Ford's Sync 3 has taken the place of the older MyFord Touch Sync 2 systems in vehicle's 2016 and beyond. The good news is that if you have a 2011 to 2015 vehicle, odds are high that you can upgrade to the new Sync 3 system. If you are looking to upgrade your older model then there are some differences you should know about. We will delve into these differences so you can better understand how the upgrade works and why Sync 3 is a better option for your center console infotainment experience.
It comes as no suprise that Sync 3 will sport some of the more recent advancements of interconnectivity with your smart phone.
First, Sync 2 & Sync 3 do have one thing in common: bluetooth connectivity. No matter if you're on Sync 2 or Sync 3, you will be able to connect your phone to your car stereo via Bluetooth. The unfortunate news is that Sync 2 is known to have Bluetooth failures after a certain number of years. When this happens, you will notice that Sync 2 will begin dropping calls, and potentially not playing music over bluetooth. At this point, your best option would be to upgrade to Sync 3 versus replacing with a refurbished Sync 2 module.
Secondly, Sync 2 is limited to built-in navigation direction services. If your Sync 2 equipped vehicle has this enabled, navigation maps will be read from a SD card located in a hub on your center console. On Sync 3 you are able to use a variety of navigation sources, from built in navigation maps (if your module is equipped), to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
This is a Sync 2 APIM. You can tell that it's Sync 2 due to it's rectangular shape, and small heatsink fins. Sync 2 units come in quite a few variations, some with two USB ports, some with only one. All Sync 2 Units will have a 54-Pin Connector on them.
This is a Sync 3 APIM. You can tell that it's Sync 3 due to it's non-rectangular shape, large heatsink fins, and the two blue connectors on the left side. Sync 3 APIMs have changed throughout the years, so keep reading to learn more...
Manufacture Date: 2018+
These are the highest sought after generation of Sync 3 modules because, well, they're the newest. They feature built-in LTE for in-car WiFi hotspots, and remote vehicle starting, with Ford Pass Connect. Additional hardware is necessary for these features to work correctly.
In addition, communication architecture has been updated and may not properly work with previous vehicle generations (2011-2018).
If you're upgrading a 2019 Ford vehicle that has Sync 3, but isn't navigation, to a navigation module, you'll need a Gen 4 (2019+) module to keep your Hotspot and Remote Start from Phone capabilities.
Manufacture Date: May 2016-2018
These are considered the most stable Sync 3 units, next to the Gen 4 units. If you need to do anything with a Sync 3 module and you don't need the in-car hotspot, or MyFord Pass remote start from phone capabilities (only available on 2019+ equipped cars--adding a Gen 4 Module to a vehicle that did not come equipped with these features will not give you these features), your best bet is going with a Gen 2-3 Module.
Manufacture Date: 2015-April 2016
These are the first Sync 3 units that came off of the line from Ford. These units do not have the best reputation, as Ford and their manufacturing partners were still working out the kinks to ensure these modules were reliable.
Many 2015-2016 units, both Navigation & Non-Navigation, were plagued with issues, like freezing, loss of GPS connection, and boot-looping. These issues can be fixed by replacing the daughter board inside of the module with one from a newer generation (Gen 2/3).
This is just about the only way you can differentiate Sync 3 units from each other. MFG stands for Manufacture Date and dictates which generation the unit belongs to (see above).
Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of data of which units are navigation and which are not. Here's a database of what we do know....
You're probably thinking that these screen are identical -- but they're not. Be careful when you're buying screens because from the front they could be either Sync 2 or Sync 3! More than likely if the screen is coming from a vehicle 2016+ it is Sync 3, but take it apart and take a look either way because some vehicles like the Fusion, Explorer and the F-250/350 Super Duty trucks did not get Sync 3 until 2017.
This is where you really get to tell the differences between Sync 2 and Sync 3. As you can see, the Sync 2 screen above transmits its data to the APIM through a multi-pin connector in the center of the screen.
The Sync 3 screen transmits touch screen input data to the APIM in an entirely different manner -- a low-voltage differential signal cable. This cable plugs into the yellow port placed at the lower-left side of the screen.
Here's where you're going to have to trust me, because I don't have pictures of all the different types of screens -- but I do have part numbers and what vehicles use which screen! Let's dive into the differences and what you should be looking out for your vehicle. Find your vehicle below and note the part numbers you can use for your project. Note: this is just a list of known part numbers and their associated type of screen -- there could be more!
We hope you enjoyed our resouce comparing Sync 2 vs Sync 3. Hopefully now you know the difference between the two, and why Sync 3 will be the best choice for your vehicle and upgrade. If you have any questions about upgrading to Sync 3, please open a ticket with our support team. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to guiding you through your upgrade journey!
I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
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