The connectors might be the same...but are there any extra wires on the FEH for the Hybrid display that would be just N/C (no connections) on the Expedition and therefore might be left out of the adapter harness for an expedition.

 

The data for the HEV displays comes thru the same ACP bus/connector as the controls for the CD changer. These would be in use on the Expedition, too, if it had a remote CD changer (which I think it did).

 

Hmm. Where did you find this and was there any pinout information that we don't have yet?

 

I am pretty sure it came out of here.

Besides, the ACP connector is the one connector you don't need to worry about, when attaching a phone device (hardwired or Bluetooth). Its the large 17 pin connector, that contains the phone audio input and mute. That is the most unique and unusual connector on the hybrid's NAV radio, and the one that as of yet, no one has found a plug-in "T" harness/adapter for sale. If it is indeed common with the 2006 Expedition's NAV radio, then all I am suggesting is that it, therefore, might not be all that unique and unusual, and raise that hope that out there, somewhere, just might be such a "T" harness/adapter. In other words, searching for Expedition, in addition to hybrid, just might yield a hit.

 

The weather finally warmed up enough to work on the Hybrid.

I bought a Bluetooth adapter several months ago, and I just finished installing it. Well, I thought I finished.

Everything seemed to work OK, until I turn 'off' the hybrid. To my surprise, the Nav system now doesn't turn 'off'. Instead, it switches to the Phone screen, and stays there!

Just as a reminder, the Nav system has a low-active "mute/enable" signal. When that signal is at ground ( 0 volts ), the Phone screen is displayed, and the Phone audio inputs become active. Apparently, this is true even when the Nav system is suppose to otherwise be 'off'.

The problem is that I wired up my Bluetooth adapter to power 'off' whenever I turn the entire hybrid 'off'. Basically, using a power source that turns 'on' and 'off' with the key.

With power 'off', my Bluetooth adapter drops all of its outputs to ground. That makes perfect sense. Without power, there is no way for the Bluetooth adapter to drive anything up to +12v. So, when there is no power, the "mute/enable" signal from the Bluetooth adapter to the Nav system drops to ground, and that is what then turns the Nav system back 'on', with the Phone input enabled.

What do you all do? Do you wire up your Bluetooth adapter to always be power 'on', even when the key is 'off'???? Do you leave the Nav system 'on' with the Phone screen displayed all night long????

Honestly, I never expected this behavior. I had assumed that with the key 'off', the Nav system would be 'off' too no matter what.

 

Actually If I remember right from the manual it will stay on and be completely active up to 1/2 hour with the key completely out of the ignition... unless you open the door. Give it a try! I'm pretty sure my '06 stays on until I open the door.

 

I don't have that problem at all with my kit. Mine is grounded through and draws both its switched and unswitched power from the NAV unit. I'm guessing it (my bluetooth kit) has some internal features that deal with the power in such a way as to elminate this issue. Perhaps the BT kit uses the constant power feed in conjuction with the switched feed in order to keep the MUTE powered so as not to activate the phone screen? Maybe the unswitched power keeps a feed on the MUTE line at all times unless a call comes in....and the switched power just powers the BT kit itself. In other words, when the switched power is off, that shuts down the BT kit, but leaves a feed on the MUTE line?

Does your kit have both a switched and unswitched feed?

 

Good thought, but no. The Nav system stays on, with the Phone screen display, even after I open the driver's door.

 

No my Bluetooth kit has only one power input, and I connected that up to the Nav system's switched power. My hopes were that the Bluetooth kit and the Nav system would both power on and off together. Seemed logical.

Actually, I guess I can see this as a feature. Any Bluetooth kit can "command" the Nav system to turn back 'on', and switch to its Phone audio input, regardless of the car being 'on' or 'off'.

The problem is, that for my Bluetooth kit, there is no difference between the Mute control line going low (ground, 0 volts) because the kit actually wants/needs audio output, and the Mute control line going low (ground, 0 volts) because the kit's power has been turned 'off'.

In thinking about this, what I believe I need to do, is add a small relay. I will connected the Bluetooth kit's Mute to the coil, and the contact side to the Nav system's phone mute input. This way, the relay will either intentionally ground the Nav system's mute, or leave it open (no connected). Also, with no power, the relay will then be leaving the Nav system's phone mute open. That, should, I hope, solve the really unexpected problem.

Well, off to Radio Shack...

 

First I would check to see if the pin from your handsfree is connected to ground when power is off. You can use a Volt-Ohm meter to check this. If you get infinite or very high resistance (Mega ohms) then it is not what you think. Make sure the NAV functions normally without the mute pin connected.

If you get zero or very low resistance then most likely this is caused by the handsfree device using poor electronics design. In this case I would guess that they are using a design that leaves the mute pin coupled to ground. They should have used a device (a tri-state device with an open collector) that that would basically disconnect the mute pin from anything when power is lost. Either make yourself a driver circuit or find a friend with some electronics background to make you a driver circuit. It should cost only a few dollars and a beer to pay off your friend if needed. If you go with the relay use a reed switch relay to avoid relay contact problem later.

Also, don't connect anything to the "Accessoy Enable" pin on the power plug of the NAV. This pin is used for "Retained accessory power" connecting something there could cause the NAV to stay on.