Weird laser problem.

**M_Six** · 05-12-2006, 09:04 AM

I had a last generation Passport 8500 which would give me false laser alerts every few minutes. I thought sure it was a problem with the detector, so I traded it in on a new 8500 X50. This morning I got two seemingly false laser alerts on that one, too. The only thing I can think of is that I have a small crack on my windshield and maybe it's refracting light into the detector? Or could it be a power issue? Would surges in power set off the laser alert?

**RacerX** · 05-12-2006, 11:18 AM

Welcome.
my guess would be a power issue. some people have reported that honking their horn will even set off a laser alert.

i would check your wiring and maybe run it in voltage display mode for a while and keep an eye on what it says.

there's been some discussions around here lately about voltage and power issues affecting detectors.

maybe move it slightly to the side of that crack, "just in case" too.

**M_Six** · 05-12-2006, 05:31 PM

Definitely a problem with the car. It went off five times in succession tonight on the way home. I unplugged it and plugged it back in and it acted normally afterward. Now I need to figure out why this would suddenly start happening after using a Passport successfully for over a year in this car. :?

**A-TownNavi** · 05-12-2006, 05:42 PM

i had the same prob with mine when i had it. whenever i would roll down a window, step on the gas a little hard, etc etc, it would scream laser. however, when i hardwired it, it never did it. but whenever i use my V1 on its regular cord (not hardwired) it never falses laser, so its obviously something with the X50 and power supplies. good luck 8) .

**M_Six** · 05-12-2006, 06:27 PM

I suppose I could hard wire it. It sits in the same place in the center of the dash, so the wire would be short and barely noticeable. But I really like having the mute button on the power cord. It's right under my hand when I want to mute the thing. With hard wiring, you lose that.

**A-TownNavi** · 05-12-2006, 06:37 PM

not necessarily, you can get the hardwire kit with the mute button and alert LED built in, you could put it right down there where you have it now

**M_Six** · 05-12-2006, 07:12 PM

Not sure how that would work. I'd be running the wiring down the defrost vent and into the fuse box under the dash. Is the remote mute button on a separate wire I could run in from the center console?

This is my fourth Escort dating back decades. You'd think I'd know all this stuff by now.

**M_Six** · 05-12-2006, 07:18 PM

Never mind. Dumb question. I just went to their site and saw the cord. If it's long enough, that just might work.

**RacerX** · 05-12-2006, 08:02 PM

it should be plenty long.

sometimes those cig lighters can act up, and even though something looks plugged in, it isn't getting a good solid supply of voltage.

And like A-town said, you could put it where you want.

**compu44** · 05-13-2006, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by M_Six

Never mind. Dumb question. I just went to their site and saw the cord. If it's long enough, that just might work.

3 foot from fuse panel to mute control and the 8ft from mute control to detector.

However, your problem with laser alerts is most commonly caused by either your distributor cap or plug wires.