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I know this is an old thread but just want to give a shout out to the OP for posting this. I installed my Blendmount and mirror tap this weekend using this thread and it was dead on. Thanks for posting!
I have a couple of questions not covered in the 23 pages on this already. I had my mirrowtap installed and working fine a year ago till the jackasses at Safelite in Plano TX pulled the wires out when replacing my windshield.
Finally got around to doing it again (been using the old curly cord and console outlet since then) this weekend and ran into nothing but problems. First, the wire that was broke off left the tap down in the connector on the ground wire with nothing sticking up to grab onto to remove it. Tried all my connector release tools but didn't have the right one to release that tiny connector in the plug. If you think it's a tight fit, try it with a broken mirror tap already in there taking up space. Finally filed down a tap and got both the purple wire and black wire tapped again.
As hard as I tried I couldn't get the connector oriented correctly to get the cover back on completely. Finally left it with a 1/8 inch gap all around for now.
Specifically my questions are: 1) I think the car side of the connector orients upward and the mirror side down in the cover. Is this correct? 2) Does the purple wire or black wire go toward the driver's side or does it make any difference?
I tried to push as much of the car side of the harness up into the small hole in the headliner to gain space but the connector still wanted to stick down far enough to make it very difficult to get the cover on. I finally got the cover even with the bottom of the area it snaps onto, but no matter how hard I tried I simply couldn't get the cover to latch onto the tabs and fit flush with the housing. If someone can help me with what I'm doing wrong it will be very much appreciated!
Doug
Doug, mine is not perfectly flush with the roof after my install, unless it really bothers you just leave it and see after a couple weeks if its still bothering you
finally had time to give this a try - instructions were great - agree with several post I did not remove the first cover - was not necessary - but the purple and black wires were the same, and took the small screw driver to help move the pin - then they went in - hardest part was putting the cover back on = now my V1 is in automatic operations
I like the design of the Blendmount, but when the Passport Max is mounted on it the lower case's lip is not supported. This could result in Case Splitting. The OEM Escort mount holds the detector by the top of the case and it also clips onto the lip on the bottom of the case (see below). This design should eliminate case splitting because it holds both the top and the bottom.
I took the swivel section of the original mount and screwed it to the top half of a bicycle reflector mount. I also wired up my own power cord using a black RJ11 cable and some hard leads off the bottom of an old IC socket. My detector sits at the perfect height, but it sits further away from the windshield than a Blendmount would. I have easy access to the control buttons and the rear facing sensor is not blocked. This solution cost me nothing and it works great.
This is the most creative & elegant solution! For the flat wire & rj11 plug, since it' a five wire, which wire colors or pins in the flat wire, did you use into the purple & black mirror harness pins?
I know the existing tab fits into the slot for the Max. How is the bottom supported to prevent case splitting?
I'll let you know how it goes for me.
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:
Originally Posted by Rx for me
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!
Thank you to all who contributed to this thread, especially the one with photos. Thanks to you all I installed the wire tap and Blendmount for a Valentine 1 and it looks factory installed. I didn't have to remove the PDR cover. I did use a dental pick to pull down and towards the front of the car to remove the cover off the BASE of the mirror, not the BACK of the mirror. It took about 45 min to complete with "radar tap" wire that included a pair of extra small inserts/taps that allowed me to not need a needle or or dowel to dilate the space into which the tap blade was inserted. Once again your forum is the best and I thank you all.
After three frustrating days and breaking off the mirror tap points I finally got it installed. I could not get the mirror tap to fit into the spaces of the purple and black wires. What I finally did was to cut two safety pins and solder them on to the mirror tap wire and they were small and pointy enough to shove next to the wires in the plug. One major thing I learned and had read in this post is that you "do not" have to take off the cover in front of the mirror. There is no way that cover impedes you from working with the mirror tap wires.
After three frustrating days and breaking off the mirror tap points I finally got it installed. I could not get the mirror tap to fit into the spaces of the purple and black wires. What I finally did was to cut two safety pins and solder them on to the mirror tap wire and they were small and pointy enough to shove next to the wires in the plug. One major thing I learned and had read in this post is that you "do not" have to take off the cover in front of the mirror. There is no way that cover impedes you from working with the mirror tap wires.
The mirror tap I used had large (width-wise) blades and adapters to smaller ones. I simply cut the large ones off and resoldered the smaller ones in their place. I also cut the overall length down as it was too long anyway.
I didn't have to remove the PDR cover. I did use a dental pick to pull down and towards the front of the car to remove the cover....
Originally Posted by StevieK
After three frustrating days and breaking off the mirror tap points I finally got it installed. I could not get the mirror tap to fit into the spaces of the purple and black wires. What I finally did was to cut two safety pins and solder them on to the mirror tap wire and they were small and pointy enough to shove next to the wires in the plug. One major thing I learned and had read in this post is that you "do not" have to take off the cover in front of the mirror.
Originally Posted by KenHorse
The mirror tap I used had large (width-wise) blades and adapters to smaller ones. I simply cut the large ones off and resoldered the smaller ones in their place. I also cut the overall length down as it was too long anyway.
Works like a charm
I found it relatively easy once reviewing some key pics in the many Threads on the subject. The one from Speednet had the best view showing the wires that get tapped in the back. Like others did not remove the PDR cover. I also found I did NOT need to separate the plug as others said was necessary. You're inserting the Blendmount wires in the back of plug that I found stays in place easier to push in a dental pick without disconnecting, to enlarge the opening.
I found of the various pins provided by Blendmount the small round pins provided bent. (Note I had purchased a cheap splice system but the telephone plug was so bad it didn't fit. The Amazon supplier just returned my ~$10 and said keep it! IMO since Blendmount comes with several pin sizes easily connected it's worth the price.) Enlarged the pin insertion access with a dental pick. Then used the smallest of the flat pins provided and inserted ~half way by hand and finished by pushing with small needle nose pliers.
To allow the wires to come out of the cover without pinching I used a rat tail file to make a small half round notch in the cover.
I installed a mirror tap in my 2019 GS in about a half hour after reviewing all the comments and suggestions in this thread. Based on feedback, I didn’t remove the PDR cover and was able to get the back off the mirror mount by gently prying with a small nylon fiber body tool. I didn’t separate the plug; rather, just pulled the extra wire slack from the headliner and was able to view and work on the top of the plug by turning it sideways. Used a jewelers blade screwdriver to make room for the taps on the purple (+) and black (-) wires on the car side of the plug. I had bought the mirror tap with multiple size taps, using the smallest for the install. Still needed a little push from needle nose pliers to fully seat the taps into the plug. Checked for voltage by starting the car - proved a good connection. Used a small round file to create an opening at the top of the mirror mount back/cover for the radar detector plug wire to exit. Came out perfect with zero complications.
Thanks to all who posted tips on this thread!
Last edited by runner61627; 03-21-2019 at 08:40 PM.
Nice to see you solved the challenge. I didn't have any luck and finally threw in the towel. Weaved the tel cable around the trim. It would have been really nice if GM was forward thinking and had that tap external and available. But that's probably asking too much!!!
Nice to see you solved the challenge. I didn't have any luck and finally threw in the towel. Weaved the tel cable around the trim. It would have been really nice if GM was forward thinking and had that tap external and available. But that's probably asking too much!!!
Bob
Agree - It would be great if vehicle manufacturers would put an RJ-11 plug on the back of mirrors to provide a readymade power port for a variety of potential uses, including GoPro cameras, GPS/NAV and radar detectors. The mirror tap is currently the best solution, albeit a tough install on some vehicles.
05-06-2018, 08:59 PM
