FORScan forum

I'm trying to upgrade the firmware on a sync3 unit that I have on the bench and I don't want to rip a car apart to attach it momentarily.

When I try to upgrade the firmware on it, I get an error that says:

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Hardware is not compatible
Hardware number stored in the vehicle profile is not compatible to this module. If module was replaced, please remove vehicle profile and connect.
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I understand the error, and it's accurate, but is there anyway to get around this error? Obviously the hardware number is different from the profile because it's a different unit and editing the profile isn't as simple as changing out some information with the checksum.

Why don't you upgrade using the USB in the car?

You can force a different branch of firmware by selecting 'Custom' in the To Program drop down list in the module firmware update tab. When you select the manual option with forced rewrite enabled, you have to download your own vbf flie to use from Motocraft Dealer Connect (or make your own). You can't browse from a list of available options from the servers like you can with the other options.

Kind of clever, they designed it so that if you're going to mess with it at this capacity you need to really commit to F-ing it up.

Some bricked APIM's can be recovered by forcing different firmware when the original file won't recover it. I've done it and so have others. Specifically I recovered a few F150 APIMs with Super Duty calibration files. You can download VBF files here.

https://vbf.lulz.ovh/