radio question
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From: British Columbia
radio question
Just bought a used 2005 F350 SD Pickup, base XL model so it only has the AM/FM radio.
Truck has 2 speakers in the doors. I want to put 2 more in the back. Factory wiring is there, I have looked. Manual says radio has a fader, but when I cycle through the radio menu, it only gives bass, treble, and balance. Fader does not come up. I can see the word 'fade' on the radio face, but it just doesn't light up when I cycle through.
Is it a faulty unit, or is there something I am missing? Anyone else experienced this?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks, Max
Truck has 2 speakers in the doors. I want to put 2 more in the back. Factory wiring is there, I have looked. Manual says radio has a fader, but when I cycle through the radio menu, it only gives bass, treble, and balance. Fader does not come up. I can see the word 'fade' on the radio face, but it just doesn't light up when I cycle through.
Is it a faulty unit, or is there something I am missing? Anyone else experienced this?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks, Max
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,518
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From: Spokane, WA
I would just get a factory radio with a CD player off Ebay or similar. It will plug right in, it will have the fader, plus you'll have a CD player. There was oine on EBAY the other day for $75.00
Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: SW Virginia
More than likely the fader function is disabled in it because your truck has only the two front speaker installed from the factory and there's nothing to fade as such. I'm not sure but if you hooked up two rear speakers and the radio sensed the additional speaker wires connected to it, it may enable the fader. I would at least try that first before buying a new radio.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Stillwater, OK
Those other two speakers won't even be connected until you pull out the radio, and replace it with a single CD that uses the additional 16pin connection hidden back there...
The "Aux Line In" wiring is also there in the center panel, but cannot be used without a reprogram of the PCM by your local dealer.
The "Aux Line In" wiring is also there in the center panel, but cannot be used without a reprogram of the PCM by your local dealer.
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New User
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From: British Columbia
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 12
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From: British Columbia
More than likely the fader function is disabled in it because your truck has only the two front speaker installed from the factory and there's nothing to fade as such. I'm not sure but if you hooked up two rear speakers and the radio sensed the additional speaker wires connected to it, it may enable the fader. I would at least try that first before buying a new radio.
Those other two speakers won't even be connected until you pull out the radio, and replace it with a single CD that uses the additional 16pin connection hidden back there...
The "Aux Line In" wiring is also there in the center panel, but cannot be used without a reprogram of the PCM by your local dealer.
The "Aux Line In" wiring is also there in the center panel, but cannot be used without a reprogram of the PCM by your local dealer.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Chicago and Mt Carroll IL
Don't be so sure yet on the add'l 2 wires. When I replaced the fact AM/FM in my 08 XL the wiring appeared to be there for the pillars but wasnt part of the harness and I didn't see an alternate harness when I had the dash apart. The fact wiring is better suited for a 12 volt dome light anyway, looks like 24 or so ga, pure junk. Ran some 14 shielded back there to a pair of 6x9s (had to get creative with the grinder), added soundmat in the pillars and it sounds awesome.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Stillwater, OK
yes, when you get the radio out, there will be a second plug that is connnected to a dummy socket on the crossmember behind the radio.
This is the 16 pin harness that connects the redundant audio controls, AUX line, and Satellite radio.
I thought the rear speakers where connected there, too, but could be mistaken.
The AM/FM radio is only a 2 channel radio anyway, which is why there is no "fade" setting. If the rear speaker wires connect through the 24 pin connector, they don't actually connect to anything internal on the am/fm only.
When I get more time, I will look for the pin-diagrams I came across when I replaced my radio.
After Edit:
here is a good picture of the connections behind the radio...
The AM/FM only radio has only the 24 pin connection (which does include rear speakers, too I just found)
The Single CD radio has the 24 pin connection and the 16 pin connection, which all trucks should have and is a plug and play swap.
The 12pin connection (far right) I believe comes only on the 6 disk changer, but I don't know what it does... tweeters maybe?
This is the 16 pin harness that connects the redundant audio controls, AUX line, and Satellite radio.
I thought the rear speakers where connected there, too, but could be mistaken.
The AM/FM radio is only a 2 channel radio anyway, which is why there is no "fade" setting. If the rear speaker wires connect through the 24 pin connector, they don't actually connect to anything internal on the am/fm only.
When I get more time, I will look for the pin-diagrams I came across when I replaced my radio.
After Edit:
here is a good picture of the connections behind the radio...
The AM/FM only radio has only the 24 pin connection (which does include rear speakers, too I just found)
The Single CD radio has the 24 pin connection and the 16 pin connection, which all trucks should have and is a plug and play swap.
The 12pin connection (far right) I believe comes only on the 6 disk changer, but I don't know what it does... tweeters maybe?
Thread Starter
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New User
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From: British Columbia
Thanks LMS and TexasRebel:
Pulled it out, looked for the secondary connector; couldn't find it. Came in to post such, saw your reply with dummy socket on cross member info, went out, pulled it apart again, I can not see one. I suspect maybe the base XL only has the one connector, and only the XLTs and Lariats etc have the other one as the base AM/FM doesn't need it? So even if I wanted to upgrade to the CD player I don't think I have the wiring.....unless I'm blind.
Colors of wires in pillars match colors in harness plugged into radio. Now here is the weird thing...turned on the radio, put my meter on the pillar wires and there is voltage happening. Turned off the radio, meter dropped to zero. So it looks like power is actually getting there.
I did try attaching cheap speakers before but got no result. I think maybe I will go to the wrecker and see if he has any Ford pillar speakers with the proper connections and plug them in; maybe they will work.
Other than that I am at a loss. I may just have to live with only 2 speakers
Pulled it out, looked for the secondary connector; couldn't find it. Came in to post such, saw your reply with dummy socket on cross member info, went out, pulled it apart again, I can not see one. I suspect maybe the base XL only has the one connector, and only the XLTs and Lariats etc have the other one as the base AM/FM doesn't need it? So even if I wanted to upgrade to the CD player I don't think I have the wiring.....unless I'm blind.
Colors of wires in pillars match colors in harness plugged into radio. Now here is the weird thing...turned on the radio, put my meter on the pillar wires and there is voltage happening. Turned off the radio, meter dropped to zero. So it looks like power is actually getting there.
I did try attaching cheap speakers before but got no result. I think maybe I will go to the wrecker and see if he has any Ford pillar speakers with the proper connections and plug them in; maybe they will work.
Other than that I am at a loss. I may just have to live with only 2 speakers
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,243
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From: Chicago and Mt Carroll IL
Thats good to know for next time (voltage to rears). I had only tried temping in the speakers and couldn't get any sound so I presumed they were not in the harness. I do wonder why you were able to read a signal but it didn't power the speakers?
BTW its pretty straightforward to snake speaker wire thru the plastic kicks, under the door sills and up the pillar plastic. Just be careful not to break any of the clips that it's all snapped together with, not a single screw or hex bolt to be found. You will need to undo the shoulder belt tensioner for the pillars, think it was a T35 but not sure. Makes a big difference hearing it with rear speakers.
BTW its pretty straightforward to snake speaker wire thru the plastic kicks, under the door sills and up the pillar plastic. Just be careful not to break any of the clips that it's all snapped together with, not a single screw or hex bolt to be found. You will need to undo the shoulder belt tensioner for the pillars, think it was a T35 but not sure. Makes a big difference hearing it with rear speakers.
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New User
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From: British Columbia
, but now I am older and lazier, so if factory wiring is in place, I would rather just use it.Thanks again, out to the truck again.....
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From: British Columbia
Hi Tex,
Well, pulled it all apart again, traced every cluster of wires that came out of the harness, nothing extra that wasn't actually plugged into something. The only one I found odd was plugged into a big aluminum round thing on the floor, but I am thinking that is something to do with the heater or A/C.
Pulled out the glove box to see if for some reason it came from the other side and not from the main harness, nothing. So I guess I got the short straw and mine just doesn't have it. Not a big problem though, like I said I didn't really want to upgrade, just want 4 speakers.
And like you said the 24 pin does have the rear speakers included. Now I just have to figure out why they don't work.
Monday I will head to the wreckers and see if they have any Ford pillar speakers and will plug them in to see if they work.
Thanks again for your replies and pics, they were helpful.
Well, pulled it all apart again, traced every cluster of wires that came out of the harness, nothing extra that wasn't actually plugged into something. The only one I found odd was plugged into a big aluminum round thing on the floor, but I am thinking that is something to do with the heater or A/C.
Pulled out the glove box to see if for some reason it came from the other side and not from the main harness, nothing. So I guess I got the short straw and mine just doesn't have it. Not a big problem though, like I said I didn't really want to upgrade, just want 4 speakers.
And like you said the 24 pin does have the rear speakers included. Now I just have to figure out why they don't work.
Monday I will head to the wreckers and see if they have any Ford pillar speakers and will plug them in to see if they work.
Thanks again for your replies and pics, they were helpful.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,243
Likes: 2
From: Chicago and Mt Carroll IL
Hey Max, I think you and I got trucks from the same litter. The big aluminum round thing on the floor has all the connections/relays for the seatbelts/chimes/buzzers/hey you got out of the seat with the keys in stuff. Thankfully it recognized my new seats when I put them in.