Sudden Sync3 Black Screen

Ford SYNC 3 Support
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1

Hello all, my Ford Transit 350 was OE with the 4" display but had a SYNC 3 APIM pre-installed (non-Nav i think?). Upgraded with an 8" touch screen display out of a Ford Ecosport and re-programmed APIM using CyanLabs software. Worked flawlessly for about a year until suddenly black screen of death. Radio and bluetooth still work (I can hear the dings from my phone notifications). Any suggestions on what the issue is and how to go about getting this issue resolved? Back up camera obviously doesn’t work which is a major issue for the wife (and for me).

Appreciate your help in advance! I’ll admit, I know enough about this stuff to be dangerous but not necessarily a dummy. Like I said, it worked for a year up until recently.

Thanks!

SYNC Region: NA

Navigation Variant: Non Nav

Manufacturer Year: MY20

Install Type: Retrofit

Old SYNC Version: 3.4.20136

New SYNC Version: 3.4.20136

Do you have a error message, if so what is it?

Update Method: CyanLabs Syn3 Updater

Syn3 Updater Version: CYANLABS - SYN3 UPDATER - V2.11.9.0

Syn3 Updater Documentation Read: yes

Syn3 Updater Log File

CYANLABS - SYN3 UPDATER - V2.11.9.0
Branch: Stable
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (2009)

PREVIOUS CONFIGURATION
Version: 3.4.20136
Region: NA
Navigation: True
Install Mode: Auto-Detect (autoinstall)
Install Mode Overridden: False
My20 Protection Enabled: Enabled

DESTINATION DETAILS
Mode: Drive
Model: Mass Storage Device USB Device
Size: 29.7GB
FileSystem: exFAT
Partition Type: MBR

AUTOINSTALL.LST
; CyanLabs Syn3Updater 2.11.9.0 Stable - Autoinstall Mode - Sync 3.4.20136 NA

[SYNCGen3.0_ALL_PRODUCT]
Item1 = VOICE - 5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ
Open1 = SyncMyRide\5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ
Item2 = APPS - 5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ
Open2 = SyncMyRide\5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ
Item3 = VOICE_NAV - 4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ
Open3 = SyncMyRide\4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ
Item4 = VOICE_NAV - 4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ
Open4 = SyncMyRide\4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ
Item5 = VOICE_NAV - 4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ
Open5 = SyncMyRide\4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ
Options = AutoInstall


FILES (5)
5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ (385.4MB)
5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ (841.8MB)
4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ (1.3GB)
4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ (772.4MB)
4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ (549.6MB)

LOG
[5/29/2023 4:18:02 PM] Selected Region: NA - Release: Sync 3.4.20136 - Map Version: 2.20 (2020) - NA 
[5/29/2023 4:18:02 PM] Install Mode: Auto-Detect (autoinstall) Forced: False 
[5/29/2023 4:18:02 PM] MY20 Protection: Enabled 
[5/29/2023 4:18:02 PM] Formatting USB drive
[5/29/2023 4:18:02 PM] Re-creating partition table as MBR and formatting as ExFat on selected USB drive
[5/29/2023 4:18:11 PM] Checking Existing File: 5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:13 PM] Validated: 5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ (Skipping Download) 
[5/29/2023 4:18:13 PM] Checking Existing File: 5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:17 PM] Validated: 5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ (Skipping Download) 
[5/29/2023 4:18:17 PM] Checking Existing File: 4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:21 PM] Validated: 4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ (Skipping Download) 
[5/29/2023 4:18:21 PM] Checking Existing File: 4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:24 PM] Validated: 4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ (Skipping Download) 
[5/29/2023 4:18:24 PM] Checking Existing File: 4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:26 PM] Validated: 4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ (Skipping Download) 
[5/29/2023 4:18:26 PM] Preparing USB drive
[5/29/2023 4:18:26 PM] Checking Existing File: 5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:26 PM] Copying: 5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:55 PM] Validating: 5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:57 PM] Copied: 5U5T-14G391-CL_1580862907000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:57 PM] Checking Existing File: 5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:18:57 PM] Copying: 5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:20:01 PM] Validating: 5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:20:03 PM] Copied: 5U5T-14G381-ED_1591670365000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:20:03 PM] Checking Existing File: 4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:20:03 PM] Copying: 4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:21:44 PM] Validating: 4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:21:48 PM] Copied: 4U5T-14G422-CAJ_1626961442000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:21:48 PM] Checking Existing File: 4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:21:48 PM] Copying: 4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:22:48 PM] Validating: 4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:22:51 PM] Copied: 4U5T-14G422-CBJ_1626962550000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:22:51 PM] Checking Existing File: 4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:22:51 PM] Copying: 4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:23:33 PM] Validating: 4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:23:35 PM] Copied: 4U5T-14G422-CCJ_1626963400000.TAR.GZ 
[5/29/2023 4:23:35 PM] Generating Autoinstall.lst
[5/29/2023 4:23:35 PM] ALL FILES DOWNLOADED AND COPIED TO THE USB DRIVE SUCCESSFULLY!
2

I would start by making sure the video cable from the APIM to the FCIM is securely connected. Have you tried to reset it?

Your log shows you put that it has Navigation but in your question you say it doesn’t. It pretty clear if it has it or not when you’re using it for the past year.

3

It seems odd that it would be loose but I agree. Good place to start. Will check it. I tried a Soft Reset and a Key Cycle. Also tried a hard resest by pulling the fuse (pretty sure it was the correct one). Nothing seemed to work. Hard to tell because can’t see anything on the screen. All I know is the screen is still black.

I understand that’s what the log shows. I honestly never use the pre-installed NAV. I seem to remember having to remove maps in order to make the file small enough to be able to load on the APIM (if that makes sense). Seems inconsequential in diagnosing the black screen.

1 Like
4

Soo nothing seems loose. Pulled the screen. All connections seem good. Also pulled the APIM. Unplugged everything. Left detached for a hot minute. Plugged back in. Turned back on. ANnnnnnnnd nothing. Still black.

Only thing left I can think of is to buy a replacement display from someone with a good return policy :rofl: See if maybe its a faulty screen.

1 Like
5

Well that was the cheapest fix idea I had. LOL

6

Questions: is the unit operational beside the black screen?.
For instance, does the radio work?, do you hear sounds?, do the USB ports get powered?.

7

Yes, it appears to be. Radio works. And still connects to Bluetooth. USB ports work as well.

8

Thanks for the confirmation. The fact the backup camera does not work “kind of” rules Sync3 itself out (the APIM), because the feed is processed “like a bypass”.
So either the APIM’s image output port is faulty (unlikely), the cable has gone bad (unlikely) or the screen has gone bad (possible). It’s hard to diagnose stuff like this, but I also feel the screen is to blame here.
Do you have forscan and an adapter?.

9

I do

10

Can you share your APIM’s asbuilt?

Specially, these 2 values:
DE01/7D0-02-01 xxxx-**xx-xxxx (boot screen)
DE02/7D0-03-01 xxxx-**xx-xxxx (theme)

11

Ha! If I could figure it out! I’ll repeat, I know just enough to be dangerous. I should be able to

12

Haha, ok… I just want to rule any visual configuration out… it’s really unlikely, but since you already have an adapter and forscan, it’s free… I will leave you the documented values for those 2 settings, you want to confirm they are within the range of what your current 3.4 expects for your configuration.

DE01/7D0-02-01 xxxx-**xx-xxxx
DE02/7D0-03-01 xxxx-**xx-xxxx

I’m not 100% sure a misconfigured value would prevent the backup camera from being shown, so I still think the screen may be the issue here… but it does not hurt to check…

13

Ok great! Thanks! To be clear, nothing shows on the screen. Not the display, backup camera, no controls nada. Not even Ford symbol. Just pure black screen. Randomly happened last week. But it sounds like it’s still operational. Phone connects and will announce sound notifications. Radio plays. Etc. just nothing shows up on the screen.

14

Yep, that’s what I understood, but let me clarify something.
When I said “I’m not 100% sure a misconfigured value would prevent the backup camera from being shown”, I didn’t imply that the screen was not black all the time. What I meant is that we had cases where the screen was black BUT when the user put the car into reverse, the camera would appear on screen. As I said before, that signal is processed like “a bypass” lets say, so even an unhealthy (but operational) APIM showing a “black screen” can show the backup camera… Since yours does not, and the unit is operational, that’s what points towards a faulty screen.

Having said that, it does not hurt to check your ASBUILT.

1 Like
15

image
image1512×2016 1.44 MB

1 Like
16

No idea what either of those^^^^^ should be

17

I also noticed that several of the other modules had DTCs for lost connection to the APIM…

18

Clear all of the DTC’s as those can be the result of the upgrade you did before.

Both of these indicate a setting of ‘01’. they should be changed to ‘00’. You will need to perform an ignition cycle for the change to take effect.

Do you see any backlighting on the screen at night, or in a dark place like a garage?