Stereo base 4.3" head unit upgrade: Ideas? Plans?***

[davekro]

I am waiting for the March release of the Pioneer AVIC-8001NEX. It is supposed be fully ANdroid compatible AND have data access to car functions that were supposed to come with the 2014 AVIC-8000, but did not. This does require an iData Maestro kit, but is supposed to give access to Sync, steering wheel controls, tire pressure and other 'car' data.

I sure hope that Metra, Scosche or other aftermarket bezel kit makers are able to create a solution that lets us keep our control knobs.

I won't have my car until March 23ish, so I can't see directly what the center stack looks like real closely (just pics).

Zack, do you think there is room for a big box just smaller than it's 7" diag. screen to slide into the space 'right' above the knobs and going maybe 6" back?

Even with open center stack pics (from ecosnake), I am confused what would/could be deleted with a new 7" touchscreen installation (like an 8001). When I spoke with a tech at Scosche, they said they have to figure out how to incorporate an adapter that included climate controls. So that implies that the 7" screen would be in the area where the Vol & Tune knobs are as well as the climate controls below that. Does the 4.3" display need to stay? If so what would it do differently than stock??

The last picture is of the OEM MyTouch 7" screen. "IT" gets to be in place of the 4.3" screen. Why wouldn't an aftermarket unit go in the same place? I know I am missing something here. :headbonk:

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[zackmd1]

Well remember a circuit board is just a collection of electrical circuits connected by "wire" if you will. Depending on how the control board is designed it might be possible to modify the stock center stack to accept a 2 din unit. If the electronics are partitioned like the buttons then it should theoretically be possible to cut the control board just above the volume/tuner knobs. From here all you would need to do is make a mount for your 2 din unit to slide into. The mount could screw into where the stock 4.3 display is mounted.

Like I said before, if the control board is partitioned nicely then everything south of your cut line should function as usual. The buttons work as resistors... Every button has a different resistance value that the computer reads as a specific command. The only real power going through this board is used to drive the backlighting. So cutting the board shouldn't be much of an issue at all.

I would buy a replacement board from Ford parts and then attempt to modify one. You can plug it in and test out its functionality before proceeding and if it doesn't work you still have a fully functional board to replace it with.

 

[Angel14]

Still don't see why Ford makes this so complicated in the mustangs, other than to push people towards updrading to 401a . Hopefully none of the climate controls or switches have to get moved around. Looks like the USB at the bottom would get removed, along with the things in the center console. Hopefully you can put a aftermarket unit in the place where the 7inch factory would be.

 

[Joe 5.0]

Really hoping for a radio kit too...

 

[zackmd1]

Still don't see why Ford makes this so complicated in the mustangs, other than to push people towards updrading to 401a ��. Hopefully none of the climate controls or switches have to get moved around. Looks like the USB at the bottom would get removed, along with the things in the center console. Hopefully you can put a aftermarket unit in the place where the 7inch factory would be.

There is certainly room to place a 2 din unit where the factory 4.3" screen is mounted. The issue would come in the fact that on the back of the 4.3 screen bracket the sync module is mounted. You would need to relocated the sync module if you were keeping it. That shouldn't be much of an issue at all though. The center stack bezel is the major issue at hand.

 

[Angel14]

There is certainly room to place a 2 din unit where the factory 4.3" screen is mounted. The issue would come in the fact that on the back of the 4.3 screen bracket the sync module is mounted. You would need to relocated the sync module if you were keeping it. That shouldn't be much of an issue at all though. The center stack bezel is the major issue at hand.

Yea the module could easily be moved around or with any luck even be integrated to headunits and elimanate the need for it. As for the bezel looks like a entire new one is required and looking at the ones from last gen I can only hope they don't take as long to come out with one that has no issues with quality or fitment.

 

[davekro]

I have no idea what an aftermarket center stack bezel would look like for a 2015. Here is one for a 2014. I think one of the two (top?) smaller areas was made to just be a storage pocket, IIRC.

 

[Angel14]

I have no idea what an aftermarket center stack bezel would look like for a 2015. Here is one for a 2014. I think one of the two (top?) smaller areas was made to just be a storage pocket, IIRC.

The top one was for the original screen. I had to be kept for for some reason can't remember if it was sync or something else. The middle one was for the head unit, and the last one was for climate controls if I remember correctly. I'm sure about the first two just not the last one.

 

[Angel14]

Just looked it up the last one in most cases was just extra storage

 

[zackmd1]

I have no idea what an aftermarket center stack bezel would look like for a 2015. Here is one for a 2014. I think one of the two (top?) smaller areas was made to just be a storage pocket, IIRC.

I am in visioning something close to stock with the climate controls. I think it would be nice if they added the toggles on the bottom like the premium. I am almost certain that they would remove the volume knob and tuning knob though.

My biggest problem with an aftermarket center stack is reliability. Unlike the 11-14 generation the 15 has to include the push button start. If you read some reviews on the aftermarket bezels for the 14 some have had issues with controls stop functioning. I for one would not like to get into my car and not be able to start it because the push button start does not work.

 

[davekro]

I sure hope an aftermarket bezel would be able to mimic the OEM bezel down that far and just have the OEM start, hazard, traction control?, and steering mode buttons snap into the aftermarket bezel. But I could see how they could F' up the climate controls. It would be hard enough to [ay $230 for this bezel, let alone $430 that Crutchfield asks (if you do not pay their inflated price for a head unit).

 

[zackmd1]

I sure hope an aftermarket bezel would be able to mimic the OEM bezel down that far and just have the OEM start, hazard, traction control?, and steering mode buttons snap into the aftermarket bezel. But I could see how they could F' up the climate controls. It would be hard enough to [ay $230 for this bezel, let alone $430 that Crutchfield asks (if you do not pay their inflated price for a head unit).

About $150 gets you an OEM replacement. I might get one soon to modify. We shall see.

 

[davekro]

What would you be looking to install? (SAY 7" Touchscreen please ;) )
ANd what are your thoughts of where things 'might' be located in a DIY mod'ed install.;)

 

[zackmd1]

What would you be looking to install? (SAY 7" Touchscreen please ;) )
ANd what are your thoughts of where things 'might' be located in a DIY mod'ed install.;)

Appradio 4 or parrot rnb6! If I were to do a custom setup I would cut the circuit board like I mentioned before and mount the touchscreen in the 4.3" screen OEM location. I would then wire up the volume/tuner knob and playback controls as steering wheel controls in an attempt to make them work with the aftermarket unit. I have no need to keep the OEM sync system as mine doesn't function properly to begin with! :headbonk:

 

[detailz03]

That looks good!

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