Radar detector installation in 2003

[Guest]

Having just gone through the loop with installing a radar detector in the whale thought this may be of interest to other users.

You will need some connectors and insulating tape.

I wanted to have the detector come on with the ignition and decided to power it off the overhead console.

The overhead console just pops off (be brave!). grasp it on both sides and give it a damn good pull.

The only way to make this happen is to power it from the wires leading to the rearview mirror led. Use the black for -ve and the orange white for +ve. the other wires have only 3v and are for the compass sensor. Don't mess with the rear heater controls as its a minefield with the detector going off and on when people change the heater !

I used insualting tape tape to secure the spare wire to the loom inside the console and then snapped the console back into place.

good luck

 

[Guest]

Thats a good project ....

I just installed my Passport 8500 in my '03 Exp and did pretty much the same thing except I tapped off the electric rear quarter windows switch (Eddie Baur option?). Its pretty easy to find the power source wire off that switch (pink) and its also On only when the key is on. I used one of the sheet metal screws in the ceiling sub-member toward the rear of the opening for the grounding location. Works great and makes for a very clean installation. There's just six of those metal clips holding the console up on the EB version and I just yanked it from front to back and it popped right out. I clipped the detector to the passengerside visor so its up and out of the way. Mike

 

[Guest]

Had to turn off the X-band feature though....

The Passport 8500 is fairly programable by the user. Unfortunately the Expedition (Eddie Baur) equipped with the rear radar sensor sets off the Passport's X-band almost continuously. So to remedy that I had to de-select the X-band feature on the detector's program. Not that its needed anyway unless you like knowing where all the automatic door openers and other Eddie Baur Expeditions are. So if you happen to pull up behind a Expedition and your X-band is going crazy, thats why. I guess the rear sensor is emitting radar beams whenever the key is on. The audio warning feature is only engaged when the gear selector is in reverse. Mike

 

[Guest]

I dissassembled the rear view mirror and got the power and ground from there. It looks custom but since I can't turn off the X band on this Radio Shack detector it sounds off constantly.

But like I said it looks good...

Mike