ECU module programming guide using FDRS

[iceman77]

Excellent write-up. How large a flash drive did you use? You might want to add flash drive to your list of equipment.

Did you have any issues installing VX Manager? My installation was less than smooth. When I downloaded the latest Christmas Eve version, I couldn’t get it to install cleanly. My OS kept reporting missing installation modules. I could only install the earlier March version completely. Once I got that up and running, I was able to use the update button within the app to update to the latest version. I got to the same place, but it was clunky.

I haven’t had an opportunity to actually dig into FDRS yet. But did you have any installation failures using USB which you were able to get around by using the CAN bus pathway? Was it a lot slower?

Thanks for all the work you put into this write up.

I did not have any installation issues with VX manager. It is possible their driver relies on various "redistributables" C/C++ libraries, which I have had already installed, hence I experienced no issues. The interface is set up to work with SAE J2534 (also known as Pass-Thru) protocol which itself is very fast. I used it with ForScan and it was much faster that their ELM327 interface. While the FDRS software itself is sometimes finicky (had the software freeze couple of times after network re-scan) I had never had issues with ForScan

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[nearly]

Does this do anything for the 21 Job 1 trucks? Like upgrading to have cameras while driving / Blue Cruise, or is this just a fix for people not getting any updates?

 

[HawkeyeOD]

Great thread. I can use this as ammo to claim my truck is a lemon if the clowns at Ford can’t fix it.

I’m not desperate enough to try this myself. Don’t want to brick my truck at this point in time.

 

[TJSparky]

Iceman… I had the same issue running VXManager ver1.8.6 off the site you mention.

Windows and Chrome see a file in that download as a virus/trojan and strips it so the VXManager application won’t run. I did like Jeb mentioned and installed the older ver1.8.4 which installed and ran just fine, then did an update from within the VXManager application to ver1.8.6 and everything works.

Still waiting on my VCX NANO.

 

[johnatuckeriii]

Awesome work @iceman77 !

 

[rpeterslll]

great job! I'd love to play around with this tool, but its not worth the $50 2 day license for FDRS. Anyone know a way around this? It would be nice if the tool worked in a read only capacity when no license is installed without being able to update

 

[iceman77]

FYI - 2.3.0 OTA equivalent update just showed up in FDRS. Its a TCU and APIM update and need to be done together if you decide to do it via FDRS. The order of which module to update first, does not matter. This is an USB flash drive update, a process described here.

For this particular uprate, make sure you leave your truck powered down for at least 30 minutes once you get the "Restart Required" prompt on your SYNC screen

 

[iceman77]

Iceman… I had the same issue running VXManager ver1.8.6 off the site you mention.

Windows and Chrome see a file in that download as a virus/trojan and strips it so the VXManager application won’t run. I did like Jeb mentioned and installed the older ver1.8.4 which installed and ran just fine, then did an update from within the VXManager application to ver1.8.6 and everything works.

Still waiting on my VCX NANO.

For some reason I am getting virus warning as well when I try to download the driver installer from their web page. I have uploaded the 1.8.6 installer I have on file (its the one that the "old" VX Manager downloads automatically), that one does not get flagged by the AV.

You can get it here

 

[iceman77]

I just learned today, that FDRS will knock out your ForScan changes from your module you are updating. It reloads the As-Built data automatically at the end of the module SW update procedure. There is no way to skip this.

Make sure you back-up your ForScan changes and load them back after you are done with FDRS SW updates

 

[JEB]

Iceman77. Thanks, again, for this write-up. I used it (and some much appreciated offline help from Jesse) to update about 8-9 out of date modules, including that dodgy TCU that kept going offline and reporting an erroneous deep sleep since I bought the truck in August. Not even dealer was able to do this update and planned to simply replace the TCU. Worked for me, first try.

Two small modifications to your procedure. First, when you create your credentials and buy your license for FDRS at the link above, you can’t immediately use those same login credentials for the FDRS software. You have to create a second account at www.motorcraftservice.com (you can use the same username and password for this second account if you want) and then you can log into FDRS.

Second, when FDRS tells you to use a blank usb flash drive, it means it literally. After I updated the TCU, I tried to then update the APIM using the same drive without erasing it and got errors when FDRS tried to validate the install. When I erased the drive and then repeated the install, all validations post-install passed.

Hope this helps.

 

[BHunted1]

I used a 64GB SanDisk USB3.0 flash drive. It needs to be formatted to exFAT

Hopefully easy question. For months, the dealer could not even get the files to dl onto their FDRS. After many phone calls, yesterday, we finally got all files to the flash drive. Followed instructions, charger on battery, inserted the flash drive. The truck showed a flash drive was inserted but didn't care. We waited and easy 10 mins and nothing. No indication it was going to commence further.

So, question: There was one file in the root of the flash drive which was my vin and seems the file is a trust certificate. Then there was a folder with all the updates.
I recall in Sync 3.4, that there were like bootable instruction files in the root. Can you tell me if that is the case? Can you look at a loaded flash drive you created and tell me if there is more than the certificate in the root? Another mechanic said it doesn't work that way any more but he had no clue about the files. Thanks...

 

[iceman77]

Hopefully easy question. For months, the dealer could not even get the files to dl onto their FDRS. After many phone calls, yesterday, we finally got all files to the flash drive. Followed instructions, charger on battery, inserted the flash drive. The truck showed a flash drive was inserted but didn't care. We waited and easy 10 mins and nothing. No indication it was going to commence further.

So, question: There was one file in the root of the flash drive which was my vin and seems the file is a trust certificate. Then there was a folder with all the updates.
I recall in Sync 3.4, that there were like bootable instruction files in the root. Can you tell me if that is the case? Can you look at a loaded flash drive you created and tell me if there is more than the certificate in the root? Another mechanic said it doesn't work that way any more but he had no clue about the files. Thanks...

I had the same issue with my APIM stuck with the 1.7.1 OTA update. The truck has recognized the USB flash drive was inserted but for the love of God it would not kick off the SW update. I have struggled with this for a full day and then I gave up and left the USB flash drive plugged in. On 2nd or 3rd day, I pulled in to my driveway and notification saying “Don Not Remove USB drive” popped up on my SYNC screen. I followed the USB update instructions and all went well from there.

This issue is typical for APIM modules stuck with the 1.7.1 OTA update. Several other users reported this glitch on the forum here, you just have to be patient. It will eventually kick in.

NOTE: I even tried to Hard Reset my SYNC, perhaps out of desperation. Not sure if that helped to get the update going. Note though, hard reset will knock your truck out from FordPass and you will have to re-register it

 

[iceman77]

Iceman77. Thanks, again, for this write-up. I used it (and some much appreciated offline help from Jesse) to update about 8-9 out of date modules, including that dodgy TCU that kept going offline and reporting an erroneous deep sleep since I bought the truck in August. Not even dealer was able to do this update and planned to simply replace the TCU. Worked for me, first try.

Two small modifications to your procedure. First, when you create your credentials and buy your license for FDRS at the link above, you can’t immediately use those same login credentials for the FDRS software. You have to create a second account at www.motorcraftservice.com (you can use the same username and password for this second account if you want) and then you can log into FDRS.

Second, when FDRS tells you to use a blank usb flash drive, it means it literally. After I updated the TCU, I tried to then update the APIM using the same drive without erasing it and got errors when FDRS tried to validate the install. When I erased the drive and then repeated the install, all validations post-install passed.

Hope this helps.

My truck is a December “20 built (Job 1) and I have also noticed once or twice that my truck entered “Deep Sleep Mode”. I was suspecting TCU issues myself. Hopefully this update fixes it!

 

[BHunted1]

I had the same issue with my APIM stuck with the 1.7.1 OTA update. The truck has recognized the USB flash drive was inserted but for the love of God it would not kick off the module SW update. I have struggled with this for a full day and then I gave up and left the USB flash drive plugged in. On 2nd or 3rd day, I pulled in to my driveway and notification saying “Don Not Remove USB drive” popped up on my SYNC screen. I followed the USB update instructions and all went well from there.

This issue is typical for APIM modules stuck with the 1.7.1 OTA update. Several other users reported this glitch on the forum here, you just have to be patient. It will eventually kick in.

NOTE: I even tried to Hard Reset my SYNC, perhaps out of desperation. Not sure if that helped to get the update going. Note though, hard reset will knock your truck out from FordPass and you will have to re-register it

Got your message and relayed it to the mechanic. Thanks again...

 

[iceman77]

The content of your flash drive appears correct. There should be one software manifest file with your VIN in its file namei at the root of your flash drive. Then a folder named “FordSoftwareUpdates” with various files in it.

The 1.7.1 updates were close to 4GB. The latest, 2.3.0 OTA equivalent was only 2GB

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