SYNC 4 swap?

Hello, I installed sync4 in fusion 2017. The screen is from sync3, everything works except air conditioning, I can't enter the climate menu.

Hi gang. Just to add to the information provided so far: First, a chart of what SYNC 4 is capable of in a vehicle which was equipped with SYNC 4 from the factory is only accurate for a vehicle which came from the factory equipped with SYNC 4, and is not of much use to the owner of our Fusion Sports and MKZ 3.0T's which were equipped with SYNC 3 from the factory.
This is because, in addition to whatever features may not transfer over in a SYNC 3 to SYNC 4 APIM/module swap (i.e. in the case of Slav97, we already know the HVAC controls are inoperative so far), there are other SYNC 4 features which will not be operational/available on a vehicle originally equipped with SYNC 3.

These losses will include, but are not limited to...If a SYNC 3 vehicle owner performs this "upgrade", they will no longer be able to use the Ford SYNC 3 update website for SYNC 3.0/3.4 and SYNC 3.0/3.4 NAV map system updates. This is because the SYNC 3 update website will no longer recognize the "upgraded" SYNC 4 system as being tied to your vehicle/VIN.
Therefore, no more SYNC updates via Ford. You will need to acquire any Ford SYNC 4 updates via third party sources, if and when they become available. This is similar to how those who used CyanLabs to upgrade from SYNC 3.0 to SYNC 3.4 can no longer use the Ford SYNC 3 update website to obtain updates, and instead must obtain them from Cyan Labs or another source. But it gets worse.

Also, the "OTA updates", which are a major feature of SYNC 4, allowing OTA/on-the-fly updating of the PCM/TCM and many other vehicles features without Dealer visits (the most important improvement over SYNC 3, in my opinion), will not work for vehicles originally equipped with SYNC 3, since the complete electronic/electrical/computer infrastructure/hardware/software is not present in those vehicles. So not only will we be unable to receive the latest SYNC 3 updates (via WiFi and/or the Ford SYNC 3 or other Ford factory website), but we will not be able to get any SYNC 4 updates either, unless they become available through a third party source.

So essentially, performing this "upgrade" will give a U.S./Canadian Fusion Sport Owner a revised interface (we assume for the better), possibly wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (if it is fully operational, unlike Slav97's Climate Control system), and possibly a more intuitive voice command system (again, if fully operational)

However, we will likely lose other features, such as the Climate Control system Slav97 lost (so far), and whatever else has gone undiscovered to this point. And we will no longer have update ability through the Ford SYNC 3 update website.
And those who perform this "upgrade" will likely never have the OTA updates feature, at least not without a major and cost prohibitive rewiring and reprogramming of our vehicles (doubtfully possible in any reasonable manner).

Just some quick thoughts. Hope this information is written understandably and helps.

Good luck. 🍻

Vidmo said:

Thanks @Slav77 , so not much really assuming you already had nav to begin with and you can make UI changes via Forscan.
Thanks @bbf2530, I would not want Ford updating the PCM remotely in any case and Sync 3 does OTA updates just fine right now.

So in the end I'm not seeing any real benefit at this point.

Click to expand...

Hi Vidmo. Was going to go back and edit my previous post to make it clear I am not telling anyone what to do with their vehicles, and/or not to perform this upgrade if they wish. But now I'll just do it here.

However...In Ford-speak, OTA updates are performed via cellular network data and can be performed at any time, even while on the road driving. Like using our cell phone.
Therefore, SYNC 3 is not capable of OTA (Over The Air) updates, and does not perform OTA updates. SYNC 3 can only perform WiFi updates while connected to a strong WiFi network signal, which essentially means while sitting still in our driveway or somewhere else with a connection to a strong WiFi network signal. Or via USB.

Hope that makes the previous information more understandable.

And again, I just want to reiterate I am not telling anyone what to do with their own vehicle. I am only attempting to make as much information as possible available, so no one spends a lot of money/time and gets unwelcome surprises.

Good luck. 🍻

Slav77 said:

So in turn.
- the air conditioning is not working, because sync4 has NA software, and I am in Europe, Poland. From what I learned from people in my country, it is possible to make the air conditioning work, I just need to load the European sync4 software.
_ when it comes to sync3 updates - you are wrong. I had sync3 NA 2.0, updated to 3.4 EU, and yet it shows me on the ford website that there are updates available, then I replaced the sync3 32gb NA memory with a 2019 European model sync3 64 gigabytes of memory and still on the ford website it shows me that there are updates, ford does not know that you have a newer system in sync, until you generate an xml file and upload it to the ford website, then they already know, or how a ford dealer will connect your car to the computer.
as of today, it remains to find a way to enter a different VIN of the car in the sync4 module so that it finds an EU update for it instead of NA.

Click to expand...

Hi Slav. The information I provided is correct. Unfortunately however, you did not understand what I previously wrote. And now you are discussing two different situations. Which makes it more confusing.
First, I addressed you trying to update via the "Check for Updates" button on your vehicle SYNC screen in my previous reply. And that information provided was correct.

Now, you are discussing a "...sync3 NA 2.0, updated to 3.4 EU" vehicle, which was then "upgraded" to SYNC 4 etc...and trying to use the Ford SYNC 3 update website, which is a very different updating situation with differing results (and messages). So let's try to stick to one discussion for now.
We have been through these discussions many times in the past, with others who upgraded from SYNC 3.0 to SYNC 3.4 using CyanLabs and other "third party" sources. Now it will happen all over again with SYNC 4. 🙃😉

So to try and explain...Again, yes, the Ford SYNC 3 update website system will recognize your VIN, but only as being equipped with the SYNC system it came with from the factory. However, any supposed updates which are shown as "available" are no longer applicable to your SYNC 3.4 equipped vehicle. They are available updates to the original SYNC version which came in your vehicle, not what it was "upgraded" to, which was SYNC 3.4, and now SYNC 4.

And the proof of what I stated is how you need to find another source, other than the Ford SYNC 3 website, to actually obtain your SYNC 3.4 updates. And now you will need to borrow...cough, cough...someone else's VIN in order to attempt to get SYNC 4 updates. Again, a third party source, as previously mentioned.

A SYNC 3.0 vehicle which has been "upgraded" to SYNC 3.4 via Cyan Labs or other third party sources can not obtain SYNC updates through the Ford SYNC 3 update website using the actual/real vehicle VIN.
And any SYNC 3.0/3.4 equipped vehicle which is "upgraded" to SYNC 4 will not be able to obtain SYNC 4 updates via the Ford SYNC 3 website either. Nor by any other Ford SYNC update website. Not without other third party sources, or "borrowing" VIN's from SYNC 4 vehicles in junkyards etc. (and even this is a theory with SYNC 4 at this point).
And borrowing a VIN from someone else's SYNC 4 equipped vehicle would cause problems for them when they try to update their SYNC system, if necessary. Problems which I assume most members here would not like to happen to them.

The point of my previous replies, and this one, is simply to let others know that anywhere near to full SYNC 4 capability will not be available with a vehicle which came equipped with SYNC 3 from the factory. In theory and reality. And that information is correct.

As far as the Climate Control system being made operational etc...? Well, once it is made operational by someone, then we will know it is possible (well, at least in the EU/Poland). Until then, it is not working, and stating it is possible to get it operational and/or actually getting it to work are only theoretical exercises.

Hope that makes the information more understandable.

Good luck. 🍻

EDIT- And again, I just want to reiterate I am not telling anyone what to do with their own vehicle. Anyone who wants to "upgrade" from SYNC 3.0/3.4 to SYNC 4 via swapping SYNC APIM/Modules etc. should certainly go ahead and do it if they wish. I am only attempting to make as much information as possible available, pro and con, so no one spends a lot of money/time and gets unwelcome surprises.