For you 08-2016 F250 F350 owners wanting a bigger screen

[cabmandone]

I just installed a Phoenix Automotive Android radio 12.1" vertical "Tesla screen" in my 2012 F250 and thought some of the guys here who own an older truck might like to know there's a mostly plug and play option out there for a big screen, with AC controls built in, maintains steering wheel controls, and has wireless android auto and car play

The install was "ok". It would have been easier had they included some install instructions. I had some difficulty with the A/C and fan controls related to a wire that I didn't connect. I'm not a fan of the color selections and had to go with matte woodgrain. My plan is to get some factory interior paint and paint the bezel the factory color once I'm sure everything is working properly. I already had a side tap for the reverse camera since my truck only had a camera in the rearview mirror. I'm considering abandoning the mirror camera and installing an aftermarket camera in the factory location and running a new wire. As I understand it, if you already had the backing camera in the head unit, there's nothing you'll need to do to have it appear on the screen. I'm gonna pop a big Ford oval on the main screen just to give it a bit of a factory look.

Once I get all the settings figured out I'll post some pics and a better review of the system.

[A930Rocket]

I have the 8” Sync in my 2014 F150 and I think some guys have installed a big screen. While I like it, my concern is if something happens and I lose all the functions now on the screen.

I’d like to at least get apple play on my screen but I’d have to replace it with a unit made of Chinesium.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I have the 8” Sync in my 2014 F150 and I think some guys have installed a big screen. While I like it, my concern is if something happens and I lose all the functions now on the screen.

I’d like to at least get apple play on my screen but I’d have to replace it with a unit made of Chinesium.

That's what the Phoenix unit is. I'll ask my nephew what he put in his Volkswagen that gave his factory head unit wireless Carplay. He installed some adapter into an older Passat. I'm not sure if the head unit had carplay before the install or after. I'll check and let you know.

[onewhippedpuppy]

No pics? Sounds really nice, I’m surprised they didn’t provide an adapter to tap into the OEM rear view camera. They make aftermarket cameras mounted into the Ford tailgate badge that look totally OEM, I put one on my old 2008 F250 and it worked great.

[A930Rocket]

If I could get Apple Play with a quality unit, I might go for that, but the price is $600+. I already have a factory backup camera in the screen.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

No pics? Sounds really nice, I’m surprised they didn’t provide an adapter to tap into the OEM rear view camera. They make aftermarket cameras mounted into the Ford tailgate badge that look totally OEM, I put one on my old 2008 F250 and it worked great.

With mine having the camera in the mirror, the only way to get signal is to side tap the wire. I did that with my old Kenwood HU. I've been looking at the aftermarket tailgate handles with the camera in them, this is what is factory in my truck. I've also looked at the Ford emblem cameras that can be installed in the tailgate. I'm probably going to buy the one that comes in the tailgate handle. I have to install the decoder that is sent with the system to see if that improves my picture from the camera. Pic of the unit below!

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

If I could get Apple Play with a quality unit, I might go for that, but the price is $600+. I already have a factory backup camera in the screen.

I asked my nephew what he had installed in his Passat. I didn't recall him replacing his HU. He had a wired carplay unit and the thing he plugged into the USB port made it wireless carplay. Sorry! No help for your situation.

My biggest complaint is that this unit comes with absolutely no install instructions. The good news is, it plugs right into the factory harnesses. The bad news is, there are connectors from the factory harness adapters that also plug into the HU. I had problems with the fan controls not working and the steering wheel controls not working that ended up being an 8 pin connector that I didn't hook up. The good news is, customer service was on the ball. I got a call at 7:40 pm Eastern last evening from a tech support rep that helped me figure out I didn't connect a wire. I shouldn't have needed that call though. If there were install instructions I wouldn't have missed that wire.

[cabmandone]

On the left in that picture, it came with the new A/C control. I had to remove and install the 4wd selector switch, the 12 volt power port (formerly known as the cigarette lighter), the Sycn in USB and aux, the hill descent and traction control module and the brake controller and "upfitter" switch panel where the wires are sticking through now. I've cut rectangles in the upfitter switch to push the three USB port cables into and I'll glue them into those spaces. I did this with my previous HU.

[A930Rocket]

Looks good!

[onewhippedpuppy]

That looks really nice! I had a double DIN aftermarket unit in my F250, but that’s a lot more screen!

The aftermarket Android based systems always take a little trial and error. I put one in my daughter’s GLK350, it’s a more modern tablet on the dash style to replace the in-dash screen. It generally works well but the install took some doing and several false starts before everything worked, it had “instructions” but they skipped steps and were obviously translated (poorly).