Item and Tools Required
Perform at your own risk!
The information for this tutorial is based on my own experiences. It is meant to be working
instructions for the DIY'er attempting to perform this job at home. These instructions are how I
performed this procedure. I take no personal responsibility for any damage you may incur by
following these instructions.
Time required to complete the job: ~ 2.0 hours,
Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
The interior trim needs to be removed to hardwire and remote mount the radar detector.
Begin by removing the silver dash trim below the gauge cluster. Start on the left side and
pull the piece off one clip at a time.
Next remove the knee panel surrounding the steering column. Begin by pulling the panel
from the bottom straight out working your way up. Disconnect the wiring harness from the
headlight switch.
The removal of the next two pieces is optional.
Remove the side sail panel by pulling the front edge towards the door as though you were
opening a book.
Last piece to remove is the trim piece for the door air duct. Remove this piece of trim by
starting at the bottom and pulling straight out. There are some hooks at the top that hold it
into the trim piece above it.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Removing Interior Trim
Using a fuse tap or equivalent device, connect the positive wire
to fuse location F14. I used this extra circuit accessory from
autozone that has two fuse slots. One fuse remains separate
for the original curcuit and the other is for the devises that are
connected to the wire of the accessory. i.e. wideband, radar
detector, etc... You can also use a wire tap here instead.
Using the wire tap provided by Escort connect the positive wire
from the radar detector to the accessory wire or wire tap.
Wire the cord ground wire to the mounting bolt for the drivers
side support bracket using a 9mm wrench.
)
)
Wiring the Positive Wire to the Fuse Box
)
)
)
)
)
Using duct tape, cover the sharp edge of any metal that the
positive wire may contact. Use cable ties to secure the positive
wire.
Route the detector wire to the weather stripping on the drivers
side door. The weather stripping pulls out on the interior side
making a perfect path to the headliner.
At the top of the A-Pillar pull back the weather stripping and fish
the wire over the headliner with a stiff wire. I used an old
antenna.
Route the detector wire over the headliner to the location of
your chose. Use caution here so that you don’t damage the air
bag.
I chose to install mine close to the rearview mirror and right at
the front window tint line. This location makes it a steath install
as it is hard to spot from outside the vehicle.
Secure any remaining wire to the vehicles ground wire with a
cable tie.
Reassemble the trim in reverse order and reconnect the
Negative terminal in the battery.
)
)
)
)
)
)
Route the Remote Wire to the Detector Location
Remove the three screws at the top and two screws on the
bottom of the gauge bezel.
Using a flat screwdriver, remove the steering wheel trim from
the bezel.
Using a Dremel or rat tail file notch the lower left corner of the
bezel. Just remove enough material to allow the remote wires
to pass through.
Re-install the bezel in reverse order including the detector
smart cord remote.
Apply industrial strength velco to the bezel and smart cord
remote.
)
)
)
)
)
)
Modifying the Gauge Bezel for the Smart Cord Remote
)
)
)
)
