Not receiving OTA updates even with new APIM

[BrosemitePark]

Hello! First time posting here but I've read quite a few posts similar to mine but can't find a definitive answer as to what I should do next so I'll be as detailed as possible in this post.

I got my Ford f150 Lariat back in November and love it outside of the sync4 updates. Sounds minimal but I originally hated how I couldn't full screen navigation via Android auto which led me to googling that there was an update for this I never received. My system in settings always said "up to date" with no version details etc. after numerous self troubleshooting I took it to the dealership where they confirmed I was stuck in the firmware version many others were and was 200+ updates behind.

They ended up keeping my truck for over a month going back and forth with Ford engineering until they finally replaced the APIM. I got my truck back and redid all my customizations etc. then checked the update status where I was met with the same "system is up to date" with no previous update details. I trouble shooted a bit via this forum and YouTube videos and made sure my android auto, Google, Ford pass ,etc. We're all up to date. My sync details are below:

SYNC 4, Software Version: 21146_PRODUCT
Revision: 145

From what I gathered this is not up to date and the newest version is 4A something. Im lost on what to do now. The only thing different I notice with the new APIM is I now can turn on "automatic updates" where as before it and "show notifications" were greyed out.

If anyone here has any suggestions or has been through the same thing and no a solution I'll try it. Only thing I don't really want to try is to buy that $500 tool to update it myself.

Ultimately I just want my android auto to be able to full screen but I'm not in this rabbit hole of trying to get it all fixed and updated.

Any and all suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated!

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[antho]

Take it back to the dealer and see if they will update it. Not much else you can do.

 

[adt1982]

Short of using the Mongoose and updating it yourself you will have to rely on Ford pushing out the many older updates that you need. You most likely will not get the dealer to perform the updates for you.

 

[roadPilot]

As the owner of a 2021 Platinum Job 1 truck who spent almost 1 year waiting for the promised OTA updates, then 2+ months of a combination of the dealership trying to get everything updated for BlueCruise 1.0 (including two new APIM modules and one IPMA modue) and me buying the Mongoose Plus and a 2-day FDRS subscription (plus FORScan and my OBDLink MX dongle) to apply the final firmware updates and changes get it working, I will tell you this: Your only realistic solution is to pony up for (or borrow) the Mongoose Plus + FDRS, as well as FORScan and compatible dongle and do it yourself.

From what I gathered this is not up to date and the newest version is 4A something.

You are significantly behind. You are on 21146. The '21' refers to 2021.

It's been a number of years, but IIRC in order to enable full screen Android, I believe the minimum version is 22012 (or maybe 22293), so you have to update the APIM (and other modules) to get full screen AA. You can't just enable full screen AA with your current firmware.

Also, don't confuse this truck with a cell phone. You don't just press an 'update' button and the truck goes and gets the latest module updates. That's not at all how OTAs work. Sorry.

 

[Sandwich Protector]

OP, I'm in the same boat as you. I had the exact same version as well as the greyed out schedule update issue. Gave it to my local Ford Service center and they gave it back to me without activating my modem and with the following update:
Sync 4 software version: 22192_Product
Revision: 498
I was able to get the modem activated in Ford Pass and set up updates on a schedule but still haven't got it to update and I don't have full screen android auto either. The service manager said he would have his guys take another look at it. Based on other's replies here I'm not confident they will be able to figure it out. I'll give you an update next week and see what happens but I've already accepted I'll have to find a way to do it myself like RoadPilot mentioned above.

 

[roadPilot]

Gave it to my local Ford Service center and they gave it back to me without activating my modem ... I was able to get the modem activated in Ford Pass

The TCU (telematics control unit aka modem) was active. But you need to connect the truck (TCU) to your Fordpass account - they can't do this, as they don't have access to your FordPass account. As you did, you have to log into your phone app, add the VIN, and then confirm it on the screen in the vehicle.

I don't have full screen android auto either. The service manager said he would have his guys take another look at it.

I think you need 22293 rev 610 or newer. You're not there yet.

Based on other's replies here I'm not confident they will be able to figure it out. I'll give you an update next week and see what happens but I've already accepted I'll have to find a way to do it myself like RoadPilot mentioned above.

They won't spend much time updating firmware UNLESS someone is paying them. Whether it's warranty work or you. If you have an otherwise operable APIM and you're simply waiting on the next OTA, they'll just tell you to wait. They don't care if you have full-screen AA or not -- all they need to do is make sure you have an operable TCU/gateway to accept future OTAs. But, yes, the quickest way to get up to date is to do it yourself. It may seem daunting at first, but I assure you, it's not.

 

[Escape Hatch]

No logic to update cycles. I received my first update in a year and a half two weeks ago.

 

[roadPilot]

No logic to update cycles. I received my first update in a year and a half two weeks ago.

Correct. You and your buddy could buy identical trucks on the same day, live next door to one another, one will get an update, and the other might get it an hour, a day, a week, a month, or many months later.

 

[Fredm2002]

There is a post where you can be put on a list to use the mongoose then all you need is a computer and a 2-day fdrs subscription.
You can also try and sweet talk your local dealer and maybe they will do it for nothing or a nominal charge.

 

[roadPilot]

There is a post where you can be put on a list to use the mongoose then all you need is a computer and a 2-day fdrs subscription.

@rugedraw does those. That list is currently several months out, and he's in Japan for the next two week to boot (so he can't receive anything back or ship it out). You can also try to find someone close to you who's willing have you come over and use his/her Mongoose Plus.

You can also try and sweet talk your local dealer and maybe they will do it for nothing or a nominal charge.

Most dealerships charge ~$200 per hour these days. Updating firmware in your modules could potentially take 8-12-16 hours depending upon what kind of clown they have doing the work and what needs updating. It's far cheaper to buy a $575 Mongoose Plus and then be able to update firmware for $50 (2-day pass) each time you want.

 

[Fredm2002]

@rugedraw does those. That list is currently several months out, and he's in Japan for the next two week to boot (so he can't receive anything back or ship it out). You can also try to find someone close to you who's willing have you come over and use his/her Mongoose Plus.

Most dealerships charge ~$200 per hour these days. Updating firmware in your modules could potentially take 8-12-16 hours depending upon what kind of clown they have doing the work and what needs updating. It's far cheaper to buy a $575 Mongoose Plus and then be able to update firmware for $50 (2-day pass) each time you want.

I had my regular dealer that I used for the past seven years, do my updates to get BC 1.0 working and they did it for no charge. I would say it depends on the dealer, manager and owner of the dealership. To get to BC 1.4 I did it myself, as I have moved to far to go back, but they offered to do those as well.

 

[roadPilot]

I had my regular dealer that I used for the past seven years, do my updates to get BC 1.0 working and they did it for no charge. I would say it depends on the dealer, manager and owner of the dealership. To get to BC 1.4 I did it myself, as I have moved to far to go back, but they offered to do those as well.

I had the same experience with my dealer. They had the truck for ~63 days, IIRC. Had a free loaner the whole time as well (brand new Explorer).

Then again, I've purchased or leased 13 new Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles from them in the past 19 years. Same salesman except for the last one -- he retired, so I bought from his son, who has taken over his accounts. I'm good friends with the owner and am on a first name basis with about 90% of the staff.

However, most people don't have this kind of relationship with their dealer, which is why I outlined the usual situation/cost.

I did the firmware updates and FORScan changes for BC 1.4 myself as well. Not difficult at all, really.

 

[Sandwich Protector]

You guys have been very helpful. Forgive me if I sound like an idiot here, but for those of you that had some success getting the dealer to update for you...what's the technical jargon I need to help them understand what to do.

When I told my service rep that they only gave me the next update in line from year 2022 he tried to tell me there where no more updates available. I showed him the Ford site that said I had updates waiting for my VIN as well as the current Sync 4 version that many here in the forum have. He told me their system wasn't showing any updates available beyond the one they gave me.
The service manager told me to bring it back and they would take another look at it, but I don't have any confidence they know what to do.

How can I help them understand what needs to be done? Just tell them to replace the APIM?

 

[JohnTrigger]

Updating the modules is a bit like the whack a mole game. Some of them are nestled and when you update one, it opens up a new update for another and so on. So you probably don’t see an APIM update at the moment but when you update the TCU or IPMA or GWM then it might open up an APIM update, which might then open up another TCU update and so on as an example. What you probably don’t need is the APIM hardware actually replaced.

 

[ks54703]

They ended up keeping my truck for over a month going back and forth with Ford engineering until they finally replaced the APIM. I got my truck back and redid all my customizations etc. then checked the update status where I was met with the same "system is up to date"
OP never left things alone long enough to see if the Dealer changes helped is OP's bad.

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