Radar Detectors in 03's

[westies]

Tried to install my radar detector in new 03 today and hit some problems. Was going to install to the console lights supply as I did with my 02. Different wiring setup from my 02. Has three wires, a grey, a black and an orange. The black is in the middle of the socket and it is the ground. However, both the grey and the orange are hot but not at the same time. Seems the key and the delayed lighting have something to do with it.
Has anyone wired into the console yet? If so what wires did you use. If not, does anyone have any suggestions

[Steve Cornell]

Westies,

The Black is ground.

The Grey positive tripped for the dome lights (only has power when a door is open or dome lights are on)

The Orange wire is a constant 12V for the reading lamps.

The fuses for these wires are located in the fuse block at the drivers end of the dash.

The grey wire is fuse TBC 2B - 15 amp

The orange wire is fuse TBC 2C - 15 amp (this also the fuse for the cargo light)

For your radar detector you can use the Black and Orange wires which will have power all the time or you can run a wire down the drivers side "A" pillar and pick up an accessory wire in the fuse box so that the radar detector will only be on when the switch is.

[westies]

Thanks............will try that in the morning. smile.gif

[Kennedy]

It's really not too difficult to string new wires up there and eliminate harming any factory installed wires...

[westies]

Okay installed the detector to the black and orange wire and everything works until I shut truck down. If the truck has shut down power after the 10 minutes the detector will not come on until I turn a reading light on and switch it off. Then the detector works fine again. Guess I may have to go to fuse block unless I can figure this out. :confused:

[Steve Cornell]

It's really simple to get the wires to the fuse block.....

Just pull on the "A" pillar to remove it, remove the sunvisor to allow the headliner to drop down a bit and make it easier to fish wires.

Apparently the power off feature somehow senses the reading light and powers back up. ?? :confused:

[westies]

I thought that about the reading lights also and can't see anyway around it. So I live with that which is not really that bad. I have a pair of wires now going to the fuse box but not certain which fuse to use. I spoke to a friend today who is a GM tech and he told me to be careful with the fuse block. This new computer they use is delicate. He said they had a fellow last week who tried to install a CB and hit the wrong fuse and ended up with a fried computer module which was a 700.00 bill to fix. He said he would check for me tomorrow but strongly suggested I go right to the battery and a seperate ground. :confused:

[Toddster]

Geesh, I must be a cave man ! Last I knew all radar detectors pluged into the cig lighter ? Now thats hard to F*ck up ! :confused: