I wanted an Apple Car Play and navigational screen for my 2009 Ford F150.
I scanned Amazon for top of the line equipment, but saw there were no purchases or reviews for this particular device. Because of the high-end Android equipment, I decided to take the risk.
I am a competent DIYer, but found the single sheet instruction manual minimal and slightly inaccurate. The pictures show the Android screen mounted in a replacement bezel and mounted under the small FCIM screen (car maintenance info, time, temp & direction, among other info).
After tearing the dashboard apart (committed, at that point!) I found it difficult to find the right electrical ports for the Ford’s wiring harness. 2 of the supplied ports were a little wonky and I had to force the electrical plugs into the new connection ports. I had to relocate the traction / hazard / airbag switches into the hole in the new dash bezel, but the hole was too big and I had to wrap electrical tape around the switch plug to make it fit. It was at this point I realized the discrepancy about the FCIM; does it stay in? Cover it up? Remove it? All the ports were filled w/ Ford wiring harness plugs, where does this plug in?
Then I discovered customer service was via email with a promised 24-hour response – but not on weekends.
I decided that this was beyond my experience and patience. I paid Car Toys to install the device and we decided that the FCIM module would be removed.
The end result was a clean installation and 98% completion: the steering wheel call answer / hang up buttons do not work, but the volume up and skip track buttons do. Because the screen is so large, it is easy to accept / end a call by touching the screen, so I’m okay with this failure.
The back up camera that came with the kit does not mount well on the tailgate of a Ford, so I didn’t even use it – I purchased a replacement tailgate latch with built in camera and that hooked up to the Android screen well.
There are a ton of stereo / amp connections built into this system which would be great for hooking up a killer sound system, but my weanie Ford speakers hooked up fine.
Summary: great Android tablet; mediocre microphone, camera and bezel piece, difficult customer service process. I could get 85% of it working, but had to call in the pros to make 98% of it work.
Looks good though, right?
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