Best Dash Cam Hardwire Kit

We’ll go over how to install your dash cam hardwire kit in your car in 4 steps outlined below.

1. Find your cars fuse box

   You will need to find your cars main fuse box where the Cigarette Adapter or “Accessories” fuse is located. This will usually be under the glove box or under the steering wheel area, although it can sometimes be up in the engine compartment. You may need to look at your cars user manual or do some Google searches to find out where it is.
   Your fuse box might look something like this:
   Once you have located your fuse box and opened it up, you should be able to get a look at all the fuses. Many cars put a diagram on the back of the fuse box cover or door. Check there to see if you have a list of what all the fuses are for. If you don’t see a fuse diagram list on your fuse box cover, try doing a Google search for “2010 toyota camery fuse box diagram” (replacing with your cars details).
   You will want to find the fuse that turns off when your car turns off. This is called a “Switched Fuse” as it’s switched on and off when you start and stop your car.
   The most common fuse people use to plug their dash camera in is the ACCESSORIES fuse.
   This fuse will usually be labeled: ACC or CIG. The ACC, CIG or Accessory is the fuse that goes to your cars cigarette power adapter or USB adapter.

2. Plugging hardwire kit into fuse box

   Most dash cam hardwire kits will come with either 2 or 3 wires. This is what each of the wires is for.
   
   RED WIRE (ACC)
   This is your main on and off power to the dash cam. This will plug into the ACC or Accessories/CIG Adapter fuse. Make sure the dash cam hardwire kit comes with an “ADD-A-FUSE” connector, like the one pictured below. This is how you will plug the hardwire kit into your fuse box.
   There are 2 fuse slots on this fuse adapter, your hardwire kit should come with a fuse already in it, on the top slot that is in line with the wire. This is the fuse for the dash cam.
   
   If there is not one in there and you need to get one, a 5a (5 AMP) fuse is the most common sized fuse used on dash cams. The bottom fuse slot is where you put your existing car fuse. Once you have both fuses in the slots, you can then insert the fuse adapter into your cars fuse box.
   
   BLACK WIRE (GND)
   This is the ground wire and needs to be screwed into the metal body of the car. The ground wire should be connected to bare metal with no paint or plastic either on the screw or car panel or bracket. Look for black wires coming off of other electronics, such as your car stereo. These will have a ground wire screwed into metal on your car. This is a good ground spot for your dash cam hardwire kit.
   
   YELLOW WIRE (B+) – B+ or BATT+ is for battery.
   The yellow wire, or 3rd wire is on some more advanced hardwire kits that are intended to be used with parking mode features on a dash cam. People often ask what they should do with the 3rd yellow wire. The yellow wire is is meant to be plugged into a fuse slot that receives continuous or always on power from the car batter so you can use parking mode features.
   If you do no want to use parking mode features or have your dash cam receive power when your car is off, you should be able to leave the yellow wire disconnected and tape the ends off with electrical tape. Read your dash cam hardwire kit user manual to make sure what you need to do with the extra yellow wire. Disable all of the parking features within the dash cam settings area.
   
   Finding an always  on “Constant Fuse” for 3rd Yellow Wire
   If you plan to use all of the parking mode features on your dash cam, you will want the 3rd wire of the hardwire kit to be plugged into a fuse slot that always receives power.
   An always on fuse goes to items in your car that you can turn on, even when your car is off and no key is in the ignition. Things like your dome light, emergency lights and headlights. These always on fuse slots might sometimes be refereed to as “B+” fuse slot. You can plug your fuse adapter into the always on fuse slot the same as you would with your ACC red wire.

3. Mounting your dash cam

   Once you have installed your hardwire kit into your cars fuse box, you will want to mount your dash cam onto the windshield. You should do this before you run the wire up, that way you know what length you will need.

4. Routing and Hiding Wires

   After you have installed and tested that your hardwire kit is working properly, you will want to then clean up the wires and route them up to your dash cam.
   Your dash cams should come with a long enough wire to make it down the side of your windshield and to your fuse box to have some wire left over.
   Route the wires from the top of your windshield down to your hardwire kit at the fuse box. Most cars will have a “headliner” panel at the top of the windshield. You should be able to tuck the wire in this top headliner and run the wire to the top corner of the windshield. From here, it will differ greatly from car to car. Ideally you will have a plastic panel that you can stuff/push the wire behind and run it down the side of the windshield and down to the fuse box.