Using Forscan and being intimidated by it

[rugedraw]

Apologize for reviving this thread. But, there’s no way of knowing when it’ll sync with the cloud, right? I’m wanting my changes to sync up honestly so they’re set in stone.

An OTA will trigger the server interrogator to update the data with the cloud. I have heard that removing the vehicle from the Ford app and re-adding it may force the sync, but I have never tried it myself to verify.

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[Sofa King]

An OTA will trigger the server interrogator to update the data with the cloud. I have heard that removing the vehicle from the Ford app and re-adding it may force the sync, but I have never tried it myself to verify.

I had to remove my car from the app once (lol)... guess I should have done an asbuilt check at the same time, though didn't think of it at the time.

 

[Mach 307]

An OTA will trigger the server interrogator to update the data with the cloud. I have heard that removing the vehicle from the Ford app and re-adding it may force the sync, but I have never tried it myself to verify.

Out of curiosity, have you ever heard of an OTA update changing as built lines? Not exclusively lines that the user has modified, but broadly any as built line in general.

 

[rugedraw]

Out of curiosity, have you ever heard of an OTA update changing as built lines? Not exclusively lines that the user has modified, but broadly any as built line in general.

Yes, absolutely. 99% of OTA's will flash different firmware in one or several locations within the module. In some case, config changes are included....especially when new features are being added. There are rare OTA's that are config only and do not actually write any firmware at all. These are DC only (direct configuration) updates and these are the only ones that according to PTS, require wifi for them to install. The first time I ever saw a config only OTA was in Feb of 2024, and it was sent out to correct the config in the TCU of certain vehicles where the country code was changed inadvertently and wifi was the only way to get the issue fixed since the modem's cellular connectivity was killed by the wrong country code being there. Since then, the very few config-only OTA's I have seen all say wifi required in PTS.

Screenshot below is of the OTA dashboard of a Mach E. There was an OTA sent to the PSCM showing wifi required and if you open the details, it says config only, so all the OTA does is make some change to the config of that module. However, the update right before it for the OBCC that says wifi not needed updated two files. The F188 location is the strategy file and the F10A location is the base configuration file, so it is possible that in this case, there are changes to the ab data, too.

 

[Mach 307]

Yes, absolutely. 99% of OTA's will flash different firmware in one or several locations within the module. In some case, config changes are included....especially when new features are being added. There are rare OTA's that are config only and do not actually write any firmware at all. These are DC only (direct configuration) updates and these are the only ones that according to PTS, require wifi for them to install. The first time I ever saw a config only OTA was in Feb of 2024, and it was sent out to correct the config in the TCU of certain vehicles where the country code was changed inadvertently and wifi was the only way to get the issue fixed since the modem's cellular connectivity was killed by the wrong country code being there. Since then, the very few config-only OTA's I have seen all say wifi required in PTS.

Screenshot below is of the OTA dashboard of a Mach E. There was an OTA sent to the PSCM showing wifi required and if you open the details, it says config only, so all the OTA does is make some change to the config of that module. However, the update right before it for the OBCC that says wifi not needed updated two files. The F188 location is the strategy file and the F10A location is the base configuration file, so it is possible that in this case, there are changes to the ab data, too.

That makes sense, and that’s actually why I asked. I found one strange As-Built discrepancy on my 2022 Mach 1 that I’ve been trying to figure out the origin of.

My original factory Ford As-Built has:

706-02-01 = FD54 06DB 7FC1

I also compared 32 unique factory 2021–2023 Mach 1 As-Built files, and 32/32 have that exact same 7F state at 706-02-01.

However, when I pulled the IPMA directly from my car with FORScan, it was:

706-02-01 = FD54 06DB 7EC0

So one actual configuration bit had changed at some point.

The other important detail is that nobody used FORScan on the car before me, and this is not a value I personally changed. I’m the first person to have used FORScan on the car, so I’m trying to figure out what legitimate Ford/service process could have altered that one bit.

I initially wondered whether it was caused by one of the user-selectable driver-assist settings, because I confirmed experimentally that several of those settings do alter nearby IPMA As-Built data. Lane Keeping mode, Driver Alert, Auto High Beam, etc. all changed values in 706-02-02. But I went through essentially every relevant dash setting I could find and nothing ever moved the 7E bit in 706-02-01.

Another interesting part is that I downloaded my VIN’s As-Built directly from Ford again today, 8/18/26, and Ford is still serving 706-02-01 = ...7F.... The file I downloaded today is actually byte-for-byte identical to the original factory As-Built file I had saved.

I eventually restored 706-02-01 to my original Ford value of ...7F.... The car has since been through multiple engine starts, full sleep/key cycles, complete module rereads and DTC scans with no issues, and it has stayed at 7F.

The timeline is what has me curious. I had a dealer FDRS session on 7/23/26 for a PCM software update and spare-key programming. Ford’s FDRS Support screen shows the IPMA “Last Updated” at 7/23/26 15:19, while the PCM shows 7/23/26 15:29. A bunch of other modules also show 15:19, so I assume that was FDRS interrogating/reporting the module network rather than all of those modules actually being flashed.

Then I had a SYNC update on 8/11/26. Ford’s screen shows the APIM updated on 8/11, while the IPMA still shows 7/23, so I’m thinking the SYNC update probably wasn’t responsible.

My first saved live IPMA backup showing ...7E... was on 8/17, so unfortunately I don’t have a pre-7/23 or pre-8/11 live IPMA backup that would let me pinpoint exactly when it changed.

Given what you’re saying about normal OTAs sometimes including configuration changes, and the rarer Direct Configuration-only OTAs, do you think something during that 7/23 FDRS dealer session could have changed an IPMA As-Built/configuration value even if the IPMA itself wasn’t being flashed? Or would an actual configuration write like that normally leave some identifiable indication in PTS/FDRS update history?

 

[rugedraw]

@Mach 307 No idea what could have caused that. Looking at the spreadsheet, all that does is change the field of view of one of the cameras from regular to wide angle. Not sure what could have caused that bit to flip to an E, tbh, but nice catch.

 

[Mach 307]

@Mach 307 No idea what could have caused that. Looking at the spreadsheet, all that does is change the field of view of one of the cameras from regular to wide angle. Not sure what could have caused that bit to flip to an E, tbh, but nice catch.

Is that info from the spreadsheet just for the S650 or the same for my S550?

 

[rugedraw]

Is that info from the spreadsheet just for the S650 or the same for my S550?

Actually, I was looking at the wrong line. I was looking at the F150 sheet, but the IPMA seems to be the same on most Sync 4 vehicles in terms of the config. That value as far as what changes between and E and an F is not detailed in either spreadsheet. Below is what that bit controls. DPAC is driver park assist camera, LKS is lane keeping system and BLIS has to do with blind spot monitoring. In this case, not sure what the E or F would do.

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