has anyone hardwired a radar detector into this car yet? Specifically one with the smart cord (i.e. high end escort or valentine one) with the auto day/night mirror. Thanks.

 

I think RDX REX has hard wired one, but I think it was a K40 or something like that.

 

I hardwired up my Escort X50 to the driver side fusebox.

 

Ya, mine is just a Cobra that is hardwired under the dash so it turns on and off w/ the car and has no messy cords sprawled out along the dash, I've done it w/ all of my cars, paid Circuit CIty to wire it up for about $35 w/ the install kit, I have it sitting in the upper left corner of the dash in the RDX

 

I wish I could get a radar detector.....

 

i want the Cobra® Radar/Laser Detector (XRS-9930) but its illegal in Canada..Well if some of you guys already drove to Canada,When u passed the border,ull see a big sign that it says: Radar/Laser Detecter Illegal In Canada. somethin like that..nwayz im Going To Manchester/New Hampshire this friday 2nd febreuary and ill buy a radar at best buy or circuit city (: Is There Any Suggestion For A GOOD Laser/Radar detector?
thnx

 

You should try to have a K40 custom installed by a good install shop. They are made to be discreet and they are the best on the market. Radar detectors are illegal here in VA too, but most of the good install shops still sell and install them.

 

Iight thnx very much sasair ! ill give a spin around Montreal To find a shop for that

 

i have the latest valentine one, and with the rear facing radar/laser sensor it (and as all detectors should be for best performance) it is near the top of my windshield as to look over the rear seats and further down the road. I would really like to know about possibly using the auto dim mirror wires or something similar up there to hardwire, however with all the gadgets in this car im not going to go trial and error anything if you know what i mean

 

i have a K40 calibre hardwired


all it is, is a module in front grill... one in the rear bumper... and a module/speaker under the steering wheel... and LEDs next to the homelink buttons

 

Did you get the wireless one eric or the wired one?

 

ummm i guess the wireless one... its bluetooth

the sensor modules each have a power and ground wire

the main module has a power, ground, wire to speaker and wires to the LEDs

 

yea a k40 would b easier to wire, but any thoughts for mine?

 

id say get a k40 lol but its expensive

 

Wondering if anyone has answered the original question, also wondering if you can go through the rear view mirror wiring. Can you do it if you have the day/night mirror installed?

 

I too have been waiting for any comment on the original question. I think that would be the perfect install location to keep one out of sight.

 

How would you picture installing it? Where would you put the actual radar detector that would make having the smart cord a necessity or benefit?

 

Bringing this thread back from the grave!


I've had the RDX for a month and I finally have some time to do some small stuff with it.

So at this moment, I have the V1 on the way and was wondering if anyone has an answer to the OP's question? Doesn't have to be through the auto dim - just needed some pictures, or better yet, a walk-through..... with pictures!!



Thanks in advance!

 

just want to let you folks knowi f you do hardwire make sure there is an option to have it disabled because if you drive into Canada or a select few states (I think Viginia and NY) you will be booked big time.

 

illegal in VA and DC.....not NY

 

don't you find it odd, that one of the biggest radar detector companies head office is located in Mississauga, Ontario (Canada) and yet its illegal here :P

 

It is not illegal to own one here in BC... just don't get caught with one when you are pulled over by the cop...

 

I had my RDX for abt 2 days before I was under the dash with a test light looking for an ignition wire to power my radar detector. I mounted a Cobra 9930 at the bottom of the window (left side) so that it lays on the dash. It's a nice clean install with the wire running thru the panel on the left side of the dash so it's amost completely hidden and it comes on when I start the car, and shuts down when I turn off the ignition. BTW - I did have to angle the mount a bit to keep it from following the curve of the windshield, which would force the radar detector a little sideways on the dash. I've had my RDX for two weeks now and it works great so far!

I also mounted two red 12 volt lights under the dash so the driver side and passenger side foot wells light up red at night when I turn on the headlights - looks AWSOME against the blue background lights on the center console! I have done this with every car I have ever owned - I HATE wires hanging all over and don't want to be bothered with turning on the radar detector every time I start the car.

To answer the question abt wiring it to the rearview - I did exactly that with my Explorer so it can be done - I hate the auto dim feature anyway, so I cut the wire and just spliced it into the end of the radar detector power cable - just leave yourself abt 4 inches on the original power cord, cut and splice - check it with a test light first to make sure it only comes on with the ignition.
__________________________________________________ ____

BaronVonRDX from Princeton NJ
-- Midnight black RDX tech with ebony interior

 

the nice part about the V1 is that is has a phone jack style power cord that plugs into the detector, it comes with a small hardwiring harness that doesnt have the standard 12v car lighter power end. So if you could put this into the auto dimming mirror or someting up there, cut the wire so its just long enought (about 1-2") then you could plug it into the radar detector. I have it just to the right of the rearview mirror, just off of those little bumps (btw what are those for? lol) so it sticks

 

Escort x85 or the NEW 9500!!

 

Same goes for the Escort 8500

 

FWIW, I have something of a compromise: a Steeleye cordless rechargeable radar/laser detector. It does its job and has not let me down for about a year in regular use now. I store it in the console when leaving the vehicle. It also has a cord for in-car charging on really long trips. Normally I get about 4 hours of cordless operation on 2500 mah batts which is great for me. Bought at Costco for ~$85 last year.

Keep in mind, if you're painted with laser, my understanding is you are toast as laser operates a lot more effeciently than other bands. But if your detector happens to catch a stray laser that's painted on someone else, you are in luck!

 

As soon as it is less than ninety degrees in the afternoon on a weekend here I will try to find an ignition wire in the overhead console area. I will post results.

 

There is one for the autodimming mirror wiring harness. Check the install sheets for the mirror to see where it is.

 

I was thinking about buying just the harness for the autodimming mirror (I don't have one, and I don't think I will get one). I have seen them available on ebay from Acura dealers that don't sell the AD mirror as a kit. Then I will splice into the harness so I don't have to touch any factory wires.

 

any suggestions on a wire to tap for power under the dash?

 

anyone have pics or info about getting to the wires in the overhead console, and more specifically which one would be pos(ignition powered) and which neg for radar detector?

 

I just tried it and I could not get it to work. Really weird. The purple wire is the ignition +12. I could get 12V to the far side of the inline fuse on the V1 hardwire kit. Did not work. I alos had a left over 12V lighter socket. Hardwired that in--got +12 to the socket connections, but it would not power up the detector. It almost seems like it cannot source enough current to power up the detector.

I think I may just go the fuse box route. I need to get some taps...

 

Ok. I did it by tapping into the fuse box. I tapped into the fuse box in the driver footwell. Fuse position 27 is open, accessible, and switched. The hot side is toward the roof the car. So I cut into and soldered into a fuse, then made sure the soldered side was away from the hot side so the fuse is in line.

There is a nice bolt and washer right on the fuse box that I used for ground with a spade connector (also soldered...I'm crazy that way). I used the 8' straight power cord that comes with the V1. Remember one thing about the V1 using telephone cords--ALL telephone cords are crossed over, unlike Ethernet which can be straight or crossed. Most of the pinouts of the V1 you find online are at the unit side--so the power source side is reversed if you use a telephone cord.

I ran the cord up behind the door weatherstripping and under the headliner. It is zip-tied to the mirror post so that it does not get pulled out from underneath the headliner.

If you have everything, it is about a one hour job at most.

 

I have just hardwired a valentine one with the auto day/night mirror. I just tapped into the mirror harness (mirror side) and it works great; pictures will follow.

 

I was figuring the autodim mirror would work--but I don't have one, and the connector for it is way back inside the headliner. So it sound likes buying just the harness if you don't have the mirror will work.

Oh, well, mine is done and I am happy.

 

Pictures at the bottom of the thread: https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-rdx-audio-bluetooth-electronics-navigation-159/good-place-mount-radar-detector-682282/

 

Nice install! After I sold the civic, I really never used the V1 in the RDX (Speeding ticket @ 89mph, with V1!), so I really hold off speeding faster than the limit.

I can, however, install it in the 03 frontier...it's dog slow, but the unit is just sitting in the eva case.