Dash Cam Installation Precautions

[Packers Fan]

I've been looking at this Dash Cam, got a lot of good reviews and is a cleaner look, plugs into mirror.

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[ReverendQ]

I'm going to be installing a dash cam over the weekend in a 23 XLT. Are there any special precautions to take? Removing a pillar trim near airbags always weird me out. I did the same in my 24 Ranger by disconnecting the negative battery terminal since I was working adjacent to an airbag.

Are those concerns overblown? Could I cause any damage to the vehicle by disconnecting the negative cable?

Also, it's just a standard cigarette lighter install, so no fuse taps or anything. Just running wires. Thanks!

Lots of ways to do it shown here and my advice is to do what you want. I will recommend front AND rear, if u rideshare then internal also. Keep any wires running in the same tracks as truck wires and out of the way of airbags as applicable.

I would disconnect the batteries, PB have and auxiliary battery, while installing just so they don't discharge. There is no concern that airbags will deploy.

I also recommend any cameras with Starvis2. Vaifo has had great technical AND customer service for me even if out of Asia. Find a supplier with great service.

 

[deanfx]

Huge fan of Viofo here. On my third one now.

 

[sjordan]

I hardwired mine into the truck via fuse taps on then passenger footwell fuse box. Other than removing that trim which just pulls off after pulling the door sill plastic the only thing I had to remove was the door weatherstripping in that area only. Tucked wire behind that and then up around edge of headliner, pretty straight forward and easy. Then wired my rear cam up the same way, around the edges of the headliner, up behind the B and C pillar with a plastic pry tool.

 

[Lefty665]

My F150 has more cameras than you can shake a stick at already. What's it take to access the video feed from them?

 

[sbi]

Airbags don’t just spontaneously detonate if you touch them.

Yes, they may.

No, you don’t need to disconnect the battery.

Yes, you do. You are providing misleading information that could be harmful and may result in injury (or worse).

 

[adt1982]

My F150 has more cameras than you can shake a stick at already. What's it take to access the video feed from them?

Unlike the Teslas, I'm not sure that's possible.

 

[Lefty665]

Unlike the Teslas, I'm not sure that's possible.

They certainly display, and Ford uses them for adaptive cruise, lane centering and parking, so the video feeds are available. Be interesting if one of the bright boys figured out what wires the feeds were on, tapped into them and split them off to a USB drive we could use. I'd pay for that from the front cameras. But, I sure don't want to see hours from the cabin cams of me keeping my eyes on the road to keep the cruise control from nattering at me.

What makes any of us sure Ford is not doing some of that already? Is anyone monitoring the cell signal to see how often it is transmitting and the data rate? Or, looked to see if there's local storage that like a cockpit recorder keeps the last half hour or so of video? What do those nondescript flash memory chips on the processor boards do? Are they all dedicated 100% to software? Just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean no one is after you.

 

[jasonkosi]

Yes, they may.



Yes, you do. You are providing misleading information that could be harmful and may result in injury (or worse).

Okay, if it makes you feel better you can disconnect the battery. If all you’re doing is removing a few trim pieces and running a wire there is no inherent risk from the airbags.

 

[discothan]

My F150 has more cameras than you can shake a stick at already. What's it take to access the video feed from them?

I asked that 4 years ago..........

Ford could have sold a cloud subscription to these camera feeds for insurance purposes.

 

[sbi]

Okay, if it makes you feel better you can disconnect the battery. If all you’re doing is removing a few trim pieces and running a wire there is no inherent risk from the airbags.

It's not about making me feel better , to each his own and you can do whatever you want. I guess if you remove the trim you would want to run the wire behind the airbag (I hope that's what people do; if you run it in front you could cause greater danger down the road, but that's a different story), so if you touch - even accidentally - the airbag and its connector inside the trim...IDK, better be safe than sorry. As they say - instructions were written with blood

 

[ssimpala1901]

I ran my wires for my dash cam from just behind my mirror up and under the headliner and I removed my A-pillar trim as I did when I replaced my tweeters with hi quality tweeters, and ran the wires down along the the length of A-pillar and popped the trim cover off the side air vent trim and ran the wires down and behind the air vent behind the length of the glove box and down the side and out next to the 12 volt aux power outlet, which powers up when the truck is running, so my dash cam powers up when the truck is running and works out good as the power plug has an additional USB port on the back of the plug. I did not disconnect the battery and will not next time if/and when I need to take off the A-pillar trim.

 

[HOTRODTIM]

Go for it. Installed Wolfbox 900 in my F-150 . Replaced rear view mirror with the camera/screen. Our 2022 Wildtrak I installed a free standing Blackview 3 channel. All DYI.

 

[pappcam]

I went with the FitcamX for my 2024 and I love how it looks like it came from the factory. Yeah I can't use it if the vehicle is off since it's powered from the mirror but that's fine with me

 

[Lefty665]

Anyone have a wiring diagram that shows the forward facing camera by the mirror?

Which wire the camera feed to the computer is on is the first question. Next question is what is the format? It is likely a common format. The 16 pin connector by the mirror seems like a good place to access the feed and write it to a thumb drive.

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