Dash Cam Fitting

[Suzr]

I have just purchased a new Yaris Hybrid and for Xmas I was given front and rear dash cams from Halfords. Should I let Halfords hardwire the cameras, or do you know if Toyota will fit them and at what cost? Or should I have a go at running the cables round myself - I also don't want to invalidate the car warranty or my car insurance! Any advice appreciated, thank you.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The first steps would be to contact your Toyota dealer and see whether they would be interested in installing third party cameras, and then determine/compare the cost of both services (Toyota dealer vs Halfords).

 If fitting youself, do Halfords sell fitting kits for the cameras. Some fitting kits use piggyback fuses or similar.

As regards the new car warranty, this shouldn't be affected, but, whichever installation route you take, will not cover the installation itself. 

 

[bearcub24]

If fitting yourself there is a video of a guy installing one to a present generation Yaris on You Tube, I found it informative. I’d never fitted one before and it took me maybe an hour to an hour 30 minutes. Mine is just the forward facing dash cam though. 

[Bernard Foy]

I’ve had Halfords hard wire front and rear dash cams. However I developed a leak of water into the rear wheel well. Took the car back to my Toyota dealership and they had to install a new complete wiring loom for the rear electrics. The Halfords technician had broken two sealing clips and the rubber seal was compromised. Toyota provided me with the evidence and the costs that I had to pay. Halfords were very apologetic and immediately covered the costs involved. 

[Suzr]

Thanks everyone. I will contact Toyota first tomorrow to see if they will fit it - not too keen on Halfords doing it! 

[Suzr]

Update:

I enquired with Toyota, who won't fit the Nextbase cameras I have, as I didn't buy them from them. They recommended a local audio company which they use nearby who could hardwire them for £180! So, as it's so expensive, I've decided to try running the wires myself just into the cigarette lighter, but I won't use parking mode and will unplug when I'm not driving. Hopefully the Battery won't be run down - I'd want to remove the camera anyway when I get out in case it was stolen. I also won't use Halfords from the bad reviews I've seen, plus initially they said they wouldn't hardwire hybrids then they said they would, so I don't have much faith in them! If it's too difficult for me to fit, I'll probably then get the recommended audio place to fit them.

If I'm not using 'parking mode' and unplugging when not driving, does anyone know whether using the cigarette lighter socket is more or less likely than hardwiring to run the car Battery down, when driving infrequently and for short distances, or the same? Is the normal Battery in a hybrid (not the traction battery) smaller than other car batterys? If so would it drain quicker?

Thank you for all your advice

[flash22]

The aux socket is switched 12v, so turns off with the car, it will not drain the Battery as dash cam's pull very little power (current) most have voltage detection so will shut them self down if the voltage is too low

No offence but i think you had the women tax applied (female with a new-ish car) and they assumed you hadn't got a clue, It's a 20-30 min job to properly hardwire a dash cam with nothing on show, and a max of £5-10 worth of bits

Say it takes them 40 mins and £20 worth of bits, that's £4 a minute

[shaunchipchase]

never had a problem with Halfords ,fitted me 3 cameras over last 4 year,last one being 3 month ago to  a 2018 yaris hybrid,front and rear camera took an hour and threw in free fitting kit....total cost £50.00

[Suzr]

On 1/12/2020 at 2:32 PM, flash22 said:

The aux socket is switched 12v, so turns off with the car, it will not drain the battery as dash cam's pull very little power (current) most have voltage detection so will shut them self down if the voltage is too low

No offence but i think you had the women tax applied (female with a new-ish car) and they assumed you hadn't got a clue, It's a 20-30 min job to properly hardwire a dash cam with nothing on show, and a max of £5-10 worth of bits

Say it takes them 40 mins and £20 worth of bits, that's £4 a minute

Thanks Bob and yes you could be right about the women's tax! 😀 Having said that I seem to remember a notice on the wall that said £174 to fit dash cams, and yes he would have charged me £8.00 for the connecting leads. Anyway, think I'll go down the cigarette lighter route for now and fit it myself.

 

[Suzr]

On 1/12/2020 at 3:03 PM, shaunchipchase said:

never had a problem with halfords ,fitted me 3 cameras over last 4 year,last one being 3 month ago to  a 2018 yaris hybrid,front and rear camera took an hour and threw in free fitting kit....total cost £50.00

Thanks Shaun. I'll have a go at fitting it myself and if I get stuck, might go to Halfords after all - I suppose it does depend on the fitter, so hopefully would be ok.

[Madasafish]

I have a front dash cam  fitted via cigarette socket for 7 years.

 

No problems at all....I use a two way splitter to power my satnav as well  if I use both together..

[Suzr]

On 1/15/2020 at 11:21 AM, Madasafish said:

I have a front dash cam  fitted via cigarette socket for 7 years.

 

No problems at all....I use a two way splitter to power my satnav as well  if I use both together..

Thanks Michael, that's encouraging to hear.

[Suzr]

Update: I have fitted the front dash cam myself to the cigarette lighter which was fairly straightforward! The cable tucked in easily but the only thing now is to find the best position for the camera without it being in my field of view or being too near to the front sensors on the windscreen without causing interference or damage. I'll fit the rear camera in a few days, but that might be more fiddly.

[Madasafish]

16 hours ago, Suzr said:

Update: I have fitted the front dash cam myself to the cigarette lighter which was fairly straightforward! The cable tucked in easily but the only thing now is to find the best position for the camera without it being in my field of view or being too near to the front sensors on the windscreen without causing interference or damage. I'll fit the rear camera in a few days, but that might be more fiddly.

I fitted mine just under the rear view mirror on the passenger half. You can see it easily by glancing up at the mirror..  and from the outside of the car it does not stand out..

(I ran the wires along the front shelf, up under the trim of the driver's A post, under the edge of the headlining and down just after the mirror.. so minimal wiring seen.)

[mrpj]

Similarly to Michael, the cables are routed very much the same, but mine is powered from a dedicated Battery, under the front passenger seat. Therefore I have the power cable hidden under the centre console too. Also, although it is an option, I don't use the 12v socket, but hardwired via a fuse "piggyback" from the 12v socket fuse in the box behind the glovebox.

Suzanne doesn't say which model, if she has,sorry, but my Blackvue fits nicely in front of and hidden by the rear view mirror. It does have an app. and wifi, setting up the position etc. was easy.

As for the rear camera, mine is a two channel/camera version, the rear co-axial cable is routed to the right side and behind the headlining front, behind the top of the A pillar trim then behind the door seal's tops. It tucks in behind the B pillar trim and C pillar trim. Then, again the headlining to emerge above the tailgate window.Excess cable is fed in behind the headlining allowing enough slack to allow the opening of the tailgate. A neater solution is to use the rubber "tube" through which the tailgate wires run. I was too lazy to do that.😂

With regards warranty, I would suggest that any issues caused by fitting the Dashcam would not be covered, otherwise no problem.

[Bernard Foy]

4 hours ago, mrpj said:

Similarly to Michael, the cables are routed very much the same, but mine is powered from a dedicated battery, under the front passenger seat. Therefore I have the power cable hidden under the centre console too. Also, although it is an option, I don't use the 12v socket, but hardwired via a fuse "piggyback" from the 12v socket fuse in the box behind the glovebox.

Suzanne doesn't say which model, if she has,sorry, but my Blackvue fits nicely in front of and hidden by the rear view mirror. It does have an app. and wifi, setting up the position etc. was easy.

As for the rear camera, mine is a two channel/camera version, the rear co-axial cable is routed to the right side and behind the headlining front, behind the top of the A pillar trim then behind the door seal's tops. It tucks in behind the B pillar trim and C pillar trim. Then, again the headlining to emerge above the tailgate window.Excess cable is fed in behind the headlining allowing enough slack to allow the opening of the tailgate. A neater solution is to use the rubber "tube" through which the tailgate wires run. I was too lazy to do that.😂

With regards warranty, I would suggest that any issues caused by fitting the dashcam would not be covered, otherwise no problem.

As you may have seen in an earlier post, Halfords ran mine through the tailgate loom rubber and broke the two tiny plastic clips that seals the rubber loom carrier, therefore causing a water leak into the spare wheel well. So avoid disturbing that if possible. Toyota had to install a complete new rear wiring loom, and Halfords ended up paying for that.

[mrpj]

Sorry Bernard, yes I must have read your post which does show that a bit of "laziness" on my part could be more beneficial! It is a neater install though

On 12/27/2019 at 10:50 PM, Bernard Foy said:

The Halfords technician

Made me laugh. An owner or more competent person would probably be more careful. I wouldn't trust their "technicians" to do anything.