Escort Passport 8500 X50 - Freaks out "LASER" during hard acceleration?!

[409industries]

I have the strangest issue with my radar detector that just started happening recently. A little bit about my setup. I have an Escort Passport 8500 X50 that i've had for about 3 years now, it is suction mounted on my windshield, and connected via a hard wire 12v kit from Escort. This is installed in a moderately modified 2004 Subaru WRX STi

What has happened a couple times lately is getting on the freeway, or coming around a corner I will get hard on the gas (wide open throttle) and my radar detector will instantly blast me with a LASER detection, beeping insanely as it does. Once i lift off the throttle the alert goes away.

Is there some kind of power spike through my hard wire kit that is setting this thing off? I've seen it chirp "Service Required" on a few different occasions, but i just power it off and back on again so the alert goes away. Will getting this serviced take care of this problem? Also, is there a way to perform a factory reset on the detector?

[<<JAZZY>>]

Common problem with Bels and Escorts...search is your friend. It is the electrical interference in your car. You will probably have to get some kind of filter from Radio Shack.

[Event Horizon]

I had this happen everytime I honked the horn. Lol. Good laser alert test haha. But with it coming from the pedal, that's gotta be annoying. And yes, you can do a factory reset. I was somewhere in the manual I think you had to hold a few buttons while turning it on.

[409industries]

Yes, search is my friend... now that i'm registered i will do some searching...

Quick ? though. Will a "reset to factory defaults" help with this problem?

In the meantime will do some testing with the regular cigarette lighter adapter powering it.

[<<JAZZY>>]

Yes, search is my friend... now that i'm registered i will do some searching...

Quick ? though. Will a "reset to factory defaults" help with this problem?

In the meantime will do some testing with the regular cigarette lighter adapter powering it.

I have never heard of a reset fixing this, but maybe I am just forgetful.

Check these links:

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...-question.html

http://escortradarforum.com/forums/a...php/t-223.html

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...er-alerts.html

http://forum.mazda6club.com/car-elec...-hardwire.html

[409industries]

quite possibly the most informative thing i've read on the subject:

http://escortradarforum.com/forums/s...=3144#post3144

The noise filter may work, and is worth a try, but it is doubtful.

The reason that hard acceleration is setting off the laser circuit is that the laser circuitry uses a high-gain amplifier. Any strong electrical interference, electrical noise, will trigger a laser alert. Your vehicle is equipped with a variable valve timing system which, due to the electro-magnetic clutch of the system, emits a large amount of noise which the detector is picking up when the valve timing is being adjusted during hard acceleration.

From an actual Escort rep too. My car does run AVCS (variable valve timing) so i could see that during a period where the timing is changed drastically (during hard acceleration) that this could be the cause.

I'm just glad its not my horn making this happen

[Toolfan]

my Gmc Canyon does the same thing.It wont do it every time.A few nights ago every time I hit the horn for more then 2 or 3 seconds it would set off the laser on my x50.scares the hell outta ya at first,other nights it wont go off and I leave my suction mount up behind the tint strip at top of window 24/7 so its location changing doesn't effect it iv found.

[409industries]

Yes... this was my main reason for actually posting up online trying to find a solution. IT WOULD SCARE THE CRAP OUT OF ME (although it would get me to slowdown most of the time). I too noticed that it was not every time that this would happen.

My solution in the interm. i've disabled Laser detection, i never get hit with it around here, and even if it did... i'm already toast.

[Akosikojak]

My solution in the interm. i've disabled Laser detection, i never get hit with it around here, and even if it did... i'm already toast.

Exatamundo

[409industries]

LOL! Nice pic...

It does irritate me knowing that this never used to happen. I may try cleaning the grounds up, etc.