2015 Explorer - Update Audio (APIM+Screen+USB)

[MuellerAndrewRay]

ok. I installed into the vehicle just more as a test than anything else at this point to see what I get. Here is how it went:

• Took out old Screen+APIM, pretty easy
• Installed the new Screen+APIM, but only connected the main cable
• Started up the car - Screen started, but it is going all crazy without a GPS connection like this:
  • Hopping right to the navigation screen
  • Jumping all over the place
  • Touchscreen doesn't seem to be doing anything, everywhere I touch there is no reaction or noise

So... a little lost for the moment because I thought I would be able to click around to see what would work by default - but there is no way to 'touch' anything.

UPDATE: It has kind of started working. The touchscreen, anyway. Works all the way up to being able to change stations on SiriusXM. I can only change presets at this point, lol. Won't let me change from any station currently selected by presets (using presets). I will have the programming cable tomorrow, so will be able to make changes. It is currently at v3.0

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HXZS9zFnDSopcG2T7

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Also the time appears to be blank and won't let me change it. Curious if programming will fix this. The VIN is correct without programming. I don't have the USB programming dongle or the Sync 3 USB ports, so can't do much right now anyway. I'm waiting on those, but any info is good info

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Bit the bullet and had the programming done via DanMc85. It is looking like pretty much everything is working except Nav gets a "Navigation Fault" quite often and then either works after 30 seconds or doesn't work until a restart (if lucky). Getting closer.

 

[mmorey79]

Bit the bullet and had the programming done via DanMc85. It is looking like pretty much everything is working except Nav gets a "Navigation Fault" quite often and then either works after 30 seconds or doesn't work until a restart (if lucky). Getting closer.

What nav antenna did you go with? Typical of cheap aftermarket antennas. Unfortunately the Xtenzi that was the best for the buck seems to be NLA. Mitral Shah who is a swap guru suggested a Taoglas from mouser/digikey. PN aa.105.301621 (blue Fakra C connector, magnetic mount)

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

What nav antenna did you go with? Typical of cheap aftermarket antennas. Unfortunately the Xtenzi that was the best for the buck seems to be NLA. Mitral Shah who is a swap guru suggested a Taoglas from mouser/digikey. PN aa.105.301621 (blue Fakra C connector, magnetic mount)

I got this one that I saw recommended somewhere: Amazon - GPS

 

[mmorey79]

I got this one that I saw recommended somewhere: Amazon - GPS

Yeah that’s the one I had it works but not great and kicks errors on some apims more than others apparently it’s in my wife’s car temporarily and only errors once in a great while. I should have a splitter cable for hers tomorrow so it will be fixed completely.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Yeah that’s the one I had it works but not great and kicks errors on some apims more than others apparently it’s in my wife’s car temporarily and only errors once in a great while. I should have a splitter cable for hers tomorrow so it will be fixed completely.

Let me know if it works well after... and then what parts I would need to get mine working. By splitter are you splitting to 2 of those instead of just 1?

 

[mmorey79]

Let me know if it works well after... and then what parts I would need to get mine working. By splitter are you splitting to 2 of those instead of just 1?

I already did it to my explorer, but it requires an antenna replacement, I used a Lincoln MKC "sharkfin" which has the same connector as the explorer. Behind the dash the Satellite Radio side is split into satellite radio and GPS cables (as they added a gps antenna piggybacked to the satellite radio inside the roof antenna), and it works perfectly in the explorer. The antenna from a 2015-2018 Edge, 2015+ MKC, 2017+ Fusion or 2017-2019 Explorer should all work, shark fin or not as long as they were equipped with sync 3 at least.

The fusion I salvaged the splitter and antenna from a 2018 and one or the other isn't working, I'm hoping the cable since for a fusion it's cheap (20 bucks) and I had to do a lot of pulling and cutting to get the original out so I'm guessing I damaged it in the process.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

The fusion I salvaged the splitter and antenna from a 2018 and one or the other isn't working, I'm hoping the cable since for a fusion it's cheap (20 bucks) and I had to do a lot of pulling and cutting to get the original out so I'm guessing I damaged it in the process.

Not sure I want to go through the hassle of pulling wires. I have the regular antenna for Satellite since I have Sirius/XM, but I suspect it would be painful to replace with a GPS version - correct? I mean... I can always use AndroidAuto for maps.

 

[mmorey79]

Not sure I want to go through the hassle of pulling wires. I have the regular antenna for Satellite since I have Sirius/XM, but I suspect it would be painful to replace with a GPS version - correct? I mean... I can always use AndroidAuto for maps.

The antenna itself is a little bit of a pain as you have to pull the headliner down which isn’t easy without damaging it unless you take out a ton of trim, but you can stretch it down enough to do it with only taking out a few pieces. The splitter itself you just drop the glove box and it goes from passenger floor kick panel to the radio. The wire between the two is the same so you don’t need to pull a wire the whole length of the car.