bitbang3r
Member
I have a 2008 SportTrac XLT. Its original sound system is the one with a single CD player that has MP3 capabilities + SYNC + Sirius.
A few months ago, I noticed that the rear (both) and front-right speakers no longer worked (both radio/disc and SYNC). This might, or might not, have been a consequence of replacing the original ECU with a salvaged one (I became aware of the problem shortly after replacing it, but can't say with certainty that it happened because of it). I doubt it (it seems logical that if it WERE ECU-related, the whole radio would have quit working instead of just 3 out of 4 audio channels), but I'm mentioning it just in case.
I bought a DZU7A from a salvage yard. I can return it for a partial refund if it's either incompatible, or would be more trouble/expense to get working than it's worth. It looks substantially identical to my old radio from the front, except it apparently has a 6-disc changer instead of a single-disc player. I think it was salvaged from a 2009 SportTrac.
I haven't yet pulled the old one out from the dash, so I don't know what its exact model number is.
First... is the DZU7A likely to be a painless, easy, "drop-in" plug and play replacement for the original head unit? Or did Ford change anything between 2008 and 2009 wiring-wise?
Second... does the DZU7A (or even a pulled head unit that's literally identical to the one in the truck now) require "dealer programming" to work? I found a few non-DZU7A head units on eBay that look literally identical to mine, but they all prominently have "Requires Programming" warnings.
If it does need "dealer programming", is it cheap, or is it likely to be so expensive, I'd be better off to forget about Ford OEM replacement head units, and just get something like a double-DIN Android unit? The truck is old and due for replacement in another year or two, so I really don't want to sink a lot of cash into it at this point... but the audio system's dysfunction is annoying me.
A few months ago, I noticed that the rear (both) and front-right speakers no longer worked (both radio/disc and SYNC). This might, or might not, have been a consequence of replacing the original ECU with a salvaged one (I became aware of the problem shortly after replacing it, but can't say with certainty that it happened because of it). I doubt it (it seems logical that if it WERE ECU-related, the whole radio would have quit working instead of just 3 out of 4 audio channels), but I'm mentioning it just in case.
I bought a DZU7A from a salvage yard. I can return it for a partial refund if it's either incompatible, or would be more trouble/expense to get working than it's worth. It looks substantially identical to my old radio from the front, except it apparently has a 6-disc changer instead of a single-disc player. I think it was salvaged from a 2009 SportTrac.
I haven't yet pulled the old one out from the dash, so I don't know what its exact model number is.
First... is the DZU7A likely to be a painless, easy, "drop-in" plug and play replacement for the original head unit? Or did Ford change anything between 2008 and 2009 wiring-wise?
Second... does the DZU7A (or even a pulled head unit that's literally identical to the one in the truck now) require "dealer programming" to work? I found a few non-DZU7A head units on eBay that look literally identical to mine, but they all prominently have "Requires Programming" warnings.
If it does need "dealer programming", is it cheap, or is it likely to be so expensive, I'd be better off to forget about Ford OEM replacement head units, and just get something like a double-DIN Android unit? The truck is old and due for replacement in another year or two, so I really don't want to sink a lot of cash into it at this point... but the audio system's dysfunction is annoying me.
