How to wire dashcam in Leaf neatly?

[ybitz]

I would like to install a dashcam in my Leaf, but I don't want an ugly power cable running from the windshield to the 12V outlet. Has anyone figured out how to run the wire in a way that's not obtrusive?

 

[mazdaboi]

the center cluster comes out very easily, you could run the wires from the cam to the top center of the center cluster/audio/nav, then have the wires fed to the bottom of the dash where you can plug it in or hard-wire it to the 12V plug. takes just a few seconds to pull the black trim off by carefully prying it. It has I believe 6 pinch/pressure metal clips holding it in place.

 

[TickTock]

the center cluster comes out very easily, you could run the wires from the cam to the top center of the center cluster/audio/nav, then have the wires fed to the bottom of the dash where you can plug it in or hard-wire it to the 12V plug. takes just a few seconds to pull the black trim off by carefully prying it. It has I believe 6 pinch/pressure metal clips holding it in place.

+1

 

[Gelisob]

... some years later: technology had advanced and now guys were making videos to the interwebs!

Here comes me, with a video to show how I wired my dashcam on a 2013 nissan leaf.
With added benefit of recording 10 minutes after you leave the car and then shutting off.

https://youtu.be/q4HsqICIgmI

No need to break your dash and run cables around.
Hope this helps someone!

 

[estomax]

yeah i tapped mine from the map light panel, very easy and right next to where the dash cam mounts as the above video shows. The only downside is that it is accessory 12v, so not always on (if you for some reason need it to record while parked also).

Marko

 

[powersurge]

I would like to install a dashcam in my Leaf, but I don't want an ugly power cable running from the windshield to the 12V outlet. Has anyone figured out how to run the wire in a way that's not obtrusive?

All the suggestions seem to be circular ways to do the wiring.... Hang the wire down to the radio cluster, take apart the dome light, and cut wires to get power...???

Here is the correct way to do this, with no tools, and no cutting or wiring. plus it will be invisible. I have done this manner of wiring on all of my cars without a hitch... In 10 minutes..

SO -:
1) figure out where you want to mount the camera and mount it... The higher on the windshield, the better.
2) You will need about 10 feel of power wire to do this.. (most cameras come with this length of wire that ends in a cigarette plug). Or you can use an extension power cord when you get further in this process.
3) Plug the power wire into the mounted camera and guide the wire UPWARDS to the headliner at the top of the windshield.... (Add about 1-2 inches to the length of the wire so it will be lose and give you good slack..
4) Start slowly pushing the wire towards the passenger side UNDER the headliner all the way to the right side of the window. Continue pushing the wire under the plastic pillar cover, or under the door rubber weather strip. You can stop when you reach the bottom of the car's dash. (you can use a slotted screwdriver to gently push the wire under the crevices, or to open up the space so that the wire slides between the space.
5) Route the wire under the glove box (use your creativity) so that it ends in the center console to the 12v cigarette lighter adapter.
6) If your wire was too short to do all this, you can buy a 12 v power extension cable to reach.
7) I have installed a 4x cigarette plug box (connected to the 1 cigarette lighter adapter) and it mounts nicely in the notch of the center console. Then I have 4 plugs to use for phones, ipods, etc.

Good luck.
Please reply how it turned out.

PS - I have used this method to install a REAR FACING dash cam. I have both front and back cameras. All with no tools or cutting, in 10-20 minutes of work.... Plus..... It is completely invisible, and can be removed in about 3 minutes..

 

[estomax]

the downside of using a cigarette lighter plug is that then you have an ugly contraption constantly plugged in and visible, some of us like clean interiors with no wires coming out of the center console But yes, that is the cleanest, easiest and no permanent changes method, your are right on that.

if your dash cam is near the rear view mirror then your cable runs right next to the mirror, under the headliner and into the map light enclosure, which happens to be the shortest path for accessory power. Tapping into the fuse box with a split fuse is another way, that would be somewhere between this method and yours for cleanliness and ease of removal.

 

[OldManCan]

Happy new year and good day to all! I'm planning for my dashcam install on a new SL+ and wanted to find out best practices on the topic. Since this thread is a little dated with last interaction about 2 years I wanted to see if any new ideas have come out.

What are the dashcams folks are using and happy with?
Parking mode considerations - impact on the 12V battery...
Cable routing ideas for Gen2 trim.

Anything you have to contribute on the topic will be much appreciated. Thank you

Edit - I have watched the youtube video above (Thank you @Gelisob) and planning to go this route (splice into map light circuit) as opposed to the longer run to the fusebox. Seems straightforward and less intrusive. Have you experienced any downside to this approach after committing to it?

Edit 2 - Just for reference to the other installation option, I'll leave a link to a nice YouTube video (not mine - Kudos to the contributor) showing how its done if you do not wish to splice into the map lights and don't mind a little more cable routing work. Result is a clean install which can be 100% reversed.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lre_1eMk_DA[/youtube]

 

[Learjet]

I ran my wire up behind the headliner, down the ride side pillar under the rubber door seal, under the glove box, then removed the lighter adapter and solder/shrink rapped a USB plug so I could keep my double USB adapter that also shows DC voltage. Neat and no dissemble required.

The wire on the left in the small compartment is plugged in for Apple play and my phone...nothing to do with the dash cam.

link to USB/Voltage meter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M9IKYVH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[OldManCan]

... some years later: technology had advanced and now guys were making videos to the interwebs!

Here comes me, with a video to show how I wired my dashcam on a 2013 nissan leaf.
With added benefit of recording 10 minutes after you leave the car and then shutting off.

https://youtu.be/q4HsqICIgmI

No need to break your dash and run cables around.
Hope this helps someone!

Just a quick follow-up. I completed my dashcam install using this method (splice to maplights power source) and got a very clean install. Was much simpler than going all the way to the fuse box. For future reference, in a 2022 SL+ the colors to splice into are still the yellow and black. Seems like there is no change since 2013. Thanks once again to @Gelisob for his post and video.

 

[RNeil]

My 2021 Leaf SV already has front and rear cameras from Nissan. Has anyone been able to hook up a device to record these signals on a SD card?

 

[OldManCan]

Not that I am aware of. Would have been neat if it were possible. If we're talking about the parking assist cameras, their angle (facing down) and their focal point etc may not be very suitable to function as a dashcam. The ProPilot camera on the upper windscreen could work well as a dashcam feed I suppose but its feed drives a lot of safety features. I wouldn't want to mess with it. Curious to see how far you get on this path. Best of luck.

 

[Learjet]

My 2021 Leaf SV already has front and rear cameras from Nissan. Has anyone been able to hook up a device to record these signals on a SD card?

they are mostly point down and not aligned for a true dashcam type recording.

 

[ckoerner]

I found this adapter to be super useful in wiring up a dash cam in my 2022 Leaf. Instead of having to run a wire down to the fuse box or cigarette lighter, this draws a little power from the auto-dimming rear-view mirror's power supply. It has the added benefit of only drawing power when the vehicle is on, not when parked (Which I guess could be a downside if you want your dash cam to be running all the time).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KZSBC54/

I ended up buying the adapter for my other two cars and have been using them for a few months now without issue.

 

[fjord]

I found this adapter to be super useful in wiring up a dash cam in my 2022 Leaf. Instead of having to run a wire down to the fuse box or cigarette lighter, this draws a little power from the auto-dimming rear-view mirror's power supply. It has the added benefit of only drawing power when the vehicle is on, not when parked (Which I guess could be a downside if you want your dash cam to be running all the time).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KZSBC54/

I ended up buying the adapter for my other two cars and have been using them for a few months now without issue.

I have a 2024 SV+ - I looked at powering my dashcam from the mirror but a quick examination of the housing didn't show an obvious way to remove it to access power to plug in the above adapter.
Do you have pic(s) you can share of how it looks?

 

[LEVE]

On my 2024 SV+ I've mounted the dashcam behind the left side of the rearview mirror. It's just below the windshield frits. The power is run up under the headliner, down the left side of the A-Pillar behind the door seal lip, under the left removable dash panel, and along the topside of the dash bottom, across to the midsection of the dash. Then the wire is tucked into the dash and finally comes out to a 12vdc to USB plug. Easy Peasey... it took only a few minutes to mount.

 

[Easy]

+1

+2
Not as easy as running a wire along the headliner and down the A pillar but you'll not be interfering with the air bag.

 

[LEVE]

+2
Not as easy as running a wire along the headliner and down the A pillar but you'll not be interfering with the air bag.

That is something I had considered when I ran the power cable.

Let me describe the wiring again, perhaps a little better. The power cable is run under the front of the headliner, it's easy to hide the run there. As it nears the A-pillar it runs above the A-pillar panel (still under the headliner) and down down the door seal under the seal lip. The cable is run to the side of the airbag panel, not under it. Then it exits under the seal to the removable dash panel between the dash and the panel. This dash panel's leading edge is under the door seal lip. The cable remains unseen.

Run in this manner, the power cable would not interfere with airbag deployment.