Cobra ESD9230WX Service Manual

Operating Instructions for Your

Cobra

®

10 Band™Extra Sensory Detection

®

RADAR/LASER

DETECTOR

MODEL ESD –9230 WX

Nothing comes close to a Cobra™

X

K

/

Ka

L V S

Cty Wx

windshield
bracket
mount

ON-OFF/VOLUME control

power-on, radar, laser, VG-2
and safety/strobe indicators
signal strength indicator,
city/highway and Weather/All
Hazards Alert Radio indicators

12V DC POWER JACK

• WEATHER/ALL HAZARDS ALERT
RADIO mode to monitor weather radio
broadcast and Weather/All Hazards Alert

• TONE ALERT or VOICE ALERT™

with adjustable volume

• ULTRABRIGHT™ DATA DISPLAY

is easy-to-read with adjustable brightness

• CITY or HIGHWAY modes to reduce

false alerts

• SAFETY ALERT®Traffic Warning System

• STROBE ALERT™

• MANUAL MUTE or AUTO MUTE
of audio alerts

• Distinguishes important safety alerts‚ from
other K band signals

• Mounts easily on windshield or dashboard

This booklet describes the simple steps for
mounting and setting up your ESD-9230 WX.
It also provides helpful information about how
radar and laser guns are used and how you
can interpret the alerts you receive.

ULTRA

MUTE button for
MANUAL MUTE or
AUTO MUTE of audio
alerts. (Also turns
Voice Alerts™ on
and off.*)

CITY/WEATHER SET button
for CITY or HIGHWAY modes to
reduce false alerts. (Also used
to select Weather/All Hazards
Alert Radio stations)

SPEAKER

LASEREYE

®

for 360°
detection of laser and
strobe signals.

WEATHER button to turn
Weather/All Hazards Radio
mode on and off. (Also
turns Weather/All Hazards
Alert™on and off.*)

DIM button allows you to adjust the UltraBright™
Data Display brightness for easy reading. (Also
turns VG-2 Alert

®

audio on and off.*)

*Press and hold for 2 seconds to access these functions

ON-OFF/VOLUME

control allows you to
adjust the volume of the
TONE or VOICE alerts.

12V DC
POWER JACK

Congratulations

You’ve made a smart choice by purchasing the
ESD-9230 WX radar/laser detector from
Cobra.

®

Just look at some of the sophisticated

features and capabilities your new unit includes:

• ULTRA SENSITIVITY

• Detects and provides separate alerts for:

radar signals (X, K, and Ka bands, with
signal strength indicated)

laser signals
emergency vehicle safety and strobe

alert signals
VG-2 signals

• LASEREYE

®

for 360° detection of laser

and strobe signals

• “INSTANT-ON” speed monitoring detection

RADAR/LASER

DETECTOR

MODEL ESD–9230 WX

Important Information

A1

Table of Contents

Important information about...

Federal Laws, Safety Alert

®

/Strobe Alert™, Safe Driving,

Security of Your Vehicle, Customer Support.................................................................................. A1

Installation .................................................................................................................................. 2-4

Operation–Getting Started ............................................................................................................ 5

Operation–Settings ...................................................................................................................... 6-13

Highway/City Mode ................................................................................................................ 6

UltraBright

™

Data Display Brightness .......................................................................................... 7

Muting an Alert ...................................................................................................................... 8

Auto Mute Mode .................................................................................................................... 8

Voice/Tone Setting ................................................................................................................ 9

VG-2 Alert

®

Audio Setting ........................................................................................................ 10

Weather/All Hazards Alert Radio mode ...................................................................................... 11

Weather/All Hazards Alert ........................................................................................................ 12-13

Detection .................................................................................................................................... 14-17

Signals Detected .................................................................................................................... 14

Audio Alerts ............................................................................................................................ 14

Visual Display ........................................................................................................................ 14-16

Instant-On Detection ................................................................................................................ 17

Responding to Alerts ................................................................................................................ 17

Understanding Radar and Laser ...................................................................................................... 18-19

Maintenance and Service .............................................................................................................. 20-21

Limited 1-Year Warranty ................................................................................................................ 22

Specifications .............................................................................................................................. 23

Optional Accessories .................................................................................................................... 24

Order Form .................................................................................................................................. 25

Important information about...

Federal Laws Governing the Use of
Radar Detectors

It is not against federal law to receive radar
transmissions with your Cobra

®

radar
detector. The Communications Act of 1924
guarantees your right to receive radio
transmissions on any frequency. Local laws
that contravene this Act, while illegal, may
be enforced by your local law enforcement
officials until and unless they are prohibited
from doing so by federal court action.

Safety Alert

®

Use of this product is not intended to, and
does not, ensure that motorists or
passengers will not be involved in traffic
accidents. It is only intended to alert the
motorist that an emergency vehicle equipped
with a Cobra

®

Safety Alert®transmitter is
within range as defined by that product.
Please call local fire and police departments
to learn if coverage exists in your area.

Safe Driving

Motorists, as well as operators of emergency
or service vehicles, are expected to exercise
all due caution while using this product, and
to obey all applicable traffic laws.

Security of Your Vehicle

Before leaving your vehicle, always
remember to conceal your radar detector
in order to reduce the possibility of
break-in and theft.

Customer Support

In this user's manual, you should find all the
information you need to install and operate
your ESD-9230 WX. If you require further
assistance after reading through
this manual, Cobra

®

Electronics offers the

following customer support services:

Automated Help Desk is available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week at 773-889-3087.
Customer Service Operators are available at
773-889-3087 Monday through Friday,
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST.

Questions can be faxed to 773-622-2269.
Automated Technical Assistance is

available 24 hours, 7 days a week via e-mail
at: [e-mail]
On-line answers to frequently asked questions
can be found at: www.cobra.com.

WARNING

Modifications or parts substitutions not
approved by Cobra Electronics Corporation
may violate FCC Rules and void your
authority to operate this equipment.

3

1

INSTALLATION

Where to Mount Your Unit

You will get optimum performance from your
ESD-9230 WX if you mount it at a point
approximately in the center of the vehicle,
as low as possible on the front windshield
without obstructing the unit's view of the
road either to the front or rear. You can also
mount it directly on the dashboard.

The unit's lenses must not be blocked and
the LaserEye

®

should have a clear view out

the back window to allow 360° detection.

Radar and laser signals pass through glass
but not through other materials and objects.
Objects that can block or weaken incoming
signals include:

windshield wiper blades
mirrored sun screens
dark tinting at the top of the

windshield
heated windshields currently available

on some vehicles (Instaclear for Ford,

®

Electriclear for GM,® consult your
dealer to see if you have this option)

2

1

INSTALLATION

5. To adjust the angle if necessary,
gently push or pull on the bracket
to bend it. DO NOT use the
detector to bend the bracket.

6. Plug the power cord into the detector.

7. Plug the cigarette lighter adapter on

the power cord into your vehicle's
cigarette lighter.

8. You can temporarily remove the
detector whenever you wish by
sliding it off of the bracket.

Windshield Mounting

1. Attach the rubber cups to the bracket.

2. Make sure the rubber cups and

your windshield are clean.

3. Push the bracket firmly onto
the windshield.

4. Attach the detector to the bracket.
Check the angle of the unit.

Windshield mounting

Dashboard mounting

Instaclear for Ford®is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company, Inc.
Electriclear for GM

®

is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation.

U
L
T
R
A

1

INSTALLATION

Dashboard Mounting

1. Place the detector on the dashboard

to find a location where the unit has
a clear, level view of the road. The
angle can NOT be adjusted after
mounting.

2. Remove the paper backing from one
side of the hook-and-loop fastener.

3. Attach the pad to the dashboard at
your chosen location and remove the
other paper backing.

4. Attach the detector to the hook-and-loop
fastener. You can remove and reattach
the unit as often as you like.

5. Plug the power cord into the detector.

6. Plug the cigarette lighter adapter on

the power cord into your vehicle's
cigarette lighter.

5

2

OPERATION•GETTING STARTED

4

1. Turn on the unit and adjust audio

volume by rotating the

ON-OFF/VOLUME CONTROL DIAL

clockwise (away from you).

2. You will hear the voice messages,
“TESTING” (then three beeps)
“SYSTEM READY” and
“VOICE ALERT”. The power

symbol will appear in the display
indicating that the power is on.

NOTE: In some vehicles, power is

supplied to the cigarette lighter even
while the ignition is off. If this is the
case with your vehicle, you should
turn off or unplug your ESD-9230 WX
when parking for lengthy periods.

ULTRA

K

X

/Ka L V S

Cty Wx