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

[aggieStang]

This is something I've wanted to do since getting my car a month ago.
I hoped there'd be SOMETHING out there by now... So thank you for not only doing this, but sharing.
I've seen component systems ( screen separate from unit) for Escapes and other fords and thought I'd could just use that...? I'm sure a wire harness would be needed and faceplate. Add an Axxes or like device to keep Sync ?
Is there a reason we can't? Seems so simple.
I'm not an automotive electronic guy, so be easy on me...lol.

You could go that route, but that would get expensive quick and may still not work

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[SamsGt]

Thanks for the response.
The units I've seen on EBay are $350 or so. I would have to have installed since I'm sure a rewire would be in order, which adds money.
For a guy who's handy at wiring should be easy. I was just curious why no ones tried this. Thought maybe had to do the programing and such.

 

[zackmd1]

Ok so from all that I have read it looks like Ford uses the GPS to determine if the vehicle is in motion for touchscreen lockout. If I can get the GPSM reprogrammed with a premium mustang GPSM or even the escape GPSM this might solve the problem. Another issue I found is the sound settings. The base ACM is not accepting the MFT sound controls for bass, treble, and mid. Again I think this is an issue with the ACM programming. I might be able to reporgram the ACM with premium data to get these working. I worry though that with the reporgram it will not be able to drive the speakers correctly.

The last issue is the steering wheel controls. The escape (and almost every other ford for that matter) combines the skip radio controls with the sync controls. This means that the steering wheel controls (skip, mode) will not function.

 

[aggieStang]

Sounds like im gonna need my black box to ge the steering controls to work

 

[zackmd1]

Sounds like im gonna need my black box to ge the steering controls to work

Exactly what I was thinking. We need to replicate the signals the center stack bezel controls are sending as those work.

 

[jmr061]

All about programming, programming and programming now.

 

[aggieStang]

Yay! Looks like i get to buy a new shop laptop!!! Ive been looking for an excuse to get one.

 

[zackmd1]

Just showing the general idea of where the screen is going in the bezel.

 

[zackmd1]

So an update guys! Been working with jmr061 on the programming side of the APIM. In just a few short hrs he made what I would like to call significant progress!! We think (need to install into a car to test) that he as solved the sound settings, steering wheel controls, and quite possibly the in motion issue. He also recoded the lower right quadrant to display the date instead of climate controls. He and I thought it best to just eliminate them. Some pics from his bench setup!

 

[Ultimateone]

This is so cool, how much do you think it will be for this type of swap? guesstimate?

 

[zackmd1]

This is so cool, how much do you think it will be for this type of swap? guesstimate?

Way to early to tell right now... But most likely cheaper then an aftermarket setup would cost when they are available.

 

[bigspoondude]

Is it possible to have performance information displayed in that corner instead of the date?

Sure have a lot of talented members here. The end results are shaping up very nicely.

 

[aggieStang]

Was he using a vcm for programming?

 

[zackmd1]

Was he using a vcm for programming?

No clue... I do know though that it is not possible to touch the APIM programming with a normal VCM and OASIS. So if he is using a VCM then he has a custom method for doing this.

 

[zackmd1]

Is it possible to have performance information displayed in that corner instead of the date?

Sure have a lot of talented members here. The end results are shaping up very nicely.

The date quadrant came from a fiesta MFT. Jmr would have to answer as to if it is possible.

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