We’ve got a 2022 Ford Expedition Max, and a few things about it drive me nuts.
The main problem is the Fire TVs in the front headrests — they’re way too sensitive and impossible for little kids to use. You have to connect to a hotspot, then to a platform, and then connect the headphones via Bluetooth. My kids can’t handle all that. How does this even make sense? It’s a huge family car, but only two people can use the screens at once! I’ve got three kids and only two can listen at a time.
Has anyone figured out a workaround? Why doesn’t the audio play through the car speakers? There should be an option to control the TVs from the front screen.
Thinking of trading this car in as soon as we can. Hoping someone’s got some ideas!
Bennett said:
Are those TVs from the factory or added by the dealer?
They came with the car — built into the front two headrests.
Just because they came with the car doesn’t always mean they’re factory-installed. A lot of dealers add stuff like this, and sometimes the quality isn’t great.
We’ve got the same setup and pay for the AT&T service for the car. The TVs connect to the car’s hotspot automatically every time we start it. Same with Bluetooth headsets — they connect automatically when turned on.
Cody said: @Ellery
Have you figured out how to get more than two people listening at once or how to control the TVs from the front console?
No luck with the two headset limit — we only have two kids, so it works for us. And yeah, there’s no way to control them from the front or play audio through the car speakers. Honestly, the system feels pretty half-baked. We’re not getting the TVs in our 2025 Expedition.
Cody said: @Ellery
Does the 2025 have a different setup, or are you just skipping the TVs altogether?
I think the 2025 has a different setup, maybe just holders for tablets so you can bring your own device. We decided not to get any of that this time around — the kids get too attached to screens. Happy holidays!
I’ve got a 2015 with the headrest DVD players. Had an Acadia Denali with a dropdown DVD, and a 2012 Grand Caravan with a dropdown DVD too. You can actually buy extra headphones that will sync up with the factory system. We’ve got four sets, and they can switch between screens.
That said, I’d never buy new with built-in screens. We bought those cars used, and the systems just happened to be there. Tablets and solid mounts with a Verizon Jetpack hotspot work way better.
We’ve got the same problem with our 2021 Expedition Max. We ended up getting wired headphones because connecting Bluetooth ones was a pain. We’ve got two kids and two screens, so it’s okay for us. But yeah, it’s super annoying that one of us has to set up the DVD player before we leave since our 4- and 6-year-olds can’t do it themselves or just get frustrated.
We bought it used and the screens were just a bonus. Wouldn’t pick them again, though.