Just recently my radar detector has began acting up and i think it has somethign to do with the connection between the cigarette lighter and the radar adaptor. Sometiems the radar detector will just turn off...wiggle the adaptor aroudn a bit, and it comes back on, but i never had this problem before. Has anyoen else?

By the way, its a escort passport 8500

Thanks

 

Do you wiggle the cigarette lighter end or the end plugging into the radar detector. It sounds like a loose connection. If you have to wiggle the cigarette end then it sounds like the loose connection is inside the lighter adapter. Just to be sure check voltage on the cigarette lighter itself. But it sounds like it is a loose connection internally on the cigarette lighter adapter.

 

do you know of a way to make the connection "tight" again? What causes a loose connection within the adaptor?

 

Well the only way to make the connection "tight" again would be to take apart the cigarette plug and resolder the connections. What makes connections like that go loose is by pulling on the wire attached to the cigarette lighter adapter. Over time the wire will start to disconnect itself from the contact points inside of the adapter. The other option is to cut the old adapter off and splice a new adapter end onto the wire. Just be certain that you connect the right wires together otherwise poof...no more radar detector. I would suggest just to open up the current adapter to see if you can resolder the connections and make sure that the contacts are making a good connection to the cigarette lighter itself.

 

niec thanks...
I wonder if i coudl jsut get a new adaptor from radio shack. That woudl probably be doing the same huh? Might save a lot of trouble

 

Make sure that the tension on the accessory outlet has not pulled it from its connector. This happened to me (dont ask me how, but it did). Check the connector on the backside of the outlet. You should be able to just pull it out a check by rotating the cover / trim ring until it can slide out.

John

 

Just make sure that the voltage and center polarity match. But yeah that would work. I would recommend that if you are going to do that then take the current adapter in so they can match it up.

 

I had the same problem with my Escort too because the outlet came loose. See if this helps:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showt...9&hl=12v+outlet

Sorry, there aren't any pictures, but I think the description of how to fix this are pretty straight forward.

Also, you might want to contact Escort and buy the direct wire cord for $10.00. I wired mine this way so it's always on.

http://www.escortradar.com/shop.htm
https://www.escortradar.com/cp/media/images...t_wire_rj11.jpg

Very easy to install and you can run the wire up the left drivers kick panel and through in the space between the dashboard and the bottom of the windshield, almost invisible and you end up mounting the Escort low on the windshield. Also, it saves you streching the power cord across the entire car and frees it up for other things.

If you want to mount the Escort higher up on the windshield, check out this link on how to run the wire.

http://www.s2000.org/mods/radar/

I tried both versions and actually preferred the lower mount as it was more in my direct line of sight and didn't block the passengers sun visor.

Anyway, hope all this helps.

Good luck!