Crutchfield - North America's electronics authority since 1974

1.888.955.6000
 
 
Free Shipping on Everything.  60-Day Money-Back Guarantee  |  Lifetime Tech Support
 

USA SPEC iPod® Interface for Ford

Connects your iPod to select Ford factory radios

Zoom USA SPEC iPod® Interface for Ford
Front
Video loading and will display in just a moment.
Photos
USA SPEC iPod® Interface for Ford
 
Videos
 

Item# 581PA11F1 offer details

Item# 581PA11F1

Review Summary

 
Out of Stock
 
Ship date uncertain
Contact us
 
Reserve yours risk-free
Call   Email   Chat
 
Email me when available
 
 
 
 
 
Free
 
Your price $129.99
 
 
 
Add to cart
 
 
 

By buying this product you'll earn up to 130 Rewards points.

When you sign up for a Crutchfield account, you’ll be enrolled in Crutchfield Rewards. You’ll earn one point for every dollar you spend on gear from us. You can turn your points into Rewards Cards that you can use toward future purchases. You can sign up for an account now, or after you complete your purchase (you’ll get credit for the points either way).

 
USA Spec

Our take on the USA SPEC iPod® Interface for Ford

You can take it with you. Just because you've got a factory radio in your Ford, doesn't mean you have to leave your iPod (and the hours and hours of music it contains) at home. Just install USA SPEC's iPod interface — it not only allows you to listen to all your favorite tunes through your car's speakers, it even lets you control song and playlist selections right from your radio. And with your iPhone® connected, you can even stream music from popular Internet services like PANDORA®, Livio Radio, iHeartRadio, and more.

Just mount the compact interface box in a hidden location in your vehicle, and connect the adapter cable to the CD changer input on your compatible Ford factory radio. Plug your iPod into the interface — you can control volume, source, song selection, and up to five different play lists right from the radio. And the interface charges your iPod while it's connected.

Please enter your vehicle information or call an Advisor at 1-888-955-6000 to find out if this adapter is compatible with your vehicle. As the iPod interface uses the CD changer port, any existing changer that you have must be disconnected.

Compatibility Note: Be sure to check "Hands-on Research" for specific iPod model compatibility with this iPod adapter.

Highlights:

  • iPod connection adapter for select Ford factory stereos
  • manage the iPod via your radio's CD changer controls
  • adjust volume, track up/down, fast forward/rewind
  • use up to five playlists (select five favorites, or Auto Playlist will let you choose from the first five on your iPod)
  • when iPhone is connected, you can stream tunes from popular Internet services like PANDORA®, Livo Radio, and iHeartRadio
  • Dual Mode allows you to control everything via the iPod itself, giving you access to all playlists
  • compatible with all iPod and iPod mini models equipped with a dock connector and iPod software update 2004-04-28, or higher
  • warranty: 1 year
  • Our 60-day money-back guarantee
 

Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?)

Features and Specs

Features and Specs
General
Adapter Type
Loading...
iPod audio in w/ iPod control
Vehicle Specific
Loading...
Ford,Niss,Linc,Merc,Mazd
Brand Specific
Loading...
No
Parts Warranty
Loading...
1 Year
Labor Warranty
Loading...
1 Year
iPod Compatibility
Full-Size
Loading...
Classic/5Gen/4Gen
Nano
Loading...
Nano6/Nano5/Nano4/Nano3/Nano2/
Touch
Loading...
Touch4/Touch3/Touch2/Touch1
Mini
Loading...
Mini2/Mini1
iPhone
Loading...
Phone4S/Phone4/Phone3GS/Phone3

Product Research

Product Research
What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

  • iPod-Ford1 adapter
  • 49" iPod interface cable (CB-PA14)
  • 46" Adapter to Ford radio interface (CAS-F12)
  • 7.75" Adapter cable needed for certain Fords (CAS-F20)
  • 6.625" Adapter cable needed for certain other Fords (CAS-F10)
  • 4 Self-tapping screws
  • Owner's manual
  • Limited warranty registration card

Our Product Research Team

At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box, verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices.

Features

Overview: This adapter allows a compatible iPod with a dock connector to be connected to and controlled by the factory radio in select Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Nissan vehicles.

Note: Please consult the Crutchfield Car Selector to see if your vehicle is compatible.

iPod Compatibility: The PA11-FORD1 is "Made for iPod/iPhone" compatible and supports the following iPod/iPhone model features when connected to a compatible Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury factory radio (as of 2/24/2012):

iPod/iPhone Model Generation Tested Version Media Type Control Type Display Type Charge
Audio Video Head Unit iPod/iPhone Song/Artist Text Track Info
dock connector 3rd N/A N N N N N N N
clickwheel
color
4th 3.1.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
mini 1st 1.4.1 Y N Y N Y Y Y
2nd 1.4.1 Y N Y N Y Y Y
video 5th 1.3 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
classic 80GB 1.1.2 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
120GB 2.0.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
160GB 2.0.4 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
nano 1st 1.3.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
2nd 1.1.3 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
3rd 1.1.3 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
4th 1.0.4 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
5th 1.0.2 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
6th 1.1 PC Y N Y Y Y Y Y
touch 1st 2.2.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
2nd 4.2.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
3rd 4.3.5 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
4th 5.0.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
iPhone 2G 3.1.3 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
3G 4.2.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
3GS 4.3.5 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
4 5.0.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
4S 5.0.1 Y N Y Y Y Y Y
iPad 1 5.0.1 N N N N N N N
2 5.0.1 N N N N N N N

Note: Apple iPod/iPhone software updates may change functionality results. If you download a newer software version, you may need to reset the head unit and your iPod/iPhone to regain functionality. If this doesn't work, you may need to revert to the older software version or wait until a newer software update is available.

Control Modes: The iPod interface adapter features the following control modes:

  • Playlist Mode: You can create up to 5 favorite mobile playlist then use your radio's CD changer controls to access and control your playlist.
  • Direct Mode: Gives you complete control of your iPod while it is connected to the factory radio. Your iPod is not locked out while connected to the radio and you are able to manually access your complete iPod content. The Radio still can adjust song up/down random or shuffle play but you can manually control your iPod and select any playlist, genre or Artist of your choice.
  • Hybrid Mode: Combines features of Direct Mode and Playlist Mode. You can create and access your favorite mobile playlist or directly access all your iPod content manually on your iPod. Your iPod displays song title information and iPod is not locked, so the iPod can be operated manually at all times.

App Streaming (in Direct Mode): Direct mode also lets you listen to the sound from your iPhone's downloaded music apps (such as Pandora, iHeart Radio, SiriusXM, etc.) through your factory head unit & speakers. You will continue to control your iPhone's apps & view song/artist information from its touchscreen.

Note: Your iPhone will need an active Data Plan account with connection to the Internet via 3G, EDGE, or WiFi. You will also need applicable music service accounts.

Playlist Names: In order for the adapter/factory radio to recognize a playlist, it must be named FORD1... through FORD5... Text can follow the Ford name and number, such as FORD3_Favorites or FORD2-jazz. For a given disc slot (1-5), if there is no playlist named FORD followed by that number, that disc slot will not be available.

Auxiliary Input: In addition to the iPod input on the PA11-FORD1 there is an auxiliary input (RCA) for use with another source, such as a DVD system, satellite radio, etc. The aux input is accessed at disc 6 track 1 using the factory radio controls. This aux input can be used with or without the iPod connected. When using the aux input the Play All mode is moved to the Disc 5 slot and the FORD5 custom playlist is lost. To use the auxiliary input on the interface, dip switch #1 is set to the "Off" position.

Battery Charge: The PA11-FORD1 charges iPod battery when connected.

CD Changer Port: The adapter uses the factory radio's CD Changer port so if the vehicle has an existing outboard CD Changer it must be disconnected.

Pause: When a non iPod source is selected on the radio (AM/FM/Cass/CD) the iPod pauses.

Resume: If the iPod is not disconnected after use, it will resume playing where it left off when you restart the vehicle. If you're listening to a Ford playlist portably and you plug the iPod into the adapter, playback continues from the previous spot.

 

Product Reviews

Review Summary

Average Customer Review:

54 people say:
(30)
(12)
(1)
(8)
(3)
 

Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences about this product. Please be sure to focus your comments on the product itself. Read our Review Guidelines for more information.

Review title
* Email
Your email won't be visible. Please use the email address that is associated with your order.
Display name
(e.g., JohnD) Your review will be signed using the display name and location
* Your location
(e.g., Charlottesville, VA)
* Your rating
Click on a star to rate the overall product on a scale of 1-5
1500 characters left * Your review
Attach a YouTube Review
Crutchfield Video Review Guidelines
  • Only submit videos that you made or are authorized to use.
  • Do not submit videos that contain music, video or visuals that are copyrighted and belong to someone else.
  • Please see our Review Guidelines for more information.
Submit the URL of your YouTube™ video review or product demonstration. e.g., http://www.youtube.com/v/o79TWHh598U
500 characters left Pros
500 characters left Cons
* Agree to Terms
By checking this box you agree your review becomes the property of Crutchfield, that you are over 18 years of age, that you own or have owned this product, and that you are located within the United States or its territories. Please see our Review Guidelines for more information. We reserve the right (but are not obligated to) review all submissions and edit or remove any review in any manner which we deem necessary. Your review should be posted within seven days.
1-10 of 54 items >> Sort Results By: Date Reviewed | Rating | Helpfulness
 
5 out of 5

Finally got it installed, Explorer Eddie Bauer

Written By wing, Ithaca, NY on Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
Had hard time pulling the radio from the dash. You really need to do it once before it makes sense. But it turns out that you don't need to do this! (1997 eddie bauer edition explorer with jpl system)

Once I had the radio out I couldn't connect the unit to it! Turns out that the unit connects to the amplifier behind the back right panel, by the subwoofer. (Crutchfield's support was excellent). Popped off the panel and unscrewed the amp to pull out the connectors. I ended up with one connector and a black wire connected to nothing (but it supposed to be normal according to USASPEC).

Tested it out and it worked, excellent! The only oddity was that the display kept on flickering between 6/2..2/1, over and over again. A call to USASPEC solved the problem. Need to disconnect the CD player. This involves pulling up the computer console and the the cup holders. Under that is a connect to the cd-changer. Unplugged that and all is well.

Took several hours and a couple of calls to Crutchfield and USASPEC, but it's done and works great.

I've used both an FM converter and a tape cassette converter, this is leaps better.

Highly recommended

wing
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Great Product Great Sound

Written By Bob, Richardson, TX on Friday, October 12, 2007
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
Install went great in my F350 when I got my 17 year old son to pull the factory radio. I had the tools and tried for 20 minutes but could not figure out the correct way to use them. We ran the wire from the radio to the glove box and it is still close enough to put the iPod on the console. I may relocate it later to another spot if it proves to be better. We set the dip switches for use in the direct mode which allows me to use the iPod click wheel and my playlists. We could not get the radio to recognize the iPod so we call Customer Service. What great help. After going over everything we had done so far, he suggested we turn the key on then off 3 times without starting the truck. Guess what, the radio recognized the iPod. Sounds great, I don't have to burn CD's any more, and my son asked "When are you going to get me one?"
2 out of 2 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

I dont usally write reviews_____but i have to for this.

Written By Jason, Oregon on Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
Pros:
Keep a perfectly good factory radio, Everything is hidden and very clean looking. It really cranks. Good control of the ipod. Charges your ipod.

Cons:
Small delay when skipping thru songs. High Price (but worth it).

Comments:
I wanted to keep my stock radio because it really rocks. The installation was beyond easy. No wires to cut, everything was included (except the tools to pull the radio out). I pulled the radio ran the cables from behind my glove box plugged in all the wires and I was done. The sound is even better than a CD. Crystal Clear and very loud, louder than a CD. If you had been hesitating because of the price don’t. It performs better than I thought. Its expensive when compared to some other types of adapters but they can’t even compare.

Notes:
Used in playlist mode.
Installed in 25 min.
Installed in a 2003 Ford F150 Lariat Supercrew.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Easiest Install with Great Quality Sound

Written By Jason, New York on Friday, August 10, 2007
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
I just installed this unit tonight and the hardest part was just removing the vent trim to get to the radio. Purely plug and play. I got this for my 2003 Mustang Cobra Mach 460 w/ built in 6 CD changer. I was worried when some of the warnings said it wouldn't work with a built in CD changer but had heard good results from other Cobra owners and they were right. Just had to make sure that there were no CDs in the radio before install. Otherwise it won't detect it, but CD's will work after install. Not sure about other complaints of low volume, both my Ipod and Sirius were loud at 3-4 bars, were it usually is. Best product yet. Returned another unit that required a lot of wiring work and got this instead. Happy with my decision.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Great product!

Written By Greek, Anchorage, AK on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
 
I have a 2001 F250 with the factory-installed radio and CD changer. I had read online elsewhere that an iPod adapter wouldn't work or the CD changer would have to be disabled to make the adapter work. I was also told by a local audio shop that they'd have to disable the CD changer and cut wires.
I was thrilled when it turned out that none of the above is true. After we figured out how to pull the radio, we had a little trouble getting the wiring right, but Crutchfield tech support quickly set us right. The only other problem was the iPod not being recognized at first, which was because I was testing the system with a nano, when the ipod connection is for a 3rd or 4th generation iPod.
I can now use the connection in 2 modes. The direct connect mode allows me to change tracks using the radio controls, and the iPod is charged while connected. The auxiliary mode allows me to operate the iPod directly, but the iPod is not charged. I change modes with a dipswitch.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Excellent Product

Written By Dave, St. Peters, MO on Saturday, May 24, 2008
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
This is an excellent product that was easy to install and sounds great. I even used the manufacturers tech support and they were helpful and accessible. I installed this in my 2000 Lincoln LS and it was a snap. I highly recommend this product if you want to use your MP3 player with your manufacturers head unit.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

USA Spec has done it again.

Written By Glenn, Keswick, VA on Sunday, September 27, 2009
 
This is my second USA Spec device. I previously purchased one for my 2004 Jeep Wrangler and it was a plug and play installation taking about 15 minutes. I just purchased another unit for my 2004 F250 Super Duty and it also was a very easy installation that took less than 7 minutes. Most of the time was spent removing the factory radio. Great product(s), excellent workmanship. Cables were easy to plug in a secure. The Crutchfield sales staff was, as usual a vast wealth of information.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Finally a clear ipod channel

Written By Robert, Naperville, IL on Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
I live in the Chicago area where there are no dead channels on the FM band. I tried four different FM systems, and none worked all around the area. The USA Spec device worked as advertized. I was able to keep my factory CD changer. Both the CD changer and ipod worked prefectly, and finally a static free signal.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Ipod on the road

Written By No Thanks, Nacogdoches, Tx on Friday, January 06, 2006
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
I just installed this in my 2003 F-250 Super Duty Crew Cab and it took no more than 10 minutes to plug and play. The installation was a breeze and it worked perfectly with my factory in dash 6 disk changer. Crutchfield delivered fast and was a pleasure to do business with. This was my first purchase from them and I look forward to the next time.
36 out of 38 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Excellent, simple solution !

Written By Dave, Cape May County, NJ on Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
Crutchfield Customer Review

The reviewer purchased this item from us, verified by the email address on the order.

 
2004 Ford F-350 Super Cab w/ in dash 6 disc changer:

I installed the adapter behind the "hook" near the ash tray. It's completely out of sight and sounds great. I used the 'aux' input for my Sirius Sportster Replay and it is sounds so much better than the FM modulator that comes with the Sirius car kit. I ran the Ipod cable into the glove compartment so it, also, is out of sight. Since I use my adapter in 'Playlist' mode, I never need to handle the Ipod once it's put away. Also, you should know that you can set the 'aux' input to on and leave it that way, your Ipod plays on discs 1-5 and the Sportster plays as disc 6.

If you're looking to stay with your Ford radio, this is it !
12 out of 12 people found this helpful
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
1-10 of 54 items >>

Learn more about iPod Adapters for Car Stereos

Learn more about iPod Adapters for Car Stereos

Video: Playing an iPod in Your Car

Video: Playing an iPod in Your Car

Zak Billmeier
6/19/2008
based on 130 ratings (5 comments)
 

This short video describes your options for playing an iPod through your car's sound system.

 
iPod® Car Stereo Adapter Shopping Guide

iPod® Car Stereo Adapter Shopping Guide

Robert Ferency-Viars
2/24/2009
based on 93 ratings (27 comments)
 

These days we can integrate iPod control with almost any vehicle's stereo by using vehicle- or stereo-specific adapters.

 
iPod® Generations Chart

iPod® Generations Chart

Ralph Graves
10/29/2010
based on 864 ratings (20 comments)
 

Sort out which generation iPod you have with these handy charts. Includes the iPod, iPod mini, iPod nano, and iPod touch.

 
Getting the Best Sound Out of Your Portable Music Player in the Car

Getting the Best Sound Out of Your Portable Music Player in the Car

Robert Ferency-Viars
8/9/2011
based on 303 ratings (30 comments)
 

How to get the best sound quality from your portable music player when connecting it to your car stereo.

 
iPod® Installation Guide

iPod® Installation Guide

Todd Cabell
5/5/2009
based on 25 ratings (2 comments)
 

Step-by-step instructions on how to connect an iPod to your car stereo.

 

For a more in-depth review and enhanced detailed information on the USA SPEC iPod® Interface for Ford, please visit the Crutchfield website product page (/ISEO-rccbcspd/p_581PA11F1/USA-SPEC-iPod-Interface-for-Ford.html ).

close X
Can we help you find something
or answer a question?
Chat with a Crutchfield advisor or call 1-800-320-6609. Chat
USA SPEC iPod® Interface for Ford