Hey everyone. Just bought a 2009 Silver Fit Sport Auto. I'm liking the car very much. Here are some pics of my first mod to the car. I hard-wire my radar detectors to all my cars. I hate having that cord and adapter. My next two mods are planned as well. Ordered an Auto-Dimming mirror (with compass, temp, and LED map lights) CIPA 36500. I also ordered the Odyssey Key Shell recommended in this thread: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...e-key-fob.html
Without further delay, here are the pics, feel free to ask questions.












Here's the DIY for this install with pics. The parts needed are listed in post #11.

Start off by prying the map light covers. They'll come out with minimal effort.



Take out the two screws holding the housing in. Tap the power line. Be sure to tap it far enough from the plug so when you re-install the map light housing, it can be tucked in the headliner and wont interfere.



Run the wiring along the headliner and down the pillar. You should have two wires to run, both equal in length. I tucked the wiring underneath the weather stripping so as not to interfere with the side curtain airbags.



Once you get down to the AC vent, slip the wiring into the little crack so that the wiring drops into the fuse panel area.



Run the wire down and make sure you have enough length for the switch panel to hang all the way down. The DIY for the switch can be found in my thread here https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-generation-ge-08-present/38870-custom-switch.html.



Check your connections.





This is where i placed the ground wire. I took the pic like this to illustrate where it would be. In actuality I installed the map light housing first before putting the screws back in.



That's everything. Here's a little electrical diagram.

 

looks great. I'm going to be doing this in the future to my
radar.

from the pics your looks to be right under the visor.
does that get in your way when you want to lower
your visor?

i was thinking of putting mine on top of the mirror.


oh i also seen the key fob mod.
does this also apply to 09's?
if so i'm ordering asap.
this a great mod.

 

I haven't had any issue with the visor, it has enough clearance to block the sun. You can always play with the location until you feel comfortable. I tried to put it above the rear-view mirror, but the dotted area prevented the suction cups from sticking.

As far as the key fob mod, the pictures looked close enough for me to try. I'll post my results in that thread when i receive the shell.

 

Very nice...
I've never hardwired a radar is it hard?
Is there a DIY with pics?
I searched but found nothing for the GE8

 

It's all on this thread just make sure you look through
the whole thing. it's in there.
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...me-lights.html

 

too bad radar speed meters are a thing of the past. in a few years all cops will be using the gps technology that the cali highway patrol uses rendering radar detectors useless.

 

Saaaweet
Thx!

 

Perk of living in bum f*ck Ohio. Cops wont stop using radar/lasers detectors for at least 10 years...we are always last to get technology to the police force.

 

You have any links to this technology? From my knowledge of how GPS works, the police would need a GPS receiver installed in my car and they would need the receiver id broadcast to them so they can track it.

 

sorry i got mixed up. they arent using gps. they are using lidar which is a speed sensing laser. almost impossible to dispute. i got mixed up because someone tried to use their gps speed sensor log to beat a ticket against it. heres the link to the new technology

GilroyDispatch.com | CHP Now Officers of Light

 

It's not very hard. Some basic electrical knowledge is all that's needed.
I tapped the map light power source, the only downside is that it is constantly on. I plan on installing a switch when i finally have my auto-dimming mirror in place. There are direct-wire kits available for numerous detectors online. I make my own from parts you can get at radio shack. For this install, i bought an AC/DC adapter with interchangeable DC plug, the correct size DC plug for my detector, an inline fuse holder and 2 amp fuse. I clipped the AC plug end of the adapter since i only needed the wiring and DC end. I tapped the line with a squeeze type wire tap and made all my wire connections with crimp type wire connectors. No soldering or twisting wire and wrapping with electrical tape. Everything cost me about $20 and can be taken out and used on a future vehicle and/or new radar detector.

 

Gotcha...yeah, LIDAR is a godsend for cops. Very accurate and easy to use. The only thing a laser detector is good for is letting you know that a cop tagged you. So far i've only been hit with LIDAR twice while driving in San Diego, the rest have been radar. I've been fortunate not to get a speeding ticket...my detector has paid for itself more than once over.

 

Any progress on the auto dimming mirror? I am very interested in this. Also where did you get the CIPA mirror? seems JC Whitney has decent price.

 

yes but the funny thing is that the same people who make
these guns for the police make the detectors for the public.
biggest money maker ever LOL
lidar will soon have a detector also.

 

The times I have been clocked with laser I slowed down way before the cop even got to clock me.

Isn't a lidar detector a laser detector? Or is that ladar (Laser Detection and Ranging) ?

Whats the diff?
Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging)
Ladar(Laser Detection and Ranging)

 

Thanks...I would like to have it turn off with the car. I'll have to figure out a way.

 

lidar is the same as laser
if you are speeding and get hit by lidar, they got you.
it's not like radar where they have to follow the car and keep the radar on.
it's like a gun, and they hit the trigger and tag your car and they got you. lidar is undefeatable in court.
with the cali budget, i doubt they will get lidar guns in all the chp cars for awhile.

 

Hey guys I am older and a bit wiser now but, if you don't speed that in it's self is one less stress, and think about the $'s spent on tickets (insurance rates) and the $ spent on not getting tickets? It's a rush passing most cars on the road by going too fast but, remember the lives you can put in jeorardy doing this, the police are here to protect and serve us.
Hey that's why there are track days where you can more or less saftely take it to the limit (you and the car).

just my 2 cents worth on the subject.
Have a Good Day

 

I believe the last radar detector I bought was so I could prove to the cops I wasn't speeding, at least that was some part of my logic.

Then I simply stopped speeding, unless on limited access highways. There I stretch it 5-10 over, depending.
Quiet-Dark roads at night are always fair game.

I have friends, w/ high school children, who plug 5+ on every speed sign no matter.

"Aw.. they always will give you 5 over." Like it's written down... I say, "Safety?".

But if I were to go there again it would be more for the technology - to know who's around possibly? They are hi-tech.

Stealth and wired in would be it.

I would also shut it down, unless a power cut is kind to them.
I like things that switch-off like my Garmin. It trips a screen asking if it's time to shut down w/ a power cut.

I've got to look again ;-)

 

You won't hurt it by leaving it plugged in and cutting the power. To the OP, nice setup. Is that an XTR-695?