997.2 Cab - Escort Passport Max Mirror Hardwire Install (Blendmount + Mirror Tap)
 

Yet another post to hardwire a radar detector. I didn't see one with my exact specs, so hopefully this helps someone as much as the other posts helped me.

Car: 2009 997.2 Carrera S Cabriolet
Detector: Escort Passport Max
Mont: BlendMount BMX-2123
Wiring: MirrorTap MTX-1015 (15" - just reaches. can't go any shorter)

1. Remove the dome light. I used a .


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...66a8c1c5f6.jpg


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2. Remove the homelink buttons. There's a small notch - pop them out with a small flathead screwdriver.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...165bf0e492.jpg


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3. Remove the black metal bracket. There's two T30 torx screws in the hole where the homelink switches were.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...07cf815bbc.jpg



4. Pop out the white wiring harness from behind the black plastic bracket. Remove the white sheath over the harness that goes TO the mirror. In the pic, I unclipped the harness from the other other white harness, but you shouldn't do that...

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...a751e64626.jpg




5. Find the ground (brown) and +12v switched (orange & black) wires. Insert your mirror tap leads (I used one of the smallest sets) -
black into brown and red into orange/black - into the wiring harness for those colors.

A huge thanks to 1080iaddict and his post from 2005(!) for this great pic below.

You may want to follow the steps w/ the mirror tap to use a voltmeter to check these wires - I did.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...c1f8b84edc.jpg



6. Once the leads are in, attach the mirrortap cable into the leads and the detector. Turn on the accessories with the key and try it out!

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...9e7bc8d688.jpg



7. Put the white sheath back on the wiring harness. It wouldn't fit for me due to the increased thickness of the taps, so I cut the opening with a pair of snips and then taped it in place (red electrical tape).

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...da92d075d2.jpg



8. Tape the mirrortap leads to the mirrortap cable (they give you a small piece of electrical tape) and use the zip-tie to attach the mirrortap cable to the mirror wire bundle.


9. Run the mirrortap cable through the headliner.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...49eed5bae2.jpg


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10. Put it all back together.
- Tuck the white wiring harnesses back behind the black clip
- Attach the metal bracket with the two T30 torx screws
- Plug-in & re-attach the dome light
- Plug-in & re-attach the homelink switches


11. Attach the mount as per the instructions.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...0e8fe071b8.jpg



12. Power on, drive safe, and enjoy!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...56244d9410.jpg



Questions welcomed :)

I just got around to doing this. This guide was definitely helpful. I simplified your process a little bit, and there's also a cheaper source for the cable. I ordered one of these guys for $10:

http://www.safe-n-sound1.com/Escort%...%20Mirror.html

I also bought their T-taps from here (2x $1): http://www.safe-n-sound1.com/Accessory%20Items.html. You can probably get these cheaper at an electronics store, but it's $2, and they save you the effort of crimping them onto the cord. IMO these are easier to install and to later reverse than inserting pins into the connector.

Once you order, send them an email referencing the order and ask them to make the cable ~16" instead of their standard 12. That was about 3 more than I absolutely needed, but there's plenty of room to tuck away the extra; better too long than too short. To install, the steps I took were:

• Pop out homelink buttons with (very) small screwdriver. Make sure you have one small enough to go all the way into the hole on the side; if you don't get it in far enough, you'll just pop off the faceplate and buttons themselves, rather than the whole button assembly.
• Under each button is a star bolt. Unscrew both, and the whole dome light assembly will drop down. No need to remove the dome light from the assembly.
• As you described, slide the white connector out from its black plastic mount.
• Instead of opening up the white connector itself, just peel back a bit of the tape around the wires leading from it toward the mirror.
• From the exposed section of wires, locate the orange and black striped, and the brown wires. Attach the t-taps to these. (Note, the t-taps need to be pulled off of the spade connectors on the cord before they can be opened. Once they're clamped onto the wires, plug the spade connectors back in.)
• Then just feed the radar detector plug through the hole that goes to the mirror, or through the top by the headliner if you prefer, and optionally zip tie it to the mirror stalk to keep things tidy.

Made a quick youtube video showing how it all goes together. It got cut off at the end, but the important bits are all there:

Can this project be done on a 2010 987.2 with auto-dimming mirror? If yes, does anyone have photos of the installation to share?

Are you using a singular radar detector? I hear laser is becoming all the rage for cops now. I have an Escort, but am worried about speeding as I don't want to get caught doing 110 due to a false sense of security.

You really have to count on laser overspray from cars ahead of you. An empty road is the worst. The other problem is the hiway overpass on ramp - they often hang out there and shoot laser from behind. If you're really into speeding, a few items are needed,

An illegal (in many places) laser jammer - https://www.vortexradar.com/2017/10/...ammer-reviews/

A scanner with all of the local frequencies, and a cb radio, and a good radar detector properly configured. It also helps not be driving a Porsche or a red Porsche or a yellow Ferrari etc.

I'm convinced that I can go faster more often in more places in a Prius than I can in my Porsche.

I also think it doesn't make sense to speed when the payoff is so little. I can speed all the way downtown and maybe save 3-5 minutes in total but if I speed on a 400 mile road trip, I can cut hours from the trip.

In Texas most folks go 80-85 on the major interstates. I try to stay just under 100 but go with the flow within 15 miles of any state line or hiway patrol office. I also avoid speeding in city limits even when on an interstate.

In Denton TX (north of Dallas) there is ALWAYS local police shooting the interstate. I recently trashed my Valentine V1 and got a Uniden and love it. It's too good and often warns way too early but better early than late.

Most of the fun I have in the Porsche is from rolling starts to 60mph. I don't know if cops even care about 'exhibition of acceleration' like they used to.

Yeah, I see a radar detector mostly as a fun gadget that might save you the occasional ticket for being 10 or 15 over, not a license to go however fast you might want.

hardtop is the same, i followed these directions and it was a breeze,

This was a huge help! Worked like a charm. Thank you.