DIY-Replacing Rear View Mirror/Hardwire Radar Detector

[rice_classic]

I think I'm going to do an install of this nature but instead of a radar detector I'm going to mount front and rear DVR cameras.

[Lil Abner]

Originally Posted by was385

Which brings me to my next point, I'm hooked up with the ground wire to black and the other to white and yet nothing.

Stupid question, but did you turn the key to the ON position to test it? It will only turn on in that position.

Otherwise, if black is connected to black, and red to white, then you could have blown a fuse trying to install it.

[was385]

Originally Posted by Lil Abner

Stupid question, but did you turn the key to the ON position to test it? It will only turn on in that position.

Otherwise, if black is connected to black, and red to white, then you could have blown a fuse trying to install it.

Turns out in my rush to finish (and the dark, I'm an idiot) I went black and blue, not white. Realized this morning, hooked up my detector to the cig lighter and it's not working. Hopefully all I did was fry the radar detector. This installation is not going to go down as my finest hour, but oh well, life goes on.

[Lil Abner]

Originally Posted by was385

Turns out in my rush to finish (and the dark, I'm an idiot) I went black and blue, not white. Realized this morning, hooked up my detector to the cig lighter and it's not working. Hopefully all I did was fry the radar detector. This installation is not going to go down as my finest hour, but oh well, life goes on.

Well, the BLUE wire is nothing until you put the car in reverse. Then it becomes +12V. So doing that shouldn't have messed anything up. Did you check the wiring for the radar detector to see if there is a fuse in there? Or better yet, what detector is it?

[was385]

Originally Posted by Lil Abner

Well, the BLUE wire is nothing until you put the car in reverse. Then it becomes +12V. So doing that shouldn't have messed anything up. Did you check the wiring for the radar detector to see if there is a fuse in there? Or better yet, what detector is it?

It's a beltronics v940, can't find a small enough screw driver to get it open right now, but I've tried it in two cars and it is definitely the detector that's wrong.

[was385]

Took the detector apart, don't see any fuse, but the pins attaching the plug to the board, and the screen to the board have a brown liquid around them. I think I just chalk it up to stupidity and move on to just doing it in the glove box outlet and through the pillar like some others have.

[whataboutbob]

Followed the directions here to tap into the existing wiring behind the light. I have a Beltronics 955: http://www.beltronics.com/store/vector-955.html and got the direct wire kit: http://www.beltronics.com/store/dire...tplug-red.html.

Snipped the + and - off the ends of the direct wire kit, and used vampire taps to connect them to the corresponding + and - on the factory harness.

The direct wire kit comes with an inline fuse, make SURE if you wire your detector you put a fuse inline on the + lead to avoid having to buy a new detector if you screw up the wiring.

I've already replaced the factory deck with a Pioneer P4400BH, so I wasn't using the factory bluetooth mic any more. Decided that I'd get out the dremmel tool and a zip tie to mount the direct wire kit onto the faceplate of the factory bluetooth mic.

Here's some photos:

[skillcraft]

Thanks for posting!

Just hooked up my Valentine. I didnt have a white wire, it was grey (see photo). Also, the vampire tap that comes with the V1 kit is too big for these wires so I used posi taps to hook it up.

[Germanjap]

Thanks for all the useful info! i just finished hardwiring my radar detector for my FR-S. VERY easy to do because of all the postings. Bought red the T-Tap connectors (telephone-tap connectors) for 18-22 gauge wiring from Radio Shack and used the t-taps to connect to the wires of the extra harness found above the map-light. Black was ground and White (looked more like grey) for +. Used the hard wire kit with built-in fuse I had ordered from my radar detector's web site. Threaded the wiring between the headliner and windshield with my fingers and connected to the radar connector. I found the hardest part was finding the extra harness itself (Found it reaching past the bluetooth mic secured with blue tape enveloped in grey foam). Disconnecting the map-light made it less cumbersome. It only took 5-10 minutes to complete. Thanks again to everyone for posting how to do this!

update: It's been over 2 years since the install and no problems with the t-tap connectors whatsoever.

[l0aded]

Just a heads up as I didn't see any info about this. T-Taps are not recommended by most people with electrical knowledge as they are unreliable and can fail in the long run (google it for more info). I was originally planning to T-tap it but I figured it wouldn't be too difficult to strip and solder the wire on directly and just electrical tape it for piece of mind.

[FRasie-R]

Originally Posted by Lil Abner

Stupid question, but did you turn the key to the ON position to test it? It will only turn on in that position.

Otherwise, if black is connected to black, and red to white, then you could have blown a fuse trying to install it.

To anyone who's not getting power on the existing harness in the FR-S. I was having this problem too.

After checking all vacant spots in the fuse box for a possible missing fuse for the harness I consulted with Lil Abner and he raised the possibility that I might have blown a fuse testing the connector for power.

... and that's where the problem was! I blew a fuse testing the connector. This is the same fuse that controls"Main body ECU and outside rear view mirrors". It slipped under the radar (no pun intended) because I almost never have to check the side mirrors.

The fuse is in the box under the dash. Be prepared to do some yoga to get there. In any case is a 10Amp fuse (no. 1 on page 279 in the manual)

[Beechnut87]

Originally Posted by FRasie-R

To anyone who's not getting power on the existing harness in the FR-S. I was having this problem too.

After checking all vacant spots in the fuse box for a possible missing fuse for the harness I consulted with Lil Abner and he raised the possibility that I might have blown a fuse testing the connector for power.

... and that's where the problem was! I blew a fuse testing the connector. This is the same fuse that controls"Main body ECU and outside rear view mirrors". It slipped under the radar (no pun intended) because I almost never have to check the side mirrors.

The fuse is in the box under the dash. Be prepared to do some yoga to get there. In any case is a 10Amp fuse (no. 1 on page 279 in the manual)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I have been chasing my tail on this for some time now and i see many people ask and this is the first and correct answer to the problem!!

[e30cabrio]

Thanks for the write up, anyone know the part number of the mount that goes on the windshield for the mirror mount to connect to (lower left of this picture)
eBay seller sent me everything but the mount & screws.


Found it here, had to buy it all but it's only 12 bucks.