W212 - anyone with dashcam installed?

[derektrotter]

Hi All

I'm looking into purchasing a dashcam for my W212 (previous car was written off due to a accident and footage would have helped), has anyone installed themselves or had someone install?

I was thinking of utilising the 12v cig socket in the glove compartment but i'm not sure if i'll be able to hide the wires well enough so may look into paying someone (in Beds/Herts).

If anyone has done installs some advice or pictures would be appreciated, if I can self install using the same approach it would be ideal

 

[MancMike]

I have mine plugged into the socket in the glove box too. It's easy to hide the wires, you just took them behind the A pillar trim, then the roof trim. It took a few minutes, and is totally invisible wiring. I can take pics if you'd like.

 

[derektrotter]

Pics would be great

When I last had a quick look there was an area where I couldnt locate where to hide the cables, i'll have another look though.

 

[MancMike]

Some. Shows discrete camera with power cable going up into behind the plastic panel the mirror attaches into. It then is tucked away under the trim all the way around, and can't even be seen in the next pictures in the door shut, as it goes underneath and around. You can see inside the glove box, the cable comes out of the back far corner, gets pinched slightly but not causing damage.

 

[MancMike]

Here.

 

[ianw19]

Mmm, can't see a socket in my glove box

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[reflexboy]

I have a Koonlung K1S dual camera system
in my W212. Pretty straightforward to install as the cameras are small as the brains and screen of the system are a separate unit mounted on a bracket in the glovebox. Front camera is mounted on the rear view mirror base as I hate round sucker type window mounts and the cable is tucked under the headlining, down the A pillar to the glovebox. The rear camera is mounted top centre of the rear screen and the cable runs along the edge of the headliner and down the A pillar to the glovebox. I have hardwired in using a flying cigar lighter socket hidden behind the centre console cubby and picked up power from the cigar lighter. All in all its a really neat install. I will post pics shortly.

 

[reflexboy]

Pic1

 

[reflexboy]

Pic2

 

[reflexboy]

Pic3

 

[reflexboy]

Pic4

 

[cocomillion]

I have a Koonlung K1S dual camera system
in my W212. Pretty straightforward to install as the cameras are small as the brains and screen of the system are a separate unit mounted on a bracket in the glovebox. Front camera is mounted on the rear view mirror base as I hate round sucker type window mounts and the cable is tucked under the headlining, down the A pillar to the glovebox. The rear camera is mounted top centre of the rear screen and the cable runs along the edge of the headliner and down the A pillar to the glovebox. I have hardwired in using a flying cigar lighter socket hidden behind the centre console cubby and picked up power from the cigar lighter. All in all its a really neat install. I will post pics shortly.

Hi. Do u have a link where u purchased it from? Thanks

 

[reflexboy]

Your best bet is to Google 'Koonlung K1S' as there are several suppliers. You can get it with or without the GPS module which gives you the advantage of logging your location and speed (which is also switchable)

 

[ianw19]

This thread has given me the impetus to install my Livue lb100, although after routing through the headliner and pillar I have plugged it in the power socket in the centre console.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[derektrotter]

Thank you all, looks like I can take the 12v from glove compartment then run it thru the rubber, only bit i'm not sure on, in the first pic on the left where you have the gap, whether I can take that off safely and get it back on again, I believe the side airbags are located within that..

 

[MancMike]

You don't need to take it off. Took it underneath the join between the headlining and A pillar cover there, to get it to the outer edge, then run it just under that black felt coated rubber flap. All the way down, to just under where the side of the glovebox panel starts in your 2nd picture. Then with the glovebox door open, you can bring it into the glovebox and it'll close just fine.

 

[derektrotter]

Thanks but I'm still having trouble visualising it

I looked at your pictures and it looks perfect, cannot see any wires anywhere.

 

[MancMike]

I've took some more and highlighted it with arrows and annotations.

It's easy, there's no trim to remove, it really just tucks in behind, and you run it around.

I've pulled it out a little bit at various points to show where it goes.

Click pics for full size.

 

[columb]

Hi,

I'm a little bit late to the party but I have installed dashcam to my W212. With multimeter I've found switched +12 in the dome overhead (which switches itself off after around 1 min after key is taken out form the ignition) and that's what I'm using to piggy back +12. Wire is red with blue stripes if memory serves me right. Ground is obvious as it's brown.

So I've hidden 12v to USB converter above dome lights and hard-wired everything with those piggy back clips! Soi far I have had 0 problems but obviously your mileage might wary.

I have NO idea what I've connected to as I can't find any decent drawings but I'm sure some technicians here will eb quick to tell "TAKE IT DOWN NOW AS YOUR CAR MIGHT BURN!" or actually "Yeah, you alrite matey, no biggie! Yo!".

Btw. I've replaced ALL bulbs with LEDs so this will reduce load on the wires. Not that there is much draw from the dash cam...

I have some pics which I'm happy to upload and share later.

Cheers
Chris

 

[keith of kent]

Has anyone fitted a rear camera to a 212 estate?