So I have seen a few pics of the new 2008 FEH...anyone played around with the head unit? Seems like they improved the interface from the ones in the 07-05.

Would also love to know if this could be a plug and play unit...seems like it is a bit larger than the current nav unit though.

Would love any feedback!

Some people here have an 'in' with the hybrid team at Ford...could they convince someone at Ford or Visteon that there would be a market for nav system retrofits? Maybe it should be presented as a chance for Ford/dealers to finally make some money.....

I have been thinking about replacing my head unit with an eclipse one, however I have been holding off since I enjoy the powerflow display features the stock head unit offers.

Or the fact that they misled all of their customers as to the capability of the Nav radio in the 05/06/07 models. Maybe a "deal" on a retrofit for those that have been deceived.

-Tim

2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid AWD
Black with Pebble interior
Premium Package with Nav & Moonroof



Current ODO: 22,909
Typical Drive: 20 min crosstown in heavy traffic (3.5mi there and back twice a day)


457 Gallons of gas saved
That's 9,150 lbs less CO2

Add to that, my pet peeve, in that even the '07 models come with old. obsolete, '05 Map CD's.

Ford could say "boy are we sorry", and offer us an upgrade for free, but I doubt it (has anyone even officially written to Ford to complain?).

Anyway, I did some checking on the possibility of doing this ourselves. The connectors on the back of the non-Hybrid versions of the DVD Nav system being used on the '08, is completely different than the one used on the '05-'07 models. Actually, the '05-'07 use the wiring standard from Ford's European cars.

So, IMHO, it is likely that the '08 Hybrid version is also very different from the '05-
07 Hybrid version. However, that doesn't preclude someone from coming up with an adapter harness if all the signals are there, but just in different connectors.

Best single LD trip: 35.3mpg

Just as a warning so no one spends alot of money trying this before looking into it completely. The hybrid displays are probably based on a communication protocol and messages being passed. So its not JUST a matter of matching up the correct wires. There aren't any guarantees that the '08 control module under the hood won't have some extra or differen't messages that they pass and it might screw up or lock up the hybrid displays.

Sorry I do sensors and embedded systems for a living so these kind of things occur to me.

I'd love for it to work as much as the next guy but don't want anyone dropping $2000 on a doorstop either.

Besides what would be the plan for making the bezels match up. The new dashboard makes it look like that system would look very out of place in our machines if it would even fit.

While your concern is valid, I also tend to hope that engineers are lazy, and would not bother changing the communication protocol just for fun. So, I would think it is more likely that the new Nav system still uses ACP, than not.

Now, we just need to wait for some clues to become available, like an '08 wiring manual.

Best single LD trip: 35.3mpg

Hey... I'm an engineer and I take offense at that lazy remark!!!

I'm sure it uses ACP.... but ACP is likely just an underlying protocol that says out a message is formatted but doesn't limit what messages can be sent. Otherwise it would be completely non-extendable and therefore pretty much obsolete when it went out the door (hey...no remarks about how the system WAS obsolete rolling out the door). The new PCM might send out some messages that our PCM doesn't... and the new head unit might use some of them to create the hybrid displays. If so it might not work even if it is using ACP.

Just saying its a risk.... backward and forward compatibility is a tricky subject and frankly the auto industry has never bothered to even try because its generally not in their interest... they don't want you to upgrade your current car... they want to sell you a new one!

Considering the new unit displays the same info and it's the same hybrid components, it would make the most sense that it's the same.

The only reason I would think it wouldn't work is that it looks like it won't fit in the dash.

What you say is very true, there shouldn't be a problem... but the devil is in the details.