How to repair a muffled Escort Passport 8500 X50
Symptoms:
I damaged my Passport 8500 by dropping it approximately 8 inches when getting
out of my car.
After the drop, the audio was muffled but still
functional.
Please note that this repair assumes the audio is still functional on the
radar detector.
This page details a few simple steps that can be taken to repair.
Tools needed:
Small philips head screw driver (size #1)
This repair is made with the detector unplugged.
Do not attempt repair with power being supplied to the detector.
Step one
Remove the three small screws from the bottom of the detector.
These are the ONLY screws holding the unit together so take care and do not
drop the unit if it splits apart after removing the screws.
Step two
If the detector did not come apart when you removed the screws, gently pull
the top and bottom halves apart.
It should be noted that all of the buttons on the 8500 are fastened to the
case, so there is little chance that they will come out during this repair.
Step three
Locate the speaker on the main board:
This is how the speaker should look if it has
not been damaged in a drop.
In a drop, the top cap of the speaker easily snaps off causing the sound to
be blocked and therefore muffled.
Step four
Before reinstalling the cap, make sure the small metal disc is properly seated
(see photo below).
The small disc must make contact with the center of the speaker in order to
operate properly.
The small raised circle on the disc should be facing away from the main board.
Step five
The small cap should now be gently placed
back over the metal disc and speaker.
This cap holds the speaker assembly together; without this cap, the speaker
will simply fall apart again.
The speaker should now look like it does in the photo below:
Step five
Reassemble the detector by CAREFULLY
putting the two halves back together.
There is a small snap tab on the side of the top half near the front, make
sure this is properly seated.
Reinstall the three small screws. You are screwing into plastic; do not strip
the holes by over tightening the screws.
Step six
Plug the power cord into the detector and power
on the detector.
Inspect the audio by accessing the options menu and allowing it to cancel
out. This makes two sets of beeps, the second is full volume.
Disclaimer:
This page contains information that you may not need to read.
The owner of this web page takes no responsibility for any modification or
repairs made to any car or product in this How-to.
If you are not comfortable with the repair and/or modification, you should
NOT attempt.
You accept any and all responsibility for any modification made to any car
or product.
Modification and/or repair may void you warranty.