Hardwiring my Escort in a 7th-gen
06-18-2010, 04:53 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 234
Hardwiring my Escort in a 7th-gen
I've been researching methods and locations to hardwire a radar detector for the last few days, I thought I'd share what I'd learned. I've got an Escort 8500 X50.
The usual method to mount a detector is with a metal clip attached to suction cups on the windshield. This has a couple of drawbacks: the metal clip rattles where it connects to the Escort, the Escort rattles against the windshield, the suction cups tend to fall off in extreme temperatures, and having anything stuck to your windshield is an invitation to theft in some places.
http://www.radarbusters.com/radar-de...uctioncups.cfm
The windshield location is another issue. Since the glass curves on the Maxima, extreme left or right placement with the standard suction mount will leave the detector lopsided or facing off at an angle. The radar companies suggest radar detection is better with higher placement, though some users feel that since laser is aimed at the headlights, you're trading off laser with a high mount. The tint that runs across the top of the windshield will also hinder laser detection.
Some alternatives:
- Single-cup suction mounts. Much stronger than the standard cups, and much bigger and more obvious.
- Visor mounts. I bought one. It's very stiff and strong, but on the 2009- Maxima, the detector faces downward and into the windshield tint. The rear detector is obscured completely by the visor. I didn't care for it.
- Mirror mounts. These attach to the rear-view mirror stalk and hold the detector below the mirror, making it easy to hide the power wires. The low-hanging mounting hardware is fairly obvious from outside the car even when the detector is unmounted, however. I've seen two mirror mounts that would probably work with the Maxima. Both are on EBay. The first is a Mr. Bracket unit for $15 that some Mustang owners seem to like:
http://forums.themustangsource.com/f...-mount-441032/
I'm put off by the clip-style stalk connection, though at that price, I might be willing to give it a go. The other unit is a BlendMount for $80, which is probably the most secure way of mounting the detector. The detector won't bounce any more than the mirror on rough roads.
UPDATE 6/13:
After dealing with my RD perpetually falling off the windshield in hot weather with the stock cups, replacing them with better cups from a craft store, and then running into the same issue, I moved to a mirror mount. Specifically, this:
That little $5 bracket is perfect. Add a little rubber under it and buy a $0.10 machine screw and bolt from Home Depot and you're set. I've had mine there for two months without no significant issues. It's plenty strong. Because, it's so stiff, the RD does noticeably vibrate, but you stop noticing within a day or two.
Once you pick a mount, the next step is to run wire to the fuse box. There are at least three wire options:
1) OEM 'Direct Wire Smartcord' - $30
The power cord is 11.5' long and the mute wire is 8'. It also includes the OEM-style mute button and indicator lights. The layout is: Detector -> Mute Button -> Power.
2) OEM 'Direct Wire Power' - $10
Same as above without the mute button and a few feet shorter. The mute button on my Escort takes enough pressure that I'm liable to dislodge the unit while using it. If you buy a wire kit, buy one with a mute. The light display isn't so important if you can hear over your stereo. The laser and Ka-band alerts on the Escort are easy to distinguish from K and X.
3) Third-party power with mute - $8 - $14
Search 'radar wire' on Ebay and you're liable to find a dozen of these. I bought a 'Kawa' kit for $8 with a small, round mute button. Unlike the thin phone-cord-style wire in the Escort kit, the wire here is also round, and therefore slightly more difficult to wedge between trim pieces. The layout is: Detector -> Power -> Mute Button.
My unit is said to be 12' 'from wire tip to wire tip,' which probably includes the 4' mute button wire. The power wire was ultimately about 6" too short for my detector location. I'll probably open it up in the future to splice in a new piece. While the OEM cord would have been longer, the wire layout suggests it may actually be worse for installations like mine.
All that said, here's what I did:
The easiest wire run was at the top of the windshield since there's enough clearance with the top trim to tuck a wire in. Low mounting of the unit was out because the trim pieces at the base of the windshield don't yield much, and I didn't want the wire visible in that area. I also wasn't willing to mount so high that the detector face was in the tint strip, and I wanted to leave the detector mounted without worrying as much about theft.
The solution was to put the sticky cups just above the tint line. They're almost invisible from outside the car and the detector still has a clear view from below the tint. You could probably do the same with the single-cup mount.
The rattling issue was solved with some cheap 'Shepherd Surface Gard' felt pads I bought at Home Depot for $1.50.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053
I used two of the smallest size on the detector where it contacts the windshield, and one of the mediums on the underside of the metal mount where it slides into the detector. Incidentally, two silicon pads stuck to the middle-back of my license plate curred a rattle there as well.
Running the wire down the base of the trim wasn't hard. I used the handle of the toothbrush to push it between the plastic pieces. The only difficult section is near the speaker at the base of the driver's A-pillar. The wire location is marked in red below.
The wire run was complicated by two issues: first, how to connect to the Maxima's fuse box, and second, where to put the mute button without drilling holes in the car or sticking tape everywhere. Some people pull power from the back of the mirror. That method doesn't easily allow for a mute button off the detector, so I went with a longer run.
The Maxima uses low-profile mini-fuses in a box in the driver's side footwell. My original plan was to buy a fuse tap at Radio Shack and connect to a fuse that powered on with the car, but RS doesn't carry a fuse tap that'd work with these. I'm not sure any fuse tap would; it's a very tight fit in the fuse box and it's hard to see how a fuse tap would get past the plastic of the fuse.
That's a typical mini-fuse tap. Another power method involves splicing into an existing 12V wire, a route I avoided because I didn't want to mess with the stock wiring. The best method would probably be to buy an Add-a-Circuit fuse holder like this, though I was able to get by with what I had onhand:
All that in mind, I obtained a couple of 5 and 10-amp fuses to play with from my local Nissan dealership. There are also at least two spares in the fuse box itself. I then clipped off some plastic from one side of the fuse, soldered my power wire to the metal inside, and wrapped the whole thing in electric tape. I didn't have to modify the ground wire as there were two grounding screws in the fuse box.
The back of the plastic fuse box cover has a schematic of the box layout. Any blank box has power running to it and should be switched with the car. To keep the zip-tied wire set in place, I attached velcro to the bottom and on the flat area just below it.
The only question mark was which direction the fuse should be inserted. Put it in the wrong way and current will still flow, but the fuse won't be effective. I honestly just guessed here since I don't anticipate a short in my Escort. Maybe another member can chime in. It's somewhat academic, there's already a small fuse built into the power wire.
With power working, the next question was where to put the mute button. Most mounting places require tape. I wanted to use cable ties instead for longetivity. The seat belt piece on the right was a tempting location but my wire wouldn't reach. I ultimately decided to use the tilt/shift handle on Maxima S. This may not work with the SV because it has power tilt/shift. If I had an SV, I'd run a single black cable tie around the steering column to a similar effect.
A few more strategically-placed cable ties finished this installation. I pleased with how it turned out. It isn't the cleanest or the cleverest, but it was cheap and easy. If you live in a very hot or cold climate, you could use an identical setup, except with the mirror mount in place of window cups.
The usual method to mount a detector is with a metal clip attached to suction cups on the windshield. This has a couple of drawbacks: the metal clip rattles where it connects to the Escort, the Escort rattles against the windshield, the suction cups tend to fall off in extreme temperatures, and having anything stuck to your windshield is an invitation to theft in some places.
http://www.radarbusters.com/radar-de...uctioncups.cfm
The windshield location is another issue. Since the glass curves on the Maxima, extreme left or right placement with the standard suction mount will leave the detector lopsided or facing off at an angle. The radar companies suggest radar detection is better with higher placement, though some users feel that since laser is aimed at the headlights, you're trading off laser with a high mount. The tint that runs across the top of the windshield will also hinder laser detection.
Some alternatives:
- Single-cup suction mounts. Much stronger than the standard cups, and much bigger and more obvious.
- Visor mounts. I bought one. It's very stiff and strong, but on the 2009- Maxima, the detector faces downward and into the windshield tint. The rear detector is obscured completely by the visor. I didn't care for it.
- Mirror mounts. These attach to the rear-view mirror stalk and hold the detector below the mirror, making it easy to hide the power wires. The low-hanging mounting hardware is fairly obvious from outside the car even when the detector is unmounted, however. I've seen two mirror mounts that would probably work with the Maxima. Both are on EBay. The first is a Mr. Bracket unit for $15 that some Mustang owners seem to like:
http://forums.themustangsource.com/f...-mount-441032/
I'm put off by the clip-style stalk connection, though at that price, I might be willing to give it a go. The other unit is a BlendMount for $80, which is probably the most secure way of mounting the detector. The detector won't bounce any more than the mirror on rough roads.
UPDATE 6/13:
After dealing with my RD perpetually falling off the windshield in hot weather with the stock cups, replacing them with better cups from a craft store, and then running into the same issue, I moved to a mirror mount. Specifically, this:
That little $5 bracket is perfect. Add a little rubber under it and buy a $0.10 machine screw and bolt from Home Depot and you're set. I've had mine there for two months without no significant issues. It's plenty strong. Because, it's so stiff, the RD does noticeably vibrate, but you stop noticing within a day or two.
Once you pick a mount, the next step is to run wire to the fuse box. There are at least three wire options:
1) OEM 'Direct Wire Smartcord' - $30
The power cord is 11.5' long and the mute wire is 8'. It also includes the OEM-style mute button and indicator lights. The layout is: Detector -> Mute Button -> Power.
2) OEM 'Direct Wire Power' - $10
Same as above without the mute button and a few feet shorter. The mute button on my Escort takes enough pressure that I'm liable to dislodge the unit while using it. If you buy a wire kit, buy one with a mute. The light display isn't so important if you can hear over your stereo. The laser and Ka-band alerts on the Escort are easy to distinguish from K and X.
3) Third-party power with mute - $8 - $14
Search 'radar wire' on Ebay and you're liable to find a dozen of these. I bought a 'Kawa' kit for $8 with a small, round mute button. Unlike the thin phone-cord-style wire in the Escort kit, the wire here is also round, and therefore slightly more difficult to wedge between trim pieces. The layout is: Detector -> Power -> Mute Button.
My unit is said to be 12' 'from wire tip to wire tip,' which probably includes the 4' mute button wire. The power wire was ultimately about 6" too short for my detector location. I'll probably open it up in the future to splice in a new piece. While the OEM cord would have been longer, the wire layout suggests it may actually be worse for installations like mine.
All that said, here's what I did:
The easiest wire run was at the top of the windshield since there's enough clearance with the top trim to tuck a wire in. Low mounting of the unit was out because the trim pieces at the base of the windshield don't yield much, and I didn't want the wire visible in that area. I also wasn't willing to mount so high that the detector face was in the tint strip, and I wanted to leave the detector mounted without worrying as much about theft.
The solution was to put the sticky cups just above the tint line. They're almost invisible from outside the car and the detector still has a clear view from below the tint. You could probably do the same with the single-cup mount.
The rattling issue was solved with some cheap 'Shepherd Surface Gard' felt pads I bought at Home Depot for $1.50.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053
I used two of the smallest size on the detector where it contacts the windshield, and one of the mediums on the underside of the metal mount where it slides into the detector. Incidentally, two silicon pads stuck to the middle-back of my license plate curred a rattle there as well.
Running the wire down the base of the trim wasn't hard. I used the handle of the toothbrush to push it between the plastic pieces. The only difficult section is near the speaker at the base of the driver's A-pillar. The wire location is marked in red below.
The wire run was complicated by two issues: first, how to connect to the Maxima's fuse box, and second, where to put the mute button without drilling holes in the car or sticking tape everywhere. Some people pull power from the back of the mirror. That method doesn't easily allow for a mute button off the detector, so I went with a longer run.
The Maxima uses low-profile mini-fuses in a box in the driver's side footwell. My original plan was to buy a fuse tap at Radio Shack and connect to a fuse that powered on with the car, but RS doesn't carry a fuse tap that'd work with these. I'm not sure any fuse tap would; it's a very tight fit in the fuse box and it's hard to see how a fuse tap would get past the plastic of the fuse.
That's a typical mini-fuse tap. Another power method involves splicing into an existing 12V wire, a route I avoided because I didn't want to mess with the stock wiring. The best method would probably be to buy an Add-a-Circuit fuse holder like this, though I was able to get by with what I had onhand:
All that in mind, I obtained a couple of 5 and 10-amp fuses to play with from my local Nissan dealership. There are also at least two spares in the fuse box itself. I then clipped off some plastic from one side of the fuse, soldered my power wire to the metal inside, and wrapped the whole thing in electric tape. I didn't have to modify the ground wire as there were two grounding screws in the fuse box.
The back of the plastic fuse box cover has a schematic of the box layout. Any blank box has power running to it and should be switched with the car. To keep the zip-tied wire set in place, I attached velcro to the bottom and on the flat area just below it.
The only question mark was which direction the fuse should be inserted. Put it in the wrong way and current will still flow, but the fuse won't be effective. I honestly just guessed here since I don't anticipate a short in my Escort. Maybe another member can chime in. It's somewhat academic, there's already a small fuse built into the power wire.
With power working, the next question was where to put the mute button. Most mounting places require tape. I wanted to use cable ties instead for longetivity. The seat belt piece on the right was a tempting location but my wire wouldn't reach. I ultimately decided to use the tilt/shift handle on Maxima S. This may not work with the SV because it has power tilt/shift. If I had an SV, I'd run a single black cable tie around the steering column to a similar effect.
A few more strategically-placed cable ties finished this installation. I pleased with how it turned out. It isn't the cleanest or the cleverest, but it was cheap and easy. If you live in a very hot or cold climate, you could use an identical setup, except with the mirror mount in place of window cups.
Last edited by alexdi; 06-25-2013 at 09:15 PM.
06-20-2010, 03:12 PM
#5
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 234
Flip, the ducts are coming off my heating unit. The lights were a one-hour project. I'm not too concerned with the aesthetics of that particular room. 
Jeff, Inviscord is similar to the OEM Smartcord wire. I don't see a mute button in any of their packages. That'd be the only sticking point, and it does cost a bit more than the EBay equivalent.
Jeff, Inviscord is similar to the OEM Smartcord wire. I don't see a mute button in any of their packages. That'd be the only sticking point, and it does cost a bit more than the EBay equivalent.
06-21-2010, 09:12 AM
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 158
I'm planning on hardwiring my escort into my rearview mirror 12v power or the dome light power. Just gotta find the time.
Very nice writeup!!
That's the exact spot I put my escort at too! I don't do it to prevent thieves, I do it to prevent cops from seeing it if I get pulled over :-D. I used to have it down low on the dash and forgot to take it down when I got pulled over. I was read the riot act by the cop as he told me those things don't work. What he didn't know was that it worked like a charm, however, I couldn't hear it cause I was rockin out to some loud music! :-D
Very nice writeup!!
That's the exact spot I put my escort at too! I don't do it to prevent thieves, I do it to prevent cops from seeing it if I get pulled over :-D. I used to have it down low on the dash and forgot to take it down when I got pulled over. I was read the riot act by the cop as he told me those things don't work. What he didn't know was that it worked like a charm, however, I couldn't hear it cause I was rockin out to some loud music! :-D
Last edited by umdpru; 06-21-2010 at 09:16 AM.
06-21-2010, 08:39 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 234
I had a look at the install in broad daylight today. It's not as invisible as I hoped, though it doesn't appear the mirror mount would be much better. Only a visor installation in material with a pocket would be truly hidden, with the visor clip as the second best alternative. I'd be more inclined to just dismount the detector in risky areas.
While detector rattle is reduced by 3/4 with the felt pads, it may take slightly thicker (or perhaps rubber) pads to remove it entirely.
It also occurs to me that instead of modifying a fuse, you could just as easily use a small metal bar the length of a fuse and solder a wire to the middle of it. This, of course, only if your wire already has a built-in fuse. Thanks for the kudos.
While detector rattle is reduced by 3/4 with the felt pads, it may take slightly thicker (or perhaps rubber) pads to remove it entirely.
It also occurs to me that instead of modifying a fuse, you could just as easily use a small metal bar the length of a fuse and solder a wire to the middle of it. This, of course, only if your wire already has a built-in fuse. Thanks for the kudos.
08-12-2010, 03:11 AM
#9
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 162
I read this quickly so maybe I didnt see if you looked at one of these to see if it would work in the Maxima
http://www.stealthcords.com/shop/Esc...00i-c-278.html
http://www.stealthcords.com/shop/Esc...00i-c-278.html
08-12-2010, 05:23 AM
#10
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 158
I ended up splicing into a power wire for the sunroof directly above the overhead map light and glasses holder. the wires exit from above the headliner just to the right of the windshield. I'll try and get some pics up, I took a bunch while I was doing it.
08-12-2010, 10:31 AM
#11
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Posts: 4
This looks like a very easy install: Comments?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
08-12-2010, 05:52 PM
#12
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 6
It's basically the same as invisicord. I made my own for $5. You then just plug it into the back of the rear view mirror using the ground and 12V switched leads. Just make sure you order one long enough for where ever you want to place the radar. I mount the radar up high for best Ka reception but it interferes with my sun visor. It's a trade-off.
This looks like a very easy install: Comments?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
08-13-2010, 06:28 AM
#14
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Posts: 6
Mine is in the tinted section but towards the bottom of it. You can't see it from the outside but I haven't seen any issues with the effectiveness. It still picks up Ka over a mile away.
08-13-2010, 08:23 AM
#15
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The tricky part is finding a cord with an accessible mute button. Basic power cords are otherwise very common. As to mounting in the tint, it wouldn't have any effect on radar, but you probably would see reduced laser detection. Where I drive in Georgia, the LEO use LIDAR almost exclusively.
08-13-2010, 06:08 PM
#16
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Mt. Juliet, TN
Posts: 55
My 9500x is mounted with the dual suction cup mid window about 6 inches above the dash. And it works great because I have the speed setting turned on so it practically works as a heads up display. The smart-cord is tucked between the dash and the windshield and down the side of the driver's side dash like alexdi. But I used double sided tape to stick the mute button in the little space between the gear shift console and the radio unit console. It puts it easily within reach and the alert light catches the corner of my eye when it goes off.
08-13-2010, 07:51 PM
#17
This is my 5.5gen but you get the idea...
http://forums.maxima.org/audio-elect...tor-setup.html
http://forums.maxima.org/audio-elect...tor-setup.html
10-28-2010, 05:52 AM
#20
11-15-2010, 07:55 PM
#22
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08-06-2011, 09:02 AM
#24
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I've had occasional troubles with the stock Escort-brand suction cups falling off the windshield. Michael's has a replacement that's almost exactly the same size and appears to be stronger. They come in packs of 3 ($1.29) or 4 ($2.49). Four of the inferior OEM cups are $11.
Just FYI. The appropriate size is labeled 'small,' you shouldn't have cut or otherwise modify them.
Just FYI. The appropriate size is labeled 'small,' you shouldn't have cut or otherwise modify them.
08-26-2011, 03:28 PM
#25
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 35
Nice writeup! I used a similar method, but even cheaper..
I used a basic telephone wire to power the radar, and as you did wired it right to the fuse box. This doesn't allow for a mute button, so I placed the detector just to the left of the rear-view mirror for easy access.
Also, I placed the detector behind the tinted strip.. Despite claims that this throws off detection, I have never had a problem. In fact, its saved my a$$ quite a few times.
I also like the location behind the tint because you cant see it from the outside.. Deterring thieves. I just fold down my visor and theres absolutely no way to see it from outside the car.
I used a basic telephone wire to power the radar, and as you did wired it right to the fuse box. This doesn't allow for a mute button, so I placed the detector just to the left of the rear-view mirror for easy access.
Also, I placed the detector behind the tinted strip.. Despite claims that this throws off detection, I have never had a problem. In fact, its saved my a$$ quite a few times.
I also like the location behind the tint because you cant see it from the outside.. Deterring thieves. I just fold down my visor and theres absolutely no way to see it from outside the car.
08-27-2011, 04:01 PM
#26
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LIDAR is out of the visual frequency range of light; without actually testing the tint strip, any performance hit it may cause is speculative. Given how little leeway you have to slow for a LIDAR hit, though, I wouldn't want even the possibility of reduced range. Good call on the phone wire.
01-07-2013, 07:33 PM
#31
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 39
I purchased an Escort Passport 8500 X50 and their direct wire smart cord last week for the Maxima and hard wired it using an add a circuit from Autozone. Worked great and made installing a breeze. No cutting, splicing, or soldering of wires.
When hiding the wires, I found that you can remove the plastics piece that hides the rear view mirror wires and run the escort wire through it.
When hiding the wires, I found that you can remove the plastics piece that hides the rear view mirror wires and run the escort wire through it.
12-03-2013, 06:47 PM
#32
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 116
It's basically the same as invisicord. I made my own for $5. You then just plug it into the back of the rear view mirror using the ground and 12V switched leads. Just make sure you order one long enough for where ever you want to place the radar. I mount the radar up high for best Ka reception but it interferes with my sun visor. It's a trade-off.
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