Sync Bezel Diagnostics

[Airborne_Ape]

@fordtruckman2003 @ReverendQ
@Snakebitten

The vertical letters ECG & TCU are module status indicators.

TCU is the cellular modem and ECG is Electronic Control Gateway or Ethernet-Connected Gateway (I don’t know the exact term).

See photo below.

ECG disk status is reported through the APIM. My understanding is the remote monitoring theoretically could be used to determine if files are downloading to the Gateway properly.

OTA updates are an example of why to look at this. Normally updates are pushed to the Gateway in packets (over wifi or cellular), batched and verified on disk then installed over the vehicle’s Ethernet or serial area network to the designated target ECU.

IMO this is why so many owners express frustration with OTA updates. Most people assume it should work the same as updating an app on a phone when in reality separate packages need to download and verify locally in the gateway first. An update might look like it’s not working when it’s just waiting for more files.

Ford’s error redundancies causes owner impatience, but it is important to understand why you want local software checks before an OTA ABS update decides to install itself.

What was I talking about again? … Oh right,

One of the telltales of a bad APIM, bad Gateway, or Ethernet failure is that the ECG indicator will turn red. For example if you’re driving around that farm on rough terrain and the ECG status intermittently turns red it may suggest a loose network cable in the vehicle.

The TCU indicator is helpful, because if someone was to have connectivity issues with OASIS it differentiates modem failure from cellular drop outs, from Ford’s diagnostic server uploads.


ECG - Gateway connectivity
TCU - Ford Pass Modem
Magnifying Glass - Ford diagnostic uploads enabled
WiFi - home router connection
Cellular tower - cellular connection

If ECG is Red you have a problem with your gateway, APIM or physical vehicle network.

If you have a permanent red ECG combined with check engine lights you have a really big problem; more than likely a faulty gateway but possibly physical network disconnection.

If TCU is red you have a minor problem. Local Network or TCU itself.

The rest I don’t care about but is helpful to see.

Note that normal EGC disk usage with no pending updates is only 10% to 15%.

When Sync 4 update files get pushed down over time before a batched install you can see this metric increase.

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[Snakebitten]

@Airborne_Ape

Thanks!
Your post is a perfect example of why I so enjoy this forum.

 

[fordtruckman2003]

Great explanation without the multiple page Ford description and interesting to know about the storage usage.

 

[Airborne_Ape]

On second thought, ECG might actually stand for: Ethernet-Connected Gateway. What ever the exact definition is, it’s something you never want to see in red.

Getting access to the module to check if Factory Joe plugged it in all the way is almost as fun as a blend door actuator.

 

[DK4]

I hate to bump this thread just to highlight the fact that I’m an idiot, BUT it might help someone else and we are all about that here so..

When pushing the forward buttons to get this menu to pop up, it’s the steering wheel and the hard button below the touch screen. Not the soft forward button on the touch screen.

Took me way longer to figure that out than it should have even with the perfectly clear instructions by the OP

Now I have little green diagnostic icons like the rest of the cool kids. Next on the list is a chicken coop.

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

I hate to bump this thread just to highlight the fact that I’m an idiot, BUT it might help someone else and we are all about that here so..

When pushing the forward buttons to get this menu to pop up, it’s the steering wheel and the hard button below the touch screen. Not the soft forward button on the touch screen.

Took me way longer to figure that out than it should have even with the perfectly clear instructions by the OP

Now I have little green diagnostic icons like the rest of the cool kids. Next on the list is a chicken coop.

You can also push and hold the radio off button and track down simultaneously for 10 seconds to enter diagnostics. The hard buttons not the screen.

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