Dashcam Install Help

[K-MTG]

Hey Guys,

I configured my 3 on 12/15, received my VIN yesterday, and will be taking delivery at Fremont on Sunday!! Super excited!!!
Will be flying in this weekend, spend a few days in SF, and drive home thereafter.

I have two new BlackVue DR750S-2CH that I purchased a few months ago in anticipation of my Model 3. Will only use one of them for now and will complete a 2-CH install (front/rear) along with USB power for my hotspot.

Any tips on approaching the install? From my understanding, the 3 doesn't have an OBD port so finding a constant source of power will be tricky.

Will keep you guys posted!

 

[silentsnow31802]

I ran my cable in the headliner to the right A pillar, then between the A-pillar and the door seal down and out of some trim panels. Then across the passenger floor under the floor mat and into the cigarette lighter for now.

Tried to get the map light assembly out but quit in fear of breaking it.

I found it difficult to find a good place to stick the camera while keeping it out of me eye sight while driving. I mounted it just under the windshield AP camera and tried to center the lens to the windshield.

 

[Tech_Guy]

Hey Guys,

I configured my 3 on 12/15, received my VIN yesterday, and will be taking delivery at Fremont on Sunday!! Super excited!!!

Will keep you guys posted!

Congrats on the 3, Super excited for you can't wait to hear all about it!!

 

[K-MTG]

I ran my cable in the headliner to the right A pillar, then between the A-pillar and the door seal down and out of some trim panels. Then across the passenger floor under the floor mat and into the cigarette lighter for now.

Tried to get the map light assembly out but quit in fear of breaking it.

I found it difficult to find a good place to stick the camera while keeping it out of me eye sight while driving. I mounted it just under the windshield AP camera and tried to center the lens to the windshield.

Thanks for sharing...would you be able to share some pics?

 

[CameronB]

There is actually a 'spare' always-on power connector under the little speaker-like grill in the middle of the headliner. That's what I used for power. Conveniently it is near where you will be installing the front dash cam.

Check out Ultimate 2017 Tesla Dashcam Guide | TeslaTap for more details.

 

[K-MTG]

There is actually a 'spare' always-on power connector under the little speaker-like grill in the middle of the headliner. That's what I used for power. Conveniently it is near where you will be installing the front dash cam.

View attachment 268087

Check out Ultimate 2017 Tesla Dashcam Guide | TeslaTap for more details.

But the 3 doesn't have that like the S. It has this instead...not sure how you can open it.

 

[insaneoctane]

Can not help you at all, sorry . But, I am VERY interested in how your install goes and anything you can share about the experience! Hope you are able to document with lots of photos.... One of the few downsides to being such an early owner!

 

[Xiao ma ge]

Can the Model 3 install the Dash Cam ? I thought that there is a Built-in driving recorder in Model 3.

 

[Dragon]

Hopefully sooner or later you can get access to the autopilot cams somehow. That would be nice.

 

[flashflooder]

I got the same camera and hope more details will start pouring in from current owners, now that the floodgates are opening. Congrats!

 

[run-the-joules]

This is one of the tiny, tiny list of things that make me less sad about being months away from delivery: at least all the questions like this will have answers so I can install the day I get the car.

 

[voip-ninja]

Needing to install this is silly when Tesla have all of the cameras anybody could ever hope for already built into the car, along with a massive power supply to record 24/7.

Hopefully Elon comes through soon on his claim that this would be available at some point for a nominal monthly fee.

 

[run-the-joules]

Needing to install this is silly when Tesla have all of the cameras anybody could ever hope for already built into the car, along with a massive power supply to record 24/7.

Hopefully Elon comes through soon on his claim that this would be available at some point for a nominal monthly fee.

To be fair, dedicated dash cams can be substantially higher resolution and more useful for getting license plate numbers and such. Convenience vs wide usefulness will be the deciding factor, I'd expect.

 

[DFibRL8R]

Needing to install this is silly when Tesla have all of the cameras anybody could ever hope for already built into the car, along with a massive power supply to record 24/7.

Hopefully Elon comes through soon on his claim that this would be available at some point for a nominal monthly fee.

Agree. Aftermarket solutions are not as elegant as the integrated cameras and there is so much potential with all of the cameras on the 3 (and S/X). Also very easy to steal an aftermarket if the car is broken into thereby removing the video evidence of the theft (at least with the SD models like the Blackvue I have). Being able to see what the cameras see from your Tesla phone app for example would be great assuming resolution is decent.

 

[flashflooder]

I may just be imagining things, but I seem to recall seeing a video showing the feed from the cameras and the image quality was... sub-optimal (and maybe monochromatic?)

 

[voip-ninja]

To be fair, dedicated dash cams can be substantially higher resolution and more useful for getting license plate numbers and such. Convenience vs wide usefulness will be the deciding factor, I'd expect.

That is true. However it will come down to how clean installation of a 3rd party dash cam can be on the Model 3 and still be within the skillset of the average owner, or if they will have to farm it out to a car install shop and risk them doing something stupid to their car.

Having, in my college years, worked at a "high end" car stereo shop, I've seen the horrific things they do to owners cars such as snapping off retaining clips on trim pieces, tearing carpets, leaving fasteners and other bits of junk to rattle around inside of a new car's door panels and A pillars.

No thanks.

 

[voip-ninja]

Agree. Aftermarket solutions are not as elegant as the integrated cameras and there is so much potential with all of the cameras on the 3 (and S/X). Also very easy to steal an aftermarket if the car is broken into thereby removing the video evidence of the theft (at least with the SD models like the Blackvue I have). Being able to see what the cameras see from your Tesla phone app for example would be great assuming resolution is decent.

My understanding is that the integrated cameras are geared towards IR sensitivity and don't show images in color. Someone else indicated they don't have as high of resolution so might not be as good for ID'ing license plates... not sure if that is true or not.

Just having the front/rear cameras capable of doing dash cam style recordings as well as the ability to alert me and allow me to look at real time footage if my car was suspected of being tampered with would definitely be worth $20 a month to me personally.

 

[run-the-joules]

My understanding is that the integrated cameras are geared towards IR sensitivity and don't show images in color. Someone else indicated they don't have as high of resolution so might not be as good for ID'ing license plates... not sure if that is true or not.

Just having the front/rear cameras capable of doing dash cam style recordings as well as the ability to alert me and allow me to look at real time footage if my car was suspected of being tampered with would definitely be worth $20 a month to me personally.

Whereas I wouldn't pay more than like $2/mo but I'm stingy.

 

[Qbenjamin]

Speculation: Pretty sure that there will be a wide variety of wires under the driver or passengers door sill. Find a 12V source and tap into that if all else fails. It's very easy to run wire up the pillars and under the headliner.

 

[voip-ninja]

Speculation: Pretty sure that there will be a wide variety of wires under the driver or passengers door sill. Find a 12V source and tap into that if all else fails. It's very easy to run wire up the pillars and under the headliner.

I agree that headliner and A pillar trim is usually not too bad... the problem usually comes with tapping into a reliable power source.

I have no doubt that as people take delivery of their cars there will be instructional vids created by the more adventurous owners who want a dash cam installed ASAP.