PHOENIX RADIO 13.6 INSTALL

[RAMMER69]

Had to upgrade from UConnect. It was so terrible and I can’t believe that UConnect is still coming stock in these Rams..

Finally just pulled the trigger on a Phoenix Automotive 13.6.

First, unscrewed two torx screws from top of the stock radio and then pulled hard straight back. Unplugged all the wires from behind the stock unit and tried to remember what they went to.

Opened the new radio, sat down and followed along with the YouTube video on where to plug in all the wires at. Then took it inside my Ram, plugged in all the wires from the vehicle to the radio and snapped it back into place. Pretty satisfied right now..

Cons:
-I don’t have a SIM card to put into the radio so there’s no data. During the startup it always takes me to google maps and tells me “you seemed to have lost signal” then I have to press home and go to the app that allows CarPlay to connect. I really wish it just took me straight to CarPlay each startup.

-Came stock with a Jeep SUV as the default pic. I know I can change it, it’s just a little work and I didn’t want to have to do that.

- my phone calls are pretty bad. The other person can’t hear me when it’s connected. I have to put my actual phone on speaker phone and take it off the radio for them to hear me.

-Not sure why but when it’s connected it drains my phone battery a lot faster than ot ever has before. Even when I’ve used CarPlay on my wife’s car it’s nowhere near this dramatic.

Even with those cons, I’d still recommend. Anything was better than that terrible 3inch screen crap I had before. I’ll keep you all updated.

 

[Bansheeman6100]

Is this the newer android 12 version? I ordered one next week, cant wait for it to get here!

I've read elsewhere that people needed a separate cable to get the factory USB ports to work?

 

[dajogejr]

I’m wondering if it’s looking for microphones your truck doesn’t have for the phone.
Have you tried calling both just connected via Bluetooth and with car play?
No phone calls and battery drain would be a deal breaker for me…

What year/trim level is that truck. Other than tradesman, I thought they call came with the 12” from the factory…

 

[RAMMER69]

Is this the newer android 12 version? I ordered one next week, cant wait for it to get here!

I've read elsewhere that people needed a separate cable to get the factory USB ports to work?

I haven’t read that anywhere. I just used all of the harnesses and cables that came with the system and my factory USB works

 

[RAMMER69]

I’m wondering if it’s looking for microphones your truck doesn’t have for the phone.
Have you tried calling both just connected via Bluetooth and with car play?
No phone calls and battery drain would be a deal breaker for me…

What year/trim level is that truck. Other than tradesman, I thought they call came with the 12” from the factory…

It’s a 21 Bighorn. But might as well be a Tradesman, pretty sure the “Bighorn” is the chrome package. Other than that it’s cloth seats and had the tiny radio screen with it.

What do you mean tried calling?

I figure the microphones would work from factory that are on the roof? It does come with a microphone to add but the video o watched said they don’t recommend using it. If nothing else, I might humor curiosity and connect that to see if it changes anything.

 

[RAMMER69]

Oh you’re saying calling using just blue tooth and then separately using CarPlay. Good idea, I’ll give it a shot and post my findings

 

[RAMMER69]

UPDATE:

I found out why my battery is being drained so much while using CarPlay. My truck was not equipped with a GPS. So with the new radio and using maps on CarPlay, it's using my phones GPS as well as playing Spotify. Ill have to figure out if I can do something to fix this.

I don't think the backup camera is too bad..I even left the matte screen protector on there for a fingerprint barrier. I just wish I had bumper sensors (not that I really need them, but it would be nice)

Still have the stock photo of the JEEP on there. Ill change it eventually.

PHONECALLS STILL SUCK! This is my number 1 reason why I would say avoid this radio. No one can hear me on the otherside of the phone call. I hate that I have to turn my speaker to my phone on when making a call. I emailed the company but no response yet. If this can't be fixed, I would say avoid it.

 

[dajogejr]

It’s not seeing your Mic. That’s gotta be it.
You’ve done the hard work removing/installing. See if the radio has an input for an external mic. I had one in my Wrangler that sat up on the dash. NOT great, but absolutely usable.

 

[RAMMER69]

Ok. it had a mic that came with the radio but the installation video just stated they recommend using the microphones that come stock with the truck. Ill throw in the other one and see if that fixes it. Good looking out!

 

[RAMMER69]

Well, I may have tossed the mic that came with the system. it was a normal aux jack mic though so ill amazon it if need be. I emailed the company and asked if there is a system setting that fixes the issue, waiting on a response and I'll update.

Connecting is still weird. Sometimes it connects immediately, other times it kinda lags. It also pops up a message that reads "Don't connect bluetooth if using CarPlay" which idk how else it connect wirelessly?? id say 9 out of 10 times it connects immediately, that other 1 is so annoying though.

I give the system a 7 out of 10 so far...will update.

 

[RAMMER69]

*UPDATE*


After scrolling through a ton of settings I found one that took me to a tab labeled “mic” I changed it to “OEM” and it fixed my phone all issue.

CarPlay seemed to figure itself out. Connects immediately once I hop into the truck.

I only have 2 complaints with it now:
-when I turn the truck on, Google maps pops up and reads “no signal” I’m assuming it’s because I don’t have a data plan with it. Doesn’t truly matter, I just click the CarPlay app and use that anyway. It’s more of an annoyance.

-the default pic is still a jeep. I’d like to change that entire home screen set up but again, it really doesn’t matter since I go straight to CarPlay everytime. I just wish it was a Ram and not a red jeep lol

 

[dajogejr]

If you can get root access to the file system of that device, start looking for things labeled “Jeep”, “Startup” or do searches for JPEG…. If you find one that’s the red Jeep, see if you can swap it, use the same file name, overwrite it.

That’s just how I’d cheat to remove the red Jeep.

 

[RAMMER69]

If you can get root access to the file system of that device, start looking for things labeled “Jeep”, “Startup” or do searches for JPEG…. If you find one that’s the red Jeep, see if you can swap it, use the same file name, overwrite it.

That’s just how I’d cheat to remove the red Jeep.

Makes sense to me! There’s some files that people download that allows them to change the entire Home Screen, I’m just not that tech savvy lol

 

[dajogejr]

Makes sense to me! There’s some files that people download that allows them to change the entire Home Screen, I’m just not that tech savvy lol

I’d try calling/emailing their tech support. Worst case scenario…crickets. I’d bet that’s a common question, personalization and function is the main point of this upgrade.

 

[oledirteh]

Just did mine. love it. but need to make some changes to settings. i did add tmoble to mine so i dont even worry about using my phone for anything now.

 

[oledirteh]

That is how you can change the base pic. you can also hold the screen and change the background itself.

Some things I have noticed which others have as well, heat blows harder. ac blows cooler and harder. And the power to the speakers is a lot better so that will be my next upgrade.

Add a sim to it. i dont even use my phone for it. however, I am going to tinker with carplay since i can split screen. but i almost like it without CarPlay cause I can do full screen waze and its glorious.

 

[RAMMER69]

That is how you can change the base pic. you can also hold the screen and change the background itself.

Some things I have noticed which others have as well, heat blows harder. ac blows cooler and harder. And the power to the speakers is a lot better so that will be my next upgrade.

Add a sim to it. i dont even use my phone for it. however, I am going to tinker with carplay since i can split screen. but i almost like it without CarPlay cause I can do full screen waze and its glorious.

If I hold the screen down to change the pic, there’s no pics on the memory of the radio though. I think I need to put in a picture through a USB first then go through the steps. Damn a T-Mobile or cricket is probably a great idea for a cheap sim to be functional.. as of now though my CarPlay is amazing and I just got back from a long drive for spring break and it performed flawlessly!

 

[oledirteh]

yes, you need to use a thumb drive for example to load images into the internal disk of the unit.

I'd rather just removes the image totally then have a background with it. that image is just floating there and if the image isn't made right it will cover the gauges and look weird. so to edit the jeep image is one way however the background is the "Hold the screen" option. Phoenix has a few how tos on how to get it done.

 

[dajogejr]

If I hold the screen down to change the pic, there’s no pics on the memory of the radio though. I think I need to put in a picture through a USB first then go through the steps. Damn a T-Mobile or cricket is probably a great idea for a cheap sim to be functional.. as of now though my CarPlay is amazing and I just got back from a long drive for spring break and it performed flawlessly!

Yep, that video clearly explains it, exactly how I thought it would be done.
GIMP is A free photo editing software title you can download and use to remove the “box” background.
there are several forums out there with people with photoshop that could do this easily.
I’d even bet…there are members here that could as well.

 

[oledirteh]

Yep, that video clearly explains it, exactly how I thought it would be done.
GIMP is A free photo editing software title you can download and use to remove the “box” background.
there are several forums out there with people with photoshop that could do this easily.
I’d even bet…there are members here that could as well.

if you give me a day or 2, my gf is a really good editor. matter of fact, i now have a job for her