I cannot figure out from the specs whether the 2004 Expy can have both the DVD navigation system AND the Sirius Sat radio option at the same time? It looks like they both require different head units. If they both CAN be installed at the same time, do they share ONE satellite antenna? Anyone know what they use?

If they CANNOT be installed at the same time, does anyone know if that changes in 2005?

If no to all of the above... then can anyone recommend aftermarket equipment to give me DVD nav, DVD backseat playback, XM or Sirius, and digital AM/FM compatibility?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

You could add either Sirius or XM via an external tuner and use FM Modulation or aux input.

 

Thanks, Dave. That is how I use XM now in my 96 Explorer... although the JBL audio system tape deck switches direction every few minutes on my XM tape adapter... VERY frustrating.

I am looking for a solution that allows to me use the steering wheel controls in the Expy for everything... as it shoudl be... it is just rediculous that I cannot get sat radio, dvd navigation and a good radio with rear seat DVD all in one package, factory installed, ONE nice little sat antenna, etc... this is not rocket science... these are not new technologies... and I might as well forget about digital am/fm support...

Come on Ford... at least stay with the curve if you cannot be in front of it.

Jeff

 

The '05 Expedition I have ordered will have the factory DVD Navigation system and the rear DVD entertainment system. I will add XM Sat radio via wireless FM modulator to the vehicle. From what my dealer can find out, Ford will not yet offer a factory or dealer installed satellite radio package for the Expedition . Ford seems to be running a little behind GM and Chrysler in this dept.

 

Thanks for the feedback... I distinctly remember a dealer installed Sirius option on the 2004 Expy.

In either case, it stinks that the hea dunit Ford supplies does not support an add on Sirius or XM receiver so you can use the steering wheel controls for everything.

Jeff

 

Yes it does.

I have Sirius, dealer installed, tuner with the factory head unit on my 2004 Expy. I also have the factory DVD player.

the tuner is hidden in the back underneath the interior panels on the rear driver side.

I don't know about how it works with the navigation system though.

The steering wheel works with it the same as it works the AM, FM, CD etc.

It was the best thing I ever added to a vehicle.

You can only tell that its in there by the sat. antenna on the roof which isn't the easiest to see because of the height.

Bob

 

Bob,

Thanks for the reply... so the factory head unit DOES support the Siruis add on receiver, and the Siruis station controls work through the steering wheel also! Great to know. Is the sat antenna mounted in the front roof above the rear view mirrow?

It looked ot me that the DVD nav system required you to use a different head unit to get space in the dash... I am trying to find out if the alternate head unit also supports Sirius, or if it is one or the other... and if they can share antennas...

Well, if the new 2005 head unit supported digital am/fm I would be sold today!

Jeff

 

The antenna mounts at the center rear of the roof just forward of the rear hatch. The wire is snaked around through the rear hatch gasket into the molding at the inside top of the door opening.

Supposedly the navigation system works with it too but I don't have that.

Try this site---

http://www.siriusbackstage.com/forum/index.php

Glad to help---Bob

 

Bob,
Could you ever find the Ford part # for the Dealer installed unit. I'll let my dealer know that they can get it from Ford, and get one coming.

Thanks, Dan

 

We have a 2003 Expy EB 4x4 with all the toys ‘cept the captain’s chairs in the 2nd row…

It has a Ford-branded OEM Visteon VNR (vehicle navigation radio) with the factory rear seat DVD player. The unit is nice functionally, and although CD based, it works pretty well (especially to find a Starbucks at a 7AM soccer tournament in a strange city!). It’s our second unit, as the first one overheated and locked-up; it was replaced. These things are temperature sensitive and have a cooling fan like a computer (er well it *is* a computer…).

To add Sirius without FM modulation I used a Soundgate SDS1v2 auxiliary input converter mounted in the console, the switch is mounted in the box on trim next to the CD changer. As a bonus it added an extra input for a portable mp3 player too! The SDS1 “taps the audio into” the CD changer cable. The head-unit “thinks” it gets changer audio from a playing CD, but it is really from the SDS1’s RCA jacks (or the changer) depending on the switch position.

The satellite receiver (Audiovox PNP cradle unit) is on a ProFit Vehicle Specific Mount to the left of the head-unit. I crimp t-tapped a cigarette lighter plug in the console to add yet another lighter socket (inside the console) to power the Audiovox.

I added a PIE line level driver to boost the low-ish output of the Audiovox before feeding the SDS1.

Antenna barely fit with the long tail, but it did fit, on left front corner of the roof right next to sunroof. I routed the coax to engine compartment under moldings and through a small hole in an existing rubber grommet on the firewall. That part of the install was surprisingly easy.

Works well, but the first SDS1(v1) had an engineering flaw and got noisy from low level inputs. Soundgate redesigned but I had to wait 4 months for a new SDS unit. They were nice about it. I really know how to tear down the console as a result of the troubleshooting and the re-install!

I also swapped the Ford OEM front door speakers for Polk db570’s, moving Ford front 2-way units to the back doors (which had el-cheapo “wizzer cones” for tweeters). High-end & dispersion is improved. Ford NEVER misses a way to cheapen content, and also ensure Ford brand is not quite as nifty as the Lincoln equivalent…

It sounds darn good. The Digital Signal Procesing "driver" mode is nice as well.

As an aside, we also have had the truck off-road (fire service trails in the Mammoth area of the High Sierra) & in the Tahoe snow and ice. It’s a nice confidence-inspiring vehicle, with the usual ford “year one” bugs---even though it was made in Feb. 2003 and is not really “early production”. The 3V F150 engine & remote folding mirrors will be a reall nice add in 2005--though the 2V 5.4L is fine even if not quite GM/Nissan competitive. I should learn and only buy Fords in year 3 of production…sigh.

 

ExpyDude - This was a great post as it's describes exactly what I'm looking to do on the exact same model / year expy. I wondered if you could provide some additional detail on how you installed the antenna. I'm new to the component install process and am looking for any guidance / details you might be able to provide on how you routed the cable from the antenna to the Siruis Audiovox cradle. Many thanks.