Hi from NZ. Just got my 2011 XFR Black Pack. I'm have searched for an answer to this so sorry if it has already been covered.

Car has the heated windshield. Before I do my simple install of the V1 radar detector to the rear view mirror area I need to know if it will work as I have read that Radar detecters are rendered practically useless on some cars but not all that have the heated windshield.

Is this the case with the XFR as well.

Thanks. Russell.

 

Russell,

This is not definitive because here in Aus RADAR Detectors are illegal, (I'm a well known 'cynical old coot, but I & about 20,000,000 other Australians would probably agree that it is about 'revenue gathering') but I would guess that it is more likely to be the brand of detector than rather than the Marque of car. An embedded wire in the glasss could cause a problem if it was in precisely the wrong spot in front of the transmitter, but minor adjustment of the vertical position should overcome that.

This is probably one of those 'suck it and see' situations.

Cheers,

Languid

 

Thanks Languid. On a hot day the screen has a light bronze tint to it and you can see the fine mesh weave on the screen. I personally do not like the heated screen as the clarity is bad and don't need it as we barely have to use heat here in Auckland. (UK import car) I tried looking at the screen with polarized glasses but could not see any open areas. I would like to mount it centered at the bottom of the mirror.

 

Heat is only desirable if you get winter. Which you don't in Auckland. Barely desirable in the UK. Very nice feature here. Last week we awoke to minus 30C.

I affix my my Bel Passport battery powered detector to the left ( in your case it would be the right) lower corner where you will see the wires are absent. I suspect but do not know that the wires do not interfere with radar reception enough to make a difference but it may be hard on your license to do the necessary testing!

The heating wires are embedded in the laminate layer and are essentially vertical and evenly spaced so do not run down each side of the screen.

Our enforcement includes laser which is extremely difficult to detect in time so I would not risk any impairment of reception (laser is infrared light I believe). Again I do not know the effect of heating wires on laser detection.

BTW. I do not understand why anyone bothers with a wired detector anymore. The battery powered ones are more than adequate. Nothing substitutes for situational awareness. I only get tickets when I am distracted. Ironically, although radar detectors are not illegal to use here it is now illegal to manipulate any portable electronic device unless legally parked. Our distracted driving law is ridiculously broad. Cup holders can no longer be legally used, e.g. Except to hold your coffee cup while the coffee goes cold.

Of course speeding is illegal which is why I have used a detector since they became readily available, legal or not. Only dangerous driving ought to be prosecuted IMHO. The authorities don't want to be put to that inconvenience.

Finally, radar detectors are generally ineffective against expertly used instant on radar or lidar. Also largely ineffective against camera radar. We now have red light camera enforcement which occasionally also detects speeding through a green light! Revenue raising? Surely not when the owner of the vehicle ( not the driver) receives his ticket in the mail three weeks after the alleged offence. Testing demonstrator cars are not covered so you can still flog those. Out of state ( province) also cannot be prosecuted this way.

Good luck and if you do use your detector behind the wires successfully please post results.

 

Thanks Jagular.

I think what I will do is just test it out with the cig lighter cord in different places 1st and then make a decision on what to do. I don't think I would want it in the right lower corner.

As our insurance policies cover windscreens (stone chips bad here!) I will for the 1st time in my life actually look forward to a stone chipped screen so I can have a regular screen installed.

 

Our screens last about 3 years on average before a stone takes it out. I am on my first replacement screen at 3 years. If not damaged by a stone the glass surface is pitted by thousands of tiny craters caused by grit impact at speed on winter roads. Then the screen starts to scatter headlight or sunlight which combined with the heating wires reduces visibility. That is when I go stone hunting. The wiper blades also are beating when the screen is pitted.

Make sure you give that lower right corner location a try. Although that angles the detector it does so usefully if most of your radar is oncoming moving radar. If Kiwi Kops like roadside stationary traps then this is less than ideal. I only saw camera vans roadside when I was on the north island in 98 and 03. I didn't see any in 2011 but then I hardly attracted any attention from anybody while driving a horrible little Toyota hire car.

 

Thanks Jagular. I'll play around with it and see what happens.

Pretty much the same with cops here except they are not allowed to hide when they 'ping' you anymore.

 

Installed the V1 just to the right and above the rear view mirror and it woks fine with the heated windscreen. I also have a garminfone and it gets GPS no problem as well.

 

vs2,

Interloper here - I spotted the title as I was scrolling down to XK8 section!

I have a heated windshield in my XK8 and use Indago Sat Nav and radar detector with no issues. There's an indicator on this device to show signal strength and GPS signal is no different with the heated screen to what it was in the last XK8 I had with a plain screen.

Only vehicles I've had problems with are those that have the bronze anti-glare coating. On a number of hired Japanese cars, this has effectively disabled my detector.

Graham

 

sorry to revive an old thread, but i feel it is important as I am in this situation now

Since its been 4 years since this thread started, I wanted to see what kind of information has come to light regarding the radar detectors and the heated windsheild.

i got my car 2 weeks ago and since then i had 2 instances where there were cops sitting with their radar guns just waiting for people, and my radar detector didnt make a peep. the first time i thought it was strange, the second time i knew there was a problem.