Hey all, I have a 2015 Ford Fiesta where the sync died. After a while, I figured out that the head unit is the issue. Would it be okay to swap a 2017 radio into it? The dead unit is still in there, and I’m not sure of the suffix of the 2017 to be 100% sure about compatibility.
If I recall correctly, after the 2016 model, the Fiesta has Sync 3. I don’t think the 2017 radio will work well with your 2015. If you want to upgrade to Sync 3, the parts shouldn’t be too expensive. It’s definitely an option to consider.
@Sterling
I looked it up, and you’re right. How can I tell which version of Sync I have, and what’s the process for upgrading?
Hadley said:
@Sterling
I looked it up, and you’re right. How can I tell which version of Sync I have, and what’s the process for upgrading?
Here’s a link with info on upgrading from Sync 1 to Sync 3:
. It might not work with the non-color Sync 1 version though, so I’d suggest emailing the guy in the video to check. By the way, Ford no longer makes the bracket for this, so you’d have to get it from a wrecker.
@Sterling
Hmm, I think I have Sync 1, not Sync 2. I have the smaller screen, no colour, and it’s non-touch. Would the upgrade still work?
Hadley said:
@Sterling
Hmm, I think I have Sync 1, not Sync 2. I have the smaller screen, no colour, and it’s non-touch. Would the upgrade still work?
Ah, so you have the version of Sync that most people avoid. Check out this video about upgrading from Sync 1 to Sync 3: https://youtu.be/MMsQr74oSvU. I’m not sure if it works with the non-colour Sync 1, but it’s worth emailing the guy to ask. One downside is that Ford doesn’t make the bracket anymore, so you’d need to find it at a junkyard.
Hadley said:
@Sterling
I looked it up, and you’re right. How can I tell which version of Sync I have, and what’s the process for upgrading?
@Sterling
Do you think a 2011 Fiesta radio would work? There are a few crashed Fiestas at the yard near me, so I could pull one from there.
Hadley said:
@Sterling
Do you think a 2011 Fiesta radio would work? There are a few crashed Fiestas at the yard near me, so I could pull one from there.
It might work, but there are different versions of the Fiesta. It probably won’t work on the Euro spec Fiestas, but the US spec might be different. If it’s cheap, it’s worth trying.
@Sterling
Yeah, I didn’t realise the model years are split like that, 08 to 12 then 13 to 19. I’ll try to find a closer match and see what I can get. The radios are only about 25 bucks from the yard. It’s a shame it’s not going to be an easy fix. After watching the video, I didn’t realise the Fiesta had such a bad crash rating, and I didn’t know the bad radios were also a known issue.
@Hadley
The Euro spec ones only have software issues, so I think it’s more about the Mexican build quality.
Sterling said:
@Hadley
The Euro spec ones only have software issues, so I think it’s more about the Mexican build quality.
Well, that’s unfortunate. I just want my radio and Bluetooth back. It started with a small crackle in the radio, then a speaker died, and slowly I lost Bluetooth connectivity until the whole thing died with a lot of noise, and I had to pull the fuse. Now after six months, I’m looking to fix it. So, it’s down to either finding an exact match or going for a new system altogether.
@Sterling
Do you have any tips for me? Should I try to find a closer match and check for compatibility, or should I just redo the whole system? There’s a damaged speaker and the head unit is toast.
Hadley said:
@Sterling
Do you have any tips for me? Should I try to find a closer match and check for compatibility, or should I just redo the whole system? There’s a damaged speaker and the head unit is toast.
You could take the cheap route - grab a speaker and a radio from a wrecked car and swap them in. Alternatively, send the guy from Naviupgrade an email to check if the Sync 3 conversion harness will work with the dot matrix version of Sync. If it does, then you could do the conversion and have a much nicer radio setup.
@Sterling
I think I’ll go with the cheap option for now, especially until I finish my accounting degree and can afford an AWD ST or a Mustang. With the yard opening soon, I might be able to get the radio and play some music within a couple of hours. Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it.
@Hadley
No worries, man. Hope you find the right radio!
Sterling said:
@Hadley
No worries, man. Hope you find the right radio!
Hopefully you’re not in Europe because the yard opens in a few hours, and I might come back with more questions. But seriously, these 30 minutes of advice have helped me more than I’ve gotten in months.
@Hadley
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