How to Install a Dash Camera?

Nowadays almost everyone has installed a dashcam in their vehicles. It is sort of a trend now to have a dashcam in your car. It is not mandatory to install a dashcam, it is a personal choice. They are quite useful when you have to provide evidence in an insurance company. They can be useful in certain situations but installing a dashcam can be a bit complicated. Don’t try to get this job done if you don’t have any experience in this field. Here we will talk about how to install a dash camera. All the steps are thoroughly explained. Installing a dashcam is a complicated task and is best done by a professional.

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How to Install a Dash Camera? – Step By Step Guide

Step 1: Decide The Location For The Dashcam

 A dashcam should be placed where you can easily reach it. You might want to try different places to place the dashcam while sitting in the driver’s seat. Make sure that you don’t place the dashcam at a place where it hinders your front view of the road ahead of you. Many people place their dashcam under the rearview mirror. It is believed to be the best place to locate your camera. Clean the chosen spot with running alcohol and place the suction cup on the windshield.

Step 2: Find The Car’s Fusebox

The dashcam needs a power cable that will be running to the fusebox. For this, you initially need to know the location of the car’s fusebox. You can take the help of the owner’s manual to find its location. In most vehicles, it is located under the dashboard on either the driver’s side or the passenger’s side. It is placed behind a removable panel.

Step 3. Start Tucking The Power Cable

Figure out the path for the power cable starting from the dashcam. This power cable will be hidden behind the car’s interior panels. By estimating this path you will get an idea about how much slack you need to leave when you will connect the power cable to the fusebox.

You should first plan the route and then take the power cable and start tucking it inside the headliner of the car. In most of the cases, you can tug on the rubber trim along with the A-Pillar. While doing these gaps are revealed. These are the gaps in which you can fit the power cable starting from the headliner till the fusebox.

But, sometimes in some vehicles, you might have to completely remove the A-Pillar. You will be able to fit the power cable only by removing the A-pillar. While some A-pillars can be popped open whereas others need to be removed. If you are not sure about your vehicle, you can check it in the owner’s manual or you can even hire a professional. If the A-pillar doesn’t need to be removed, you can with little force tuck the power cable inside the A-pillar. There will be some wires already existing there, place it along with them.

Step 4: The “Hot In Start” Fuse

Use a circuit tester for this process. The circuit tester illuminates when power is present. The fuses of the vehicle generally have power present all the time or when the car is running. We need the dashcam to turn off and on according to the vehicle. That means that it should turn on when the car is turned on and it should turn off when the car is not functioning.

So, for this, we need to connect our kit to the “hot in start” fuse. That means we need to find the fuses present in the fusebox which remains hot while the car is turned on. You need to find a fuse that has power when the vehicle is turned on and not all the time.  You can take the help of a circuit tester as mentioned above. 

Step 5. Installation Of The Add-A-Circuit Power Cable 

The next step to install a dash camera. Once you have located the “hot in start” fuse remove the key from the ignition. Make sure you know the pros and cons of your dash cam. Now, remove the fuse with the help of a fuse puller or a pair of pliers. Use them very gently. All you have to do now is take the fuse and install it into the installation kit add-a-circuit. Now, into the empty spot where the “hot in start” fuse was originally placed you need to seal the add-a-circuit.

Step 6. Find The Ground Panel In The Car

Almost all the cars have one ground point which is specifically located near the fusebox. Out of the two ends of the installation wiring kit, the second end must be grounded to the car. To locate the ground point of your car, remove the lower kick panel of your car. Once you remove the lower kick panel, you can access the ground point. You then need to remove the bolts that will be fixed there. After removing the bolts put the lug from the installation kit to the ground panel.

Step 7.  Tucking Extra Power Wire

Now you need to bundle up the extra power wire. For this purpose, you can use a zip tie. The extra power wire can either be bundled under the dashboard. You can hide it behind the kick panel as well. But you will have to use some extra zip ties to hide it behind the kick panel.

Step 8. Make Sure That Everything Works

Once you have tucked the excess power cable, now you can check if installed dash camera is working. For this get your car on run position. At this point, you must see your dashcam getting turned on and start recording. If it turns on you can reinstall all the interior panels which you removed earlier to place the power cable. If the camera doesn’t turn on then you might have to repeat the process or hire a professional to get the job done for you.

FAQs

Things You Would Need

• Dashcam Installation Kit to make the job easier and quick.
• Dashcam
• Power cable to connect dashcam with the fusebox for power supply.
• Circuit tester to check power supply in the fusebox.
• Fuse puller/Pilers to remove the identified fuse from the fusebox.

Final Thought

This kind of installation process is best done by a qualified individual. In case you have never performed such a task before.  Please note that working with your car’s power system can be quite dangerous. It can affect both you and your vehicle. You need to know what you are doing and be sure about it.

In case of any doubts or queries never hesitate to consult a professional. If you are qualified to perform this job. I am sure that by following the steps given here you can install a dash camera in your car.