Sync 3.4 21020 black screen

I updated when 21020 was new, both our Fiesta and S-Max - S-max all good, but the Fiesta now several months later, started to make small reset when starting the car in the morning, did it 3 times, afterwards i removed USB with MP3 music, and it did the same a few times. So i made a master reset, driving home today, But afterwads only sound from FM and total dead. If i make reset with “setp up” and “power off” it shows start up logo.

When it made the “small reset” it reset language and small other things


SYNC Region: Europe

Navigation Variant: Yes

Old SYNC Version: 21020

New SYNC Version: 21020

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

Update Method: CyanLabs Syn3 Updater

Syn3 Updater Version: 2.10.06.0

Syn3 Updater Documentation Read: Yes

Syn3 Updater Log File

You have a dying Sync unit (APIM), sorry to say. This is a common symptom of hardware failure. The good thing is you can replace it yourself for a lot less than the service department.

How can this be trigged by a master reset?

Based on what you described above, the master reset isn’t the cause but rather just an accelerator.

The APIM was already dying before you tried the reset, but the reset probably caused drastic system read/writes which seems to have been the nail in the coffin.

I would attempt to read the as built from the module if you still can, and replace it with a new unit. You can find them relatively cheaply online, just avoid L-series and 5-series. If it’s cheaper to buy an APIM without the display you can also do so as you can re-use the display from your current one.

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How can it show the “start up” animation? if dead?

I am shoked that a car 3 years old and 88000 km… but i will try and contact the dealer if they can help and get some form of kulance on the parts. Thank you for helping me.

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It’s likely not fully dead yet, but it’ll get worse over time. Just because you see a boot up animation doesn’t mean the unit is totally fine.

Its the unfortunate nature of these modules. Earlier versions were much more susceptible to these kinds of issues. If you need help sourcing parts and need part numbers or something feel free to post back.

The boot screen is not part of the main operating system, different drivers, just like a pc…so you’ll see it boot and it may not be loading the drivers due to memory corruption or something.

You could try:
Downgrading to Sync 3.3.19052. You can’t see anything, but it will take about 12 minutes…
or,
Installing the latest version of Sync (3.4.21265) via REFORMAT. This will utilize the boot screen. After reboot the screen will work or not, just as now.

It the hardware is truly bad, neither will work. If the memory is just corrupted, there is a good chance the unit will come back.

I will try 19052 and see.

Ohh it started up again. With picture on screen… I will use it for a few days and then upgrade to the newest. Thank you so far

Assuming you didn’t do anything nor an automatic update tried to perform some task, your APIM is not working properly, not sure what’s going on or if it’s going to last.
As you said, you can leave it as it’s; or you can try going back to 3.4.

But start thinking you may need to buy a new APIM in the future.

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I down graded to 19052, as described above and it started op again.

Seen this before. You have bad memory blocks that will prevent you from upgrading to Sync 3.4. As above, you may need to buy a new APIM in the future.

So you think the days of my APIM is getting low.

Yep. But it could last quite a while if you don’t update it.

I will try to update to latest today, to see if it dies again.

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