Help Wiring Dash cam? I'm CLOSE but now confused

Car: 2016 CX-5 Touring (silver ext, black int)

I bought this dash cam: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) and am very happy with it. Want to install it to a switched location - the USB ports are switched and the cigarette lighter is always on.

I either need to:
A. Wire this to the fuse box to switched
B. Plug it into the USB

For B, I got a L- USB cable and was going to try to poke it all through some trim and stuff but I'm getting stuck. You can see the photo attached it actually looks pretty easy - Come out A, drill a small 1/2" whole through B, bring it out at the other side C, and then behind that molding D. But removing that molding D to get a clean drill and the behind is kind of important. And nothing I can find here really makes sense => http://www.mcx5.org/front_console_removal_installation-630.html and it seems like a TON of work and I don't know what to do.



Am I on the right track? Should I drill that hole and rout it behind the best I can? Or should I switch to trying to find a fuse - which I also don't really know how to do.

Help!

PS: The other attachment shows a piece with clips I broke - what do I do? Can I get it back on well enough? Do I need to replace it?

Check my signature. Its gen 1 but hardwire it to the fuse box by running it down the column.

I think if you can find the metal parts that fell off they might work good enough by just putting them back.

Why not just have the wire come out the cubbyhole then wedge it back under the underdash trim?

I have the 16.5 Sport. The 12v plug in the cubbyhole is switched. The 12v in the center console is always on. I like that for the GPS and dashcam I keep plugged into a small splitter.

On the down side It looks a little like a wire jungle in places. Is that what you are trying to avoid? It would be cool if you could use 12v from someplace like a lighted visor or the map lights.

cswanson2 said:

Car: 2016 CX-5 Touring (silver ext, black int)

I bought this dash cam: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) and am very happy with it. Want to install it to a switched location - the USB ports are switched and the cigarette lighter is always on.

I either need to:
A. Wire this to the fuse box to switched
B. Plug it into the USB

For B, I got a L- USB cable and was going to try to poke it all through some trim and stuff but I'm getting stuck. You can see the photo attached it actually looks pretty easy - Come out A, drill a small 1/2" whole through B, bring it out at the other side C, and then behind that molding D. But removing that molding D to get a clean drill and the behind is kind of important. And nothing I can find here really makes sense => http://www.mcx5.org/front_console_removal_installation-630.html and it seems like a TON of work and I don't know what to do.

View attachment 221805

Am I on the right track? Should I drill that hole and rout it behind the best I can? Or should I switch to trying to find a fuse - which I also don't really know how to do.

Help!

PS: The other attachment shows a piece with clips I broke - what do I do? Can I get it back on well enough? Do I need to replace it?

Click to expand...

I remember people can get 12V power from auto-dimming mirror? Heres a useful thread which also has a link to a write-up by Seminole:

Hardwiring a Dashcam (2016 sport)

They put a lot of effort in. My dash cam has spent a lot of time in the glovebox because the suction cup lets go.

Probably the cleanest solution would be the dashcam built-in to the mirror.

I tend to use more non invasive techniques. I just loop the cable around the sun visor then under the wide black rubber strip along the passengers door then under the dash just below the glove box door.

I guess now that Im out of warranty I could be a little braver about more permanent solutions, but it's pretty cold in my garage these days.

When I installed mine a few years back, there was a great write up from Seminole on here dealing with installing a radar detector, but you can do the same for a dash cam. My wiring got stuffed into the front of the headliner, down the A column behind the trim (careful to avoid and not block the air bag in there) and then down to a switched spot on the fuse block. I remember I ordered an installation kit from the thedashcamstore.com which included everything wiring related that I needed as well the proper fuse to use and made the task so much simpler! All my wiring is hidden except for a tiny bit from the cam up to the headliner and the cam goes on when I start the vehicle and off when I shut it off.

Here's the write up I referenced: https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123829094-Hardwiring-a-Valentine-1&highlight=radar+detector+install

I*m an idiot and forgot I also wired up a dashcam in my 2017 since my wife drives it now. I used a mirror tap for that one. If you have an auto dimming mirror this way works. If not you*ll have to do it to the fuse box like my other post.

Here is how mine looks



I used an invisicord http://invisicord.com/osc2/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=33&products_id=58

And you mount your camera then push the red and black pins from the invisicord into the harness on the back of the mirror like such:



Once that*s done the camera has switched power and will turn on and off with the ignition.

Help Wiring Dash cam? I'm CLOSE but now STILL confused

OK guys, I went the fuse route and it's not working.
I bought a fuse tap, wired it up, not working when car is on or off.



- Not getting any power out of the blue tap and black to ground from the red circled fuse spot * which is the Rear outlet fuse and is live when I test it
- I tested all the fuses with a multi-meter and all the ones that should be on are on
- But when I put the camera red wire to it and the black to ground, nothing happens
- I wired it back to the cigarette lighter and it worked like it should (so I know the camera is OK)

Am I using the wrong size fuse for the camera? THe original is 15, the camera should be 5 right? I tried a 10 and it also didn't work.
Is it possible I put the fuse tap in wrong? It only goes one way for example?

So I think I have the right path, but something isn't working properly. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Did you ground it to the big bolt in the upper part of your picture?

I find that using a direct wire isn't all that intrusive. Your cam is a lot more complicated though.