Sam05

Anybody out there have any experience or thoughts on custom-installed radar detectors in the Q5 or other Audi cars?

fastd1

I have a Valentine-One. I have it mounted just above the rear view mirror. However, I want to snake the powercord down the driver side A-pillar into the side fuse box.

Has anyone tried to take the cover off the A-piller? Just it just pull off? And more importantly, does it just snap right back on?

Coolieman1220

i looked into my fuse box to see which fuse to tap. this car has a fusebox on the right and left side as you open the door on each side it has one. There are no simple fuses in this car either. in my G35 i tapped the Cigarette lighter fuse, simple powered on and not very important. it works great. also yeah, removing trim pieces isn't as easy!

deutschmick

I mounted my V-1 as you did on the windshield.

I used an un-used fuse receptacle for power on the driver's side fuse box (unfortunately powered all the time so have to switch off the V-1 when ignition is shut-off).

I ran the power-cord along the headliner/windshield to the A-pillar trim and pushed the cord in between the glass and A-pillar with a plastic tool (tool for changing bicycle-tire punctures). There is a tight area midway up on the A-pillar but if you're patient the cord will go in. Worked like a charm!

Eventually I'd like to use a switched fuse receptacle but I was eager to get it done quickly.

jtie

Here's what I posted in an earlier thread. There is no need to remove any trim to run a wire from the fuse box to the rearview mirror.

I used the top fuse in the center bank on the driver's side that is for the interior mirror. It only has power when the vehicle is on. Crappy cell phone pic:


To utilize a spot that already has an existing fuse get a fuse tap like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Wirthco-30001-.../dp/B000CQBNFI

I didn't feel like ordering one so I made mine out of a spent .223 casing. Just cut the shell lengthwise into a brass strip about as wide as the fuse blade, then folded the end over the wire and crimped it. Slide the tap in with the fuse blade on the right so it is on the protected side of the fuse. Then take the other wire and use a self tapping screw to attach it to the metal there.

Shove the wire in the crack between the pillar and dashboard, working your way up to the front between the pillar and windshield, up to between the windshield and headliner. Use something wooden or plastic and flat like a tongue depressor to get it in there far enough where you can't see it. In the headliner the wire was a little loose so I had to fold over some pieces of cardboard and wedge them in there so that the wire didn't fall out. You can't see the cardboard at all once it's up in there. Finally run it down the side of the rearview mirror where the radar detector is.

fastd1

Just finished the install, thanks everyone! I used an open fuse slot in the black bank, between two of the 5 amp small fuses, had to trim down a connector but it plugged right in. That bank is switched to ignition-on. For the ground, I put an extra nut on that large exposed bolt above the fuses. Jtie, you cable looks much thinner than mine (what type of cable did you use?), I used standard telephone wire into the V1 fuse adapter. No problem pushing the cable down along the a-piller and windshield, then along the a-piller and dash seam into the fuse area. There is now a slight gap between the a-pillar and dash due to thickness of the telephone cable, but no cable showing at all. Will have to wiggle the a-piller some to see if I can get the cable to settle a bit more.

jtie

I used some speaker wire that came in a box with some speakers I bought a while back. It's a bit smaller than telephone cable, doesn't have the extra insulation. Fit very easily into all the gaps. Like I said above, it wouldn't stay up in the headliner/windshield gap, I had to use the cardboard to hold it in place.

An idea to make your wire smaller without having to rerun everything. Pull out the cable that's in the dashboard gap and strip off the exterior insulation. Leave the insulation that's on the individual wires but strip off the outer gray insulation that's seen here. If you need to to be even smaller you can cut off the two wires that you aren't using for power.

Coolieman1220

hmm id rather use a fuse tap that puts in another fuse and fuses my V1 twice, safer and more professional IMO.

fastd1

I use the V1's direct wire power adapter (#20305), which has its own 1A fuse and the telephone socket. Since I am using a blank fuse socket in the panel, I am not adding additional current to an existing circuit.

CrownSeven

Tonight I wired up my V1 to my Q5. Instead of wiring it directly to the fuze box, I hooked it into the existing wiring that is hidden behind the dome light assembly. It was fairly easy to do. The manual actually tells you how to remove the whole assembly since thats where the sunroof crank is for manual closing.

The hard part was trying to find a live wire that was only hot when the ignition was on. Eventually I found one.

I know some of you would rather play it safe and to run a line directly to the fuse box which is fine, but I've run it this way before in my VW for many years - no issues what so ever. Plus I don't have to monkey around with trying to route a wire all the way to the headliner from the fuse box. I also use the V1 power adapter that fastd1 mentioned, which has its own built in fuse.

If anyone is interested I took some pics of what wires I tapped into for power. Once you know where the power wires are that you need to tap into, I'd say its about a 15 minute job.

I initially placed the v1 underneath the mirror - it didn't like that and the 'laser' alarm went off constantly. I believe it was being caused by the rain sensor. So I moved it above the rear view mirror and to the right. Seems to be happy there.