Blenderite

Hey guys,

I am looking to upgrade my radio in my 06. The truck currently has the 6 disc with Sirius module. But it lacks to important thing, AUX input.

I am currently thinking about what newer model F150 radios would fit my truck. What do y'all think? Would a radio from a 2010 fit? Should I just go aftermarket? If so, what do you guys like for aftermarket?

Thanks in advance!

aircrue

I thought about using an OEM radio to upgrade mine, but after considering the costs involved to buy a used radio, programming, and parts, i just decided to go all new.

I replaced mine with a pioneer 7100NEX Nav, blutooth radio, added and wired in an oem back up cam, and swapped the cig lighter for a remote aux/usb port.

The oem sirius module will not work with the new radio, but a new Sirius module cost about 35, and bonus, the oem sat radio antenna connector will work on the new Sirius module!

Also if you get an axxess steering wheel control module, you retain and can remap your steering wheel controls.

Everything was easy to swap, as I took the time and did the research here.

aircrue

Also, the stock amp and sub really came alive after the swap. I did replace the door speakers and tweets later when I blew them out.

BadFish523

You can use any radio out of an 07-08 and it will be plug and play. However I also recommend going aftermarket. You will pay a little more than finding a used F150 radio but you will gain so much more going aftermarket.

Jamieat

Not saying your wrong, and not "stepping on toes". Just to be clear!!

It is my understanding, and my experience trying to use the radio from my 08 in my 05 ( I'm aware were talking different / newer year models), that yes, they are plug and play (04-05 had different antenna plug so had to get adapter).

However, and please correct me if I'm wrong here, the radio you swap with will need to come from basically a truck with the same features as the one your installing it in.

Example; My 08 was an XLT and did not have steering wheel controls, so, when I swapped, even with the controls connected, the unit would not recognize the input b/c it had not been factory programmed to do so due to the truck not coming with SWC from factory.

Option; went to dealership, was told they would have to flash the pcm with the unit installed and see if it detects the inputs and recognizes that the SWC is there and connected. They said there was about a 50% chance it would work and, was gonna charge $100 to do so.

So, with that said, I just put that $100 towards an aftermarket with all the bells and whistles. I've also read many ppl trying to do this have experienced issues with the display not working correctly or not dimming correctly when installed in another vehicle.

Just things to consider. Like the OP, I too was looking to have an AUX jack so I could play music from my phone. I swapped the dash tray with the AUX jack from the 08 as well when I swapped the radio. Had to take the pins for the aux jack out of the factory harness and install in the factory harness in same locations in my 05. AUX jack would work with the unit from the 08, and radio worked fine, however my SWC would not work (drove me nuts).

I tried using my original unit (6 disk) with the AUX input now installed, and it would not detect it. Same issue, the original radio would have to be flashed to detect the new input. So, I rode around with the AUX input and the 08 radio until I bought the aftermarket unit I have now (like much better).

With blue tooth and USB connections, the AUX is obsolete in my opinion. The highest sound quality is achieved through the USB connection as the media file does not have to be converted (more conversions = diminished sound quality) although, I use the blue tooth most often.

Several benefits going aftermarket you won't get with an OEM unit;
RCA and/or HDMI connections. This is important if your gonna us an amplifier, crossover, or equalizer. They can be used with the original unit however, the source signal has to be obtained from tapping a speaker wire v/s having an RCA connection directly from the head unit, (much better sound quality).

One feature to look for when going aftermarket that's a must have to me, that seems to go unmentioned on these radio threads is something relatively new called "Screen Mirroring".

This feature allows you to connect your phone and display whatever's on your phone on your unit's screen. I like it due to using Navigation and other apps. For instance, if you use your phone's nav displayed on your head unit, then you have an internet connection running and can get real time traffic info ect, v/s downloading offline maps.

You can connect and duplicate the "Screen Mirroring" feature on unit's that don't support it as long as there is an additional "video input RCA or HDMI connection on the HU". You can get an adapter to plug into most android phones that will go from RCA to micro USB or mini HDMI, whatever your phone has. You can then select the aux input on the HU and see whatever is on your phone that way. Only draw back this route is you cant control it from the HU's screen, have to use phone.

You could probably hook this up the same way, with slight modification through the HU's back up camera RCA connection (if it has one).

Point of all this, the OEM unit's are antiquated anyway, don't support lot's of new features or have compatibility, you risk it not functioning properly or all features being enabled.

Other thing when researching aftermarket HU's, aircue had mentioned an SWC adapter. The one's I researched (from crutchfield, and brand name) run anywhere from $65+, most in the 80 range.

There are unit's available, which is what i purchased, that have the SWC adapter built into the HU. You have to go through a learning procedure to program the controls, but, you can make the button's do whatever command you wish. Purchasing a unit with it built in will save you the money of having to buy an adapter and hook it up.

Just my input from the experience I had. As I tried the cheaper route and wanted to use my other trucks HU since it was on hand. Should not have wasted my time and went aftermarket from the onset.

Hope this helps!!!

BadFish523

You could be right, I have never heard of features not working on these. From my understanding all 04-08 radios will be plug and play and all features will work if the wiring and switches are there. I wasn't aware of the truck controlling any features through any modules but again i could be wrong. The steering wheel controls are just a hot wire coming in, the each button has a different amount of resistance allowed through it. Only an example, the radio reads 2v its volume up, 3v its volume up, 4v its seek up, and so on. As far as the display not dimming that would have to be a bad connection, again I don't think the computer controls that in any way. I think what we can all agree on is aftermarket has far more advantages than OEM.

Jamieat

What I was told, by "Ford" lol....., is that each unit is paired by the VIN. So, all units are SWC capable, however, if the truck is not equipped with SWC, as my XLT was not, then the unit was not programmed to receive the input and would have to be installed and pcm flashed, which reprograms the HU to accept connected inputs.

Sounds crazy i know. I guess it's like when I swapped the dash console from the 08, swapped the wiring from the 08 harness, and installed in my 05's harness in the exact pin locations (they were all empty since it was not available stock on the 05), and even then, the stock 6 disk in my 05 would not recognize the Aux input even when pushing the Aux button.

Reason is, the Aux button on my stock 6 disk from my 05 and all others that had the AUX button, but no AUX port, was for an overhead DVD console power, not an audio input. So, it would have to be flashed in order to recognize the new inputs.

So, I install the HU from the 08 in the 05, with the Aux port from the 08 as well (had already put it in hoping it would work with stock 6disk), Aux input worked as it's supposed to. Unit worked fine, dimmer and display worked fine. However, SWC would not. Reason; the stock unit from the XLT, did not have SWC in the truck so, unit was not programmed at the factory to recognize this input, would have to be flashed. Then it's a crap shoot if it'll take.

So, I was told, and from research conducted, that if your looking to swap OEM HU's, your best bet is to find one of same year, model, sub model, with same features as these units are programmed for the same inputs. I guess you could match it by VIN maybe.

I assure you, I beat my head on the dash trying to figure this one out, and this isn't my first time with radio/stereo/system installation.

Only difference in wiring like I said, is the 04-05's have a different style antenna plug, which there's an adapter for.

As for the display issue, mine seemed to work just fine. Issues weren't all described as not dimming, it was more commonly described as distorted display, as ........trying to think of example.......like a bad digital display, when it's malfunctioning and gives just lots of lit up dots or all text is not legible if that makes sense. Some compatibility issue that occurs occasionally if the unit is not flashed.

I am aware of how the SWC operates and sends signals. You are correct about that. Problem is, like is described, is that the HU from my XLT was not programmed to accept a SWC input just as the HU from my Lariat was not programmed to accept an external audio AUXiliary input either.

And yes, I do agree, aftermarket is MUCH better. The learning procedure for the SWC on mine operates of the premise you described. You select the feature you want controlled on the HU.....say volume up, then push the button on the steering wheel you want to be volume up, could be any you choose associated with the audio system. HU detects specific voltage input from that point and associates that with programmed function.

Feel free to verify this information, and if I am wrong anywhere, please let me know because I do like to be accurate when giving advice, and I have been wrong before, and I'm not 100%, but, given the experience, research, and consult (of which was so extensive I was ready to burn both HU's!!) I put into trying to get the unit to work properly, I'm pretty certain you'll find what I said to be true and I hope it helps someone along the way avoid the headache and trouble shooting I did to figure this all out.

So now, I have the dash tray with the AUX port from my 08, in my 05, with the aftermarket HU, that came with the AUX, SD, Micro SD, USB, CD, DVD, and bluetooth inputs!! And, I don't / haven't used the AUX input one time since I got it!! Usually just use bluetooth for convenience and USB drive for downloaded material due to the higher sound quality (really can't tell that much difference just a way to keep things stored and can view pics/videos off USB as well.

Jamieat

OOOhhhhh............SCREEN MIRRORING is the way to go. Look it up if unfamiliar.

A must have feature when buying a new HU in my opinion!

BadFish523

I just went with an Android HU. As of right now Chinese HU's are the only ones I've seen in Android but I sure hope a big name reliable manufacture gets on board with making an Android HU. It is the best HU I've ever had out of hundreds.

Jamieat

Dude.......If you've had hundreds of HU's, I'm not sure you've ever had a good one!!! lol

Yeah, I hear the pumpkin units are solid.

I bought a $100.00 Dual HU Double Din for my work truck about a year ago. I have been as impressed by it as the Clarion I have in my personal truck minus it doesn't have quite as many features.

But, for $100.00, it's worked flawlessly, CD, DVD, Bluetooth, USB, SD, AUX, MP3, HD Screen, Remote, Back up Camera and Mirroring capabilities, and has a ton of extra inputs and RCA Hookups for accessories.

Only reason I got it was I needed something with RCA connections so I could hook up my amplifiers (I travel for work a bit and like a good system to listen to) as factory unit's don't come with RCA Jacks. Running multiple amplifiers and crossover, the unit itself does not supply power to anything, just a signal, so, I can't speak for it's power output capability, but, It's function is smooth, had zero issues, and came with a built in SWC adapter that took 5 mins to program which is around an $80 value itself. A name brand SWC adapter cost's about as much as this whole unit. Dimmer works great too.

It also operates on the android type platform, or OS i suppose. Doesn't allow for app installation but with mirroring, that doesn't matter as if your phone will do it, so with the HU.

Just thought I'd throw that out there as going aftermarket doesn't have to be expensive if you just gotta have something, I got $700 in my Clarion and honestly, the money isn't worth the difference as far as what's actually gained. i figured if it messed up in six months, I'd go buy a name brand, but it's been a year and a half and works great. I'm just amazed at how economical this technology as become and I was unaware that the purchase of this type unit for that price was even available