Repair or Discard?
The question on most people’s mind is “should I repair a broken radar detector?” If you had to ask me, I’d say there’s no absolute answer here. Depending on the extent of damage and how old the unit is, you may just save yourself trouble and money by buying a new device. However, if it’s fairly new and you know the fixing won’t burn a hole in your wallet, take a look at it and see what you can do. Consult a professional if needed.
Radar Detector Problems
1. Speaker Not Working
Radar detectors have small speakers and they are connected by fine wires. If not handled carefully, the wire can break and disconnect from the speaker. Or, the speaker may be busted. To identify the problem, look into the unit. You can plug the output to a temporary external speaker and it’ll work just fine. If it doesn’t, the internal chip may be defective ad needs replacement.
2. Display Stuck
Your unit will likely have a few functions that you can access by pressing on a button. Sometimes, the display gets stuck and you can’t select function you want. If that’s the case, try resetting. If that doesn’t work, the switch may have become defective or needs soldering. The buttons should connect directly to the circuit board for easy pressing.
3. No display
If you’ve switched it on and there’s no display, it means one of two things – either the display may be defective or the connecting wire has gone loose. If you look up the manual, you’ll find a factory reset recommendation. First, power off the unit and then press the stated buttons to power on again (usually you need to hold down a few buttons simultaneously). If that doesn’t work, try replacing the display.
4. Laser Alert Goes Off Suddenly
Your laser circuit may be oversensitive, or you have a loose connection in your unit. Excessive electrical noise can also cause this. Try tapping power from higher amperage terminals because the heavier cables usually connect to car battery and produce less electrical noise. This is also prone to happen after you’ve parked your car in a high temperature environment. If that happens, it means that some part in the unit may be defective and needs changing.
These are the typically more common problems for radar detectors. Feel free to read my other reviews to have a clearer idea about radar detectors.
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