Hardwiring a Dashcam (2016 sport)

raystafarian

Member
Contributor
:
2016 CX-5 Sport FWD Auto
I was inspired to write this up as a supplement to Seminole's Hardwiring a Valentine 1 - his write up is very good (and appreciated) and has a lot better instructions in routing the wire, but it's from 2013 and I just wanted to clarify some things I ran into with my 2016.

As usual - I'm not responsible for any damage you cause to your vehicle in using these instructions - so be careful.

I'm using a mobius action cam (from www.buymobius.com) and an installation kit from TheDashcamStore. I'm not affiliated with either of these sites or products. That being said, I'm of a fan of the installation kit just because it's a brand new car and I didn't want to go and screw up the electrical.

First, I disconnected the negative lead from the battery*. I did this to avoid any shorts and shocks, but also because I needed to install a ground which required unscrewing the fuse panel.
* Whenever you disconnect the battery, things such as the automatic power window may need to be reset. For the window see page 3-33 in the owner's manual.
I followed the 2013 CX-5 Service Manual - Body and Accessories to remove the trim on my 2016.
  1. Front Scuff Plate - pg 1722
  2. Front Side Trim - pg 1716
  3. A-Pillar - pg 1712

The scuff plate was exactly as described. The front side trim, however, had two hooks that weren't described in the manual -

(click to view larger)


These two hooks seemed like they hooked up under the gasket and I popped them out by pressing down on them. The instructions just say slide the piece toward you, but it didn't seem like it was going to come out without finagling with those clips. I needed to remove that to get clean access to the bolt holding the fuse panel to the frame, so I could unscrew the bolt and put the ground at the frame. You can probably do this without removing the trim, but I was afraid of breaking something.



Here's where I first tested for power to the camera.

The removal of the A-Pillar discussed cutting a lead wire connecting the B Clip and grommet.



I managed to slip this out of the hole in trim -



But, it's near impossible to reinstall the trim with that thing in the way, so just cut it. It's plastic and I wouldn't call it a "wire". Something I struggled with before popping the "wire" out was the clips on the bottom of the A-Pillar, I thought they had more hook to them, but they don't. Any resistance I felt was due to not removing the "wire." Anyway, here's the bottom clips on the A-Pillar -



Because I was working from the bottom to the top, I had to snake the wire behind the wire harness at the bottom of the A-Pillar, so don't forget to do that.



I also followed the directions in the other thread of avoiding crossing over the airbag. I ended up using zip ties to secure my wire to the wire bundle -



Once I did that, I actually found the header (roof?) trim is not that tight to the roof, so sliding the wire behind the lip was pretty easy. There's a gap where the rear-view mirror is on mine, but maybe that's different if you have the auto-dimming mirror if it has wires or something.

Once I got it into place, I collected the excess wire and the power module and put them under the carpet. One thing I did struggle with was that my fuse tap wouldn't stay seated in the fuse slot, so I had to use some electrical tape to secure contact and ensure it doesn't pop out while driving. YMMV



After ensuring power was still going to the camera, I put the trim back in place. The front side trim gave me problems because it seems like the two clips need to clip in behind the gasket, but if you just slide it back, they should slide into place. The A-Pillar was something I struggled with until I realized the "lead wire" was in my way and nipped it. I had to put a bit more muscle into reseating this trim than any of the other trim.

Now, the camera powers on with the car (thanks to the other thread's fuse selection) and the car is all back together.



I'm pretty proud of not breaking any plastic clips because my only other car was a 98 Camry and I could barely look at those clips without them snapping off.

Tons of thanks to Seminole and everyone that contributed to the other thread!
 
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Nice write up.
I have installed, an aftermarket Gentex auto dimming mirror and I have just soldered the red wire, from the camera to the mirror's power wire, behind the mirror.
 
So the tape holding my fuse tap in place - that isn't an ideal solution. I can't speak enough at the effort thedashcamstore put into helping me out. I'm waiting on a tap replacement right now and will update once that's all done.

Hi Ray,

Thanks for getting back to us with the additional information. It looks like your Mazda uses the recessed housing for the low-profile fuses. If you like, we can swap your installation kit out for a normal mini fuse version. The normal mini fuse tap actually fits just fine in the low-profile fuse slot, as shown in these photos (from a Ford fuse box with the same type of recessed low-profile fuses):

http://thedashcamstore.com/content/...blackvue-dr650gw-2ch-f150-installation-19.jpg
http://thedashcamstore.com/content/...blackvue-dr650gw-2ch-f150-installation-30.jpg

In situations like this we will include a few extra mini fuses with the kits (to go into the blank slot on the fuse tap) in order to replace the low-pro fuse that is removed from the slot. If you'd like to get the kit swapped out, just let us know, that way you won't have to have the tap holding the tap in place.

Best regards,

-The Dashcam Store Support Team

They've sent me a new fuse tap with a crimp connector so I can swap it out without doing the entire teardown again. Will report back once I do the fix.
 
Just an FYI, it's possible to not cut that plastic tab holding the A pillar cover. I've done it multiple times on both sides using some needlenose pliers. It's a pain in the ass. To put the pillar back on, put the arrow part on the pillar itself, then push it in to the frame.

If you do cut it, I would try to get replacement, because if ever that airbag deploys, that A pillar trim won't be held down by that tab, so it will fly across the cabin.

P.S. Mazda's service manual tells techs to cut that tab, then replace it with a new one, cuz it's a pain in the ass to undo properly.
 
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So, I left a review explaining the fuse tap didn't sit by itself on the website for The Dashcam Store and after some discussion I was told -

Thanks for getting back to us with the additional information. It looks like your Mazda uses the recessed housing for the low-profile fuses. If you like, we can swap your installation kit out for a normal mini fuse version. The normal mini fuse tap actually fits just fine in the low-profile fuse slot [...]

And was offered -

Rather than have you de-install the whole kit, we could send you a new fuse tap with a crimp connector on it that you could use to replace the current fuse tap, if you like. If you'd prefer to exchange the whole kit, we can do that too, just let us know your preference.

So, I finally got around to doing that and wanted to show how it worked out, so others may opt for the other fuse tap and know it will work.

They sent me a new tap with a crimp connection -



Here is a comparison between the two -



Here is my connection -



Here it is sitting all by itself in the fuse panel -



Great stuff by the vendor - I can't recommend them enough!
 
Just an FYI, it's possible to not cut that plastic tab holding the A pillar cover. I've done it multiple times on both sides using some needlenose pliers. It's a pain in the ass. To put the pillar back on, put the arrow part on the pillar itself, then push it in to the frame.

If you do cut it, I would try to get replacement, because if ever that airbag deploys, that A pillar trim won't be held down by that tab, so it will fly across the cabin.

P.S. Mazda's service manual tells techs to cut that tab, then replace it with a new one, cuz it's a pain in the ass to undo properly.

I did get it disconnected without cutting it, but how do you get it reconnected? If I got a replacement, how would I manage that?
 
Hi guys,

I'm new to this site as I've just purchased a 2016 CX-5 for my wife. I drive a 07 MS3 and have previously been part of a local (Toronto) forum for Mazda 3s. We each have Blackvue RC650 dashcams (her's previously installed in her Ford Fiesta) hardwired through a power magic pro. The installation was straight forward on both of the previous vehicles. For my MS3 I installed using the method in this post:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/s...install-help&p=1299370&highlight=#post1299370

Today I attempted to wire the dash cam into the new CX-5 using the same method, and ran into a snag almost immediately. The power magic pro calls to be tapped into a ACC +12v fuse, a const +12v fuse, and ground. Ground was no problem, just loosened a nut on the outside body, for const +12v I used the Doorlocks Fuse (#6 in manual), and for ACC +12v I first tried the Power Windows (#4 in manual)-- these are the same two fuses I used on my MS3 (as seen in the photo on the other forum). When connect this way the power magic fails to ever turn off. The power led remains on regardless of the position of the on/off switch. I had this problem once during the Fiesta install and realized the issue was the fuse I chose for ACC power, was in fact const. After switching to a different fuse it resolved the issue. So in the CX-5, I tried switching the ACC power to the Accessory Fuse, (#3 in manual). And am still having the same issue.

I may be blind, but in the above post I can't seem to find WHICH fuses you used to connect your cam. I'm waiting on a new tap as the ones I had previously were not low profile. When you use the tap, did you just connect to the rear outlet empty slot (#11) then put two fuses into it? My old taps only had 1 slot so maybe this is the answer to my question.... Can anyone confirm that the two fuses I chose are in fact correct for ACC and const. and if they are, does anyone have any experience trouble shooting this problem?
 
Here are some photos to support:

Here is the fuse panel with yellow (Constant) on the door locks and red (ACC) on the power windows. Please excuse the messy wire pressed into fuse issue...I plan to correct this once I receive my mini fuse taps, but just wanted to get a jump on the wiring while the weather is still good...
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/136183662@N08/23597451792/in/dateposted-public/" title="DashCam_Cx5_Install_1"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/600/23597451792_b6dec45c77_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="DashCam_Cx5_Install_1"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ground wire
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/136183662@N08/23077855214/in/dateposted-public/" title="DashCam_Cx5_Install_2"><img src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/753/23077855214_e21ccf54cc_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="DashCam_Cx5_Install_2"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Magic power pro with on/off switch on
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/136183662@N08/23679923136/in/dateposted-public/" title="DashCam_Cx5_Install_3"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5709/23679923136_14d8847733_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="DashCam_Cx5_Install_3"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Magic power pro with on/off switch in off position
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/136183662@N08/23705967435/in/dateposted-public/" title="DashCam_Cx5_Install_4"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5668/23705967435_890ddf4ae9_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="DashCam_Cx5_Install_4"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
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3rd down on the right for "rear outlet" - it's 15A and it's only on when the ignition is on, so it's not constant. I didn't need a constant.
 
Thanks raystafarian, I thought that was the slot you used, but wasn't sure how that worked with ACC vs constant. That clears it up.

I had some feedback from DashCamStore and they suggested that perhaps some of the fuses are staying on 20-60mins after ignition is off. They said this is common with newer vehicles. I guess I'll have to go in with a multimeter to double check the fuses I choose for ACC will eventually turn off....
 
If I'm not mistaken, front/rear outlets are always hot on mine, so when wiring up my GPS/audio system remote wire to the fuse block the ONLY fuse that cut off was the missing "middle" one. Works perfect!! And I didn't lose or have to vamp off the front ,,/rear


By "middle" one I'm referring to the +12 lighter that physically doesn't exist.
 
If I'm not mistaken, front/rear outlets are always hot on mine, so when wiring up my GPS/audio system remote wire to the fuse block the ONLY fuse that cut off was the missing "middle" one. Works perfect!! And I didn't lose or have to vamp off the front ,,/rear


By "middle" one I'm referring to the +12 lighter that physically doesn't exist.

twiztedlemon, are you referring to the the 3rd down on the right, 'rear outlet' fuse? or you mean an outlet fuse in the middle console? Could you tell me which fuse slot you are referring too and what type of fuse you put in (if any?) thanks!
 
Hi guys,

I'm new to this site as I've just purchased a 2016 CX-5 for my wife. I drive a 07 MS3 and have previously been part of a local (Toronto) forum for Mazda 3s. We each have Blackvue RC650 dashcams (her's previously installed in her Ford Fiesta) hardwired through a power magic pro. The installation was straight forward on both of the previous vehicles. For my MS3 I installed using the method in this post:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/s...install-help&p=1299370&highlight=#post1299370

Today I attempted to wire the dash cam into the new CX-5 using the same method, and ran into a snag almost immediately. The power magic pro calls to be tapped into a ACC +12v fuse, a const +12v fuse, and ground. Ground was no problem, just loosened a nut on the outside body, for const +12v I used the Doorlocks Fuse (#6 in manual), and for ACC +12v I first tried the Power Windows (#4 in manual)-- these are the same two fuses I used on my MS3 (as seen in the photo on the other forum). When connect this way the power magic fails to ever turn off. The power led remains on regardless of the position of the on/off switch. I had this problem once during the Fiesta install and realized the issue was the fuse I chose for ACC power, was in fact const. After switching to a different fuse it resolved the issue. So in the CX-5, I tried switching the ACC power to the Accessory Fuse, (#3 in manual). And am still having the same issue.

I may be blind, but in the above post I can't seem to find WHICH fuses you used to connect your cam. I'm waiting on a new tap as the ones I had previously were not low profile. When you use the tap, did you just connect to the rear outlet empty slot (#11) then put two fuses into it? My old taps only had 1 slot so maybe this is the answer to my question.... Can anyone confirm that the two fuses I chose are in fact correct for ACC and const. and if they are, does anyone have any experience trouble shooting this problem?



Dreadlocktopus,

I just wired up my car using the Blackvue PowerMagic Pro last night. I have a 2016 CX5 GT AWD w/ Tech and i-Activ.

I used fuse 9 (F.OUTLET 15A) for the ACC+ (ACC) and fuse 3 (R.OUTLET3 15A) for the BATT+ (Constant).

For the Ground, I stripped the wire and wrapped it around the Fuse Block bolt twice.

I tested both Constant and ACC functions and it works flawlessly.

Also, on a side note, I soldered the connections to the fuse taps and use heat-shrink tubing to cover them. I also kept the wires as short as possible. Especially on the female cigarette jack.

Hope that helps!
 
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Dreadlocktopus,

I just wired up my car using the Blackvue PowerMagic Pro last night. I have a 2016 CX5 GT AWD w/ Tech and i-Activ.

I used fuse 9 (F.OUTLET 15A) for the ACC+ (ACC) and fuse 3 (R.OUTLET3 15A) for the BATT+ (Constant).

For the Ground, I stripped the wire and wrapped it around the Fuse Block bolt twice.

I tested both Constant and ACC functions and it works flawlessly.

Also, on a side note, I soldered the connections to the fuse taps and use heat-shrink tubing to cover them. I also kept the wires as short as possible. Especially on the female cigarette jack.

Hope that helps!

Thanks raden!

Glad to hear a success story from another member installing the same hardware. I'll re-wire to those fuses and hopefully will be done with installation!
 
Just a final update on this, I did use the fuses suggested by raden and all is working! Thanks again!
 
Hello.

Newbie here. Just wanted to report that I recently bought a Thinkware F770 2CH cam, installed following the instructions here and powered it using raden's recommendation regarding using fuse slots numbers 3 and 9. It works nicely!

Just a little thing: my car didn't have any fuse on slot 3, so I installed a fresh 15A fuse there and voila!
 
I installed a mini 0805 in my wife's 2016.5 grand touring over the weekend. I ended up using a 15' micro-usb cable up behind the rear view mirror, then right along the passenger side headliner, down the passenger a pillar, down behind the glovebox and then out into one of the two usb plugs in the center console.

All the radar/sonar stuff took up a lot more space for mounting, so here is a picture of where I ended up mounting it.
 

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I have the same thing as you and in the same spot. I power it from the mirror and stuck the 12v to 5V adapter in the ceiling. There is a July 2016 firmware out, if you are not aware of it.
 
Hello All
Can any one please post the link for the Fuse tap that i can use with my 2016 Cx5 to wire the dashcam. I bought 2, both doesnt fits properly

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