Hardwire Escort Radar detector Gen 2

I tried hardwing my Escort 9500ix radar detector (RD) in my 2007 Prius with standard phone cable (to driver side fuse box with an add a fuse). I’ve done this in 3 previous cars with no problem but for some reason it didn’t work in the Prius. I also tried connecting to the middle light wires in front of the rearview mirror. That didn’t work and I advise against that (my Prius doesn’t have the active mirror so no mirror wires). I use a Mirror Mount radar detector bracket for my Escort and love it. The best location for detectors is as high on the windshield as possible in the middle so hanging it from the mirror stem is optimal.

Installation was easy (30 min) using the following items:

- Radar Mount RJ11 Direct Wire Radar Detector Hardwire Power Cord for Escort (The extra fuse won’t matter, I got mine on Amazon)

- add a fuse (mini) from auto parts store

- 7.5 amp mini low-profile fuse (I couldn’t find a single so I bought a pack) **I don’t think you have to use a low profile mini fuse since the addition of the add a fuse will not allow you to put the fuse cover back on anyway. I just put my cover in the glovebox

- a female spade that that matches the male spade on the add a fuse pos wire
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The hardwire kit has the rj33 phone jack on one end and only the red and black wires on the other end. You can lift up the headliner at the windshield just above the mirror but you may need a thin flat screwdriver to get up under it to start.

Tuck the rj33 connector end up into/under the headliner leaving enough extra to drop the connector to the RD.

Tuck the cable under the headliner edge all the way to the driver side A frame. **this will be easier with another person keeping the cable inside the headliner as you tuck. Taping the RD end to the windshield may help.

Tuck the cable into the top of the plastic driver side airbag cover. I popped the cover off at the top without blowing the airbag (**but your results may vary)

Pull off the black rubber weather strip along the edge of the driver’s door frame (not glued) and tuck the wire in the space.

Pull off the left side air vent (silver plastic, curved, about 11” total length, pops in and out not glued, be careful not to chip edges)

Push the pos and ground wire ends through an opening closer to the fuse box.

The fuse box is just in front of the lower plastic dash edge roughly lined up between the parking brake and brake pedals.

Pull the #23 15amp fuse (see pic), replace with add a fuse, put 7.5a fuse in new slot parallel with the pos red wire and the original 15a fuse in the other slot.

I attached the neg round ground of the hardwire under a bolt under/behind the air vent. But in order to get it to fit, I had to use the dremel to make the hardwire ground loop bigger. You could also cut a slot in the circle so it would be like a U instead of a circle and slide it under the bolt.

I stripped about an inch off the end of the red hardware wire, folded it over 3 or 4 Times (to make it thicker) and crimped on the female spade. This worked well and connect to the male spade that comes on the red wire from the add a fuse. **A different way that might be better/easier is to simply cut off the add a fuse male spade, strip that wire, and use a butt connectorto attach the two bare wire wires. Or you could just twist them together and twirl with electrical tape.

 

Michael Warren, you are awesome for posting this! I just bought a 2008 Prius (3 1/2 years after selling the 2007) and used your incredible instructions to do this install again. For some reason, I couldn't find the 15amp fuse you mentioned in this post. I DID however, find an empty switched slot which worked perfectly. It can be seen in this included pic. Thanks again for your awesomeness!