2023 MSP Radar Detector install with Mirrortap. Anyone find a solution?

[Typhoon43]

So my first project with my MSP was to get my Escort Max 360 wired up. I've done this 3 tiems on other vehicles with no issues. I assumed finding a 16V source would be easy.... it wasn't.

I used this video as my guide:

Upon pulling the mirror mount off, I was happily surprised to see the harness with a black and green wire, since it's what he tapped into. I grabbed my multimeter to check it to make sure, and was surprised to see no voltage, even with the car on. Crap. I poked around and found another harness with a black and red wire. I mean, that HAS to be live, right? NOPE. Grrr... So I continue to poke and prod every wire up there, and the best I can find is 5V if I tap 2 of the 3 wires in a Yellow/Brown/White harness. So I gave up. I'm hoping someone smarter than me can figure out a way to do this. The Mirrotap/Blendmount combo is what I want to stay with. Here are some picsthat may help someone come up with an idea. I need to find a wiring diagram for this car.

 

[Typhoon43]

Update: Reached out to the Video author and he states after the most recent software update, the GREEN/BLACK pair he used to tap his radar detector into is only hot with the vehicle in DRIVE, bit just with the car ON. I'll be heading back out this weekend to try it again and see if I get the juice I need. I'll report back.

 

[W Cole]

Please keep us posted on your progress. I have a 23 s plaid with hw4 as well and have spent more time with a voltmeter trying to figure out power than I’d like to admit. At one point I got my v1g1 radar detector to power up and then when I went to permanently install the power harness there was no longer any power.

I also did the update recently as well in the middle of my install process. I didn’t think this could possibly change the power state of the cameras, etc we are trying to tap into but good to know it may have.

 

[Typhoon43]

Please keep us posted on your progress. I have a 23 s plaid with hw4 as well and have spent more time with a voltmeter trying to figure out power than I’d like to admit. At one point I got my v1g1 radar detector to power up and then when I went to permanently install the power harness there was no longer any power.

I also did the update recently as well in the middle of my install process. I didn’t think this could possibly change the power state of the cameras, etc we are trying to tap into but good to know it may have.

I'll be going at it again this coming weekend. I was sick on the day I planned to attack the Black/Green harness. Fingers crossed!

 

[vcor]

I wired my dashcam (I wanted 4K recording in my 2022 LR) to the wireless phone charger. At the time, I did a deep dive into all power sources and checked when they had power and/or were turned off. I also covered the X/3/Y that I had access to and an older S. I found getting into the camera housing so difficult, that I avoided it. More so after another owner cracked the windshield in an attempt to get the cover off! Maybe the 2023 S is easier to get into.

Accessory Power Guide 12v/5v – TeslaTap

teslatap.com

 

[Typhoon43]

Update! I got my Escort Max 360 installed with one minor hiccup. The good news is that the BLACK/GREEN connector is the proper source to tap (Green +, Black -). The snag I hit was that I bought the 10" MirrorTap instead of the 15", and with my detector and the location of the tap, I had to take the small plastic cover at the base of the mirror and use a drill bit to create a pass-through for the RJ-11 connector. Looks good to me and works like a champ!

 

[Typhoon43]

UPDATE: I noticed that after I installed my Escort Max360 by tapping these wires, that my map would freeze up and just show my car where it last had signal. I tried rebooting the car a couple of times, and then I thought to myself that maybe the GPS in the detector was messing with the car's GPS, which is probably located in the electronics package that sits about 3 inches above my detector. I was able to confirm the issue because the second I unplug the mirrortap from my detector, my map recentered and started working. UGH. So now I'm trying to determine if it's GPS Interference, OR is it a power issue? I got a USB to RJ-11 detector cord and powered the Max360 with that instead of the mirrortap. I had no issues with the map on a 45 minute test drive. What that alludes to is that tapping the Green/Black wire is possibly pulling too much power and starving the GPS receiver in the car. I'm going to try a longer drive and see if I can replicate the issue, but as for now, it seems the Max360 isn't going to work being tapped into that harness. Just wanted to share my findings.

 

[chillaban]

RF interference is very much possible. Radar detectors do emit electronic noise, especially non stealth ones. The circular antenna board very much looks like a GPS antenna to me, and GPS is very sensitive to noise.


I don’t think it’s related to tapping the power source, it’s more related to mounting specific radar detector models right next to the car GPS antenna.

 

[Typhoon43]

RF interference is very much possible. Radar detectors do emit electronic noise, especially non stealth ones. The circular antenna board very much looks like a GPS antenna to me, and GPS is very sensitive to noise.


I don’t think it’s related to tapping the power source, it’s more related to mounting specific radar detector models right next to the car GPS antenna.

Unfortunately, I bought the short mirrortap cable, so it JUST makes it to the detector with the mirror mount I have the MAX360. I purchased an inline power kit with plenty of length and will most likely run it up the A Pillar and into the headliner, then mount it with a suction mount on the driver's side and see if that clears things up. Thanks.

 

[SignalX]

I found using this slick mount that mounts on the back of the screen works great and I think its a better viewing position than mounting at the top of the windshield:

 

[Typhoon43]

You ROCK! Been looking on Amazon for something just like that! I'm done trying the mirrortap route. I have a USB-RJ-11 style cable for the Escort and I'll run it through the center console and go this route.

 

[SignalX]

You ROCK! Been looking on Amazon for something just like that! I'm done trying the mirrortap route. I have a USB-RJ-11 style cable for the Escort and I'll run it through the center console and go this route.

Is it hard to run through the center console where the 12v accessory plug is, to the back of the screen? Is there any holes/conduits to do that and keep it all hidden?

 

[Typhoon43]

Is it hard to run through the center console where the 12v accessory plug is, to the back of the screen? Is there any holes/conduits to do that and keep it all hidden?

Actually, YES. I just did it this weekend. I used the instruction video from RPM Tesla for their USB-C phone charger mount.

Here is that video:

Then I used this USB adapter (with a USB-C-to-A-adapter) to power my Escort MAX360:

Amazon.com

I stuck an adhesive metal plate on the bottom of the detector and then used this magnetic mount to hold it, and stuck it on the back of my screen:
Plates: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CJ1SPY7?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Phone Mount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYMR9LC6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

It sits perfectly on top of the monitor:

The only kicker with my placement is that you can't tilt the screen towards the driver side. I never liked that feature so I'm good with it. I could have mounted the detector in the middle of the screen to avoid it, but I didn't like the way it looked when I mocked it up. Being a mag mount also makes it easy to remove the detector and tuck the cord down behind the screen.

 

[DimaRider]

You ROCK! Been looking on Amazon for something just like that! I'm done trying the mirrortap route. I have a USB-RJ-11 style cable for the Escort and I'll run it through the center console and go this route.

Can i have your blendmount?

 

[tpekid88]

Actually, YES. I just did it this weekend. I used the instruction video from RPM Tesla for their USB-C phone charger mount.

Here is that video:

Then I used this USB adapter (with a USB-C-to-A-adapter) to power my Escort MAX360:

Amazon.com

I stuck an adhesive metal plate on the bottom of the detector and then used this magnetic mount to hold it, and stuck it on the back of my screen:
Plates: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CJ1SPY7?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Phone Mount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYMR9LC6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

It sits perfectly on top of the monitor:
View attachment 992305

The only kicker with my placement is that you can't tilt the screen towards the driver side. I never liked that feature so I'm good with it. I could have mounted the detector in the middle of the screen to avoid it, but I didn't like the way it looked when I mocked it up. Being a mag mount also makes it easy to remove the detector and tuck the cord down behind the screen.

Video states that you need to keep screen tilt so the wires don't catch. Are you able to move the screen tilt or at least keep it flat without damaging the cord? Also did you really need a fish wire to complete the routing?

 

[BlueyThePlaid]

Update: Reached out to the Video author and he states after the most recent software update, the GREEN/BLACK pair he used to tap his radar detector into is only hot with the vehicle in DRIVE, bit just with the car ON. I'll be heading back out this weekend to try it again and see if I get the juice I need. I'll report back.

This was the method I used for my MSP with a $10 amazon 12" mirror hardwire kit, the vid was helpful. Looked like the perfect install from the passenger seat but no power when I clicked the car on: screen on, music playing etc. After ripping it down and redoing it, I tried from the driver's seat and it fired right up. I didn't need to be in drive, but the ignition (or whatever you call it) while sitting in the driver's seat needed to be on. It works great. Very clean.

 

[dn325ci]

FWIW, I recently wired in a V1G2, and while researching I was reading TeslaTap's Accessory Power Guide of all the places to tap 12V power in the car, ranking them as Poor, Fair, Good and Best. To my surprise, they show the OBD connector as one of the best locations. I didn't like the idea at first, but I've come to the conclusion the OBD port doesn't do much - Tesla has removed it entirely from the Model 3 and Y.

This simple adapter from Amazon made it extremely easy then. No need to cut or splice into the car at all. This adapter's side outlet for the wiring is on the correct side to run straight into the carpet side of the footwell, then up under the A pillar trim and across the headliner. Very simple. The only wires to join were these two leads to my radar detector's direct wiring adapter. I hid those connections and the excess wiring behind the carpeted footwell wall.

TeslaTap was right - it works brilliantly and it's switched, too. No tapping into the car wiring, and extremely minimal disassembly to install. Very happy with the result.

 

[leletyM3]

FWIW, I recently wired in a V1G2, and while researching I was reading TeslaTap's Accessory Power Guide of all the places to tap 12V power in the car, ranking them as Poor, Fair, Good and Best. To my surprise, they show the OBD connector as one of the best locations. I didn't like the idea at first, but I've come to the conclusion the OBD port doesn't do much - Tesla has removed it entirely from the Model 3 and Y.

This simple adapter from Amazon made it extremely easy then. No need to cut or splice into the car at all. This adapter's side outlet for the wiring is on the correct side to run straight into the carpet side of the footwell, then up under the A pillar trim and across the headliner. Very simple. The only wires to join were these two leads to my radar detector's direct wiring adapter. I hid those connections and the excess wiring behind the carpeted footwell wall.

TeslaTap was right - it works brilliantly and it's switched, too. No tapping into the car wiring, and extremely minimal disassembly to install. Very happy with the result.

View attachment 1035706

Got any link to where to get this? Still trying to figure out how to hardwire it. thanks

 

[dn325ci]

Got any link to where to get this? Still trying to figure out how to hardwire it. thanks

This is the one I used. Hopefully the link works - Amazon links always seem wonky to me: OBD Adapter

1. So I just started from the radar detector end: wherever you want to place it at the top of the windshield, start your radar detector power end there, leaving a 3 or 4 inch pigtail sticking out to connect, and use a plastic tool or something to push the wire under the headliner.
2. When you get to the A pillar, the Alcantara trim panel there has a release near the top - pull it in the direction of the rear view mirror. I only had to release the top, and I'm not sure I really needed to do that. You can push your RD power wire behind there at the top, and move across to the rubber weatherstripping at the door.
3. The weather stripping is easy to pull up an inch or so at a time, so just inch your way down to the left side to get to the dash board, tucking in the wire behind the A pillar trim along the way.
4. At the dash, I quickly removed those two panels - one directly on the side of the dash to allow you to get to the skinny one next to it in the door frame. A-Pillar Trim Link At that point, I pulled up the "Model S" trim at the bottom of the door frame - helpful to have a picture for that. Now you have access to move around behind the carpet at the footwell.
5. I installed the OBD adapter, ran it behind the footwell carpeting (and the styrofoam sound piece there), made the connections, gathered up all the excess wire from every thing and wire tied it into a small bundle. I also wrapped that little bundle in some electrical tape to prevent any possible rattling and add abrasion resistance that's probably unnecessary. In my case, I had a great deal of excess wire (probably 3 ft from OBD adapter, and 4 ft from RD power wire) that I could have cut out, but I didn't. I just bundled it in a 4-inch long bundle, wire tied it, and wrapped it with electrical tape.
6. Test it (note the OBD power is off when the car is off) and put the trim pieces back on. Done.

Probably really a 20 minute job, but I'm a slow worker and took me 40 minutes. Cheers.

EDIT: inserted a couple Tesla Service links to removing those small interior panels.

 

[vcor]

...I've come to the conclusion the OBD port doesn't do much - Tesla has removed it entirely from the Model 3 and Y...

TeslaTap was right - it works brilliantly and it's switched, too. No tapping into the car wiring, and extremely minimal disassembly to install. Very happy with the result.

Glad I could help. On the OBD port - Tesla has it in all Model S/X/Y. The early Model 3 didn't have it, but it was added back I think around 2020. The OBD port is not much use other than power. On the S/X before 2022 Plaid/LR, the OBD power is always on. Don't bother with any OBD scan tools - none work in any Tesla (or I should say they provide no useful data). OBD is really for ICE cars.