Just picked up a 2001 GS300 with 38k miles for $23.8 (hope I got a deal?), still under warranty-a fantastic car. Absolutely emaculate, not even door dings, going to have local Lexus dealer check it completely-anything I should look out for in terms of wear and tear at that mileage? Only flaw I can find the "pipeing" on the drivers seat has a small split in two places-not sure if that would be covered by warranty?

Now to my real question, want to wire hardwire my Passport radar detector either from rear view mirror switched power or moon roof power. Can anyone help me with the wireing, I need good ground and switched live.

Tx Machog

 

Machog

Welcome to ClubLexus and congrats on your GS! You'll find almost anything you want to ask has been discussed many times before, so please try the search feature and save yourself some time!

For example, I searched for "hardwire valentine" (hardwire radar detector would have worked too) and got a DIY post right away with a link to an even better hardwire post (the way you want to do it).

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...wire+valentine
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=55215

 

Dave, tx for the thread search. Great solution with excellent photo's.

I ended up tackling the problem with another option, by taking a switched live & ground from the rear view mirror/compass power.

1/ Remove light cover in front of the moon roof-carefully. Insert a thin flat screwdriver about 1" from each end and work it down, light cover will pop out.
2/ Do the same for the garage door opener panel, again carefully insert flat screwdriver about 1" in either end and pry down gently.
3/ You will see 4 cross head screws, remove those, the panel is then free to drop down.
4/ Unclip the 3 white connectors (roof-lights-garage door opener), panel is free to be removed out the way.
5/ Find the orange rear view mirror/compass connector top left fixed to roof and disconnect it.
6/ The live switched wire is red and the ground is black.
7/ If its an Escort or Passport radar detector, they use a simple phone cord. Cut a length about 9" long, take the middle 2 wires (there are typically 4) my 2 middle colors were red and green-but this is not a standard. Feed cut end through the top of the mirror mount and pull all the way through, confirm that length is correct. Remember suction cups will not stick to the raised black grid directly behind the mirror. Cut the 2 outside phone wires (black & yellow in my case off)
8/ When holding the phone jack upside down the left middle wire (or second from the left) is the one you need to attache the live switched red wire to.
9/ The third middle wire (or third from left) is the black ground.
10/ Radio shack has telephone wire tap connectors 19-26 gauge wire (RS part # 64-3081)
11/ Place tap connector on to red switched wire on the disconnected side of the mirror/compass wire, feed in the second from the right wire into crush with red.
12/ Place tap connector on the black ground wire on the disconnected side of the mirror/compass wire, feed in third wire from right into tap and crush with black.
13/ Put a wire tie around phone cord and mirror/compass wire for a strain relief.
14/ Re-connect the orange mirror connector and test.
15/ Re-connect the white roof-lights-garage door openers
16/ Re-position the 4 cross head screws
17/ Clip garage door panel back into place and test
18/ Clip light cover panel back into place and test.

Drive safely. Feel free to email me macvalk@yahoo.com if any of this is not clear. Machog

 

Great write-up there machog.

Only 3 posts and one of this is full of good info! way to go

 

Had to put my two cents in and say "thanks!!" for the step by step to hardware my Passport. I even got the taps from RS by part number which was mega easy.

 

Just tried to hardwire my Passport, followed the instructions and everuthing seemed to be going well. Put it all back together, and ......... NOTHING!!!

My garage door opener works, my vanity lights work, but no power to my radar

Guess I gotta try this again this weekend

Jonny

 

FWIW, I ran the wire across my headliner, down the A pillar and to the fuse box on the left side of the driver's foot well. The ground wire attached to the bolt holding the parking brake and the hot wire was basically "spread over" a tip of a fuse that is keyed on and off with the ignition.

Good luck,
Eric

 

Thx guys,

Turned out I had my 2 wires reversed. Took all of 30 seconds to fix it!!

Sooo nice not to have that big goofy wire hanging down!!

Jonny