Yeah I'm adding another thread about dashcam

Though your pics are a bit fuzzy...it looks like a good install. So as long as you're happy with it & it functions properly with the camera securely mounted, thumbs up.


Rob43


PS, if you never formatted your SD card, do it today.

 

Honestly whatever works best for you, I probably format about 3 to 4 times a year.


Rob43

 

I've got 4 total, 2 are the same.

1) Two 1080/720p (I use 720p because pic seems better) rear view mirror cams.
2) One super cheap no name Walmart cam that claims 720p but is probably less than that, I use it as a rear facing cam out the back widow.
3) One brand new cam plus accessories, I just bought last week and I'm testing it, write-up coming soon...


Rob43

 

I was able to tuck my wires under the headliner right after it left the camera and pulled the cover on the "A" pillar a little too hard and it came loose so I was able to get my wires in that area completely out of sight and I used the rear power port like you did. I hate hanging wires.

 

You decided to make a new thread about it, lol. C'mon: report it, request to get the pics mooshed in with yesterday's thread?

 

As long as the wires aren't dangling in front of me I am happy. I want to put one in my 1999 Plymouth Prowler and it will be more of a challenge being it is a convertible and the only power point it in the middle of the dash. I may have to get creative with it.

One problem with using a dashcam with a Prius is the power points are not hot when the car is turned off. You could install another USB port in another location somewhere maybe even hidden and leave the dashcam permanently plugged in. I found this on YouTube and let your creativity run wild.
Some dashcams have features that will turn the dashcam on any time there is movement near the car for security reasons.

 

The opposite is a problem too. I didn't want a vampire drain on the 12-volt battery like that. Having it shut off automatically when the car does is nice in that regard.

Many cameras have their own internal battery for detection purposes while parked. That also has a tradeoff though. It is less tolerant to extreme heat than the type that uses a super-capacitor.

They were a great target for the first Prius. I'd ask those owners what they drove during the winter. The answer was always some old, nasty beater. I suggested looking into getting a Prius for that instead. Back in the early 2000's, that idea really raised excitement.

 

My then new 2008 Prius was my beater. My wife and I agreed it was a sacrifice car even though it was new. I worked in one of the nastiest environments you can imagine. I worked in the steelmaking department of a big steel mill here in NW Indiana and everything on the roads inside the plant was corrosive and it showed after driving the Prius for ten years. We have heavily salted roads in my area in the winter also.

 

You might be surprised. Since the Prius is so low-need and has a lot of flexible interior space, it makes for a really good daily when you have a project car or exotic. You can fit a lot of body kit parts and spare drift tires with those seats folded down.

I'd say my only concern with the way you routed the wire down the A pillar is that it might interfere with airbag deployment. I'm personally not very clear on the motion of the A pillar cover in the event of airbag deployment, so my own front dashcam wire is kind of haphazardly taped on about an inch from the cover.

 

That's actually a really good question. I'd like to know how the panel comes off in the event of airbag deployment so we can make better decisions as to how to route our wiring.

 

I’ve posted before about Toyota’s installation instructions for the HomeLink mirror accessory, which are now available on the web (PDF). The photo on page 15 and the instructions on pages 4 and 22–23 give some clues, and the instructions explain how to route the wires. (Those instructions are for the liftback Prius, not the Prius Prime, but the design is similar.)

There is a bit more information, including some cross-section illustrations, in the Repair Manual (more info) under Vehicle Interior: Interior Panels/Trim: Roof Headlining: Removal and ...Roof Headlining: Installation.