LASER false alarms with Escort 8500 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

brettcoon · 10th June 2001, 02:08

So I went for a drive today down San Felipe road in San Jose. As I'm driving along, suddenly my Escort starts ringing with a Laser alert. I had never heard one before, and it's a really loud, attention-grabbing sound, so quite frankly I about messed myself when it first went off. I currently have my Escort hidden behind my mirror, so I couldn't see the display to even be sure it was what was making the noise at first.

I looked around, saw no police cars, and continued driving. During the next 30 minutes of driving, however, I got at least another five laser false alarms. I'm sure these were false, because I was getting them on a narrow, twisty, two-lane road that was far enough from civilization that I know it wasn't loaded with cops.

My guess is that the overhead trees caused my car to constantly move in and out of the shadows, so maybe the flickering noon-time sunlight was triggering the laser sensor.

Has anyone else gotten false laser alarms like this? It was really annoying, to the point that I'll probably disable the laser detection if it keeps this up.

-Brett

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Brett Coon - brett@transmeta.com - www.cheesepipe.com
2001 M5 - Royal Red w/ black sport interior

thebishman · 10th June 2001, 02:50

Something in the inside of the M5 uses infra-red sensing, I just can't remember if it's the rain sensor or the intrusion alarm, but I believe it's the rain sensor.
See if your windshield wiper control is set to the first position, (ie the rain sensing one), which could be producing the infra red and hence setting off the Escort. If you turn the wipers completely off, you may notice the false alarms are gone.
thebishman

Mattar · 10th June 2001, 04:29

its the rain sensor and when you look you car the motion sensor in it.

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Mattar
E39M5
Mattar M5 Album
"If BMW was a religion, the M5 would be my Messiah."

M5XTRM · 10th June 2001, 04:46

Brett,

I had a similar problem with my Escort 8500. In my case the problem was the LCD screen when on emits an interference frequency that the 8500 interprets as laser. I was successful locating the radar either on the far left corner of the dashboard or in the middle upper part of the windshield to the left of the rear view mirror. Set the radar to Auto and wire it directly to the car. Do not use the cigarette lighter adapter.

Good luck

Luis

greg · 10th June 2001, 05:04

The laser detector in my V1 goes off on 101 in San Carlos when I pass that really bright, LED-lit video sign near Whipple. If your problem was from the rain sensor it would go off all the time. I suspect this was from external sources. Try taking your TV remote control out there - it will make your detector go mad too.

stevem · 10th June 2001, 06:16

The auto focus on my camera also makes the laser on my V1 false alarm.

MEnthusiast · 10th June 2001, 15:21

Brett,
Ive never had that, but the neon lights on the Z8 cause people's V1s to false laser alert. Thats one reason I went to the 8500, which now seems "fakeoutable" also, oh no....

ME