2016 Explorer Sport - Audio System Build

[nid]

@Lexingtonian thanks much! I believe I found what I needed and hope you enjoyed your Bourbon I have another question and I apologize if you already addressed it and I just missed it. When you program the APIM for variable line output does that mean you have to make sure all output channels now go through an amplifier (or something like this: AudioControl LC7i (Black)

The reason I'm asking is that for now I just want to run the door speakers only (I replaced the factory ones) through an after market amp (I have an XLT version, so no Sony amp) and maybe add another one down the road. So I'm worried that the center channel and the (really sad) third row speakers will sound even worse.

 

[Lexingtonian]

@Lexingtonian thanks much! I believe I found what I needed and hope you enjoyed your Bourbon I have another question and I apologize if you already addressed it and I just missed it. When you program the APIM for variable line output does that mean you have to make sure all output channels now go through an amplifier (or something like this: AudioControl LC7i (Black)

The reason I'm asking is that for now I just want to run the door speakers only (I replaced the factory ones) through an after market amp (I have an XLT version, so no Sony amp) and maybe add another one down the road. So I'm worried that the center channel and the (really sad) third row speakers will sound even worse.

If you enable variable line out, you -have- to have some sort of line level to amplification conversion. Your audio control would work but I would much rather have a processor to time align the signal. My MS8 has really good amplification built in frankly I installed on in my Dads F150 and was quite impressed.

At the simplest level, you could take the front line level channels directly into the RCAs on an amp for your fronts and perhaps use a 5 channel amp for rears + sub for your rear line level output channels. Don’t forget, the D pillar speakers (if you have them) are wired in parallel so they won’t play in stereo. Ford cheated on those quite a bit. I fixed mine however.

Happy to discuss more if you’d like. PM me your contact info (phone) if you’d like to dig deeper.

Cheers hope this helps

 

[thrak76]

Zombie thread resurrection!

This is a great thread. Thanks for your work putting this together.

Question that I don't think I saw covered -

I have a 17 Platinum, and am doing some upgrades. Will using an MS8 (or similar) preserve the voice prompts and such from the infotainment system, or do I have to use some additional equipment? Along the same lines, do the steering wheel controls still work?

Thanks

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.

Peter

 

[Lexingtonian]

Zombie thread resurrection!

This is a great thread. Thanks for your work putting this together.

Question that I don't think I saw covered -

I have a 17 Platinum, and am doing some upgrades. Will using an MS8 (or similar) preserve the voice prompts and such from the infotainment system, or do I have to use some additional equipment? Along the same lines, do the steering wheel controls still work?

Thanks

Yes it will preserve the prompts just fine. All of the prompts come through the stereo system. To properly do a processor you need to convert the system to RCA. Been a while since I’ve done the build but I think I’ve talked about it here and there. In the beginning of the thread I believe there’s a link to doing the line out conversion. To preserve all of the prompts you have to bring all four channels (FR FL RR RL) into the processor for summing as many of the prompts come from the rear channels. Several people have reached out to me over the years to talk about the build. P.m. me if you would like to talk more about it over the phone. Cheers and best wishes

 

[Usman Rahyab]

I bought a aux line in from ford pi mods. Dealor refused to program. Bought the obd cable mentioned above. Can someone tell me the value to Input to. The apim. 7D0-02-02 in the APIM To make the aux activate. I have 2016 PIU. Thank you

 

[Lexingtonian]

I bought a aux line in from ford pi mods. Dealor refused to program. Bought the obd cable mentioned above. Can someone tell me the value to Input to. The apim. 7D0-02-02 in the APIM To make the aux activate. I have 2016 PIU. Thank you

See line 69 of the APIM tab of this sheet:

FORScan 2015-2019 F150s

 

[Usman Rahyab]

Thank you

 

[Usman Rahyab]

using forscan im looking for the apim module for my 2016 ford police interceptor utility and I don't see it. I have a non sync model that has steering wheel controls but no aux or usb or Bluetooth. I ordered a aux cable from ford pi mod wired it up and am trying to program the car to have the media button functional. any help would be greatly appreciated. all the forms on forscan show the code for a f 150 with a apim.

 

[thrak76]

"The post makes references to an ACM that has already been modded to send line level signal instead of speaker"
This is correct... this wasn't/isn't a free mod, which is why it isn't in FORScan. That being said, it can be enabled with FORScan versus having to send out your ACM or finding a Ford dealership with IDS. It will not be shared/made public. This code change for your ACM would need to be purchased like any other vehicle mod.

This is from the Fusion mods thread for the line-level conversion.

Is this something that we have to pay for, or we can accomplish ourselves with the OBS scanner and the FORscan software?

 

[Lexingtonian]

You

This is from the Fusion mods thread for the line-level conversion.

Is this something that we have to pay for, or we can accomplish ourselves with the OBS scanner and the FORscan software?

You can accomplish yourself. That’s an old post and eventually how to do it came out. It’s linked in the first post of my thread.

 

[Usman Rahyab]

This is from the Fusion mods thread for the line-level conversion.

Is this something that we have to pay for, or we can accomplish ourselves with the OBS scanner and the FORscan software?

I used forscan to do it. And payed for the license.

 

[Henry Quintanilla]

@Lexingtonian , hi impressive build. Quick question - how did you rewire the front and rear speakers to the amp? I tried to use the existing hole from the door to the cabin but there is an electrical adapter that completely blocks any wires from being fished through. My thought was to use the wire from inside the cabin that connects to the rest of the speakers and then use the JL C2 supplies crossovers and then run the wire to the amps, but not sure which wire to cut or if there is a better plan in doing this. For the rear speakers, they are coax, so I am thinking I could do it there just not sure about the fronts.

What do you think?

 

[Lexingtonian]

@Lexingtonian , hi impressive build. Quick question - how did you rewire the front and rear speakers to the amp? I tried to use the existing hole from the door to the cabin but there is an electrical adapter that completely blocks any wires from being fished through. My thought was to use the wire from inside the cabin that connects to the rest of the speakers and then use the JL C2 supplies crossovers and then run the wire to the amps, but not sure which wire to cut or if there is a better plan in doing this. For the rear speakers, they are coax, so I am thinking I could do it there just not sure about the fronts.

What do you think?

Sorry for the late reply! I ran everything from my sound stream Amps to the Sony amp harness (because I removed the Sony Amp), cut the speaker wires and wired into that. Then reused the factory wiring in the doors. Look at post #22. I don’t really mention it in that post but you can see how I did it in the photos.

 

[thrak76]

Where did you run wire for the D-pillar speakers? I'm going to bring those 2 discreet channels as well. Seems like that would require new wire runs, since the factory harness has them paralleled.

 

[Lexingtonian]

Where did you run wire for the D-pillar speakers? I'm going to bring those 2 discreet channels as well. Seems like that would require new wire runs, since the factory harness has them paralleled.

Wires to each speaker as I recall.

 

[Henry Quintanilla]

Sorry for the late reply! I ran everything from my sound stream Amps to the Sony amp harness (because I removed the Sony Amp), cut the speaker wires and wired into that. Then reused the factory wiring in the doors. Look at post #22. I don’t really mention it in that post but you can see how I did it in the photos.

Thanks Lexingtonian.

This does beg another question from me. I was under the impression that the stock amp still had to be kept in order for everything else to run smooth. Is that not the case? I am only amplifying the front doors and the rear doors along with a stealthbox (in the near future), but the rest of the speakers will still be intact I guess being amped by the stock amp.

 

[thrak76]

Any idea where the splice is for the D-pillar (mono) speakers?

EDIT: Found them with the wiring diagrams. Splices 326 and 348, right rear, near the DSP it looks like. That will make this much easier!!

 

[thrak76]

@Lexingtonian , did you add the two jumpers from the APIM harness to the ACM harness referenced in the OP for the variable line out to keep voice prompts and such? Or did just using the front and rear stereo feeds work to keep prompts?

 

[MM07]

Was it easy to get to those back d pillar speakers? Wondering if I should get some new 3.5" to put in there.

Thanks and great install.