My stereo say "MP3" on it's face. My manual says nothing about MP3's though. How do I play an iPod in my truck? I do not have a cassette deck either...so that method won't work.

 

Sadly there is no way to just plug in your iPod to your stock radio. The MP3 you see simply means it is able to play MP3 files off a CD. You have a couple of different options.

- Buy some sort of Bluetooth/FM transmitter. Heck, you can buy a cheap $4 fm transmitter off eBay if you wanted, but if you want half-decent quality, get something better. I used a Motorola T505 Bluetooth for a while. Quality was pretty good considering it was Bluetooth, but it was a pain to get it going everytime I wanted to listen to music. However, if you have an iPod, this won't work since iPod's don't have bluetooth. You would need an iPhone or other phone with it.

- You can get a really nice quality FM transmitter from a brand called iSimple | iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android - Car Audio Smartphone Kits Their products are quite pricey compared to the cheaper stuff you can find, but their quality is incredible. I ran one of these for over a year and I was extremely pleased.

- Your only other option that I can think of is getting a new head unit. If you want the best quality and and upgrade over the stock head unit, definitely try and get yourself a new head unit. You can get a decent double-din one for around $200. The nicer ones start around $300 and go on up. You can even get a simple single-din for less than $100. These will allow you to plug your iPod directly into the head unit and some even have added support for Apple products such as the iPod and iPhone.

Those are the only ones I can think of. Getting your iPod to play in your truck is simple, but how much you are willing to spend will determine the quality.

 

I ended up buying a new JVC stereo from Crutchfield that is HD radio capable and has a MP3 plug in on the front. I miss the 6 disc feature but the trade off was worth it. With the stereo, they include the dash kit, wire harness and installation instructions.

 

Mine came from crutchfield as well. It is a pioneer double din (If i'm not mistaken, gundown and I have the exact same head unit). The install is super easy, especially if you get it from crutchfield. They give you the dash kit and wiring harness. I hooked up my steering wheel controls with one of those steering wheel adapter kits. It was the hardest part and was a major pain in ***. Wiring it was simple, but the programming took forever.

 

Take a look at this.


USA Spec iPod® Interface for Ford Connects your iPod to select 2005-up Ford factory stereos without the satellite tuner installed at Crutchfield.com

 

I have one of the USA spec adapters in my BMW. It works pretty good and has cd quality sound, but it does not compare to an aftermarket radio. It is limited to the capabilities of the Ford factory head unit.

I'm not certain of how controls on the factory ford radio would work for controlling an ipod, but I do now that on my E39 bimmer, it is a pain to change songs on the ipod using the radio buttons. I usually just put it in stand alone mode and use the ipod to change tracks.

 

Can you get a 07+ head unit and put that in place of the older stereo?