Escort Passport X50 8500 Hardwire Location

[CROYCE992]

Nearly every car forum has a hardwire tutorial for their radar detectors. I want to write one up with full pictures because as of now I have the radar detector and the smartcord hardwire kit and some easy acces fuses for power. My plan however is to mount the buttons to the smartcord somewhere in the interior of my car.

Do you guys have any suggestions?

As of now I wanted to do to the right of the U trim ring around the stereo. There seems to be just enough space behind it to place the electronics board for card:




Pictures courtesy of ASG14's DIY: Gen 3 "D" Bulb replacement

I also really wanted to underneath the ECT button but it doesn't seem like there is enough room for the electronics board.


Picture courtesy of dz63's DIY: GEN3 2.2L Parking Brake Cable Replacement Procedure


This link will show you how the electronics board looks like: http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec102.shtml


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[hill8570]

I'd think it would look cleaner just to the left of the stereo head unit. Good location so you don't have to glance down too far when it goes off, and easy power routing. FWIW, please do a better job of splicing into the power than the hack that you linked to.

Or, you could use this as an opportunity to upgrade to a single-DIN head unit (unless you just gotta have cassette tape capability), get a plate for the area below the head unit, and place your circuit board behind that.

[CROYCE992]

Originally Posted by hill8570

I'd think it would look cleaner just to the left of the stereo head unit. Good location so you don't have to glance down too far when it goes off, and easy power routing. FWIW, please do a better job of splicing into the power than the hack that you linked to.

Or, you could use this as an opportunity to upgrade to a single-DIN head unit (unless you just gotta have cassette tape capability), get a plate for the area below the head unit, and place your circuit board behind that.

true. after looking at the picture some more, It would not only be more convenient to have the buttons placed there but there would be wayy more room behind it to create a makeshift mount for it all. btw that is not my car's interior. I borrowed those pictures from other DIYs since I am away from home. I am in the middle of an audio upgrade actually and decided to hardwire while the trim panel is off instead of procrastinating any further.

['_']

Just wondering if you ended up doing the hardwire install and/or figured out a place to put the buttons/lights. I'm asking because I recently picked up an 8500 x50 for $130 and want to have a cleaner install as well. Also, is there a way to find out the software version of it if there's no serial number?

[CROYCE992]

I have all the parts ready: radar detector, hardwire Smartcord, and Access a Fuses. I'm pretty set on the left side of the stereo U-ring as it has the more space behind it than the right for some sort of custom housing for the electronics board for the Smartcord. Right now I am just trying to figure out how to wire a manual antenna from the A pillar to the stereo. My original one was eaten up a few years back at a cheap car wash. As soon as I figure out how Toyota wired it, I will be replacing the antenna to a new one, upgrading the stereo, and hardwiring the Escort X50 8500 and writing a DIY.

[projektvertx]

I actually helped my friend hardwire his V1 radar detector into the car. You can hardwire it into the driver kickpanel fusebox and run the wire up to the top of the windshield. Use an add-a circuit from Radio Shack, O'Reilly's or Autozone. I assume you are already a member of radardetector.net??

['_']

I might try and hardwire it today. Only problem is, I haven't found a good location for the mute button/led panel yet.

[CROYCE992]

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Originally Posted by projektvertx

I actually helped my friend hardwire his V1 radar detector into the car. You can hardwire it into the driver kickpanel fusebox and run the wire up to the top of the windshield. Use an add-a circuit from Radio Shack, O'Reilly's or Autozone. I assume you are already a member of radardetector.net??

nop, not a member.. any benefits to being one?

Originally Posted by '_'

I might try and hardwire it today. Only problem is, I haven't found a good location for the mute button/led panel yet.

I was in the same boat for the longest time. Only with in the last few weeks do I feel good about my location with the u ring. If it helps, the sticker that surrounds the mute button/led panel which you are going to have to peel off and cover up the location of your choice is black. perhaps if you like a sort of blended look you could find a black trim piece or panel as the location. also you need a little bit of space behind the location to hide the board.

['_']

Originally Posted by CROYCE992

I was in the same boat for the longest time. Only with in the last few weeks do I feel good about my location with the u ring. If it helps, the sticker that surrounds the mute button/led panel which you are going to have to peel off and cover up the location of your choice is black. perhaps if you like a sort of blended look you could find a black trim piece or panel as the location. also you need a little bit of space behind the location to hide the board.

Yeah I wanted to do that but all my black panels by the steering wheel are taken up (side mirror control, factory alarm, and a fog light switch I added). I do have an aftermarket alarm now, so maybe I'll pop the factory alarm panel out and dremel the plain one.

[LynchburgCSI]

Hell. I'd clear out a space next to the hazard switch...or somewhere in that area.

['_']

I just finished hardwiring it! Still need to find a good spot to mount the button and lights. They're currently sitting on top of the steering wheel column :/