Can Navigation be added on?

[Dereku]

For the record my wife had a 4dtech in her explorer for 4 years. It was almost all OEM part except a custom harness and a generic gps dongle. Great stuff and great support. It was get a base model and spend a grand on gps or get the next package up for an extra 6-8k.

Sponsored

 

[ylwjacket]

I think it can definately impact stuff like Fordpass from what I have researched. Looks like tons of $300-500 options on eBay.

I've seen those on Amazon as well. Question is do they work, and do they break anything?

I just bought a used truck, and it does not have Nav. Android works pretty well, but I'd like to have it built into the truck.

 

[ccasanova22]

For the record my wife had a 4dtech in her explorer for 4 years. It was almost all OEM part except a custom harness and a generic gps dongle. Great stuff and great support. It was get a base model and spend a grand on gps or get the next package up for an extra 6-8k.

Thanks for the review. It has helped me make a decision towards 4DTech vs other options. Will be doing this as soon as my factory warranty runs out.

 

[Dereku]

Thanks for the review. It has helped me make a decision towards 4DTech vs other options. Will be doing this as soon as my factory warranty runs out.

I took my wifes explorer in for warranty work and nothing was said with it in there. Looks oem

 

[ControlNode]

Yes I understand that. At times I will have my phone plugged in too but many other times I just want to leave it in my pocket and not have anything hooked up.
Nothing to unhook either when I get where I am going.
That might be the biggest peeve of all.
I can't tell you how many times I get some place, get out of the car and go inside someplace only to realize I forgot my stupid phone in the car and then have to run back out and get it.

The Ford Nav fixes all that.
Simple and easy.
I'm old and I forget stuff all the time

Not sure why I've not seen it mentioned, but fairly sure there is a module you can buy to make
CarPlay work wirelessly. I connected the AAwireless to my wired only Sync3 system and use AA wirelessly now.

Often those with these wireless modules will pair it with a wireless charging pad so that if they need some juice in the phone it's still wireless.

 

[got3fords]

Not sure why I've not seen it mentioned, but fairly sure there is a module you can buy to make
CarPlay work wirelessly. I connected the AAwireless to my wired only Sync3 system and use AA wirelessly now.

Often those with these wireless modules will pair it with a wireless charging pad so that if they need some juice in the phone it's still wireless.

Just got the AAWireless the other day and it is driving me crazy. It keeps giving me a warning on my phone with a big red screen say it can't connect with a VPN. So I disable my VPN and cannot get any AA features to come up. If I have my VPN on and am anywhere near the Ranger, I get the red warning message every 10 seconds.
I am returning the AAWireless, I would rather just plug in the phone and forget about it.

 

[VAMike]

Just got the AAWireless the other day and it is driving me crazy. It keeps giving me a warning on my phone with a big red screen say it can't connect with a VPN. So I disable my VPN and cannot get any AA features to come up. If I have my VPN on and am anywhere near the Ranger, I get the red warning message every 10 seconds.
I am returning the AAWireless, I would rather just plug in the phone and forget about it.

wireless android auto and vpns don't work together, you'll need to pick one or the other. (I can't imagine picking the vpn but to each his own.)

 

[ControlNode]

Just got the AAWireless the other day and it is driving me crazy. It keeps giving me a warning on my phone with a big red screen say it can't connect with a VPN. So I disable my VPN and cannot get any AA features to come up. If I have my VPN on and am anywhere near the Ranger, I get the red warning message every 10 seconds.
I am returning the AAWireless, I would rather just plug in the phone and forget about it.

There is some setup to get it working auto, if you have the wifi hotspot in the truck that you use, "whitelist" that AP name, and your home Wi-Fi AP name, so that the VPN is not auto enabled every time you connect to it. Then make sure that in the AAwireless settings that you set it to Auto connect when connected to bluetooth of the truck, make sure you select the right BT and it should work fine. Maybe make sure the app and firmware are updated to the latest. Last, thing, maybe try a different port or USB cable to the AAWireless.

 

[got3fords]

wireless android auto and vpns don't work together, you'll need to pick one or the other. (I can't imagine picking the vpn but to each his own.)

Well since disabling the VPN doesn't allow full access to AA functions, I am leaning toward the keeping the security of the VPN.

 

[got3fords]

There is some setup to get it working auto, if you have the wifi hotspot in the truck that you use, "whitelist" that AP name, and your home Wi-Fi AP name, so that the VPN is not auto enabled every time you connect to it. Then make sure that in the AAwireless settings that you set it to Auto connect when connected to bluetooth of the truck, make sure you select the right BT and it should work fine. Maybe make sure the app and firmware are updated to the latest. Last, thing, maybe try a different port or USB cable to the AAWireless.

Not sure I follow. The VPN is stand alone to the phone. It is enabled whether I am connected to any wifi network, or if not available, mobile data connection.

 

[VAMike]

Well since disabling the VPN doesn't allow full access to AA functions, I am leaning toward the keeping the security of the VPN.

reset everything then start over on setting it up. the vpn probably screwed up the pairing.

 

[got3fords]

reset everything then start over on setting it up. the vpn probably screwed up the pairing.

Would I have to un pair my phone, re-pair, disable VPN, re-setup AAWirelss? Then there is a chance it will work? If so, if I then re-enable the VPN, will that screw it up, requiring me to disable it every time?

 

[VAMike]

Would I have to un pair my phone, re-pair, disable VPN, re-setup AAWirelss? Then there is a chance it will work? If so, if I then re-enable the VPN, will that screw it up, requiring me to disable it every time?

it seems to work for everybody not using a vpn

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

No it is not that I hate Apple Car Play.
I love my I phone and the Apple maps, google maps, wasz and Sygic apps.
I just don't like wires all over the place.
I also got to use the Ford Sync 3 in a rental I had in the Keys for 6 weeks and I really got to like it

Your Lariat comes/will come with Sync-3. All I have in my Lariat is the 500a.

I have one wire to my phone and rolled most of it up leaving about 12 inches. With the phone laying in the front bottom tray, the one USB wire does not interfere. Can't really even tell it's there. Plugged in it it displays to the 8 inch screen. I run my Waze navigation and Sirius XM from Android Auto displaying on the main screen.

I got a short cable (like 6 or 8 inches) that I keep in one of the usb ports so I can plug in without having a mess of wires. But, wireless android auto would have been nice. It's fascinating how long it takes the manufacturers to roll out tech features, even when the hardware is basically all there. (The truck already has wifi, bluetooth, a computer, just a little tiny bit more software would have been perfect. )

I also hated having a long cable snaking around things or having to coil it up and tuck it in the console cubby. I recently ordered one of these from Amazon and it’s great.

It’s a little less than a foot long and stretches to about two feet. It works fine for when my phone is sitting between the hand brake and the console, when it’s in the front cubby, or in a vent clip. It doesn’t get in the way and because it’s black, it’s just about invisible.

If you get the longer cable, you can be just like Cledus.

 

[Msfitoy]

I have a question.
Say you got a Lariat with the base 500a package and did not spring for the Tech package.
Can Navigation be added on later or am I stuck with Apple car play?

Apple Car Play is a better alternative for Nav...I have choice of 3 different apps as well as other specialized offroad specific...factory navs always become either obsolete or stopped support...

Sponsored