Hi all,

I am going to hard-wire my wife's Valentine 1 radar detector this weekend, and I'm looking for any advice and tips on wire routing and trim panel removal from anyone who has done it in their A3. I searched "valentine install" but found nothing.

It's an '06 A3 with sport & convenience packages. The two under-the-armrest 12V power outlets are both unswitched (that was just dumb on Audi's part), so I want it hard-wired to a switched power source. I've done this on two other cars and have always tapped into a switched 12V wire under the dash somewhere, rather than wiring into the electrical panel with a new relay - the detector does not draw much current, so it's not particularly risky that way (I will not want to start a debate on whether this is a good idea or not).

So - any tips on:

- Routing the power cord under the headliner and a-pillar trim?
- How do I remove the a-pillar trim?
- Is there a compelling reason to route it on the driver's side vs. passenger side A-pillar? - What about routing the wire under the dash?

Thanks!

 

Ok, FINE. I'LL tell YOU how to do it...

The Valentine 1 hard-wiring kit comes with a little black junction connector with two wire leads hanging off of it, as well as two connection ports, one for the power cord and another for the remote display. It also comes with a snap-connector that allows you to tap into an existing powered wire and then attach a spade connector to it. With that in mind...

1. Use a spatula or similar soft, non-marking tool to tuck the power cord under the edge of the headliner, leaving enough slack to reach the detector when it's mounted on the windshield. Work toward the driver's side (for left-hand drive cars) A-pillar.

2. Continue tucking the cord into the crack with the spatula, going down the front edge of the driver's side A-pillar to where it meets the top of the dashboard.

3. Tuck the cord down into the crack on the left edge of the dash, from the front toward the back, until it reaches to the back edge of the A-pillar.

4. Remove the fuse panel front cover from the left side of the dash.

5. Remove the driver's side lower-dash panel (the one under the steering wheel) by removing the 8 mm screw on the left side (exposed when the fuse panel cover was removed) and the two 8 mm screws on the underside of the panel. There is a clip above the dead-pedal that you have to slide the panel out of. All other mounting points snap in and out. Pull straight out wherever it doesn't want to move, but don't twist. It is not necessary to unplug the 2-3 wiring harnesses that mount to the panel - you should have enough room to work with them connected and the panel hanging.

6. Unlatch the back of the fuse panel (two or three lock tabs hold it in place) and swing it up a little to expose the wiring.

7. Find a wire that switches on and off with the ignition. Use a multimeter with a probe to touch the metal end of the connectors on the back of the fuse panel to find a switched wire. I used a black one at the bottom of the fuse panel.

8. Use a multimeter to find a suitable and accessible grounding point, preferably a small screw under the dash somewhere. I cannot even begin to describe where to find the screw I used, and I didn't take any pix. Find your own - you can do it.

9. Use the Valentine-provided snap-connector to tap into the selected switched wire.

10. Plug the red fused lead from the black junction connector into this snap-connector.

11. Connect the black ground wire from the black junction connector to your ground point.

STOP AND TEST:

Plug the V1 power cable into the black junction connector and turn the detector on. It should come on when the engine is started and shut off when the engine is shut off. Disconnect the power cord from the black junction connector.

12. Under the steering wheel, find the U-shaped black metal bracket with two large (~1" diameter) holes in it. The inside of this bracket made a perfect spot to mount the black junction connector.

13. Place the adhesive-backed Velcro patch on the inside of the bracket, between the holes.

14. Close the rear fuse panel cover again. Route the V1 power cord under the dash and above the fuse box, toward the U-shaped black metal bracket, and connect it to the black junction connector.

15. Bundle up the excess wires (black, red, and power) and zip-tie them together close to the black junction connector.

16. Tuck the whole mess into the U-shaped black metal bracket and stick the black junction connector to the Velcro.

17. Replace the lower dash panel with the three 8 mm screws and make sure the bottom edge is in the clip you pulled it out of originally.

18. Replace the fuse panel on the left side of the dash.

19. Test again!

20. Sit in the driveway for 15 minutes starting the engine and shutting it off again to enjoy your fully-automatic switched-power Valentine 1.


Good luck!


PS - For right-hand drive models, print these instructions and hold up to a mirror.

 

Here's another one if you like pictures =)

http://forums.audiworld.com/showthre...=1991309#39751

 

Thanks for the link. I didn't know those fuse taps existed!

 

Have you seen these direct power connections for the Valentine V1?
Anyone used them? Look like they might work nicely to tap into the harness

http://invisicord.com/

 

I assume that this will work on my 2012 A6 as well?

Looks neat and out of the way.