG (8GB NonNav).

  2. Advice on whether this unit is recoverable via FORScan only, or if it requires hardware recovery (eMMC/JTAG “unbrick service”).

  3. Any known working firmware/strategy for this specific part number.

Notes

I found that other modules like JR3T-14G371-FFB got bricked after reformat (MY20 hardware issues), so I wonder if BJG has the same risk.

Ford TSBs mention issues with SYNC 3 APIMs (14G371 series), but I don’t have access to the official recovery packages

SYNC Region: EU

Navigation Variant: Non Nav

Manufacturer Year: Pre MY20

Install Type: OEM

Old SYNC Version: 3.0.02024

New SYNC Version: 3.0.02024

Do you have a error message, if so what is it?
No

Update Method: CyanLabs Syn3 Updater

Syn3 Updater Version: 2.14.2.0

Syn3 Updater Documentation Read: yes

Syn3 Updater Log File

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<p:OTAModuleSnapShot xmlns:d2p1="urn:ford/Vehicle/Module/Information/v3.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:p="urn:ford/com/productdesign/ipp/ModuleSnapshot/v2.0" version="2025-09-19" xsi:schemaLocation="urn:ford/Vehicle/Module/Information/v3.0 ModuleSnapshot.xsd">
<p:VIN>1FMCU0HD4JUC26699</p:VIN>
<p:ModuleName>ECU</p:ModuleName>
<p:RequestRole>
  <d2p1:Role>CONSUMER</d2p1:Role>
  <d2p1:RoleSource>OTA</d2p1:RoleSource>
  <d2p1:RoleDesc>SYNC</d2p1:RoleDesc>
  <d2p1:RoleID>OTA</d2p1:RoleID>
</p:RequestRole>
<p:BroadcastDTCType/>
<p:Node isFlashed="false" specificationCategory="GGDS">
  <d2p1:Address>7D0</d2p1:Address>
  <d2p1:ECUAcronym name="APIM">
    <d2p1:State>
      <d2p1:Gateway gatewayType="NONE">
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="Embedded Consumer Operating System Part Number" didValue="8033" responseLength="24">
          <d2p1:Response>JR3T-14G381-AX</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="Packeted" didType="Embedded Consumer Applications Part Numbers 1" didValue="8060" responseLength="384">
          <d2p1:Response>4a5233542d3134473339312d4246000000000000000000004a5233542d3134473432332d424200000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="Packeted" didType="Embedded Consumer Applications Part Numbers 1" didValue="8061" responseLength="384">
          <d2p1:Response>000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="HEX" didType="ECU Checksum 1" didValue="D704" responseLength="4">
          <d2p1:Response>6b866acc</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="HEX" didType="ECU Checksum 2" didValue="D705" responseLength="4">
          <d2p1:Response>ff1d7570</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didType="Direct Configuraation DID DE00" didValue="DE00">
          <d2p1:Response>2b284002800028150000</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>true</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didType="Direct Configuraation DID DE01" didValue="DE01">
          <d2p1:Response>555301044002401000004005</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>true</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didType="Direct Configuraation DID DE02" didValue="DE02">
          <d2p1:Response>0000010000</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>true</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didType="Direct Configuraation DID DE03" didValue="DE03">
          <d2p1:Response>010006e1080001</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>true</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didType="Direct Configuraation DID DE04" didValue="DE04">
          <d2p1:Response>18061810295f</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>true</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didType="Direct Configuraation DID DE05" didValue="DE05">
          <d2p1:Response>80</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>true</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didType="Direct Configuraation DID DE06" didValue="DE06">
          <d2p1:Response>1504330000000000fa000004306f0057</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>true</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="On-line Diagnostic Database Reference Number" didValue="F110" responseLength="24">
          <d2p1:Response>DS-HB5T-14G371-CA</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="ECU Core Assembly Number" didValue="F111" responseLength="24">
          <d2p1:Response>HL1T-14G380-AC</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="ECU Delivery Assembly Number" didValue="F113" responseLength="24">
          <d2p1:Response>JR3T-14G371-BJG</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="ECU Calibration Data #1 Number" didValue="F124" responseLength="24">
          <d2p1:Response>HB5T-14G375-BA</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="Private Sub Node #1 Serial Number" didValue="F141" responseLength="16">
          <d2p1:Response>W27ZFRD7</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="State Encoded" didType="Software Download Specification Version" didValue="F162" responseLength="1">
          <d2p1:Response>Blank</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="State Encoded" didType="Diagnostic Specification Version" didValue="F163" responseLength="1">
          <d2p1:Response>03</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="Vehicle Manufacturer ECU Software Number" didValue="F188" responseLength="24">
          <d2p1:Response>HB5T-14G374-CA</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="ASCII" didType="ECU Serial Number" didValue="F18C" responseLength="16">
          <d2p1:Response></d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="HEX" didType="ECU MAC Address 1" didValue="F1D0" responseLength="6">
          <d2p1:Response>1c:63:49:d8:84:0f</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
        <d2p1:DID didFormat="HEX" didType="ECU MAC Address 2" didValue="F1D1" responseLength="6">
          <d2p1:Response>1c:63:49:d8:84:10</d2p1:Response>
          <d2p1:IsConfig>false</d2p1:IsConfig>
        </d2p1:DID>
      </d2p1:Gateway>
    </d2p1:State>
  </d2p1:ECUAcronym>
  <d2p1:ODLNetwork d2p1:NetworkDataRate="500" d2p1:NetworkName="HS-CAN" d2p1:NetworkProtocol="CAN" d2p1:DLCName="SAE J1962" d2p1:Pins="6,14"/>
  <d2p1:AdditionalAttributes logGeneratedDateTime="2025-09-19T17:11:57+00:00" RAM="390639616" vmcuVersion="Vector_VMCU_02.02.20">
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/usb1/" total="98G" available="98G"/>
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/usb0/" total="3.6G" available="2.9G"/>
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/tmpfs/" total="128M" available="126M"/>
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/Nuance/" total="1.3G" available="5.4M"/>
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/Nuance/grace" total="1.1G" available="5.9M"/>
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/rwdata/" total="1024M" available="740M"/>
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/mp/" total="1024M" available="40M"/>
    <d2p1:PartitionHealth type="/fs/images/" total="4.2G" available="1.6G"/>
    <d2p1:InstallationLog/>
    <d2p1:SyncData>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</d2p1:SyncData>
  </d2p1:AdditionalAttributes>
</p:Node>
</p:OTAModuleSnapShot>
2

Hello.

Yes, it’s MY20 hardware. Assuming you went from 3.0 (or earlier) to 3.4 then yes, it’s bricked / dead. And it’s not a risk: it’s a fact, a limitation. The reformat tool that Syn3updater uses cannot be used on MY20 hardware, as warned many times.

I guess you didn’t manually check and didn’t let Syn3updater check either while creating the USB, since it’s flagged as MY20.

image
image753×469 65.2 KB

  1. Your current issue is not firmware/strategy related.
  2. Can’t be solved via Forscan. Your options are limited:
  1. Your current issue is not firmware/strategy related.
4

The service center told me that there must be a calibration file and that without it, it is impossible to do anything. Do you have one?

5

Since I’m not the one saying that and I’ve already explained what the issue is, you should be asking that to them, don’t you think?. :wink:

You are not the first person to brick a MY20 APIM by reformatting it, if this could be solved as the shop says by simply flashing something via Forscan (but does not say what and how, which should be a red flag to you), we would already know that by now.

8

The Interrogator Log attached above shows 2025-09-19. Is this log from the unit that is now not working? If so, it indicates the ECU version as:
d2p1:DID didFormat=“ASCII” didType=“ECU Core Assembly Number” didValue=“F111” responseLength=“24”>
d2p1:Response>HL1T-14G380-AC</d2p1:Response>
This is not a MY20+ ECU, but is a pre-MY18.5 ECU.

It is unclear from your post if you actually tried to reformat the APIM. Did you try to upgrade to Sync 3.4 from Sync 3.0? The log indicates -AX, which is Sync 3.0.02024.

APIM Firmware Flash Rescue (H-J-PRE-2018.5)

To rescue a North America (NA) H or J series Gen 2 PRE-2018.5 APIM from a black screen as a result of firmware programming, load the following files and flash the unit. Follow thru the instructions below.

For NAV:
SBL: (shouldn’t have to change this) GB5T-14G376-AA.VBF
Strat: HB5T-14G374-CA.VBF
Cal: HB5T-14G375-DA.VBF (for NA) or HB5T-14G375-FA (ANY region with NAV, US Export)
For NON-NAV:
SBL: (shouldn’t have to change this) GB5T-14G376-AA.VBF
Strat: HB5T-14G374-CA.VBF
Cal: HB5T-14G375-BA.VBF (for NA) or HB5T-14G375-CA (ROW)

In the FORScan APIM firmware programming screen make sure that nothing says ignored, you should click the button at the bottom that says Force Program, Silence Busses, and Recovery Mode. When it completes, you’ll be at the same point you were before, blank screen. Shut the vehicle off. Likely your HVAC buttons will all stay on. It should come back to the ford logo when it’s complete. Turn vehicle on and it should fully power up.

If you did reformat the unit it is likely failed.

9

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