Changing Navigation panel

[Vinny]

Hi All,
Have any of you ever bought a used Navigation unit to put in your Taurus X which never had a Nav unit?
The Auto recycler told me to check with the dealer using the last 8 digits of the VIN # of both vehicles to see if it would work in my car. I did call the dealer but he wasn't sure. He did mention that my car would most likely not have the GPS antenna. I really just want to use the other features of the unit such as media/entertainment.
Any thoughts would be helpful, thank you

[spy1309]

Yes it is possible but to much of a pain, you should get also the wireing from the donor car, also the gps antena, the reason you need to consult the dealer is to see if your car had the gps system as an add on, if it did the wireing is there ....if it is not you have to change the radio harness

[Vinny]

Thanks again spy1309,
my car didn't come with navigation but i will ask for the radio harness.

[indiefilmguy]

Yes, you can easily add nav to a Freestyle or Taurus X. You shouldn’t need anything other than the GPS antenna and head unit. VIN doesn’t matter, it also doesn’t matter if your car had nav as an option. I added nav to a 2005 Freestyle Limited with rear seat DVD that I used to own even though nav wasn’t an option until 2007. The trick is that you need to take the nav unit to a Ford/Visteon audio service provider to have it programmed for your specific vehicle’s options. I used Chicago Parts and Sound back in the day and when I moved the unit to a Mustang, I used a place in San Diego. It plugs right into the existing harness and as mentioned, you just need the GPS antenna, which I mounted inside the dash, above the cluster. Once programmed, it worked with the steering wheel controls, rear seat DVD and Audiophile amp and sub.

[Vinny]

Thank you indiefilmguy,
So you're saying then that if I simply plug in the Nav unit into my Taurus x which never had the nav screen, it won't work the radio unless I 1st go to the dealer to program it? I don't intend to use the GPS.

[indiefilmguy]

It may work but if you don’t have it programmed, you may not get sound, your steering wheel controls or AUX port may not work, etc. Adding the nav unit will not add SYNC though if you don’t have it as SYNC is an additional module. Do you have the premium (Audiophile) system with the sub woofer in the back cargo area on the passenger side?

[Vinny]

I don't have prem audio but do have Sync. Well I may take the gamble for $75.00. Will let you know in the spring when the weather breaks.
Thanks again

[dew042]

If the added features and screen are what you are going for, a current model aftermarket double din is going to be a better value, albeit more expensive. I just put in a Pioneer AVH-W4400NEX with the Android Auto/Carplay. It looks stock and has every modern feature I could ever need, a big selling point for me was HD radio too. Even the lower models have most of the features and go a generation older and they get cheaper as well. The newest Pioneer models have a significantly better screen, the old NAV unit will have ten year old screen tech - marginal at best.