Dash Cam

I installed the front camera of my Fitcamx; more force needed to switch the shrouds than I had hoped. I ordered replacement clips as I broke one (90467-05171). I'm holding off on installing the rear cam for now; go high or go low? Like the integrated look, and satisfied with image quality but I've never owned a dashcam before.

 

I got the 70mai 500

 

The two clips (left and right) toward the front is flimsy. I broke the left side and replaced the clip with a small bolt + nut as a retainer. The position is slightly lower so it helps reduce the gap towards the windshield.

 

During a drive yesterday, the DashcamX recorded for about 30 minutes of the 40-minute drive, and didn't record the last 10 minutes. The car was on the entire time. Anyone else experience this? I emailed them about the problem

 

I finally wired in my Blackvue 900S 2-channel with a battery for parking mode. I used Blackvue cameras for what seems to be last 10 years. Might look for something cheaper next time, though.

Took some thinking to find a place to hardwire it to since I didn't want to have visible wires or occupy the only 12V outlet. Rear camera was reasonably easy to run through the conduit into the hatch, so all in all workable solution. The battery is under the passenger seat, camera cables are long enough to reach around the front of the passenger footwell through the side of the center console and to the battery. 12V for the battery comes from tapping into 12V outlet, also accessible through the center console. If anyone is curious, I can take some photos.

 

Did you route the rear camera to be connected to the front camera? If so how did you choose to do so? I am wary of pushing it through the headliner due to the side airbags. I haven't opened up yet but by conduit do you mean the grommet in the hatch that has existing wires, or is there another conduit you're referencing? Photos of how you ran the rear to the front would be helpful for me.

The nice thing about the fitcam is that it came with an adapted, plugging into the TSS related power supply like the OEM dashcam does. I think there are also aftermarket plugs that work with other brands universally through USB too, but they won't support parking mode of course. Something I'm not particularly worried about.

 

I ran the rear camera wire along the top of the car (headliner edge), but there should be enough length to go the floor route. Still both cameras run along the A-pillar rubber strip so have a chance of affecting the A-pillar airbag deployment. Not sure the airbag boom would be any more or less fun with a cable in the mix, though.

If I have time tomorrow I'll check if I can re-run the rear cam cable.

 

i know its standard and common to tuck into the headliner, and I know that according to dashcam websites it shouldn't prevent an airbag deployment. But, in a small car, in a sea of giant cars, and given the engineers route everything behind airbags, I just don't want to introduce something that could cause damage.

In the spring I may drop the headliner and route the wires behind the airbag as there's likely a wiring channel on the frame of the vehicle itself behind the airbag (since the airbag also has its own wires and mounting points). Or I'll do it along the bottom. For now, I just got the replacement plastic cowl this week from fitcam, so I'm going to run front cam only until its warm enough I can work in the driveway and not worry about super cold plastic snapping on me.

Same reason I haven't put on the ppf wear and tear kit I ordered for doorcups/headlamps/door edges/bumper etc - its just too cold to adhere properly before a ceramic coat. And same reason my door sill protectors still aren't on, its just been too cold.

I did get the rust proofing done at a shop though!

 

Floor route should work if the cable is long enough, it's maybe couple of feet extra that's necessary. I'll try it out this weekend.