another attaboy on the opening post here ... I've been wanting to replace my mirror with an aftermarket compass-mirror, and this DIY should get me over the hump!

 

I installed my V1 into my 08 Sidewalk MCSC today. I used the Ebay hardwiring kit as this is the second car this V1 has gone into. There are two holes that you can bolt the ground wire to. Only trouble I had was with the little wire splitter but found the purple and blue wire described in the main installation post. In my vehicle it does not remain live after the ignition is turned off.

 

that's because your convertible isn't a 2nd gen... wrong section

 

I am not here to argue with you guys but I don't think that mounting the radar detector above the rearview mirror is the best place for it. How can the rear sensor pick up laser/radar if you're blocking its ability to see behind you. You'll probably say that the radar would bounce off something in front of you but I'm still thinking of putting it dead center on my windshield....just high enough to see out the back window....

Yes I haven't even taken delivery yet so I can't really go out there and look around but I'm just not very impressed with the higher mounting option.......especially for me if I have my front windshield tinted for ~6" below the top....


Someone convince me otherwise because I love the idea of the direct wire....I just think I'll look into wiring it up behind the dash and out the vent near the hazards button?....

 

As far as laser, yes you need direct line of sight out the back. If you stand behind the car and can't see the detector, it's not going to pick it up.

Radar on the other hand doesn't need a direct line of sight. I use a V1 on my motorcycle. It sits right in front of me near the dash. My body blocks the rear antenna. Yet it works just fine there for radar. The signal is a radio wave. They bounce around.

 

Think there's any way I can mount the direct wire box (2 lights w/ mute button) below and somehow run it up behind the dash and up near the vents close to the hazards button? even if i have to cut a small notch in the plastic edge of one of the vents

I don't have a visor mount since my Escort Passport X50 didn't come with one and the tint on my windshield is not going to be very good for my signal if I keep it up there.

 

The R53 is not second generation but I bet a lot of R53 drivers look in this thread for install assistance .

 

Choices are:
Mount mid windshield and have the detector very visible to law enforcement or high and right and potentially lose laser detection.

Personally speaking, I prefer high and right. Laser is usually instant on and if you are 'shot' at, you are already cooked. By having the detector out of the way when you are stopped, the officer is probably not going to see it and potentially not going to be as motivated to giving a ticket.

 

Check out Lacning74's setup. It may give you some other ideas. He has a Passport with the smartcord.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=124584

 

thanks I'll take a look.

 

Another big thank you crucial_fiction! I just installed my V1 following your instructions and I kept on thinking I was doing something wrong because it was too easy... I am still working on the remote display placement but both units work.

 

testing pic

testing pic

testing pic

 

testing pic

testing pic

testin pic

 

first one didnt' work ;p

 

Wow, this was super easy! I had it done in about 30 mins only because I had trouble finding a good screw for grounding to the little hold. My liner didn't go back into place perfectly at the overhead console - the crease that goes back under the console is shifted over about 1/32 of an inch (enough for picky me to notice) - but it's freed up the power port for my iPod 3G charger.

For now the cable for the remote display runs down the driver's side A pillar since I chose to start late and ran out of daylight. Maybe I'll do something about it this weekend.

Thanks!

 

I decided to use a power take off lead from newministuff.com. The take off lead has a harness that plugs in-line with the cigarette plug and ends in a +V and GND wires, which I ran up underneath the dash and connected to the valentine one direct wire power adapter. I used the Velcro tape they include and mounted the adapter itself inside the dash such that it is accessible behind the small access panel that you can get at when the drive side door is open. I also made use of about a half-dozen zip ties to keep the cords secured up under the dash. I have to say, getting up under the dash such that I can use both arms is an exercise in contortion-ism.

The V1 sits on the right side of the mirror base using the visor clip mount. Due to the fact that I have the rain/light sensor option, I can't use the suction cup mount. I ran the RJ11 power cord up inside the headliner and down the driver side A pillar, and twist tying up the excess behind the access panel before plugging it in.

The benefits of this approach are that the wiring is accessible through a small access panel that I don't need any tools to remove, so if I want to add a remote display in the future, it should be easier to manage. Using the lead off from the cigarette socket means that the V1 powers-on and off with the accessory power when I start the car and when I shut off the engine. This means it doesn't turn on when I unlock the car, and doesn't remain powered on for a half-hour after I stop.

 

THAT is superb! I am so tired of that little thing falling off the velcro!

I was reading this whole thread to find an answer and got to here. Perhaps Crucial or someone else can comment:

Is the black painted strip at the top of the windscreen radio-opaque (how's that for sounding like I know what I am talking about?) and does it block the signals, ie, can I mount the unit behind that or does it have to be below it?

Great work Crucial. I was dreading mounting my wiring behind everything down to the fuse box for my third MINI. Sometimes it's just easier to keep the same car, until a thread like this comes along!

 

So I didn't want to keep the radar detector too high b/c of the tint (and I wanted to detect laser out the back) so the wire is coming out behind the speedometer and the mute button was placed below the driver side window roll up/down button where it is concealed from view but certainly reachable. Add a fuse used etc...

 

Just an FYI. I followed these directions about a month ago and had no problems until this past weekend. I lost all power to my spedo and tach. I disconnected the battery and everything started working again but I had a check engine light on. So I took it to the dealership and after looking at it they said the problem stemed from the hardwire of the radar detector. They said that the wire that it was conected to was the main comunication wire for the car. They where really cool about it and the tech even rewired it to a different wire in the upper console. Best part about it NO CHARGE. I thought for sure when the SA called me and said it was the hardwire that caused the problem they were setting me up for a charge.

Im pretty sure I had it wired the way it showed at the begining of this thread. It had power when I first opened the door and reset as I started the car. Now it only comes on when I start the car. I havent taken anything apart to see how the tech rewired it.

 

I LOVE having unit wired up there (I'll post a pic of the way I hardwired it with the buttons showing through the console) but can't stand the nonsense of the unit turning on when I open the doors and staying on for 30 minutes.

Can you open 'er up and let us know which wire is 'normal' hot?

Thx so much
David

 

phxsteele that would be great information to post. I, too, am curious about the correct wire to use for power. I want to avoid the side airbags by wiring up the A pillar from the fuse box. Thanks!

 

We are all wired to the purple wire, as posted early in this thread. It's quite annoying to have the un it powered long after you leave the car.
If you know which is the right wire to attach to, that would be a great solution...

Thanks.

 

Looking at the wiring diagram on mcaw.info it really looks like the VI/Blue wire is a computer signal wire and should not be used. If I am reading the diagram right it looks like the Violet/Green wire is coming right from the fuse box fuse F14. That fuse seems to power the sunroof, and the two makeup mirror lights. The Brown wire is the ground wire. Okay, now I traced the violet/blue wire to the Car Access System and it looks like it is the power supply to the passenger seat occupancy detection. This maybe related to the airbag system further down the line, so be careful with this line.

 

So last night I decided to see how long the make up mirrors get power. It seems they have power for that 30-60 minutes (as well as the map lights) after the ignition is off, until a door is opened. Now this makes me think that the power wire everyone is using maybe the correct wire (maybe the wiring diagram color codes are wrong). From the diagram there doesn't seem to be an ignition switched power source up there.

 

If there is any doubt as to what wire to use, spend another 3-4 minutes and run the power down to the fuse block.