Dash cams, why so difficult? PSA: Make sure you connect the ACC to an appropriate port/input/whatever

[vagabond102]

I purchased a Viofo a329s with the HK4 hard wire kit and had a local shop (Car friggin Toys) do the install.

First, Install and dash cam would come on when opening the doors and waking the truck up. Start truck and dash went to parking mode.

Went back to the shop 5-6 times and every time, the installer would check wiring and blame the camera, and even made me feel the moron.

When I scheduled the last visit, they even tried to sell me another cam. What an insult.

When I took in back for this issue the first time, I was very clear on the symptoms and I told them I thought they wired the ACC to the lighting system, but evidently they ignored me and thought I was just another idiot customer. I'm an IT tech, I can figure things out, or at least I can detail the the fault tree and symptoms. As a tech, I understand how it is that most of the time the customer doesn't have any clue, but when I do run into one that does, I certainly pick up on it. It's also my job to listen to my customers and piece things together. This guy is just arrogant.

So the last time I took it in, he found that I was correct, he wired it to the wrong thing and it was cutting power to the cam the moment I started the truck. Go figure. "I didn't think to test (volt meter) it with the truck on", he said. I gave them a thorough, but not over the top thrashing. Making me feel the idiot, blaming everyone else, and not doing their basic due diligence .

The cam now comes on as it should after poking the start button. Even goes into parking mode after shutting off, but now I've come to find that at some point, I suspect when the truck enters sleep, it's cutting power to the cam. I have to go frigging back. Again.

1. Just a PSA that you should find someone that knows what the <redacted> they are doing.
2. If installing yourself, be aware of what you are connecting the ACC to or you will have a nightmare of a time.
3. Why do manufactures of both automobiles and dash cams make it so frigging hard? I find that it's likely completely unnecessary and even may be on purpose.

I paid them to install it because I didn't want to do it, don't feel comfortable messing around with my new trucks electrical system, and thought paying a professional was the best idea. I was reasonable the whole time, but when I go back, I'm giving them hell. 6+ times to the shop, made to feel the idiot, and what I perceive as incompetence....unacceptable.

Thanks for letting me rant a bit. And do take care when installing cams with hardwire kits.

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[DutchRanger]

That sux... what a waste of your time.

this is why I do my own work.

1. I know I can get it done correctly
2. It's fun
3. I can only be mad at my own mistakes, but i also learn from them
4. Save some money

 

[bigb]

I agree on doing your own work instead of trusting it to monkeys. Sometimes you can find real pros but it's a crap shoot.

Does your parking mode have a time out? I see where the hybrid parking mode requires a HK6 hardwire kit.
I haven't decided on a cam for my Ranger yet but I have a Wolfbox in my Jeep which has 2 parking mode choices, 12 hours or 24 hours.

 

[ShadowDragon24]

theres a ignition wire behind the drivers kick panel. green run/start wire. also a highbeam trigger and marker light trigger.

you can use that wire to power a relay for large draw items, if its just the ignition trigger for the dashcam hardwire. should be fine. I would add a fuse to it.

my marker and highbeam wires where physically labeled wrong. and wiring colour only matched 1. but the highbeam labeled wire was my marker. and my labeled marker (pos light) was my high beam

all in the ford body builder guide. it also shows the wire grommet locations, brake light signal wire location, etc.

I used the obd 2 smart power adapter for my cobra dashcam. instead of hard wiring before I learned about the blunt cut wires for customer add-ons

 

[jrRaptor]

Fuse taps are your friend!

That's why we browse these forums. There are a few threads on this topic and we've done the work to find (good) ways to wire a dash cam.

 

[vagabond102]

I agree on doing your own work instead of trusting it to monkeys. Sometimes you can find real pros but it's a crap shoot.

Does your parking mode have a time out? I see where the hybrid parking mode requires a HK6 hardwire kit.
I haven't decided on a cam for my Ranger yet but I have a Wolfbox in my Jeep which has 2 parking mode choices, 12 hours or 24 hours.

The options for the hybrid modes are disabled if you don't have the HK6 kit.

And most people don't have the knowledge to do it themselves. Or want to. It's their profession, do it or find other work, IMO.

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