I am just thinking about updating our 2019 Explorer Platinum Sync version as we are having issues with the Sync system, its gotten really slow, it doesn’t play well with Android Auto, and the maps are SERIOUSLY out of date. It currently has Sync Version 3.0.20204 and map version NA 1 17; unlike some other Ford 2019s, the Explorers never got the 3.2 or 3.3 updates. I’ve tried resetting the Sync system and it doesn’t seem to make any difference in how slow its gotten, I did read the instructions and run the Interrogator to ensure I have a non-2020 APIM. I’ve had the APIM checked, and the tech said that it is not coding and is passing the Ford diagnostics. So I was wondering if possibly reformatting the APIM with a newer version could help speed up the system; if so, would it be better to use the V3.3 build or just try one of the V3.4 builds?
I’m running the same build as you and I do not have any issues with responsiveness and wireless android auto.
Is not coding?, what does that mean?.
Or did you mean is not failing?.
You can reformat it, but there’s not guarantee if it will make it faster. Based on how your APIM is behaving, it’s really hard to say what the outcome would be.
I remember an issue with EU APIMs that got slow due to a bad map installation, it was solved by upgrading to the most current maps without a reformat. Are those 17 maps the one that came with the APIM?.
I have done both a soft reset, as well as the master reset.
Well the problem is that I am having issues with system responsiveness and Android Auto. I trying to find a way to resolve them. The maps take considerably longer to load on the 2019 Explorer than they take to load on my 2018 F 150, Android Auto also works really well on my F 150
Coding means that the APIM is not generating error codes on Ford’s diagnostic units, so the unit is apparently not failing. The Ford tech that was checking it out said he didn’t see anything obviously wrong that would allow him to replace it under warranty, but did note that it was running slow.
If the APIM is in fact going bad, then only a new APIM is going to fix it. On the other hand, like a bad Windows install, a fresh reinstall could fix the issues I’m having. If so, would it be better to use the V3.3 build or just try one of the V3.4 builds? And yes, the NA 1 17 were the factory installed maps, but if I’m understanding correctly, loading the newer maps requires buying them, or upgrading to a newer software version.
Well, that’s up to you: if you do something on your own with it, say goodbye to the warranty.
It’s odd you mention the Ford tech acknowledges that the unit is running slow but without an error, as if running slow would be normal.
I asked if the unit was stock and no new maps were installed because even though the issue I mentioned was with EU (not NA), maybe it was something similar. Did you notice it starting at some specific point?.
If you want a fresh install, it does not matter if it’s 3.3 or 3.4.
About maps, Syn3updater works with 3.3 and up with 3.3 and 3.4 compatible maps, but there are maps for 3.0 that are also new. But you can’t use syn3updater for that, it’s a manual install.
Yeah, it is odd, I’ve always associated an APIM starting to run slow as a symptom common to what ends up being an APIM replacement. It got very slow very quickly, so I contemplated the possibility of a memory leak. My old Microsoft MyFord Touch system used to suffer them frequently and a good reboot always cured it, for a while. But no joy with the reboots.
I did read a couple of articles where people said corrupt map installations caused their problems, but those sounded like their systems slowly degraded over time. Other articles I’ve read have called Sync 3.0 unresponsive and slow out of the box and have claimed that an upgrade to 3.4 made their systems much more responsive. I don’t know, I’m just sorting through options at the moment.
On the new maps, I’ve read that they were ESN locked?