Hello all...

I just bought a new 2008 Accord. I want to hardwire my Escort Passport 8500 radar detector into it, so I can maintain use of my power plug, and more importantly, not have an ugly cable runnding down the dashboard.

I understand the best place to install it is near the rearview mirror. (I had it low on my windshield in my old CL).

How would I go about running the wire covertly, and where should I tap into a wire for power
Or should I get a fuse plug onto the direct wire cord.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

What you can do is unclip the front of the headliner and the drivers side plastic pillar cover and run it down through there and then feed to to the fuse box in the footwell. If I were you I'd just pay a car alarm shop to do it since the car is brand new.

 

Can you give a bit more details, or specifics? (I dont know how to unclip it).

I paid a place to do it before, and I just can't get myself to pay them again for something I can probably do with a little thought.

 

I've taken my headliner down before and it's not fun. Just try pushing the cord into the crack between the headliner and windshield. The pillar cover just snaps off but be careful. I haven't seen an '08 up close yet so I can't really help you with the details.

 

Im gonna follow the idea of pushing it in between the windshield and what ive now learned is called the headliner.
Whats the pillar? If it is what I think it is, will it endanger the airbags over there?

Also should I use the piece that snaps onto an existing wire, or get a plug that I attach to plug it into a spare fuse?

Any thoughts? I haven't bought the new hard wire yet. And I'm debating with getting the extra buttons, but placement will be an issue. We'll see..

 

Get the piece that you plug the fuse into that gives you a blade to pull the power from. The blue clip that comes with the hardwire kit pierces the insulation to make a connection, but it doesn't work that well. On my Accord, I wrapped the lead around a fuse blade and soldered it tight (to itself, not the fuse) for the X50 and used the clip off of that for the G-Timer. The G-Timer would lose power momentarily and have to restart due to the bad connection. You can look at my pics for where I placed the unit and mute button. I installed it fairly low between the wiper blades, ran the wire around the base of the windshield down the driver's side and under the steering wheel and dash. I placed the button near my right knee and continued the power lead to the passanger side fuse panel. The install took me about a half hour. The G-Timer came later. All that you can see is about 5" of wire from the dash to the unit.

Be careful mounting the unit too high because you have to be able to see the rear detector eye clearly through the rear windshield. The eye is the raised black thing on the top left side of the unit.

EDIT: Also, the detector should be mounted level.

 

Thanks for the input. I've read and seen alot of people mount it under the rearview mirror. (low enough for the eye to work).

I do like the idea of using the passenger side fuse panel. It may make it easier. Not sure if I need the mute button, butit is nice. Being that my car is less than 7 days old, I am not thrilled of sticking stuff to it. But I guess i need to to keep the button in place

 

The remote button is one of the best features of the escort units IMO. Where I placed it, you barely have to move to silence the detector. To mount it, I used Velcro Extreme after repeated tries failed using mounting tape. You can cut the velcro so that it is completely covered by the button.

 

Thanks for the input. I just have to find a place to put it, and make it look right. I think I found the spot, I just need to buy the wire, and the fuse plug.

 

I have an 06 and was thinking of attempting to hardwire into the light panel above the dash. I imagine there is a 12V wire in there somewhere.