Cobra Radar Detectors Troubleshooting
Cobra Radar Detectors Troubleshooting Detector Issuing False Alerts
In today’s busy electronic world, there are numerous sources of stray microwave signals.
Some of these sources are security systems, cell phone towers, and automatic door openers at supermarkets. Most door openers at supermarkets operate right in the radar band, so they are actually a good way of testing your detector. You will typically get a warning when driving by. Most false alerts will occur in the city, and you can turn on City Mode to help reduce false alerts. The factory setting for the device is Highway Mode. If you change your setting to City Mode, the device picks up only stronger signals, like police radar, and reduces conflicting signals, like microwave towers, which lead to false alerts. The POP mode sensor is also very sensitive, so limiting your use to highway and rural driving should reduce the number of false alerts.
Detector Not Issuing Alerts
There can be several reasons why a perfectly functioning radar detector does not provide an adequate alert:
The police car did not have an active radar/laser gun. In order to alert, the police car must have a radar or laser gun, and the gun must be turned on. Just because a police car is on the side of the road does not mean it has a radar gun. And if you see a radar gun, it might not be turned on at the moment. Police did not use radar/laser to clock you. The police may be using a non-radar method of clocking speed, such as VASCAR. With VASCAR, an airplane or helicopter measures the time it takes a vehicle to pass 2 markers on the road. A timer is started when you pass the first marker, and then the timer is stopped when you reach the second marker. Your speed can be calculated based on the time it takes to travel between the markers. The pilot then radios the information to a police car. Since no radar or laser is involved with VASCAR, it cannot be detected by a radar detector. Installation Issues. The radar detector needs a clear, unobstructed view down the road. The detector should be mounted at the windshield, and there should be no obstructions (such as windshield wipers) in front of the detector. The detector also needs to be level. This is accomplished by bending the mounting bracket as needed until the detector is level. For best results against laser detection, mount the detector as low as possible on the windshield. Do not mount the detector behind any window tint, otherwise laser detection can be severely reduced. Issues with the windshield. Your vehicle may have an electric defroster built into the windshield or a special coating on the windshield. Both of these items can block radar and/or laser signals.
To check whether your vehicle has any of these, please inquire at your auto dealer or the auto manufacturer. Police used “instant-on” radar to clock you. With instant-on radar, the officer waits until your vehicle is very close and then he turns on his radar gun. Your detector will not alert until you are right on top of them. The best way to detect instant-on radar is to detect the officer clocking someone ahead of you. If you are the only car on the road, be careful! Issues with the local terrain. The officer may have been positioned over a hill or around a curve. Curves and hills will reduce radar range. Use caution when approaching curves and hills. IntelliMute was turned on. On detectors with Intelli-Mute, the Intelli-Mute may have been engaged. This can result in only 1 beep which may have gone unnoticed. Try turning Intelli-Mute off.
Muted If you are not receiving any alerts, the mute button might be pressed. Check in the Cobra SPX 5300 Radar Detector that the middle left button that says “MUTE” is not pressed, otherwise all the alerts will be shut off. If it is pressed, just press it again to activate the alert sounds. If you have tried pressing the mute button to take off the mute function and the device is still not issuing alerts, the button itself may be faulty. You will want to replace it.
Faulty Audio Dial If the mute button is not pressed and there are still no alerts issued from the Cobra SPX 5300 Radar Detector, the audio dial might be faulty. You will want to replace it.
Incorrect Position The Cobra SPX 5300 is very sensitive to positioning within the car. In order for the device to receive a strong signal from radars, it must be level on the windshield and have an unobstructed view. If the device is not positioned in that way, it may not receive any signals.
In today’s busy electronic world, there are numerous sources of stray microwave signals.
Some of these sources are security systems, cell phone towers, and automatic door openers at supermarkets. Most door openers at supermarkets operate right in the radar band, so they are actually a good way of testing your detector. You will typically get a warning when driving by. Most false alerts will occur in the city, and you can turn on City Mode to help reduce false alerts. The factory setting for the device is Highway Mode. If you change your setting to City Mode, the device picks up only stronger signals, like police radar, and reduces conflicting signals, like microwave towers, which lead to false alerts. The POP mode sensor is also very sensitive, so limiting your use to highway and rural driving should reduce the number of false alerts.
Detector Not Issuing Alerts
There can be several reasons why a perfectly functioning radar detector does not provide an adequate alert:
The police car did not have an active radar/laser gun. In order to alert, the police car must have a radar or laser gun, and the gun must be turned on. Just because a police car is on the side of the road does not mean it has a radar gun. And if you see a radar gun, it might not be turned on at the moment. Police did not use radar/laser to clock you. The police may be using a non-radar method of clocking speed, such as VASCAR. With VASCAR, an airplane or helicopter measures the time it takes a vehicle to pass 2 markers on the road. A timer is started when you pass the first marker, and then the timer is stopped when you reach the second marker. Your speed can be calculated based on the time it takes to travel between the markers. The pilot then radios the information to a police car. Since no radar or laser is involved with VASCAR, it cannot be detected by a radar detector. Installation Issues. The radar detector needs a clear, unobstructed view down the road. The detector should be mounted at the windshield, and there should be no obstructions (such as windshield wipers) in front of the detector. The detector also needs to be level. This is accomplished by bending the mounting bracket as needed until the detector is level. For best results against laser detection, mount the detector as low as possible on the windshield. Do not mount the detector behind any window tint, otherwise laser detection can be severely reduced. Issues with the windshield. Your vehicle may have an electric defroster built into the windshield or a special coating on the windshield. Both of these items can block radar and/or laser signals.
To check whether your vehicle has any of these, please inquire at your auto dealer or the auto manufacturer. Police used “instant-on” radar to clock you. With instant-on radar, the officer waits until your vehicle is very close and then he turns on his radar gun. Your detector will not alert until you are right on top of them. The best way to detect instant-on radar is to detect the officer clocking someone ahead of you. If you are the only car on the road, be careful! Issues with the local terrain. The officer may have been positioned over a hill or around a curve. Curves and hills will reduce radar range. Use caution when approaching curves and hills. IntelliMute was turned on. On detectors with Intelli-Mute, the Intelli-Mute may have been engaged. This can result in only 1 beep which may have gone unnoticed. Try turning Intelli-Mute off.
Muted If you are not receiving any alerts, the mute button might be pressed. Check in the Cobra SPX 5300 Radar Detector that the middle left button that says “MUTE” is not pressed, otherwise all the alerts will be shut off. If it is pressed, just press it again to activate the alert sounds. If you have tried pressing the mute button to take off the mute function and the device is still not issuing alerts, the button itself may be faulty. You will want to replace it.
Faulty Audio Dial If the mute button is not pressed and there are still no alerts issued from the Cobra SPX 5300 Radar Detector, the audio dial might be faulty. You will want to replace it.
Incorrect Position The Cobra SPX 5300 is very sensitive to positioning within the car. In order for the device to receive a strong signal from radars, it must be level on the windshield and have an unobstructed view. If the device is not positioned in that way, it may not receive any signals.
