I am going to be installing a radar detector in my wife's new XF. In prior cars (Volvo, GMC, Honda & Toyota) I have found accessible power in the harness to the homelink/rearview mirror or to the controls (lights, sunroof) in the overhead console between the driver's and passenger's seats. Anyone done something like this yet on an XF? Does anyone know how to properly get the overhead console down? I can tap into the homelink wiring going to the mirror quite easily, but would prefer to tap a more substantial circuit such as the lighting or sunroof power that is likely in or above the console. Thanks for any help.

 

I got it wired this weekend. For anyone else considering such a project, it was fairly easy. Although there is a fuse box in the passenger side footwell, it appears the side curtain airbags will deploy from the a-piller so I did not want to run a wire up that piller.

There was not enough room in the cover that sits between the rearview mirror and windshield to wire everything in (fuses and all), so I went for the overhead console. The overhead console comes down easily. It is "hinged" at the windshield, but you can carefully pull it down from the sidestowards the back until you can disengage the plastic hinge type pieces. Inside the opening there is a wiring harness for the lights and sunroof switches and you have access to the sunroof motor. There wasplenty of roomto wire everything in, secure the fuse assemblyand then run the wire between the roof and headliner (only a few inches) and then come through the front of the headliner where the wiring harness that goes into the rearview mirrorhousing goes from above the headliner down to the mirror housing.

On a side note, I was very impressed with the efforts Jag goes to in order to make sure there are not squeaks or rattles in the overhead wiring, console or headliner. Felt and foam line everything and the entire wiring harness is completely encased in its own foam.

 

I opted for the battery powered Passport. It works, so far at least.

 

great info dfwxf! did you take any pictures of you project?

 

Sorry, no photos. I did the install quickly one morning so my wife would not come out and see her new car in pieces.

With respect to a cordless install, we have used Valentine 1 units for several years and as of yet, they do not make a cordless model. Once you have driven with a Valentine 1 you will find it difficult to go with anything else, regardless of the convenience of cordless.

 

Jeez this would be amazing to know, I was about to go to my dealership to ask a tech. V1 or nothing!

 

Sorry, I don't remember which wire I tapped. I used a simple 12v light up tester and checked each wire at the harness plug with the ignition on and then with it off to see which ones had power only when the ignition was on. As far as the ground screw, I don't recall exactly which one I used either, but I found it by using the same tester hooked to the live side of the lighter and touching the various screws until I found a good ground. You can get a 12v light up tester at any auto parts store real cheap. The one I use looks like a screwdriver with a lightbulb in it with a long wire attached to an alligator clip. The installation has been working with no problems, and when the car is parked at the airport we just wrap the cord (I used the coiled cord) around the mirror housing and it essentially disappears from sight.

 

Awesome!!