When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Here's an idea, why can't car makers make switched power ports available from the factory? Most of us run something that requires power up by the rear view mirror. Why make us tap for power. I would pay for that option!
Well the cigarette lighter port by the shifter is switched power. I think people go this route so they don't have an unsightly cord running through their car, like I had.
What I do miss, or will miss, is the "mute" button from the Escort radar cord.
Apparently I must be the only person to break a clip on the pdr housing. Anyone have a part number or know where I can buy a new cover? Rattles like crazy now.
Hey, guys, I just did the blend mount with wire tap install a few minutes ago on my 2018 Z06 convertible, I used a invisicord, I did not have to remove the big cover in front of the mirror, I just removed the small mirror cover. I used a thin blade knife to slide into the crack and it came off easy. I had a problem at first with the pins fitting in but then realized if I slid the pin in behind the wire ie: the side that is between the wire rows, it slid in easy. It looks and works great,
This actually works great. I did it on my 2017 GS with no problem per your instructions. Wire colors are the same and all. I do recommend looking at various wire tap options available on Amazon, though. one of them has interchangeable ends (still with the fuse) that have different shapes and thicknesses of tap blades. Pick the ones that work best. Its alot easier than trying to squeeze in the standard round pins on most taps.
I just finished installing my radar detector on my 2015 Corvette Z-51. I know this isn't the first thread on this procedure, but I had some difficulty interpreting the photos that had been posted, and I'm the kind of guy that wants a lot of detail before tearing into my new car. But I would like to thank dsliman and lachlansands for inspiring me to do this install. By the way, GM has been quoted as saying the C7 mirror is not "mirror tap friendly", but that doesn't mean it can't be done. It's just a little more complicated than with other cars. Here is my detailed guide on how to tap the C7 mirror to power a radar detector:
The cover just forward of the mirror needs to be removed. This photo shows the 5 clips that hold it in place. Cover just pries off.
The mirror mount rear cover needs to be removed straight back toward the windshield.
Best to pry it off starting at the bottom.
Inside the cover is the wiring harness. The two halves need to be separated and the half coming from the car (not the mirror) is the one to tap.
Pop the wiring harness away from the rear cover.
Push the tab on the driver side of the harness to release the rear half, and pull the two halves apart.
Tap the red wire (power) from the mirror tap to pin #2, which is the purple wire on my car. Pin #2 is ignition on, 12 v. The black wire from the mirror tap (ground wire) should be tapped to pin #5, which is also a black wire on my car.
The tapping pins are a VERY tight fit. You may need to pry the vehicle wire aside with a jeweler's screwdriver to make room for the tap. This was particularly true for the power (purple) vehicle wire on my car.
Reassemble the two halves of the harness, snap the harness back into the rear cover, then push the rear cover back on to the mirror mount with the mirror tap wire coming out the top of the rear cover.
Line up the 5 clips, and push the cover that houses the performace data recorder back on.
Install the Blendmount, the radar detector (mine is Escort 9500ix) and it works / looks great!
Does anyone know if the wiring is the same on a 2017 GS??
Well the cigarette lighter port by the shifter is switched power. I think people go this route so they don't have an unsightly cord running through their car, like I had.
What I do miss, or will miss, is the "mute" button from the Escort radar cord.
You can hard wire a remote button. Not sure where you'd put it, but we did this in my wife's Mazda CX-5. There's a little cubby on the left lower side of the dash.
Installed my Escort today in my 2017 corvette. First I looked at the mirror cable wiring. Got everything apart just fine but my fingers just aren't small enough to work in the tight area. I'm sure I would have just broke most of those small connectors others showed you could buy. I took a step back and went to the rear fuse block under the carpet. Ran a new wire from the #37 fuse which is ignition controlled fuse for the cigarette lighter. Tested a good 12+ volts. I then ran the fire under the carpet over to the right rear plastic wheel well cover. Tucked it under the coverings down under the plastic door sill all the way to the front pillar. I did take the plastic door sill off and up the pillar cover off.
I then ran the escort hard-wire kit wire from the mirror area.
You have to take off the visor which just unscrews under some plastic covers. Then pull off the upper cover and and window pillar cover off. They are held on with internal clips but if you start at one end they pulled off easily. I then ran the Escort cable across the top of the window and down the pillar. There are opens at the bottom of the pillar to push the wires into the passenger foot-well.Once in there I made my connection to the new positive wire I ran from the rear with some a crimp fitting and used a self tapping screw to install the ground wire to the interior sheet metal. Took no more than 30 minutes start to finish and works great. On and off with the ignition and wired directly into the fuse block. I just flatten end of the new wire. Stuck the end into the fuse block and pushed the fuse back into its slot which also held the wire in. Simple quick, no tampering with existing corvette wiring which is always scary.
First off, Many Thanks to "Rx for me" for starting this thread and sharing his installation with us! Wow... that was three years ago!
I didn't have as easy a time as I had hoped, starting with the mirror back which was not amenable to being removed! After that, the rest was pretty straight forward. Like "JerryU," I saw no reason to pull the wire connector apart and, using a small, narrow awl, enlarged the wire connections to allow the probes to slide in.
The Blendmount just seemed way too expensive to me so I bought the $35.00 alternative from Amazon. And, although it worked as advertised attached to the mirror swivel, I didn't like the location under the mirror. On the one hand, it seemed too close and on the other, it required taking my eyes too far off the road for a fast glance. So, like several others, I decided to attach it to the large, half moon cover in front of the mirror.
Pulled the mirror tap and blend mount out of my 14 Stingray right before I traded it. Need to install it now on my 18 GS. I am guessing its still the purple number 2 wire and five black even with the PDR?
Just wanted to say thank you to all those posting tips and commenting. It helped me out quite a bit. Was a bit nervous at first but it wasn’t bad at all.
Hey, guys, I just did the blend mount with wire tap install a few minutes ago on my 2018 Z06 convertible, I used a invisicord, I did not have to remove the big cover in front of the mirror, I just removed the small mirror cover. I used a thin blade knife to slide into the crack and it came off easy. I had a problem at first with the pins fitting in but then realized if I slid the pin in behind the wire ie: the side that is between the wire rows, it slid in easy. It looks and works great
I did my installation yesterday, a rainy day project. I used a plastic trim remover tool, similar to a thin blade knife. The tip about putting the tap in the side between the wire rows is great. Goes in a lot easier. More slack on the car side wires on the 18 then there were on my 14.
07-01-2017, 09:51 PM
