adding nav to the explorer

[El Duque]

Ok, in my other thread I'm looking to hook up an amp to the factory radio. But I see a couple of deals on ebay for a nav unit, and I'm wondering if it'll work. I already have Sync in my car, so I'm hoping I wouldn't need much.

My question is, which nav unit would I need? The ones I see on ebay have part # 8T4T-18K931-BA. They are going from around $600-750, which seems like a good deal. But I've also seen nav units in the past going for $1000-2000 so I'm thinking something this cheap must be the wrong model. I'm hoping someone on here has done this already. Thanks

 

[Divemaster191307]

$600-750 may sound like a good deal, until you add another $199 to get a map update! For that much $, you can get a decent Garmin... I have NAV on my '07, but I use a separate Garmin for any serious trip.

 

[El Duque]

ok thanks. The one I saw listed said it actually came with the CD, but who knows. I'm just thinking there has to be a major difference between this and one for $2000, I'm just not sure what. I've seen others which looked similar but lacked Sync, so that made sense. But this one has that

 

[El Duque]

Ok, I picked up the unit and installed it. I could use some help with anyone who has done something like this, I'm looking for the part number for the nav antenna. I already have the sirius antenna on the roof, and I see many part numbers on the web, so I'm not sure exactly what to get. For example, one part # I found is 8L2Z10E893A but I don't know if that's it. Thanks

 

[Divemaster191307]

... one part # I found is 8L2Z10E893A but I don't know if that's it. Thanks

The part # looks right:
8 = 2008
L2 = Explorer
Z = Not sure (Looks like "Ford Parts and Service Division" for various posts)

10E893 = GPS Antenna

Also from reading, it looks like there is a B Design Level, probably a revision to the A version that you found. Disclaimer: this is all info from Googling around, so hopefully someone will have a more definite and factual answer

 

[El Duque]

Thanks for the help! I was just worried about buying the antenna and finding out it's the same thing that I already have. I guess because in that first illustration you can see a wire with two plugs, I was thinking I needed that

 

[rusty813]

I actually did that to my 2006 explorer just finish taking pictures of it,

 

[Divemaster191307]

Thanks for the help! I was just worried about buying the antenna and finding out it's the same thing that I already have. I guess because in that first illustration you can see a wire with two plugs, I was thinking I needed that

It is entirely possible that you need more than just the 10E893 part. Looking at the drawing, it looks like it plugs into some type of harness, 19A397A. There is also a 19A397B, listed as "GPS Antenna Cable
AM/FM Stereo/6 CD/Navigation System ; Attaches To Satellite Down Link Processor (DLP) Module". You may also need that, if you Ex does not already have it. There also seem to be a different harness if you have a power antenna... The pics are from www.fordparts.com, and I searched for GPS Antenna.

 

[rusty813]

it depends on which nav unit you have too, there are 2 type of antenna setup, but goto the dealership and ask them, they would know what antenna you need to get

 

[El Duque]

it depends on which nav unit you have too, there are 2 type of antenna setup, but goto the dealership and ask them, they would know what antenna you need to get

pfft, I scheduled an appointment with them online, it was for re-programming the nav to work with sync. They replied back and said "we can try, but we can't guarantee that we can get them to talk to each other". I think I might have try a different dealership

 

[rusty813]

with united radio or the dealership?...some dealers dont even do re-programming at all like my dealer if there is something wrong with nav unit they just replace it and put a new one in

Call United Radio they will help you out for sure and you can order the antenna kit from as well which nav do you have, I might have an extra antenna harnnes laying down some place

I never had to go thru re-programming those cause I bought mines straightout from an explorer, my nav is working perfectly and the map works good too.

 

[El Duque]

allright, so now I'm really confused. I wound up buying an antenna setup from ebay. The ad said "combination sirius/gps antenna" so I figured I was good. The ad did not specify a year. So it arrives today and it looks like it is the antenna piece itself, a long wire that it connects to (which runs down the a-pillar) and a splitter with a pink and gold plug on one end.

It turns out this is for a 2009-up Explorer, it looks like those radios have separate plugs for gps and sirius. My 2008 nav radio only has a pink plug and the regular antenna plug. I still figured it would work.

Turns out, it doesn't work. No matter which way I tried to hook it up. One good thing, the nav unit would say something like "internal error, please contact your dealership" and I'm not getting that now. But it just doesn't work. I'm also getting a "B2204 GPS antenna connection failure" DTC on the radio (I was getting that before as well).

Here's what I don't understand. For the stock setup, the sirius antenna runs down the a-pillar and into the sdars unit. I had figured that the regular orange antenna wire connected to the sdars unit, and both am/fm and sirius ran over that. I tried unplugging the orange wire while running and sirius still worked, only am/fm lost signal. So I guess the sdars unit is sending the signal over one of the electrical connectors.

If that's the case, then what the heck does the pink wire plug into? Obviously into the radio on one end, but what about the other? would appreciate any help.

 

[rusty813]

yea you definitely bought the wrong antenna the 2009-10 nav units have the sirius module built inside the radio and that way the wire runs up the a-pillar so the gps antenna can mount on the roof for satellite reception. I would either call united radio or contact this http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-2004-th...&item=250976496114&pt=Car_Audio_Video&vxp=mtr see if he would be welling to see the an gps antenna to you that mounts inside the vehicle

 

[El Duque]

ok sounds good, thanks

 

[El Duque]

allright, I made some progress today. I called United Radio and they sent me the diagrams I would need to get the steering wheel buttons working. They were super-helpful even though I didn't buy anything from them.

So I did the mod where I spliced into the steering wheel buttons and ran them to the radio, and the mod for running two wires directly from the sync unit to the radio.

Now, the voice button works. But this is what I'm seeing and I don't know if it's normal. When I press the button, it says "main menu". Then I say "phone" and it says "sync: please say a command". Then I have to say "phone" to get to the phone menu. I was hoping it would be something like where it would say "main menu", I would say "phone" once, and then it would say "phone: please say a command". I can't imagine having to say "phone" twice is normal. The navigation unit supplement manual suggests it should not be that way. Can any nav unit owner chime in with this?

 

[El Duque]

allright, I got it. I just disconnected the battery for awhile to let sync reset, and now it works fine.

Now it's on the steering wheel buttons. I haven't bought the new steering wheel switch (the one that has only the "Phone" label, the one I have has the "Phone/OK" label) because I'm not sure I need it yet. Sure enough, pressing the button does not answer a call or end a call, and I've seen posts on here that say the button will never work, and all calls have to be answered or ended by pressing the screen. So then I figure, why bother? But I'm looking in the manual and it says that it should work. I guess it makes sense, why would you have a button there if it doesn't do anything? But I could use some input from any nav owners on this.

Thanks

 

[rusty813]

sounds like its working, what i did to get my steering wheel voice button working without splicing i took out the 2 wires from 2010 explorer that controls the voice and phone button and plugged it directly into the 16-pin airbag harness which is located under the steering wheel column and plugged the other end directly into the factory radio 24-pin connector

 

[El Duque]

bump

 

[rusty813]

yea the end button works just tested it out...you have to hold down the button for about 5 sec, but what is probably happening is that other person pressed the end button quicker then you so it will automatically re-dial the number again

 

[El Duque]

Thanks Rusty. You have any problems with your sync? I've noticed that with the nav unit, it gives me a really hard time when I say "phone". The original head unit never had a problem. All the other commands work the first time I say them, only "phone" is a problem. I tried deleting a re-creating a voice profile but it didn't help.