Hardwire Radar Detector Install (F10) - Mirror Housing

Scott P. has this excellent post on his F10 Escort Passport 9500i installation hardwired into the Overhead Console:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=515517

My 9500ix install is very similar, except instead of wiring it into the Overhead Console, I installed it by separating the Rear View Mirror Housing, which easily separates in the middle at the seam, and tapping into the backside of the 10-Wire Connector Plug inside it, with +12V (Switched off the ignition) on the Brown/Green wire and Ground on the Brown/Black wire.









In case anyone is interested, the Wire I am using is a "Corvette Radar Detector InvisiCord" from Southern Car Parts:

http://www.southern*************/corv...ord-p-601.html



The InvisiCord has pins soldered on the end of the two wires so they can simply be pushed into the back of the wiring harness. It comes in both 8" and 12" lengths, and while I used the 8", I highly recommend the 12" length, as there is literally no slack in my setup with the Radar Detector centered on the windshield below the mirror housing.

Also, I am using the "Escort Radar Detector SCP Mount" mount from Southern Car Parts as well:

http://www.southern*************/esco...unt-p-711.html

It is much better than the the two small suction cups the 9500ix comes with, and better than the single "SuperCup Windshield Mount" sold by Escort, which I have in my other car.

very nice. I have a Valentine V1 that I have run an extension discretely around windshield, behind trim, down to aux power in passenger footwell.

like your set up better.

Will V1 connection be same?

Originally Posted by JT 550i SD

Will V1 connection be same?

Thanks. It should be the same for any detector.

Wow looks great. A couple of questions.
When you say "easily separates in the middle at the seam" did you use any tools? is it held together by clips?

Also, i noticed that in photo 2 the rubber shields on the two wires look all shredded - is this the inviscord?

Thanks
Dan

The Mirror housing has no "clips" per se'. The housing has 3 or 4 spots built into the molded plastic that allows the two halves to snap together. You do not need any tools, you just need to pull it apart with a little bit of force, and than snap it back together when you are done.

Yes, those are the Invisicord Pins with the insulation tore up on them. In the bottom of the mirror housing there are a bunch of slots that you need to thread the cord through one of the slots so you can power the radar detector, and it is a tight squeeze. Since this cord came from my old E60, the insulation got chewed up on them when I pulled them back out in order to reuse the cord. If you have a new cord, and are pushing them through the housing, they should stay in tact. It was only when I pulled them back out through the housing that they got damaged.

You've given me the courage to attempt. Thanks for the quick reply.

Take care.

Good luck Dan. It's really a simply job. You'll be done in 15 minutes.

shawnsheridan - Where did you get the windshield mount?

As stated in my original post :

Originally Posted by shawnsheridan

Also, I am using the "Escort Radar Detector SCP Mount" mount from Southern Car Parts as well:

http://www.southern*************/esco...unt-p-711.html

It is much better than the the two small suction cups the 9500ix comes with, and better than the single "SuperCup Windshield Mount" sold by Escort, which I have in my other car.

I couldn't resist. Even though I haven't ordered the Invisicord yet I removed the mirror housing. It took a few minutes because I didn't want to break anything.

I placed the mirror housing back and snapped it together but I notice a little play in it where I don't think it was there before.

Have I missed something?

Promise this is my last question LOL

Dan

There should be no "play" in it, although I am not entirely sure what you are referring to by that. If it is snapped back together correctly, with all the built in molded clips properly connected, the two plastic housing halfs should be flush with one another at the seam all the way from the top to the bottom of the housing with no gap in the seam. The housing as a whole though when properly snapped together seems to have a little play in it against the windshield, but that is normal as it isn't connected to anything.

Yes. All clips lined up and seam is closed. If you tap on the plastic there is a little play against the windshield. Didn't want it to start rattling.

Thanks again

No problem Dan. Get the 12" Invisicord, and hang that bad boy and post some pics when your done.

Installed the wire yesterday. Used a BlockBuster membership card in the seam and the plastic housing practically jumped off the windshield.
Currently using a Cobra, but now the sound out of the unit's speaker is full of static.
Can it be the ground?
Thanks
Dan

I'm not familiar with Cobra Detectors, but it should be the same. The Ground does need to make good contact. If you have an Ohm Meter or Continuity Tester, you can check the Ground Wire against a known good ground on the car and make sure the Ground Wire is making good contact in the socket and that there is continuity there. What are you using for a cord?

I am using the direct wire install from Cobra which has a fuse connected to it. I ordered the DIY kit from Invisicord - basically the pin connectors and the shrink wrap.

That's cool. I didn't realize that Invisicord had it's own web page (http://invisicord.com) and that they sold DIY kits.

If you are making good contact with both wires in the socket, you should not have any problems (static). Did you already install the DIY kit and solder the Pins on the wires? If not, are you trying to make the connections now with just stripped bare wire ends? I ask as I think you will have much better results with Pins soldered on the Wires. Once you have a good wire installed making good contact in the socket, if the problem exists, maybe you can borrow a friends Detector (preferably also a Cobra), and plug it in using the same exact wire and connection, and see if that detector does the same. If the 2nd Detector works, it would indicate that your Detector itself is the problem. If the 2nd Detector has the same static problem, it would indicate the connection is no good. I can't imagine that the 528i is any different than the 535i, but you would have to put a Voltmeter and Ohm Meter on the connector and make sure it pins out the same with Brown/Green being Hot, and Brown/Black being Ground. If the connection is good, and both still have static, I'd be at a loss.

I crimped the connectors on and then shrinked wrapped it. I'll play with it a little more.
It's only temporary until I pick up the Escort in a couple of months.

Thank you for the great post. I ordered the invisicord and have completed my installation. I am running into one problem however. The pin going into the switched 12+ is not seating properly. It does not fit snuggly and I keep losing power and having to pop the mirror housing off to reseat it. The ground pin fits tight.

Question: does anyone know if any of the other wires on this harness are 12V+? I don't really care if it's switched or not.

Thanks for your help.

Try bending the pin into a shallow "s" shape then reinserting into the connector to allow friction a better chance.

Tom has a good suggestion, which I forgot to mention:

Originally Posted by Erregend

Try bending the pin into a shallow "s" shape then reinserting into the connector to allow friction a better chance.

Since the Inviscord Pins are flat, I took a Pair of Needle Nose Pliers and put a slight 20-25 degree bend in the Pins about 4 millimeters from the tip to shore them up inside the connector plug:


IMG-20110718-00017 by shawn.sheridan, on Flickr

Originally Posted by shawnsheridan

Since the Inviscord Pins are flat, I took a Pair of Needle Nose Pliers and put a slight 20-25 degree bend in the Pins about 4 millimeters from the tip to shore them up inside the connector plug:

Fixed (I think)

Just did this hardwire last week. Super easy install and looks great! Thanks so much for taking the time to document this.

Originally Posted by Erregend

Fixed (I think)

Doh! Good catch Tom. Yes, that should have been 4 mm, not 4 cm. That's what I get for using Metric. Instead, I should have just said 0.157480315 inches for us Imperial meatheads

awesome writeup...never had a radar detector in 15 years of driving but have been in cars with them before and dad had a few...obviously the fake alarms makes it not interested in having it...but just saw this and did some research on the 9500ix and i'm sold.

http://www.southern*************/esco...tor-p-636.html

recommended by shawnsheridan sells the radar for what you would normally buy it at full price but includes the USB cable, the phone cable AND the mount all for the same price. Was just wondering for those that more knowledgeable. can verify my options. I am receiving my 2011 f10 528i tommorow.

invisi cord-12" based on shawn's recommendation
invisi cord connector style- ???? but I assume it's regular. can someone confirm it is regular and not micro style?
mount: scp super mount
other options: free usb cord. i have a bunch of usb to micro usb cords...can I save the 8 bucks here and go with no cord?

Escort 9500ix Radar Detector for $491.95 wow what a deal.
- Invisi Cord: 12"
- Invisicord Connector Style: Regular
- Mount: SCP Super Mount
- Other Options: no USB Cord


thanks