Wiring help needed for radio replacement. RoadAngel?

[Oxytorch]

I've decided to replace the radio. Removing the unit reveals some unexpected spaghetti - see photos. There appears to be an aftermarket device called RoadAngel installed. There is a tan wire which originates from the GSM/GPS unit plug (the one on top of the hazard button) which leads to a female terminal connector which isn't connected to anything. (I had previously removed the GSM/GPS box from behind the glove box compartment). From the middle of this tan wire, a black wire has been soldered on (presumably ground), which leads to a 12V-24V transformer labelled ROADANGEL. The red wire (presumably +12V) arises from the white connector. The output from the transformer then heads right toward the steering column, presumably to the device.

Should I remove all this paraphernalia and if so, what should I remove?
Where do you think the device is? How do I get to it?
Is the terminal connection on the tan wire meant to connect somewhere?

Thanks.

 

[adam01]

Speed detectors

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Oxytorch]

I've figured out that the terminal connector is an additional earth lug which attaches to the housing of the Becker head unit.
I think I'll just remove the black wire where it's been soldered on to the tan wire. Then cut the red wire which will release the RoadAngel socket part to the transformer. I think I'll just shove the remaining transformer part of it inside somewhere to one side where it'll be out of site and leave the disconnected device wherever it's been put. Sound reasonable?

 

[spkennyuk]

Road angel as adam said is a gps speed camera detector system. Its usually a cigarette lighter rechargable device.

Its hard to tell from the picture but has somebody just wired in a hiden cig lighter socket behind the dash and the road angel charger lead is plugged into it.

The bit in your picture in front of the center consol with foam round it looks like the road angel cig charger on the right and the additional socket connected to it on the left.

If the road angel is no longer with the car then your safe to remove it.

The cable coming off the road angel transformer side should go to a small probably round type dc plug. Like an old nokia phone type charging plug which is likely tucked under the dash unused now.

Previous owner would have had it routes up to the dash top somewhere to plug in the road angel. Possibly via the center air vent.

 

[spkennyuk]

The road angel bit on the right is probably this :



And would have plugged into something like this :



The bit the road angel transformer is connected to under the foam is by the looks of it one of these:

 

[Navcorr]

Maybe of little interest in Aus. but in France such devices were banned several years ago. The ban extends to the use of GPS that show fixed speed cameras as POI. That said I take the view its worth the risk rather than taking a chance with unmarked cameras.

 

[Oxytorch]

Thanks for the information! I now understand what it's all about.
Looks like they've tapped into the radio loom for power and tapped into the GPS/GSM wire which connects to the radio chassis for earth.
Seems a sloppy way of doing it.
I'll see if I can release the dc plug from wherever it is snagged. If not able to I'll just cut the wire at the transformer and leave the cable.

 

[Oxytorch]

Maybe of little interest in Aus. but in France such devices were banned several years ago. The ban extends to the use of GPS that show fixed speed cameras as POI. That said I take the view its worth the risk rather than taking a chance with unmarked cameras.

In Australia, there is no restriction on GPS devices showing position of fixed speed cameras. Radio stations are also allowed to report approximate locations of mobile speed cameras; i.e. street name & suburb. I'm not aware of any RoadAngel type devices that live update speed camera positions on the market here in Australia.

 

[Navcorr]

In Australia, there is no restriction on GPS devices showing position of fixed speed cameras. Radio stations are also allowed to report approximate locations of mobile speed cameras; i.e. street name & suburb. I'm not aware of any RoadAngel type devices that live update speed camera positions on the market here in Australia.

Nor in the UK and, as far as I'm aware, the rest of Europe. We tend to have a love/hate relationship with our Gallic friends - love going there but.....
They're no different in truth and very amiable most of the time. It's the bureaucracy that stinks.

 

[Wack61]

Waze is the best speed camera nav , it has all the fixed cameras even managed motorways and the user generated live info is great , if a cop is parked up and a wazer has passed by chances are you'll know he's there , the only issue I've found has been this weekend , no 3g or 4g in most of the Scottish Highlands so no data

 

[davy83]

i use Sygic on my phone and you can buy the speed camera warnings and this is down loaded into the phone so you don't need data connection for the maps or the camera warnings, it works pretty good