Dashcam

[KosCo]

Has anyone installed a dashcam in the LZ Focus? I am trying to find out if the engine stop/start system interferes with the dashcam if the camera is installed into the cigarette lighter. There seem to be situations whereby the dashcam is turned off in vehicles with stop/start systems.

[marko]

In my LW it turned off after the lighter turned off, a few minutes? And turned on as soon as unlocked as lighter powered up.
I connected mine to the fuse box. A bit fiddly to do but I had a power pack with it so it stayed on for a while and was in standby constantly for parking situations

[4cyl_Turbo]

Originally Posted by KosCo

Has anyone installed a dashcam in the LZ Focus? I am trying to find out if the engine stop/start system interferes with the dashcam if the camera is installed into the cigarette lighter. There seem to be situations whereby the dashcam is turned off in vehicles with stop/start systems.

My dashcam works fine fitted to the cigarette lighter socket.
I'm not interested in recording when parked, so it turns on when the doors are unlocked and it turns off 20-30 mins after the ignition turned off and doors locked. (Cigarette lighter stays powered on for that 20mins after car turned off)

Easy install, I run the cable along the roof, A-pillar trim, door rubber down to the floor then under the passenger seat to centre console socket.
All done within 10 minutes, with no wires visible, all inside the trim.

[NormM67]

Originally Posted by 4cyl_Turbo

Easy install, I run the cable along the roof, A-pillar trim, door rubber down to the floor then under the passenger seat to centre console socket.
All done within 10 minutes, with no wires visible, all inside the trim.

Hi mate,

I'll be installing mine this weekend. Just one question.. How did you get the cable behind the A-pillar trim? Is it just the rubber door seal holding it on or did you pop the trim off somehow?

Thanks.

Norm

[marko]

In both our cars I pulled the rubber off and poked it behind the trim and put rubber back

[4cyl_Turbo]

Originally Posted by NormM67

Hi mate,

I'll be installing mine this weekend. Just one question.. How did you get the cable behind the A-pillar trim? Is it just the rubber door seal holding it on or did you pop the trim off somehow?

Thanks.

Norm

I ran it along front of a-pillar trim, just poked it in between windscreen edge and trim.
The roof trim is the worst, as it doesn't have a tight front edge, so have to allow a little extra cable to avoid it coming out.

Had the complimentary 'service' today and they unplug the dashcam to avoid me seeing what they get up to. 😜
Mazda didn't mind me leaving it on, maybe they had nothing to hide.

[NormM67]

Originally Posted by marko

In both our cars I pulled the rubber off and poked it behind the trim and put rubber back

That's my plan but have to get it from the roof liner to the rubber trim which means it needs to pass behind the A pillar trim. Not sure if doing that will affect any airbags

[NormM67]

Okay, scratch my below concerns about the A pillar trim problems. After removing the door seal and pulling back the top of the A pillar trim, I was able to pass the wire behind the airbag stuff in there so all good.

Still have to permanently wire the thing in (just plugged into the accessory port at the moment).

The only problem was sound distortions due to vibrations. Nothing a couple of strips of draught tape stuck on either side of the windscreen mount didn't solve. Pulling the cam on/off is a bit harder but I don't really intend on removing that often. Hopefully wont melt in the heat leaving it in place

Now just to find the right fuse that won't have permanent power to tap into.

Pretty happy so far

[marko]

Does your car have fog lights? Mine didn't switch on unless key was on/dash lights illuminated. Or aircon would also be suitable

[marko]

Just out of curiosity what model is it

[NormM67]

Originally Posted by marko

Just out of curiosity what model is it

Hey Marko,

I have an LZ Trend so it has fog lamps. I'll go through and find a fuse somewhere. I don't mind if the power stays on for 10 minutes after locking up the car like the accessory port does, just don't want it to be always on.

May run down to Jaycar today and grab the bits I need and start playing around with it

[marko]

Another option is tap into the aux plug in behind so the plug is still free to use

[NormM67]

Mission accomplished, put the attached together for about $20. The front fog lamps (fuse 75) is always live so couldn't use that in case I forgot to turn on/off the cam whenever I went somewhere. Ended up finding fuse 85 (listed in the manual as Air conditioning, Moonroof, Heated seat switches, Passenger airbag deactivation switch) is only live when the ignition is on. Happy days

Now just need the dash mat to cut down on screen reflections.

[GTP534]

I've found since installing the dashcam the "hold OK to reset" doesn't work. The trip computer still works but won't reset.

Anybody experienced this?

Will most likely take it back to the place that installed it.

[NormM67]

Originally Posted by GTP534

I've found since installing the dashcam the "hold OK to reset" doesn't work. The trip computer still works but won't reset.

Anybody experienced this?

Will most likely take it back to the place that installed it.

I've had no problems with mine such as you describe although I installed mine myself. Actually installed it twice now as I upgraded mine to a better cam last week.

[marko]

That'll be a different issue. There's nothing on the fuse box that you could have disrupted that would cause that.

Sent from the Bat-phone