Do you need FordPass to get updates?

[Stick in the Mud]

Wife reset her Sync the other day and isn’t planning on turning FordPass back on. Curious if anyone knows authoritatively if you can receive software updates without FordPass. The settings are still lit up so I’m thinking yes but not positive.

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[RagnarKon]

You can still receive updates, but you'll have to manually go into the Sync settings and ask it to check for updates. Or alternatively... connect it to your home Wifi and turn on automatic updates.

Obviously if you don't have it connected to FordPass, it won't notify you of those updates.

 

[Stick in the Mud]

Does that also include the PowerUps or will it only update the module software now?

 

[RagnarKon]

Does that also include the PowerUps or will it only update the module software now?

"PowerUps" is just Ford's fancy marketing term for updating modules over the air. Typically it is the APIM module--the module that controls the infotainment screen and Sync.

 

[Stick in the Mud]

There’s base Sync version but also appear to be add on patches, as they’re all enumerated separately on the info screen. I am guessing they are two different things. But as long as she gets them all I don’t care.

 

[RagnarKon]

There’s base Sync version but also appear to be add on patches, as they’re all enumerated separately on the info screen. I am guessing they are two different things. But as long as she gets them all I don’t care.

Yeah that's because the APIM module is running several different pieces of software. I won't pretend to know all of the various pieces, but there is the APIM firmware itself, the version of Sync, the version of CarPlay, the version of Android Auto, etc etc. All of that is bundled together into a single "PowerUp" version.

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