FRD03-AUX - 2004 Lincoln LS w/THX Nav - Question/Issues

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rallyusa

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All,

I have been searching for anyone else who has had the issue I am having and have found no resolution other than some hints as to what is causing the issue.

The issue I am having is this; I have a 2004 LS w/THX/NAV/6-Disc In-Dash w/o SAT. I bought an FRD-AUX03 based on information in this forum, and what was recommended to me be the PIE website. When I first hooked it up, and powered on the unit, I saw a new CDDJ button appear on my touchscreen, however after subsequent power cycles I can only get it to show up 10% of the time. This first happened last month, so I had the Amazon store I bought it from ship me a new one, I just got it yesterday and tried it, and still I'm having the same issue.

I have read that there is a possible software update to the BIOS on these things that will fix this issue, so I put in an email to PIE support and I am awaiting what they say. In the meantime, I am curious if anyone else has had this issue and what the fix ended up being? The bios version I have printed on the chip is "B4-AUX" (original one shipped was "B1-AUX"), for anyone who has this working, do you know what the version of the bios is that is actually working? And can you tell me who you worked with to get the correct one?

Thanks in advance
 
I'm wondering if I even have the correct adapter, my car doesn't have factory SAT installed, but I have no idea if that was even an option for my year, and for my specific head unit. Perhaps I should try the FRD03-AUX/S ?? According to this spec sheet, it says "Can be used on 2005-2006 Models equipped with 6-Disc in-Dash, "THX Certified" Navigation radio." Then for years listed it says "2004-2006 LS" which is confusing.

But it also says "Radio must have a "SAT" button. Radio must have satellite capabilities."

I'm not sure, at this point I am ready to scrap my factory unit, which is a shame since it sounds so good and I didn't want to have an aftermarket look inside the car...
 
All the LS THX nav units support a satellite receiver. (The early 03s required a firmware upgrade first.)

When you add a satellite receiver or a working PIE adapter, the "FM2" button becomes a "SAT1" button. (FM1 now cycles between FM1 and FM2, and SAT1 cycles between SAT1, SAT2, and SAT3.)

I was unable to get a PIE to work completely correctly with my 06 THX nav, but others have been able to, and the 04s and 05s are not supposed to be as difficult.
 
joegr said:
All the LS THX nav units support a satellite receiver. (The early 03s required a firmware upgrade first.)

When you add a satellite receiver or a working PIE adapter, the "FM2" button becomes a "SAT1" button. (FM1 now cycles between FM1 and FM2, and SAT1 cycles between SAT1, SAT2, and SAT3.)

I was unable to get a PIE to work completely correctly with my 06 THX nav, but others have been able to, and the 04s and 05s are not supposed to be as difficult.
Click to expand...

So it appears that I should be using the FRD03-AUX/S rather than just the FRD03-AUX then? Would that explain the intermittent nature of the FRD03-AUX working 10% of the time?
 
If one adapter doesnt work return it and try another. Still doesnt work then just go aftermarket. The THX is very limited anyways.
 
You need to contact Andy at LobsenzA @ AncoAuto.com He can set you up.
 
OK thanks for the advice guys, I went ahead and ordered a FRD03-AUX/S after speaking directly with one of the techs from PIE, he said that's what I needed. We will see if it works or not. If it doesn't, I will give LS4me's contact a go.

Thanks again!
 
i had the same issue with my adapter, the problem you are having is the fallowing. there is almost no room in the back of the HU for the extra wires you will either get a blank black screen when you turn the HU on or the button whont show up on the screen.this is how i fixed the issue. put the adapter under the vertical metal bar that puts the adapter almost behind the AC climate controls, PLUG in the adapter to the HU and all corresponding wires and turn the HU on and check to see if you see the CDDJ button. now play some music from your phone/mp3 player through the adapter/HU/CDDJ that way when you place it back and if the music stop you know you just lost the connection to the adapter. now slowly place the HU back into the dash and slowly screw in the 4 screws until either they are all in and tight or the CDDJ buttons goes away. if it goes away then thats how far you can screw in that screw. repeat these steps until all the 4 screws are in. i did this and didnt have a issue again but when i first did it i had the same issues that you have. it all has to do with the extra wires and the room on the back of the HU if it pinches you loose the connection to the adapter.
 
chocolat1701,

I wish I could say that was my problem, however all of the times I have done my testing have been without the unit even in the dash. I just got the new adapter in the mail and unfortunately instead of sending me the FRD03-AUX/S they sent me another FRD03-AUX. So now I've gotta send this one back, and wait again...

As far as the clearance, I know what you mean, I had already found that the best way to go is under the metal bar, and I position the connectors off to the back-sides as well, this allows me to go all the way in without much fuss.

Thanks again for the advice!
 
the "thats what she said" is so last decade, that what i'm going with from now on!
 
Hello All, time for an update:

So I finally got the correct adapter from the store I was dealing with on Amazon, after they sent me the wrong one and I had to send it back in... I got it wired in yesterday and I can report "semi-success". The reason is because it does work most of the time, but it seems to randomly cut out. The other thing is that I have to use the media button on my steering wheel to access it, I go to FM2 and then press it again and it goes to either SAT1 or SAT2 instead of CD. For reasons unknown to me, it cuts out at least once a drive and I have to cycle through a couple of times before it picks up again. I'm thinking I have a loose connection or something because it was so tight going back in, but I'm not sure and I don't want to pull it all back out unless I get some feedback from everyone first. So, is it worth pulling it all back out? is this normal operation? Or am I doing something wrong?

TIA
 
rallyusa said:
... So, is it worth pulling it all back out? is this normal operation? Or am I doing something wrong?

TIA
Click to expand...

It's not normal operation, but that's the best I could get it to work with my THX nav.
 
If it's operating normally, then cuts out, then something is wrong. Either the installation was defective or the unit itself is defective. Based on your comment that it was extremely tight going in I would suspect an installation problem. When working in tight corners wiring can become damaged, or connectors can be damaged or work their way loose. If the unit needed a little palm tap to get it to go past a sticky spot, the wiring may have been pinched. It'll have to come out and when it does you'll need to try and open things up so it won't be quite so tight on reinstall. I wouldn't wait either, because if it turns out to not be an installation issue you'll be wanting to return the unit to the manufacturer. You don't want to wait out the warranty on this.

I know it sucks having to go back in and redo a job you just finished, but it'll need to be done sooner or later anyway and you may as well do it now while everything you did is still fresh in your head.
 
OK Thanks for the advice, I'll pull it back out and inspect the wires, I guess I need to figure out a better way to route everything, I've never seen such a lack of space for a stereos wires before...
 
^^^ yeah, now try tripling the amount of wiring back there, and also hiding a module or two!
 
I'm a little confused. The satellite radio cuts in and out or the satellite button displays intermittently? I get many more drop-outs than I believe I should. That, coupled with the constant dribble from the "DJ"s, is causing me to drop my Sirius when my subscription expires in a few months. I can buy a lot of CDs for $300 a year!!!!!!!
 
LS4me said:
I'm a little confused. The satellite radio cuts in and out or the satellite button displays intermittently? I get many more drop-outs than I believe I should. That, coupled with the constant dribble from the "DJ"s, is causing me to drop my Sirius when my subscription expires in a few months. I can buy a lot of CDs for $300 a year!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

If it's like mine, the SAT button disappears at random every now and then (from one day to one month before it happens again).
 
LS4me said:
I'm a little confused. The satellite radio cuts in and out or the satellite button displays intermittently? I get many more drop-outs than I believe I should. That, coupled with the constant dribble from the "DJ"s, is causing me to drop my Sirius when my subscription expires in a few months. I can buy a lot of CDs for $300 a year!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I don't ever get a SAT button, I called the PIE tech helpline and he said some radios show it, and some don't, he asked me to cycle through using the media button on my steering wheel and when I did, when I get to FM2 and then press it again, instead of going to CD, it goes to SAT1 or SAT2, but doesn't show the button on the right-side of the screen.

On another note, I pulled everything out today and figured out a way to get everything behind the stereo without squishing everything back there, I bundled the wires and tied them together with a long zip-tie, I fed the end of the zip-tie through the back of the dash out to the opening by the kick-panels on both sides of the center dash, and then as I was going in with the radio, I tugged on the tie a little at a time, it was enough to get the wires off to both sides of the radio as it was going in and I didn't have to force it at all.

That being said, I drove the car all day today, and after about 5 trips to different places, it cut out on me 1 time. When I say "cut-out" it simply drops to FM2 and doesn't show SAT mode anymore. I'm going to keep it in there for another couple of days and test it some more, if it gets worse, then I will swap it out for another one, but if I have to cycle through once a day then I will just live with it, it's easy enough.

Thanks for all the help, I will update after a couple of days. Also I'll post the part # of my stereo, might help someone in the future. Apparently there are 3 diff. part #'s for 2003-2006 models with THX/NAV.
 
I may take it out one more time and put dielectric grease inside each female plug-end, enough to help make contact but not short out any connections.
 
rallyusa said:
I may take it out one more time and put dielectric grease inside each female plug-end, enough to help make contact but not short out any connections.
Click to expand...

You can, but I think you are going to find that the nav headunit just doesn't play well with the PIE stuff.
 
Dielectric grease doesn't help make an electrical connection. It is nonconductive. Its purpose is to help seal moisture out of the connection, prevent corrosion and make it easy to disconnect the fitting even years later.

If you think the connection isn't tight inside, what you can do is use a pair of needlenose pliers to bend the male wire tips inside the plug just a bit. It doesn't need much, the idea is to put just enough of a bend into it to make the fit tighter. Give all the male tips a very slight bend in the same direction so the plug can still slide on. By slight bend, I mean like 2-3 degrees tops, or just enough that you can tell they're bent if you are looking for it but wouldn't notice otherwise.
 
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