The F-150 is one of the most popular vehicles ever made and a lot of people put new sound systems and aftermarket navigation systems in them. Newer F-150’s 2009 and up, usually have Sync which is a cool feature that allows you to connect with your smartphone and use other voice activated features. Until now adding an aftermarket nav has not been compatible with Sync. The Rosen plugs in and works seamlessly with Sync. It comes with a new bezel that fits perfectly into the existing F-150 Dash. I have a fake plastic wood grain dash and thought that the Rosen black dash would clash. Turns out it looks factory and in my opinion better than the factory nav. The LCD screen is recessed into the top of the dash where the Sync screen usually resides.
Our kit included a back up camera, but since we already had the factory back up camera we opted not to install it. The install was a breeze. The scariest part was unbolting the airbag mount, but I like living on the edge. For the F-150 install be sure to be careful when you remove the airbag so that the mount does not scratch your dash on the bottom. The unit bolts in and you use all your factory plugs, there is no splicing. For optimal reception you will want to place the GPS antenna on your roof. I however just ran it up to the dash, it saved time and works like a charm. I am really impressed with the stock factory look and ease of installation with this product.
Operation of the unit is what you would expect from a OEM nav. It has a full menu. You can drive to a destination or find a point of interest. The map can be changed to different color schemes and you can even change the vehicle on the map. I picked the DeLorean. Another nice feature is that it shows you the speed limit and it turns red when you are speeding. Routing was as good as most OEM nav systems on the market today. It also has a cool feature that calculates your fuel burn. Rosen did a great job with this navigation system. It is affordable and easy to install yourself. Rosen makes a OEM style navigation system for many different makes and models. Click here to see if Rosen navigation fits in your car.
Great writeup Dan, very cool system, I need to look into one for my Dad.
Oh yes, imho the Rosen bezel looks a lot better.
Will not be long and some DO GOODER will have a law passed that all the new
in dash navagation and accessories will be taken away as a DISTRACTION, just
like talking on the cell phone, and you will be given no choice in the matter.
Hopefully by the time they outlaw in dash navigation and accessories we will have driverless robot cars.
Then we will all bow down to our robot overlords. 🙂
I had never even thought about retro-fitting something like this… This is a great example of an easy way to upgrade the “interior” of your car without too much work – Nice!!
Harold they are already working on the driverles robot cars and California
will probably be the first to test it. Wonder who pays the ticket for running
a red light with no driver in the picture.
What is the price
And has anyone tested in a ’14?
Should work just fine.
So, you lose the lower 12v port?
I have this in my 2012 f150 , however I bought my truck used , this system came with it, my problem is no instructions on how to use all the features, any suggestions.
I woul;d think if you contact them directly or they might have a digital manual online.
I would think if you contact them directly or they might have a digital manual online.