No Vehicle Software Updates Received

[Pitbull2o08]

Got my truck in Dec, no updates until 1 in march. Sync people said, don't worry, there's nothing to update. Then Ford dealership sent a mobile tech out last week to do the recall update, and there was a massive list of updates that needed to be completed. I'm talking PCM, ABS... just huge critical updates. Every time I call @Ford Motor Company Sync people who can look into the updates, they say everything is up to date. I even doubt they look at it because FDRS had a scroll bar for al the updates that I couldn't even get in one appt. lol

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[Maquis]

Got my truck in Dec, no updates until 1 in march. Sync people said, don't worry, there's nothing to update. Then Ford dealership sent a mobile tech out last week to do the recall update, and there was a massive list of updates that needed to be completed. I'm talking PCM, ABS... just huge critical updates. Every time I call @Ford Motor Company Sync people who can look into the updates, they say everything is up to date. I even doubt they look at it because FDRS had a scroll bar for al the updates that I couldn't even get in one appt. lol

My guess is that the Sync people only know Sync and if you have the new interface, your Sync is likely up to date. Ford has a different support group for Sync, In-Vehicle Technology, Connected Services, etc., etc.

 

[LSP]

My guess is that the Sync people only know Sync and if you have the new interface, your Sync is likely up to date. Ford has a different support group for Sync, In-Vehicle Technology, Connected Services, etc., etc.

I took delivery of my Lightning almost exactly 1 year ago. I received one or two over the air updates but beginning in November they stopped coming through. As everything else was working in the truck I decided to wait until I brought it in for the 10,000 mile service to have the dealer check it out and fix it. But just before bringing it in I called customer service and spoke to the software update team. They said that my updates were not coming through because of the 12 volt battery (an issue that I have read about elsewhere in the forum) and also that my Sync software version was 22293 and should be 22294 (whatever that means and is worth). They asked me questions about how often I drove the truck and when I had scheduled updates. I explained that I drove it almost every day including 3 1,000 mile trips. The updates are set on automatic and that I had been receiving notifications that updates were ready to be installed many times and yet they never came through. They said that this would be a dealer issue to diagnose and fix so, I "educated" the service rep at the dealer about this. They checked the 12 volt battery (whatever that means) and that there were no issues with that. After being at the dealer 8 business days I got an email from the dealer saying "all updates were performed on the vehicle". I was skeptical as my app still said that priority update 22-PU1009-MIL-DTE was pending. I emailed them again and got the exact same response. Another call to the software update team confirmed that no updates were performed due to that battery code and that just looking at the truck one would not know that it wasn't up to date. I picked up the truck without speaking with service rep there (he was off that day) and sure enough, nothing had changed software wise that I could see. So I sent him and emailing and requested that they schedule an appointment for me to bring the truck back. I did not receive a response as of yet (two days later).

At this point I don't know how to proceed and would appreciate any and all assistance from my fellow forum members. Ford tells me that they cannot do anything unless a dealer is involved and that dealers are independent and that I should consider a second opinion from another dealer (FYI I am in Southern California and the dealer in question is Tuttle-Click Capistrano Ford). I am willing to do that if I must but I'd rather work with the dealer who sold me the truck and is significantly closer to me than any of others and I would like to know what the problem and potential fix is beforehand. If someone has gone through the same issue and knows what the appropriate diagnosis and fix is, I would be most grateful for your help!

 

[Maquis]

I took delivery of my Lightning almost exactly 1 year ago. I received one or two over the air updates but beginning in November they stopped coming through. As everything else was working in the truck I decided to wait until I brought it in for the 10,000 mile service to have the dealer check it out and fix it. But just before bringing it in I called customer service and spoke to the software update team. They said that my updates were not coming through because of the 12 volt battery (an issue that I have read about elsewhere in the forum) and also that my Sync software version was 22293 and should be 22294 (whatever that means and is worth). They asked me questions about how often I drove the truck and when I had scheduled updates. I explained that I drove it almost every day including 3 1,000 mile trips. The updates are set on automatic and that I had been receiving notifications that updates were ready to be installed many times and yet they never came through. They said that this would be a dealer issue to diagnose and fix so, I "educated" the service rep at the dealer about this. They checked the 12 volt battery (whatever that means) and that there were no issues with that. After being at the dealer 8 business days I got an email from the dealer saying "all updates were performed on the vehicle". I was skeptical as my app still said that priority update 22-PU1009-MIL-DTE was pending. I emailed them again and got the exact same response. Another call to the software update team confirmed that no updates were performed due to that battery code and that just looking at the truck one would not know that it wasn't up to date. I picked up the truck without speaking with service rep there (he was off that day) and sure enough, nothing had changed software wise that I could see. So I sent him and emailing and requested that they schedule an appointment for me to bring the truck back. I did not receive a response as of yet (two days later).

At this point I don't know how to proceed and would appreciate any and all assistance from my fellow forum members. Ford tells me that they cannot do anything unless a dealer is involved and that dealers are independent and that I should consider a second opinion from another dealer (FYI I am in Southern California and the dealer in question is Tuttle-Click Capistrano Ford). I am willing to do that if I must but I'd rather work with the dealer who sold me the truck and is significantly closer to me than any of others and I would like to know what the problem and potential fix is beforehand. If someone has gone through the same issue and knows what the appropriate diagnosis and fix is, I would be most grateful for your help!

A dealer can install the updates if they do it correctly, i.e., hook up a battery tender to the 12V battery like it tells them to do in the update instructions.

Hopefully, a forum member in your neck of the woods will chime in with a dealer recommendation.

 

[LSP]

A dealer can install the updates if they do it correctly, i.e., hook up a battery tender to the 12V battery like it tells them to do in the update instructions.

Hopefully, a forum member in your neck of the woods will chime in with a dealer recommendation.

Thanks much, Maquis!

 

[Alan Rovner]

Mike G thanks so much for your well written comments on the 12V battery and how it works. I had no idea that battery discharges so quickly. As a Tesla owner I have never had to think about issues like this. The updates work perfectly every time. I guess I'll start driving my XLT around before manually attempting the next update.

Regard to the group,
Alan

 

[jdmackes]

You can check and see if your sync system is due for an update on Ford's website, although I'm not sure if it'll do any good. Ford says my truck has updates for the system and maps and the truck still says that I'm not due for any updates.

 

[b1g0af]

I bought my Lariat Extended Range on 5 May. It was in the second week of production resuming. I see several folks posting various software updates. I have received no software updates. It's been connected to my home wifi every night, and shows as connected to it right now. The lead acid battery voltage is 12.9V at the moment when the vehicle is OFF. Clicking Settings - Software Updates - Update Details - shows no updates are available. Automatic updates are ON scheduled to install any day at 1a.

Click General About shows
Sync 4 Software Version 22326_Product
Revision: 640
Ford Motor Company

Followed by several serial numbers. It does not show the 4.2.x.x format I've seen others posting.

All conditions in the Owner's Manual have been met every night. Should I have received any software update in the last ~12 weeks?

My purchase date is very close to yours (same truck/trim!), and I also have yet to receive any updates. Glad(?) I'm not the only one. This. Is. Maddening.

 

[b1g0af]

You can also call Ford’s OTA hotline.
833-389-0848

I called a couple weeks ago, and they were pretty useless. Put me on hold for 5-10 minutes at a time after I gave them a new piece of info (it was a 45-minute call). Couldn't give me any actual info. Told me a handful of entry criteria for receiving OTA updates. That's it.

 

[Mike G]

My guess is that the Sync people only know Sync and if you have the new interface, your Sync is likely up to date. Ford has a different support group for Sync, In-Vehicle Technology, Connected Services, etc., etc.

I suspect they’re only looking at the OTA Dashboard. And for that reason they aren’t seeing all the actual available software updates that FDRS shows.

 

[AmandaB]

Purchased my 2022 Lightning Lariat ER in early April and haven’t received an update yet. I’ve tried everything short of a trickle charge. Dealership hasn’t been much help. Ive been tempted to do the FDRS but the cables not cheap and my luck I would brick the truck lol

 

[Mike G]

Purchased my 2022 Lightning Lariat ER in early April and haven’t received an update yet. I’ve tried everything short of a trickle charge. Dealership hasn’t been much help. Ive been tempted to do the FDRS but the cables not cheap and my luck I would brick the truck lol

Well it's nearly impossible to "brick" the truck thankfully. You'd have to go way out of your way to do that. FDRS is meant to be used by dealer techs afterall.

For those who think the 12V battery is holding them back from getting updates, the standard and oft repeated advice is offered:

1) Reset the Battery Management System (BMS) learned values to ensure your truck's dinky 35AH battery is actually getting charged fully when it is getting charged:

Without touching the brake pedal, press the start button to put the truck in accessory mode.​

Using the left steering wheel stalk, flash the high beams 5 times.​

Depress the brake pedal 3 times.​

Observe the small battery icon on the instrument panel flashing.​

When that icon stops flashing press the start button to turn the truck completely off.​

​

Turn the truck fully on and go for a drive to fully recharge your 12V battery.​

2) Adjust your Sync "Check Updates" schedule to a time you'll be driving daily. It's best to set the time to check for updates to around 15-20 minutes into your morning (or afternoon return) commute. This gives the truck time to recharge your 12V battery back up from the normally low state of charge it drops to while sitting overnight, (often 45-50%) and will ensure that it's back to above 80% when the scheduled time comes around during your drive and your truck's modem (TCU) contacts the Ford mothership looking for updates.

3) Call your service advisor and ask them to pull up your VIN and check the "OTA Dashboard" for your vehicle to see the status of any OTAs that may be there. The "history" shown on that webpage only goes back 60 days. If the service advisor says there are no OTAs showing at all on your OTA dashboard page, that is a big red flag that something is keeping your truck from getting updates and that needs to be diagnosed.

 

[Mike G]

Follow up.

For those who bought mannequins and are not getting updates there are some additional things to know. Dealers were directed to put mannequins into a Ford system called FCTP which is used to manage fleet vehicles. There have been reports from some members that after the vehicle was sold to the first customer it was discovered that certain update functions in Sync were "grayed out" and unable to be changed or selected because the vehicle was still in "fleet mode". For some a trip to the dealer sorted that out, for others it required intervention of tiers above the normal levels of support.

The next thing is the fact that OTAs roll out on a schedule. If you have a '22 model truck and OTAs were pushed out but due to Sync update settings while the truck was still at the dealership, it never got updated, then those OTAs probably "expired". After a while if the updates don't get accepted or processed the system just gives up.

Here's what that looks like:

So if you check with your service advisor and the section that says "Over the Air Update 60 Days History" is completely empty as an example, the dealer tech is gonna have to diagnose why that's happening and actually do some update programming to get things back on track.

 

[Lytning]

So true...... Been waiting for the SOC meter update that's been out for a couple of weeks now. No sign of it yet yere.... Someone has to poke the VooDoo doll.

So true...... Been waiting for the SOC meter update that's been out for a couple of weeks now. No sign of it yet yere.... Someone has to poke the VooDoo doll.

This has been covered.

Leaving your truck plugged in to the EVSE does not "trickle charge" your 12V battery.

Your 12V battery starts discharging the moment you stop driving the truck and by 0100 in the morning you can be assured that it will be below the 80% state-of-charge threshold needed for the update logic to process an OTA.

By 0700 in the morning it's likely more like 45-50% SOC.

Once the 12V battery drops to 40% SOC an internal timer starts and after 48Hrs the system will then charge the 12V battery back up to 80% (using either the EVSE or charge from the HV battery through the DCDC converter).

If at anytime the 12V battery drops to 30% SOC the system will immediately initiate a charge of the 12V battery back up to 80% SOC (using either the EVSE or charge from the HV battery through the DCDC converter).

Driving it for a half-hour recharges your 12V battery back up above 80% so the update logic will allow the OTA to process.

It's analogous to starting an ICE vehicle and letting the alternator recharge the 12V battery back up.

Why anybody would think that having updates process at Ford's default time of 0100 when the 12V battery is virtually never going to be at the required state of charge after all that's been written about this is a mystery.

Set your schedule to check about 15 minutes into your normal daily commute either to or from work and you'll have far more success with OTAs.

Mike, thanks for the valuable details!
Do you have a recommendation for a trickle charger for the 12 volt AGM battery?

 

[Mike G]

Mike, thanks for the valuable details!
Do you have a recommendation for a trickle charger for the 12 volt AGM battery?

Well if you're going to go that route you could just use one of those little 4A Everstart bricks that they sell at places like Walmart. I have several of those keeping things charged up that I don't use that often. I don't have anything like that on either my MME or Lightning at present but I have considered it for times when I know I won't be driving for a week or more.

Most trickle chargers come with a SAE pigtail disconnect that you can just wire in to the positive battery terminal and body ground, and then plug the charger in to the pigtail whenever you think you need to leave it for a while. You can even buy spare pigtails to use on multiple vehicles if you just have the one charger.

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