Does My 2017 Expi XL Have Bluetooth?

[RodInPrescott]

I have a 2017 Expedition EL XL, bought used. I think EL means extra length. XL is the 'trim level,' and I think this is Ford's lowest trim level.

The radio appears to be a factory one, but is extremely simple. I've attached a photo. The display has very low height, typical of displays used only for radio tuning or very terse menu options. The user manual I received with the vehicle addresses the operation of a couple of different radios, but none of them look like mine.

In my attached photo, note the small button at top right of the display, with an image of a phone on it. When I press that button, the display simply indicates "no phone attached." It does not indicate any option to add, pair, or connect, a phone. I've also cycled through the menu button system several times, and I see no menu option related to use of a phone.

So do I have Bluetooth or not? If I do, where can I find info on pairing and connecting my smartphone to this particular radio? If I don't have Bluetooth, what on earth is that phone button for?

There is an auxiliary jack, not on the radio itself but lower on the dashboard. It's a typical 1/8" audio jack, and does work using the "Line In" option on the radio, so I could indeed use a Bluetooth adaptor. I'm simply baffled by that phone button, and would rather use built in Bluetooth if it exists.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Vdubnick]

does the radio do anything when you press the phone button? if nothing, then there is no BT.

there is a BT module you can add to the radio (if it doesnt have it), but for the price, i would just go aftermarket.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

I have a 2017 Expedition EL XL, bought used. I think EL means extra length. XL is the 'trim level,' and I think this is Ford's lowest trim level.

The radio appears to be a factory one, but is extremely simple. I've attached a photo. The display has very low height, typical of displays used only for radio tuning or very terse menu options. The user manual I received with the vehicle addresses the operation of a couple of different radios, but none of them look like mine.

In my attached photo, note the small button at top right of the display, with an image of a phone on it. When I press that button, the display simply indicates "no phone attached." It does not indicate any option to add, pair, or connect, a phone. I've also cycled through the menu button system several times, and I see no menu option related to use of a phone.

So do I have Bluetooth or not? If I do, where can I find info on pairing and connecting my smartphone to this particular radio? If I don't have Bluetooth, what on earth is that phone button for?

There is an auxiliary jack, not on the radio itself but lower on the dashboard. It's a typical 1/8" audio jack, and does work using the "Line In" option on the radio, so I could indeed use a Bluetooth adaptor. I'm simply baffled by that phone button, and would rather use built in Bluetooth if it exists.

Thanks for any help!

Did you read the vehicle owner’s manual, to look for the information on phone pairing, Bluetooth, etc?

 

[LokiWolf]

I have a 2017 Expedition EL XL, bought used. I think EL means extra length. XL is the 'trim level,' and I think this is Ford's lowest trim level.

The radio appears to be a factory one, but is extremely simple. I've attached a photo. The display has very low height, typical of displays used only for radio tuning or very terse menu options. The user manual I received with the vehicle addresses the operation of a couple of different radios, but none of them look like mine.

In my attached photo, note the small button at top right of the display, with an image of a phone on it. When I press that button, the display simply indicates "no phone attached." It does not indicate any option to add, pair, or connect, a phone. I've also cycled through the menu button system several times, and I see no menu option related to use of a phone.

So do I have Bluetooth or not? If I do, where can I find info on pairing and connecting my smartphone to this particular radio? If I don't have Bluetooth, what on earth is that phone button for?

There is an auxiliary jack, not on the radio itself but lower on the dashboard. It's a typical 1/8" audio jack, and does work using the "Line In" option on the radio, so I could indeed use a Bluetooth adaptor. I'm simply baffled by that phone button, and would rather use built in Bluetooth if it exists.

Thanks for any help!

Note: To scroll through the menus, press the up and down arrows on your audio system.

1. Make sure to switch on your phone's Bluetooth feature before starting the search. See your device's manual if necessary.

1. Press the PHONE button. When the audio display indicates there is no paired phone, select the option to add.

1. When a message to begin pairing appears in the audio display, search for SYNC on your phone to start the pairing process.

1. When prompted on your cell phone’s display, confirm that the PIN provided by SYNC matches the PIN displayed on your cell phone. Your phone is now paired and the display indicates that the pairing was successful. If you are prompted to enter a PIN on your device, enter the PIN displayed on the screen. The display indicates when the pairing is successful.

The above is directly from he online manual.

You will get the Add option if you press up or down, select that, and search for it on your phone.

Enjoy!

 

[RodInPrescott]

To reply to several replies ...

Vdubnick, as I indicated, when I press the phone button, the display indicates "no phone attached," but does not indicate any option to add (pair & connect) a phone. I suspect that you are correct that this radio has no Bluetooth and that the phone button is only there for use with a Ford Bluetooth module. I agree that an aftermarket adapter would be preferable to ordering to ordering that module, probably 1/10 the cost. With the auxiliary audio input jack I can definitely go aftermarket.

99WhiteC5Coupe, as I also indicated, the vehicle's user manual does describe pairing & connecting a phone, but none of the radio models in the manual look anything like mine. The the display prompts shown in the manual for the pairing & connecting steps could not possibly be displayed on my tiny display.

Lokiwolf, my display can only display one line, and it didn't occur to me to push an up or down button to get another option on the display. However, the only up & down buttons I have are the ones beside the CD slot, for going to the next or previous track, not intuitively obvious for accessing options on the display. But I will try those, and maybe also the forward and reverse tuning (seek) buttons to see if I can get another option to appear on the display. Pressing the phone button a second time does not do that.

 

[Vdubnick]

i wouldnt try using a BT thru the aux, i would just swap the head unit. you can get an aftermarket stereo head unit with BT for less than 100 ... video for 300 ... and im not talking shit brands like boss etc.

 

[RodInPrescott]

Vdubnick, I will check into that.

All, thank you for your help!