So I was talking to my dad's girlfriends son the other day about replacing the stereo in my 02 screw...he came back yesterday and stated that since my oem head-unit has the RDS feature, that I would have to leave the unit wired into the truck somewhere. That is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. Although this a Ford!

Anyone else heard anything this stupid?

 

That is certainly one of the stupidest things I have ever heard...and total BS!

 

there were/are some Hondas that you used to have to do this on. I don't know if anyone has a better solution for them yet, but if you took the deck out, you would lose the OEM keyless entry function...Some of the new GMs have the dinger built into the deck, and it "chimes" thru the speakers, but there are modules to fix that...

Never heard of anything like this on the Fords, yet, unless you count the old Taurus/Sable oval decks, with the HVAC controls built into the face...

 

before an interface was developed, some GMs required hooking up the stock stereo in the trunk because some functions like the heater controls, etc. ran throught the radio. I've never encountered this in a Ford p/u...

 

The dumbest I had heard (and almost fell for) was the escort/sable/taurus myth that you could not upgrade the stereo due to the fact that the replacement must be shaped like the stock radio and controls. I later discovered that an aftermarket replacement panel was used to substitute a din size opening. In my defense it was 96 and I was young and stupid. Almost ten years later I still search for one almost as dumb.

Mercedes-Benz not having a replacement for the C/E/and SLK models ranks right up there. Just because the manufacturer does not make it does not mean something doesn't exist.

 

Thanks all! I remember the Taurus oval stereo's. I worked on a lot of those cars when I was a painter...never saw one with an aftermarket stereo.

I imagine that the late 80's buick riveria would have been a real B**ch to find an aftermarket replacement to fit. It had an almost tv like display that was a radio and climate control combo.

Anyway all keep on truckin!

 

Wow! That indeed was a load of manure! Texas_fordlover is right... there is and was a replacement bezel to adapt any din slide in head unit to the old oval Taurus dash opening. The things that sleazy, or lazy stereo shops will tell people never ceases to amaze me.

As for the wiring look for a reputable shop and simply purchase a metra wiring kit... it has a female version of the stock radio plug on one end and labled wires on the other. Simply take out stocker, plug in adapter and wire up your new head units wires to that. No guessing... and most importantly NO CUTTING STOCK WIRES!!! Stock alarm still works great!!!

 

That's not a Ford problem. It is a GM problem though. There was an article about it in the recent Truckin' magazine. It seems that GM is cutting costs by controlling many of the vehicles functions with just one wire. By sending different signals through one wire they can cut cost by having fewer wires. My friend has a newer Cavalier and when he bought an after market stereo he had to pay big bucks for a harness and installed the factory deck in the trunk so everything in the car kept working.

 

This is just another reason why I will never own a CHEVY!!! Or GM product for that matter!

My blood runs true blue to the core... never owned anything but a Ford and never will! Unless of course I win the lotto... then something exotic and German will be in my garage. Next to my Fords of course!

Hey, a man can dream, right???