Airborne_Ape

Keep in mind I posted this mod 4 years ago.

I don’t know what to tell you other than it still works in the 2017 300a I put it in despite disconnecting the battery on that truck several times since as well as changing smart phones a few times (which involves updating the app and logging out / in).

People try different parts and firmwares all the time for this mod. Some work and some don’t. There’s too many variables to say for sure what will work for which owner.

This thread is 400+ pages of trial and error.

Honestly, technology has evolved enough by now that you could probably find a reliable suitable aftermarket solution and skip Ford Pass altogether.

I highly doubt Ford is maliciously targeting owners stuffing used TCU’s in their vehicle. It seems most likely the backend is getting occasional updates and legacy vehicles which were not even meant to have support in the first place are getting left behind.

If you consider that your truck is older than the iPhone X it starts to make sense why some modern services might not be compatible without extra tinkering and experimenting with downgrading firmwares.

Unfortunately, my best advice is to either take a gamble and see if it works with salvage parts from a 2017 or go aftermarket.

IMO the hotspot is not a value add, so why make it more complex than it needs to be.

2016Limited

@Airborne_Ape All understood. I mentioned above, all I'm after is $20 a month or cheaper unlimited data for my Android 14.4 Tesla style radio.

adammegandavis

When you change the ASBUILT values, you will enable the tile and it will display under settings menu.

When you look at the “about data” under settings you are going to see the vin that is assigned to your current vehicle along with the XM radio SN, the Modem info IMEI etc. VIN data is not “stored” in the TCU itself. The IMEI info is attached to the VIN in the Ford’s database.

You must use the TCU donor vin since the IMEI is attached to it in the database. If you use your current vin to try and activate it even though you have the TCU installed, ATT will tell you your vehicle isn’t equipped with the hotspot feature so there is no modem to activate. This is due to the association of the IMEI to the VIN of the donor vehicle.

The vehicle build data ford has on file for your vehicle, shows it was not built from the factory with an TCU. ATT goes strictly off the build data for your VIN from Ford.

so, to circumvent this, you provide the TCU donor vin when you go to activate the hotspot. There is no “cross check” that verifies that the TCU is actually in the vehicle with the VIN number it’s associated with… so it’s activated no questions asked.

barrytone

iTrader: (1)

Not to add confusion, but if you are doing this on a 2016, you'll also need to update the APIM firmware (NOT Sync software, they are different things) in order for the AsBuilt edit to work for enabling the hotspot menu. I think it's covered in the first post of this thread.

danlong

iTrader: (2)

Long story short... Make sure you get the VIN of whatever vehicle the TCU comes from or else you can't get it activated. 😉

adammegandavis

bingo! 😂

2016Limited

OK. I’ve been dragging my feet on upgrading my Sync3 to Sync3.4 because I did t think I really needed a new look. I also installed this Tesla Android now and don’t care about the Sync3, but if that unlocks the hotspot capabilities, it now seems necessary.

barrytone

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, unfortunately I'm not too familiar with those Tesla style radios, but Sync 3 is what controls the TCU hotspot configuration, like enabling/disabling it, setting the Wifi network name and password, so unless the Tesla software can also control those functions, you'd need Sync 3 in place to get it going. You'd basically have to keep the Sync 3 setup around to swap back in just in case the wifi ever got disabled (module reset, dead battery, etc.), which seems like quite a pain long term.

2016Limited

This specific tesla system is great because the Sync3 module bolts to the back of it. You don't remove Sync from the Truck. You just remove your screen and make Sync now have a huge screen that does much more. You still retain all Sync functionality. you view your Sync through an App called "Console" In essence, it's two radios now. Your factory everything, and now an overlay using the same screen that is just an android tablet. Listen to spotify. Wireless Apple Car Play. It's neat.

There seem to be about 10 of us that have it now geeking out about it at this thread: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/autotec-14-4-t-style-screen-537523/

You harvest the Sync module off your factory radio screen and bolt it to the back of this new screen. All cables included to tie it in. You keep the main radio body also in the truck.

danlong

iTrader: (2)

I had a little time and decided to try re-activating my TCU last night using a dummy account and the SyncConnectSDK site, but it appears like the site is down. I've tried reaching out to Jason at FLVPMods awhile back since I know he was offering some support for them but his site is also down and I got no response to PM's here. I'm still dead in the water, which is really annoying considering mine was working fine. I get a follow up call from Ford every month or so saying they're still working on it and asking if it's started working for me, then apologizing for the trouble, but nothing ever comes of it and they still don't seem to realize that my 2016 didn't actually come with a TCU.