ECU module programming guide using FDRS

[BSull]

I've read in this thread I think that some of the updates can take up to 3 hours or more. I'm in the middle of a 6 Gig APIM update and I can't believe it will only take 10 minutes like the popup windows say.
So, the question is, how do you know the updates are done and it's OK to continue with starting the truck etc.?

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[Mike G]

I've read in this thread I think that some of the updates can take up to 3 hours or more. I'm in the middle of a 6 Gig APIM update and I can't believe it will only take 10 minutes like the popup windows say.
So, the question is, how do you know the updates are done and it's OK to continue with starting the truck etc.?

Two different methods of updating, 1) USB based, and 2) CAN buss.

It's the CAN buss methods where the laptop is having to write the updated code over the slow cable connection from your laptop that can take that long (CMR will take an hour, IPMA can take 3-4 hours or longer).

GWM, APIM, and TCU are all USB based. Files are loaded onto a USB 3.1 drive and the system can update faster that way than over the slower CAN buss. Some updates are two method capable, like the IPC...it will initially try to get you to do it the USB method, but if that doesn't work then the fallback method is by the slower direct cable connected CAN buss. The IPC will take about 3-4 hours that way.

You know a USB update has been successful when the Sync display tells you you can take your thumb drive out. The 10 minutes you're referring to is the shutdown that enables the APIM to switch primary memory spaces from the space that was in use (older software) over to the space you just loaded the update to (A/B swap to newer software). When the screen says to shut the truck down and wait for 10 minutes with the driver's door open.....the update has already happened at that point...you just need to wait the 10 minutes so that the APIM completely powers off and when it boots back up it will be using the memory space with the new updated code you just loaded.

 

[BSull]

Two different methods of updating, 1) USB based, and 2) CAN buss.

It's the CAN buss methods where the laptop is having to write the updated code over the slow cable connection from your laptop that can take that long (CMR will take an hour, IPMA can take 3-4 hours or longer).

GWM, APIM, and TCU are all USB based. Files are loaded onto a USB 3.1 drive and the system can update faster that way than over the slower CAN buss. Some updates are two method capable, like the IPC...it will initially try to get you to do it the USB method, but if that doesn't work then the fallback method is by the slower direct cable connected CAN buss. The IPC will take about 3-4 hours that way.

You know a USB update has been successful when the Sync display tells you you can take your thumb drive out. The 10 minutes you're referring to is the shutdown that enables the APIM to switch primary memory spaces from the space that was in use (older software) over to the space you just loaded the update to (A/B swap to newer software). When the screen says to shut the truck down and wait for 10 minutes with the driver's door open.....the update has already happened at that point...you just need to wait the 10 minutes so that the APIM completely powers off and when it boots back up it will be using the memory space with the new updated code you just loaded.

Yeah, I knew there were two methods, I was just confused on which took the hours to complete. I misread previous comments I guess.

Yesterdays adventure started with an APIM update since the GWM did not show as needing one. System made me do a PMI(?) first before it would do the update. A dealer replaced the APIM a bit ago, I don't know if everything that is supposed to be done after installation was done based on that requirement. After PMI(?) APIM completed pretty quick, then the GWM showed as needing update, did that then APIM showed as needing another and did that. File size for the last APIM was 6 Gig, took a while to download to thumb drive. TCU was last, it went well. Finished all the other updates called for, PDM showed as not complete after successful update, so I'm waiting a couple of days to see if it goes away. Interestingly the IPC did not show as needing an update.

The TSB you sent and the other published FDRS instructions by forum members were a great help. If not for this forum, I don't think I would have attempted this. I will learn the system better as I use it and read more and more including things published by Ford.

 

[Mike G]

Yeah, I knew there were two methods, I was just confused on which took the hours to complete. I misread previous comments I guess.

Yesterdays adventure started with an APIM update since the GWM did not show as needing one. System made me do a PMI(?) first before it would do the update. A dealer replaced the APIM a bit ago, I don't know if everything that is supposed to be done after installation was done based on that requirement. After PMI(?) APIM completed pretty quick, then the GWM showed as needing update, did that then APIM showed as needing another and did that. File size for the last APIM was 6 Gig, took a while to download to thumb drive. TCU was last, it went well. Finished all the other updates called for, PDM showed as not complete after successful update, so I'm waiting a couple of days to see if it goes away. Interestingly the IPC did not show as needing an update.

The TSB you sent and the other published FDRS instructions by forum members were a great help. If not for this forum, I don't think I would have attempted this. I will learn the system better as I use it and read more and more including things published by Ford.

Seems strange that the system would direct you to do a PMI on the APIM if there was a software update in the available list. I haven't seen that happen before. But it's no harm in any case.

 

[Mike G]

FDRS has been updated again...but trying to login is still frustrating.

It requires multiple attempts using your motorcraft account login email and password in the dialog box, alternating with your FDRS username and password in the dialog box, and then suddenly it lets you in. ?‍

 

[starrtech2000]

FDRS has been updated again...but trying to login is still frustrating.

It requires multiple attempts using your motorcraft account login email and password in the dialog box, alternating with your FDRS username and password in the dialog box, and then suddenly it lets you in. ?‍

Not updating unless I have to. I had to download an archived version of FDRS to be able to login to motorcraft and this latest version sounds like they still haven’t fixed the issues with that.

 

[Mike G]

Not updating unless I have to. I had to download an archived version of FDRS to be able to login to motorcraft and this latest version sounds like they still haven’t fixed the issues with that.

Somebody literally minutes ago on the MME site said that they have been using their motorcraft email address account and password to get in and it works fine everytime. I had tried that this morning, on one of my many login attempts, and when I finally got in I noticed that now at the top of the screen instead of my normal FDRS username it shows my motorcraft email account address.

If they were going to change the login from what they've been doing for at least the last two years to something different it would've been nice to post that on the splash page or something.

 

[BSull]

Seems strange that the system would direct you to do a PMI on the APIM if there was a software update in the available list. I haven't seen that happen before. But it's no harm in any case.

What happened with a tad more detail is. I selected the download button for APIM, after a couple of seconds a popup window appeared telling me a PMI was required before the software update could continue, so I selected OK, went to the area in FDRS were I could do the PMI, selected that, it completed then I could run the first software update. That update did not require thumb drive and only took a few seconds. After it completed things went IAW my first post.

 

[Mike G]

What happened with a tad more detail is. I selected the download button for APIM, after a couple of seconds a popup window appeared telling me a PMI was required before the software update could continue, so I selected OK, went to the area in FDRS were I could do the PMI, selected that, it completed then I could run the first software update. That update did not require thumb drive and only took a few seconds. After it completed things went IAW my first post.

Ah so it decided the config needed to be done...and then after it figured out that it already had the software it moved on to the next revision. At least that's what it sounds like to me.

 

[Mike G]

So it looks like this week's new release is going to be a second revision of the APIM OTA update similar to what the Mach-E folks got last week.

For those who aren't aware...many of the MME owners who got the APIM update that was OTA 6.2.0 (same as Lightning OTA 6.3.0) got a revised version last week that kept the same OTA number but was an updated package.

It looks like this morning in FDRS we are going to get the same thing as there is a new APIM update in the list for my '22 model and the application manifest says its the same revision as the newer one released for the MME last week.

 

[Mike G]

So I went out to do the update this morning using FDRS and checked the "Software Updates" screen ahead of time to find this:

Yeah...instead of an updated version of 6.3.0 (APIM)...the notes say that it's an updated version of 6.2.0...which means they copied and pasted the notes from the Mach-E OTA 6.2.0 re-release and didn't change it to read 6.3.0 for the Lightning. ?‍

Regardless...since I didn't want to wait for this OTA to finish downloading (due to a planned roadtrip this morning) I did the update with FDRS and it resulted in the APIM going from Sync 980 to Sync 1049...just like the Mach-Es that were updated last week.

Note that starting with Sync 980 that the "Expiration Date" for BlueCruise hands-free driving text at the bottom of this panel has now been replaced by a map revision version number instead.

 

[GDN]

I received this revised "6.2" yesterday. It brought back Ford Assistant and Alexa - so it fixed what they previously broke. Intestingly I can not run Apple and Ford Navigation at the same time like had been reported previously. I did get the new version of Sync 4 23291 Rev 1049.

Also there are a few reports of Lightnings getting 6.4 yesterday, it seems without this revised 6.2/6.3.

I've already checked this morning and nothing else triggered to download for me.

My VIN - 1FTVW1EV3NWG03253 if you want to do any comparisons.

 

[Mike G]

Happy Thanksgiving and surprisingly a new update showed up this morning:

Another update related to the slow steady march toward BlueCruise 1.3. I'll see if this will show up as an OTA and if not I'll do it this weekend when I get home from visiting family.

 

[Mike G]

I received this revised "6.2" yesterday. It brought back Ford Assistant and Alexa - so it fixed what they previously broke. Intestingly I can not run Apple and Ford Navigation at the same time like had been reported previously. I did get the new version of Sync 4 23291 Rev 1049.

Also there are a few reports of Lightnings getting 6.4 yesterday, it seems without this revised 6.2/6.3.

I've already checked this morning and nothing else triggered to download for me.

My VIN - 1FTVW1EV3NWG03253 if you want to do any comparisons.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's your list this morning:

 

[Mike G]

And then I saw this in PTS

:

So I think I'll wait a bit on updating the SCCM.....

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