OEM radio w/ Bluetooth?

[James Morse]

I'm seeing some units being sold that look just like OEM radio but have a little Bluetooth symbol by the CD eject. I'm thinking this is on some later Rangers of the '98-'11 vintage (and probably Explorers).
Am I right about that, if so, wouldn't that be a simple swap to mine (CD is totally flaky, hardly ever works after cleaning multiple times) and, what would it gain me over regular radio/CD? I'm assuming I could use hands-free phone and maybe transmit music from phone?
They are more expensive than regular replacement.

 

[sgtsandman]

I don’t remember blue tooth being and option. My 2011 didn’t come with it but has a jack port for plugging a cable in and the unit playing music as an interface. But mine is a mid line XLT. It’s possible the higher trim level Ranger could have had a blue tooth interface.

 

[James Morse]

2011 radio should fit '99 right?

 

[sgtsandman]

2011 radio should fit '99 right?

The dash is the built same, so it should. They just look a little different here and there. After the 1998 refresh, they pretty much left the interior alone until end of production.

 

[James Morse]

cool, thanks. they left well enough alone then.
98-00 Ford Ranger Explorer AM FM BLUETOOTH FEATURE F85F-19B132-AA OEM | eBay
seems it was a feature don't see it much I don't think
they will run (used) about $100 more than plain jane
don't know if it's worth it
I know there are ton of aftermarket stuff I am just trying to keep truck stock right now and if they offered BT then it could have been on my OEM radio they just didn't get it I guess
I'd have to look at the brochures/list of options where available and see if it's in there

 

[fastpakr]

I'd definitely want to know more about what you're buying. The eBay listing says 'upgraded with Bluetooth'. Hard to be sure what was done to the radio or what that really gets you. I'm guessing music streaming only but no hands free calling?

 

[James Morse]

Yeah that would suck... maybe I just go for regular OEM at least then CD would hopefully work which is really the only complaint I have right now.

 

[fastpakr]

Here's another variation of the same radio with an add-on wired input jack:

Ford 1999-2010 Truck Van AM FM Cassette Auxiliary mp3 Input Radio F85F

Fits many 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 Ford Truck and Van. Ford AM FM Cassette Player Radio with Aux Input Added into the face for iPod, Satellite, mp3 Players, & More! Part Number: F85F-19B132-AA. This unit is a Ford and Mercury Radio...

1factoryradio.com

I can't find the part number they provide, F85F-19B132-AA, listed on any of the normal parts sites to confirm where the radio would have been originally installed. Makes it hard to be sure what factory wiring it integrates with.

 

[James Morse]

Ford’s global Bluetooth Voice Control you could get on 2011 Ranger but here's the thing it might be only in Australia. I guess they were still making Rangers there past 2011 too, just not here.
I think the newer Rangers probably have Sync3 system with display.

EDIT: there are different SYNC versions don't know if I could put that in my truck
pretty sure a lot of features on newer versions that show vehicle status etc would not work
probably just a rabbit hole
phone works fine for maps so display is maybe just an added layer I don't need

 

[sgtsandman]

2012 was the start of the World Ranger of which the current new US Ranger is based off of. There are a smattering of 2012 Rangers based on the original but I think those were left over 2011s that Ford didn’t get sold off in time. I think Canada got them.

 

[James Morse]

MP3 started coming out at least in Mazdas pretty early like maybe '03. Not Bluetooth, not sure if/when any of them ever had that.
Question: If I take a radio out of a non-'98 to '00 (like '01 up) will it fit my wiring? I'm pretty sure it will fit the dash, they look exactly the same except the ones with MP3 have a little MP3 insignia in the upper right corner.
Seems to me like there would be an input "AUX" otherwise I don't get how MP3 works - isn't it supposed to play songs that are coming from your phone? So if there is a center console sometimes they put the input there.
I'm not sure if there would be an AUX button on the radio if so it would look a bit different I guess. Obviously I'm floundering here, but the main thing is, if those later radios will fit my wiring harness and fit my dash then it'd be worth a try, to get one at a junkyard if it works. My CD doesn't work worth a sh*t, cleaned it a bunch of times, still totally unreliable and I just want to keep the stock radio in the sense if it looks the same but has added MP3 that's just an upgrade but doesn't change how it looks.
Seems like if you have AUX input why do you need Bluetooth? Because it's wireless? Any other advantage?

 

[SenorNoob]

Wireless. And auto disconnect/reconnect. That's about it. Pretty handy though.

Those bluetooth added radios likely just wired a 12v bluetooth adapter like this into something like the tape input.

I'm sure they just bought the necessary chips. Much cheaper that way. Especially in bulk.

 

[James Morse]

OK, thanks. I see the advantage of the Bluetooth.

I guess as to the MP3, the question I should have asked about that is, for which years are the radios interchangeable and will fit the dash and wiring harness of my '99? Obviously 98-00 should fit, but what about radios after '00?

Because I would need the AUX input to run the Bluetooth, I think.

 

[James Morse]

I think there was bluetooth on '10 or at least '11 in Focus. I don't see any mention of it in Ranger owner's manual for '11.
Yes there are reman where they add the chip but that's not OEM.