I’m planning to get the upgrade package to SYNC 3 from AliExpress for my Focus 2016 MK3.5 (Europe). I have some questions:
There are three versions: no NAV, NAV 32 GB and NAV 64 GB. What are the differences, except the memory? I will be using Android Auto so no need for the NAV but I’m wondering if there are some other differences? The price difference is 100€.
Will my OEM reverse camera from SYNC2 work?
Same question for microphone.
Anyone did this already? How confident are those sellers and any eventual problems I cam expect?
Does it work flawlessly with AA Wireless ?
SYNC Region: EU
Navigation Variant: Nav
Manufacturer Year: Unknown
Install Type: Unknown
Old SYNC Version: 1.0
New SYNC Version: 1.0
Do you have a error message, if so what is it?
No errors, general question
Wireless AA does not work natively with Sync3, you need an adapter like the Motorola MA1
Non-NAV is an 8Gb unit in NA and some other parts of the world, the EU non-NAV is a 16Gb unit. EU NAV is 64Gb, NA and the rest of the work are 32Gb. The unit you buy for the EU should be a 16Gb unit.
With a correct config, the OEM Sync2 camera will work
Anything out of AliExpress you run the risk of getting a knockoff Chinese APIM, usually the risk is higher with a NAV unit.
Sorry, it was a misunderstanding, I know it doesn’t have wireless integrated, I meant on the aawireless(dot)io adapter, it has a clumsy name
So if I want non-NAV, then I look for the 16 GB and if I want NAV, I need the 64 GB one for Europe maps (I need only Europe)? Are there any other differences instead of NAV? Eg. does the one with 16 GB perform worse (due to lacking memory) or? Because I don’t need the NAV since I will be using AA 100% of the time and Waze on it.
Do you have an idea where to buy the upgrade package in EU that is reliable? Chinese so far seem the only option. I saw the naviupgrade(dot)com but that one is US and it’s too expensive. There are some scrapyards here in my country selling SYNC 3 but it usually comes with ACM and front fascia and it’s expensive. I would like to keep my Sony ACM. And then I need to source all the rest myself (wiring harness, GPS antenna, USB connector etc.) and program it myself.
Also I’ve been thinking about this upgrade for years but it was always too expensive (500+ €). Now I saw that I can get it on Ali Express for <300 € on discount for the 16 GB version.
Correct, and there are no differences other than storage. Also, the amount of storage past what Sync uses is irrelevant as it will only use what is formatted for the OS, per say. By the way…Waze is a resource hog on Sync…You might also find the wireless adapter to be a bit slow.
You might try looking for a J series, MY18.5+. K series would be ok but a little more expensive. These will run your combination of Waze and the wireless adapter a bit better than the older H series units.
I’m so confused lol, so many variants. So let me check that I understand this correctly:
I can use ANY SYNC 3 module, from ANY vehicle and ANY year, as long as it’s an SYNC 3 module? I can see that Js are mostly from MK4 Focus so those should work fine in my MK3.5? No connector differences through different variations? And the newer, the better?
I can use any screen as long as it’s for SYNC 3 and 8", right? It doesn’t have to be from Focus? If I understood correctly, the mounting parts I can take from my old SYNC 2 screen so I just need the LCD.
Regarding other parts, I will need:
GPS antenna
new USB hub
this small wiring harness for the USB hub
additional: mini-USB harness to be able to reuse the front USB if I want
USB hub frame?
I’ve found a few of them in my country being sold, but most sellers don’t know what they are selling so there’s usually just a picture of the unit inside the wrecked car, but no details. So I will have to call them. There’s one with picture of the sticker though, it’s a H one from Mondeo, and it has a matching screen but the screen is scratched a lot.
But there are a lot of them on eBay from EU (eg. Spain) so I might go down this route. I can found USB hub and antenna and else then on eBay from China.
Is it possible to reuse the GPS from SYNC 2 or not? I don’t see GPS antenna being sold from wreck, apparently it’s hard to extract from the vehicle.
EDIT. what about those starting with a number? Eg. 4U5T? There’s one “4U5T-14G371-GDE” in Ireland, rather cheap, and apparently it’s a 64 GB version.
Yes. To be clear you cannot use the Sync 2 screen but you can use the mounts.
Correct on all counts.
Be very careful about sourcing USB hubs, get them from a dealer or reputable source who sources OEM equipment. Just like fake Sync APIMS, there are all kinds of fake hubs ot there.
No, absolutely not.
That would be a K series. Those are good.
5=L
4=K
3=J
and so on…
I can’t believe they are also doing knockoffs for a da*n USB connector lol
Anyway, thanks a lot to everyone who helped! I know much more now! I also found the database for APIMs here on this site so I’m using it to check them.
I believe that those on eBay that are used and from EU are not knockoffs. This one from Ireland is very cheap and it’s a K but it looks somehow dirty, so I’m afraid that if it was in a car that caught fire or was submerged. I will contact the seller.
I will probably have more questions, if I decide to buy it and when it comes to programming. The harness that goes from the car and ACM to the APIM is the same as SYNC 2 I guess? Because in all those upgrade packages, I don’t see any wires, except the connector between APIM and display, and the one for USB hub.
I’m making a slow progress A junkyard in my city has the L version, with 64 GB! The price also seems fair. I will call them and see if they happen to have the screen and USB hub as well. In that case, I will just need to order GPS antenna, USB hub harness, and the OBD programmer for ForScan. If I understood correctly, for AA I don’t even need to change USB hub, and I don’t need CarPlay but I will do it just as an additional value when selling the car.
Few questions:
how is the NAVI updated on SYNC 3? Can I put the latest maps myself?
what programming is needed in the ForScan? I watched the video from NaviUpgrade but he has some prepared AsBuilt files. Where do I get these from?
How do I know which settings to configure later? Maybe I should first check all the settings on my SYNC 2 and then use the same later? I have a reverse camera (OEM) and a Sony 9-speaker ACM without DAB so I guess I will have to configure those.
The USB hub is confusing me; there are versions with 1 or 2 USBs. And Chinese are selling the Type-C one (I guess that’s not an OEM one?). Which one is better? Will my front USB (below AC) continue to work? I would definitely love to have two, one for AA and one for my 64 GB USB stick with music.
Do you have a recommendation for the GPS antenna that works the best? I see some people reporting problems with some antennas.
Sorry for tons of questions, and thank you so much!
So the upgrade of SYNC is basically the upgrade of maps as well? I can do that through the Cyanlabs updater? But the link you provided says to not do that on a MY20+ device? This one I’m currently looking to buy is MY20+ (L).
I’ve found a guy who can do programming remote (paid service) so maybe I will use that, not to mess something up. I don’t see how and where I will find a similar car and it’s VIN.
So those type-C hubs are actually legit? I though those were Chinese knock offs.
How to update the MY20+ then? Or is it impossible? In that case, I guess it’s better to buy an older one (eg. J). Although I don’t need the internal NAV, so having a never device with smoothier AA experience might be still better. But I’m looking about the value when selling the car as I plan to sell it soon (it has already 175k km so it’s time for something newer, although I LOVE my Focus) so it would be good to advertise it to have the newest Europe maps.
PS. I’ve read somewhere that I don’t have to change the hub for AA? That the new one is needed only for CarPlay but that old SYNC 2 one will work for AA. In that case, I don’t need to source it now. I would love to replace it, again, only because of the reselling value, but I personally will never need CarPlay. I hate Apple and their products lol
You will still get the USB hub needs replaced nag on the screen. If you are looking for a NON-NAV unit, be advised that in the last couple of versions of Sync 3.4 there is a compass/clock bug that has yet to be fixed. The NAV versions are not affected. A late J or K-series is your best bet.
So the conclusion is that MY20+ cannot be updated any way and that I will be stuck with obsolete maps? Or am I missing something?
I’m still waiting for the seller to respond but this L one seems like the best shot currently. It’s in my city and it’s only 150€. But I have to find the screen and hub now.
If it’s installed in the 2016 Focus, that is correct. The map upgrade requires the VIN and ESN match in the Ford database to obtain map updates from Ford.
In that case, I will keep looking for the J one. Now I saw that the same seller sells a complete APIM + screen + LVDS cable with code “CLMJ87E1AEC”. On the APIM it says “JJ5T-14G370-CFB” and I was not able to find that one in the database. But this seems to be a 2018 Ford Kuga SYNC 3 with NAV. I’ve found somewhere that it’s alternate code is “JR3T-14G371-FED” which I was able to find in CyanLabs HW-DB and it says 64 GB NAV. The screen looks in mint condition.
A junkyard in my city has the L version, with 64 GB! The price also seems fair. I will call them and see if they happen to have the screen and USB hub as well. In that case, I will just need to order GPS antenna, USB hub harness, and the OBD programmer for ForScan. If I understood correctly, for AA I don’t even need to change USB hub, and I don’t need CarPlay but I will do it just as an additional value when selling the car.