What to Look for if Your R-Series Radar Will Not Turn On

One of the most common fixes we have found is that when operating the vehicle, owners of R-Series radar detectors will press the mute button on the 12v power adapter supplied with their device. However, pressing and holding the MUTE button will result in dimming the screens brightness between "Auto", "Bright", "Dim", "Dimmer", "Dark", and "Off". 

If you are experiencing a small blinking dot on your screen in the bottom corners, the radar is in "Dark" mode. This is a normal function of the device. You can return the radar to normal by pressing and holding the mute button on the adapter.

If you have reason to believe that the device is not currently being powered despite being plugged into its power source, press and hold the "Mute" button on either the device or the power adapter to be sure that the screen is not set on the "Off" setting.

Once the above steps have been completed, look at the other end of the power adapter that plugs into the R-Series radar detector. Inspect the RJ45 acrylic tip for any cracks, dirt, or separation from the wire boot. Ensure the internal wires are still fully seated forward as to make contact with the copper leads. Lastly, inspect the cable boot. Over time the cable boot can become frail causing it to either no longer provide the strain relief necessary, or it can become separated from the clear acrylic tip. The wire color code is provided below in the event you are trying to use a different power cable/power source.

Now that all of the above steps have been completed, return to the cigarette lighter portion of the charger. Inspect the chrome tip for any residue, debris, or dirt that may interfere with a good contact to the cigarette port in your vehicle. If there is any potential contamination, take a cotton swap, apply Isopropyl alcohol to it, and swab softly until the debris is cleared. Once you confirm that the solution has dried, test to see if this has fixed the issue.

If this does not work, either the internal fuse (which has not shown any faulting in past subjects) or internal spring has become worn down over the time of ownership. If this is the case, you may need to replace the charger as this spring is not able to be removed from the housing.