again, i was supposed to make a new thread to introduce myself, but i keep making great discoveries. just picked up the car two days ago.

was poking around inside of the trunk and found a tab and low and behold, i found THIS

can someone tell me what i am looking at here. looks like a some kind of voltage converter/ballast, with wires attached to it. and the black box sitting inside the corner, is that the fuse box, or lunch box, jack in the box? i don't think i want to open it. to be clear, the voltage converter looking thing was sitting on top of the black box when i pulled open the tab, and those wires were tucked inside the corner.

mystery

 

The box with wires looks like a grille mount (hidden) antenna for a radar detector.

The big black plastic box is just the fusebox.

Tip - Pull fuse 22 if you want your exhaust to be open all the time, rather than just over 4000 rpm. Growley but not obnoxious.

 

Government GPS Tracker, must have been a Drug Dealers car

 

Haha, kidding

The black box with wires IS a Radar Detector module for installed detectors such as the Escort Passport. Likely the Rear Antennae not used but stored in that area. You might have one installed in the front and dont know it. Look for it, if found, then you possibly have one in the car and once found can use it.

I found one in my RR that I had no idea it had. K40 totally hidden and Remote control to run it. Had to buy the remote to make it work. But works well

 

"Aim arrow through grille, do not obstruct face with metal. Unit can detect through plastic."

probably a radar detector that you install on your grill

does appear to be installed incorrectly based upon its location

 

so what would the unit look like in the cabin? a box? a remote? i don't believe i noticed anything in the cabin out of the ordinary. i was thinking maybe it's a battery conditioner the previous owner installed.

btw, that cigarette lighter socket in the trunk above the pic, that is where you would plug in the battery conditioner right?

 

yes that is where I plug mine in

 

Nope, for sure a radar module!

Take a look under around in your front end and see if you can locate the exact same type of box there. If so and its mounted, then you most likely have at least a front warning system installed and the rear was A. not installed B. just stored in that cubby in the back. Now, if the back one's wires are somehow attached to something in the back, then its is installed also.

Then start looking in your ashtray, under dash in front near drivers side, inside center console if you have one, etc.... for the small PassPort module. You may have a K40 which doesn't have an electronic view plate and is run by remote control. Then you would look for a roundish speaker mounted under the dash somewhere also. Then it would be tracing it and see which model you have, ordering the remote and seeing if it works. Thats what I did and mine works fine, but only front sensor is mounted on mine.

Hope that helps, you will have to search a bit ti figure this out.

Also, part number or module number or company name on the trunk black box in google will help you some too.

 

Go to a custom authorized passport installer if you can't figure it out. They may have the missing pieces on hand and show you how to use it (possibly up sell you too).

 

cool, thanks guys. this is a load of good info. i'll take a look at it when i get home tonight.

for battery conditioner, what do you guys recommend. i briefly searched on this form last night and it seems CTEK MXS 5 is the best. but i was so tired last night that i didn't go any farther. i know these cars are notorious PITA when battery runs out, you can't even open the locked doors.

 

that is correct that is why you need the metal key which is laser cut, a lot of car don't have that key. if you don't have it you should get yourself one so you don't get stuck.

 

That is the rear radar receiver for some version of K40. Could be remote or hardwired. As previously stated, look under the dash for a speaker and possibly a control pad/switch. It's always nice to get something for free

 

I came home and looked under the driver side and passenger side .the only thing I spotted was this odd looking thing user the glove box. Is this it? This looks to me like a tire sensor.

 

Found it!

It's mounted right behind the grill on the passenger side. Here is a picture . It's a K40 like you said.

You guys are good ! Now I just gotta figure out how to use this thing .I can't find any remotes. Is this thing supposed to work through the car's speaker or console or something?

 

It's always nice to find extras you didn't expect. When I got my V8V, i got a custom exhaust, extra key and a set of sport pack wheels that were practically brand new...