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SYNC 3 in a 2016 Explorer

This is an experiment. Yes a lot of research involved. People thought it would be cheap and simple. The answer is, it isn't. Maybe down the road it will be more feasible but for the the general user at this point I would say I have proven it is not feasible.

BTW I do for the most part like it better than MFT.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

While I really don't like MFT, the cost of making this switch just isn't worth it. I'd be better off just trading in the vehicle and starting over.
 



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Thanks for sharing your experience.

While I really don't like MFT, the cost of making this switch just isn't worth it. I'd be better off just trading in the vehicle and starting over.

Once this has been perfected on the various years I assume it will be a 1500-2500$ cost. While outrageous for a stereo swap, if the only thing you hate about the vehicle (as I do) is MFT, then it's far less work and money than trading in and starting over.

I like the 2015 body style better than the newer styles, I really wish jmr had a 2015 so that was his test bed :) .. I'd pay for this mod
 






Once this has been perfected on the various years I assume it will be a 1500-2500$ cost. While outrageous for a stereo swap, if the only thing you hate about the vehicle (as I do) is MFT, then it's far less work and money than trading in and starting over.

I like the 2015 body style better than the newer styles, I really wish jmr had a 2015 so that was his test bed :) .. I'd pay for this mod
In my case, to invest that kind of money in a vehicle that has 90k+miles on the odometer is not something I would do.
 






This is an experiment. Yes a lot of research involved. People thought it would be cheap and simple. The answer is, it isn't. Maybe down the road it will be more feasible but for the the general user at this point I would say I have proven it is not feasible.

BTW I do for the most part like it better than MFT.

Anything here that could help?


Also something that may not be so expensive a mod and maybe popular-have you tried swapping MFT between Sony touch faceplate with 8" Sync/MFT vs. the newer Sony button faceplate ?
Could one just swap the Sony part and leave the rest intact?
 






I want to resurrect this one since the 2017 explorers are showing up on ford's website with Sync3. Any availability of the programming for you? I'm definitely going to be ordering a screen and APIM for my 2016 explorer. Looks like there are no other changes so I'm hoping it will be plug and play.
 






Hoping this becomes easier to do as the Sync3 models come out and smarter people than me can figure out how to make this work...
 






The IPC in the 17 is different. It has more available programming slots. No further testing has been done but I wonder if a new IPC is required to get rid of the issues I was having.
 






It's definitely possible. Now that the '17 models are on the streets I'm waiting patiently for a salvage auction to come up for a sport model. I'm sure swapping out the tech stuff should be pretty straightforward considering no cosmetic changes have happened in 2017. Then parting out the rest of the car just takes some time and patience.
 






I want to resurrect this one since the 2017 explorers are showing up on ford's website with Sync3. Any availability of the programming for you? I'm definitely going to be ordering a screen and APIM for my 2016 explorer. Looks like there are no other changes so I'm hoping it will be plug and play.

I know it has been a while since you posted...my issue was that SYNC3 seemed to mess with setting in the right side of the instrument cluster. Never solved it. The 17 has an updated IPC and is different than 16 and I suspect this may be part of the reason.
 






I'm curious about compatibility with the IPC in the 2016 Platinum as it's the newer, all-digital model. As soon as additional information begins coming out and the parts become more accessible I plan on installing the SYNC3 module so long as it won't bomb things out.
 






I'm curious about compatibility with the IPC in the 2016 Platinum as it's the newer, all-digital model. As soon as additional information begins coming out and the parts become more accessible I plan on installing the SYNC3 module so long as it won't bomb things out.

Pretty sure the 17 high end cluster is also slightly different than the same in the 16. Don't know if that will cause an issue. Don't know until you try.
 






Pretty sure the 17 high end cluster is also slightly different than the same in the 16. Don't know if that will cause an issue. Don't know until you try.
Thank you jmr061, for all the effort and updates. I rented a (probably) '16 Lincoln Navigator last weekend, and was blown away (and really disappointed in my '16 Explorer Ltd MFT) by the responsiveness and GUI of the Sync 3 interface. It even connected and reconnected to my phone at a much faster rate than my own Explorer does!
I'd really like to see at least an update to MFT interface that would bring the same responsiveness, if not the GUI improvements, that the Lincoln buyers can get.
 






Interested in this as well. Picked up my '16 XSport today.
 






Thank you jmr061, for all the effort and updates. I rented a (probably) '16 Lincoln Navigator last weekend, and was blown away (and really disappointed in my '16 Explorer Ltd MFT) by the responsiveness and GUI of the Sync 3 interface. It even connected and reconnected to my phone at a much faster rate than my own Explorer does!
I'd really like to see at least an update to MFT interface that would bring the same responsiveness, if not the GUI improvements, that the Lincoln buyers can get.

What differences in the MFT systems are there between Ford and Lincoln?
 






What differences in the MFT systems are there between Ford and Lincoln?
It was Sync 3, not MFT. MFT performance doesn't compare to Sync3. Sync 3 has a toned down GUI- no color coordinated quadrant layout for main screen; all menu application/categories touch button/icons are along the bottom of screen. The responsiveness of the touch to the screen is similar to what you get and expect from your smartphone; not like MFT. But, what really opened my eyes was how well it just reconnected to my phone when I returned to the vehicle after having turned it off, gone to a restaurant...any stop.
 






....... But, what really opened my eyes was how well it just reconnected to my phone when I returned to the vehicle after having turned it off, gone to a restaurant...any stop.
I never really paid attention to that so I just went out to try it. My phone connection with MFT takes 3 seconds. Did it multiple times. That's plenty fast enough or me.

Peter.
 






I never really paid attention to that so I just went out to try it. My phone connection with MFT takes 3 seconds. Did it multiple times. That's plenty fast enough or me.

Peter.
That's fair.
My problem comes in mostly when my smartphone isn't the "Favorite", yet it's the only one present. If my wife's smartphone is "Favorite" and mine isn't, and yet she's 50 miles away with her phone; I anticipate some delay in reconnecting after being out of the vehicle. I'm not unreasonable. However, I can wait anywhere from 10 seconds to minutes, to longer- sometimes it won't connect and the display reads "connect a phone" or whatever it says. Usually, I just get in the car and start driving. By the time I reach the first stop sign, it will have connected. But, when it doesn't: the unreliability and intermittent failure of it, irks me
If the device is "Favorite" the connection is usually quite fast.
 















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I was hoping to hear if anyone else had tried and just not posted yet.
 






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