Surprise! SYNC Navigation actually turned out to be useful!

[Adieu]

Had to go to Houston on business, took the scenic detour through the southwest on the way back to LA... phone internet (Sprint) bugged out around Oklahoma and only came back sporadically in a few spots in New Mexico and Utah before returning full blast around Vegas

Made extensive use of the SYNC system (2012 Lincoln Navigator L version) to navigate.

Liked:
*Waypoints!!! Strong and effective waypoint software!!!
*Avoid "freeways" (takes state and US highway system and county roads instead of interstates)
* "Detour for N miles (1 - 100)" off current mapped route ---- VERY effective, MUCH better than Waze/Gmaps options
*SPEED!!! Recalculates far, far faster than phone nav apps
*lane guidance - solid stuff!
*has some backroads that android apps don't show
*elevation info --- alas hidden inside the (i) button, not on main map

Weaknesses:
*smallish fonts on map
*turn visualization makes it hard to see where you are in relation to the turn
*2012 maps are outdated --- some road closures, not aware of the existence I-11 in Nevada AT ALL, some bodies of water have since changed shape
*ETAs are a little arbitrary




Parked in the middle of Lake Mead, lol...anyone know how to update this, preferably without paying?

 

[cmiles97]

I just go with a Garmin GPS unit (free map updates) and my cell phone as a back up. The Garmin works great in cell phone dead areas. I hate the car manufacturer GPS. I have never had one as good as Garmin or a cell phone plus the cost of updates in the past turned me off to them.

 

[chuck s]

I run redundant nav systems. Sync 3 and Garmin DriveLux 50 (in the Expedition). The Garmin outperforms the Sync3 is most ways and the maps were updated less than a week ago. The maps in my '17 Expedition factory system are probably no later than 2015. Lack of updated maps is inexcusable.

When offered different route choices I almost always take the Garmin.

Voice commands such to find places seems to work better in Sync. Finding places by voice with the Garmins (I have one in a second car) often gets laughable suggestions, sometimes hundreds of miles away.

Why redundant systems? I didn't have factory nav in my previous Expedition and already own the unit.

-- Chuck

 

[rexster314]

2012 KR here. I bit the bullet and installed a Lockpick 6 months after buying the vehicle new. I've updated the software once in 2015. I seldom use my phone or Garmin since the SYNC does so well. I don't use POI's very much as I know they are out of date, but entering an address is easy enough and with the Lockpick, my co-pilot can do it on the move. I've yet to see a way to "crack" software to bypass paying Ford for the upgrade

 

[woodmanjc]

For my new to me 2017 I just went to owner.ford.com and downloaded the Sync3 update, no charge. It is huge 1.5 gigabytes but the map info is very current now. Downloaded it to my computer, copied it to a USB drive, plugged it into the USB port in the Expy and did the update with no trouble.

 

[chuck s]

No map updates on that site for model year 2017. Seems these are only available for earlier Sync hardware where the maps are on an SD card. Pre-2016? $150 is extremely pricey considering a very capable stand alone GPS is about that same price. Maps on my unit appear to be circa 2015.

My Sync3 v.3.0 system shows on the owner.ford website that it was updated to the latest version (whatever that might be) on 30 Jan 19. I didn't do anything but it sits outside my office most of the time and shows on my wireless network.

How to confirm your SYNC 3 software version
From the SYNC 3 touchscreen, press the Settings icon in the Feature Bar, then press the General icon. On the next screen, select About SYNC (you may need to scroll to see it) and your SYNC 3 software version will appear at the top of the following screen.

The current SYNC 3 software version is ___________. If you do not have this version, proceed with the update.

Yep, there's no notation of the current version. I exaggerated the blank.


-- Chuck

 

[powerboatr]

just one question...why did you go through oklahoma to get to houston form so cal?
you got see lots of country

 

[Adieu]

I just go with a Garmin GPS unit (free map updates) and my cell phone as a back up. The Garmin works great in cell phone dead areas. I hate the car manufacturer GPS. I have never had one as good as Garmin or a cell phone plus the cost of updates in the past turned me off to them.

The waypoints on this are some of the best I've seen

just one question...why did you go through oklahoma to get to houston form so cal?
you got see lots of country

On the way back... I wanted to:

1) check out Dallas also (well that sucked, it's pretty much LA 2.0, and not in a good way)
2) hit the mountains in New Mexico
3) avoid interstates where possible, and not double back

 

[barrydu4]

I rarely use the in dash navigation. It's out of my line of sight. I use my Garmin and it sits up on the dash perfectly. The navigation maps will need to be upgraded one day and the Garmin has free updates for life.

 

[Dorzak]

Sync 3 maps are updated via SiriusXM for traffic info, possibly more. There is a trial period of like 6 months for audio and at least a year for maps and traffic. Will look up details.