Installing a dashcam (with naked pics...)

Great stuff!

My lad's auto spark did similar but closer to the doors. However, he was careful to keep away from the curtain airbags.

What colour is that?
 
I used fibreglass rods to run along under the roof lining and grab the cable. Working from front to back seemed easiest If you take a line just about under the roof rail that's about right, too far over and you can't get past. Pull the lining at the back down to find the rod (took me about 20 mins working back and forth) once you have both ends, attach your cable and pull through. Needs to be pretty strong and stiff rods to stop it curling up, a plastic snake will not work.


The next bit was both easier and harder than expected. Pull the rubber boot out at both ends, it's fair stuffed with wires so be careful. The car body seems to be a double skin there so be patient passing your cable through the bottom hole.
I used a long thin zip tie to help feed a string through the boot and the taped the plug to that. Greased the outer tape and it pulled through easily from the bottom up.
Next difficulty was passing a rod from the centre hole out through the cable entry, it's a tight corner but once done all you have to do is feed the wire along and out where you want it and tidy up. I tucked all the spare wire in under the roof liner.

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Looks pretty good and neat, did you use the USB C by the rear view mirror? Or wire it to the fuse box for parking protection?
I intend wiring into the fuse box, so the parking sensor system works.
I've read they can suck a lot of power from the 12v battery, but not such a problem with an EV, so long as there is sufficient power in the traction battery, I'm guessing it will be OK, but with the correct voltage protection hard wire kit and the added protection of a small 12v jump start I keep under the seat of my MG4, hopefully all areas of failure will be covered 🤞🤔🫣
 
I have a splitter plugged into the mirror usb Joningy. I also run a small dash mounted gps speedometer from it. I don't want to have the camera run in parking mode since the car will sit for days at a time.
 
Great stuff!

My lad's auto spark did similar but closer to the doors. However, he was careful to keep away from the curtain airbags.

What colour is that?
The car? it's metalic blue (and dirt...), Picadilly Blue they call it.
 
Doesn't it leave a bulge on the ceiling?

I was going to go along the sides over the doors, but now I'm not so sure.
 
I would say no, though the rear wiper is ridiculously small, I think if I put a bigger blade on it it would clear past the camera.
 
I'd say it needs about 30mm to clear the cameras view. When fitting the camera activate the wiper to get a clear line and mount it below that. Had a look at the wiper blade and it looks very proprietary, not an easy blade to extend.
 
I have a splitter plugged into the mirror usb Joningy. I also run a small dash mounted gps speedometer from it. I don't want to have the camera run in parking mode since the car will sit for days at a time.
I fully understand 5teep, I'm going to try the permanent live for parking, but if it does play up and drain the 12v battery, I'll take it out without question, I'll probably put an inline switch so it can be disabled easily, especially if we are going away for several weeks. But as already mentioned, I've got a 12v rechargeable starter pack,, but that's a bit like a dash cam, you hope it never needs to be used.
 
I got the right fuse taps, but I couldn't get them in. Just would not go in the slot. I think they might be slightly too wide or something, or maybe it's just the really awkward angle. It's such a badly designed fuse box.

I'm on the verge of giving up and paying someone to install, if I can find someone good locally.
 
I got the right fuse taps, but I couldn't get them in. Just would not go in the slot. I think they might be slightly too wide or something, or maybe it's just the really awkward angle. It's such a badly designed fuse box.

I'm on the verge of giving up and paying someone to install, if I can find someone good locally.
Oh dear, that's not good to hear, hoping I have better luck when I get going on mine.
 
Oh dear, that's not good to hear, hoping I have better luck when I get going on mine.

Let me know how you get on. Are you going to hardwire it into the fuse box?

Mine is an A229 Plus as well. Once I've got it working front and back I might get the interior camera too. Apparently the new fisheye one for the 3xx series works with it, which is great because it can see out of the side windows.

I know some people don't like an interior camera. You can set it up so that it only records when parked. I might have it running all the time though. I see posts on Reddit about people being falsely accused of using their phone while driving, and if you don't have an interior camera the police's witness statement that they saw you do it is usually impossible to refute. I'm not happy about it but that seems to be where we are in 2025.
 
Let me know how you get on. Are you going to hardwire it into the fuse box?

Mine is an A229 Plus as well. Once I've got it working front and back I might get the interior camera too. Apparently the new fisheye one for the 3xx series works with it, which is great because it can see out of the side windows.

I know some people don't like an interior camera. You can set it up so that it only records when parked. I might have it running all the time though. I see posts on Reddit about people being falsely accused of using their phone while driving, and if you don't have an interior camera the police's witness statement that they saw you do it is usually impossible to refute. I'm not happy about it but that seems to be where we are in 2025.
I'm planning to hard wire to the fuse box, sounds tricky to access, but so too is my MG4, but I used the cigarette lighgter socket as there is no parking monitoring.
Yes I'll post on here how things go.
 
I think I have figured out why the taps don't fit. They are not the same shape as the fuses.

fuse.webp


tap.webp


The extra bits at the side prevent it going in. I'm not sure if you can get taps without those bits. I might be able to shave it down. I hope so, the quotes I've had for installation have all been around £200.
 
I think I have figured out why the taps don't fit. They are not the same shape as the fuses.

View attachment 39581

View attachment 39582

The extra bits at the side prevent it going in. I'm not sure if you can get taps without those bits. I might be able to shave it down. I hope so, the quotes I've had for installation have all been around £200.
I'm not surprised at £200 pro cost, sourcing the correct fuse pins is going to be key in this, mine were delivered today, but I'm not able to help you or me as we are still in Portugal. I'm itching to get on with it 😂😂
 
After trying two different eBay sellers I ordered these in the end: Be In Your Mind 4PCS Micro3 Piggyback Add-A-Circuit Blade Fuse Holder Fuse Tap for Cars Trucks Boats : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

When it stops raining I'll fit them, but they look like they are the right thing. No extra bits at the sides.
They actually look identical to the pair I bought on ebay and were delivered last week, not home from hols until Saturday, so hopefully they'll work fingers crossed 🤞🤞😂
 
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