Dashcam Installation Advice

[jmcbrew]

Do something to charge up the 12V battery like taking the car for a half hour or longer drive. Monitor the notifications for a while. The car sometimes gives the drain notice after work has been performed due to the 12V being low. My 2024 griped at me a day after I installed my dashcam and hasn’t done it again. ??

This. Better yet, put a 12V battery charger in it overnight. I was getting the same error message after working on a jobsite (installing Blink chargers) where my MME was parked right next to where I was working, and I was in and out of the car all day every day getting tools.

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[JeffGo]

I just got this about 2 hours ago. I don't have anything plugged in to 12V at all. I drove it around for a bit, a couple of 10-15 minute drives. And it's on the charger now because I need it tomorrow.

 

[Kerpazm]

I just got this about 2 hours ago. I don't have anything plugged in to 12V at all. I drove it around for a bit, a couple of 10-15 minute drives. And it's on the charger now because I need it tomorrow.

Here is a general thread about the specific warning message and possible troubleshooting.

 

[JeffGo]

Here is a general thread about the specific warning message and possible troubleshooting.

Son of a b*tch. Looks like I found one of these trackers under the dash, and there is a connector into a cable harness, but it's not an OBD-II connector that it plugs into. There are two wires, red & black, which have vampire taps on the back of the OBD, and that appear to be power connectors to that orange device. Can I cut the wires?

I did know that the dealership had something because it showed up in FDRS when I got the car, but when I went in a day later, it had been disconnected (at the server side).

 

[JeffGo]

Son of a b*tch. Looks like I found one of these trackers under the dash, and there is a connector into a cable harness, but it's not an OBD-II connector that it plugs into. There are two wires, red & black, which have vampire taps on the back of the OBD, and that appear to be power connectors to that orange device. Can I cut the wires?

I did know that the dealership had something because it showed up in FDRS when I got the car, but when I went in a day later, it had been disconnected (at the server side).

and there is a fuse in line with those power wires. I am going to pull it and see what happens.

 

[JeffGo]

Well crap! The car is bricked now. Once I pulled the fuse, I started getting a bunch of errors, the car asked if it was still plugged in, and it is completely locked up. I tried replacing the fuse -with great difficulty - but no luck.

Tomorrow, I'll try disconnecting the 12V battery. Otherwise, it will have to be towed back to the dealership.

 

[MonkeyNutz]

The appropriate Dongar adapter has been out of stock for a while and there is no ETA on when it will be back... Just FYI for anyone like me who is looking to add a dashcam to their new Mach-E. I don't want to do the FitCam X like I have in my Lightning -- I'm on my second unit and too many compromises. looking for better solutions. Half tempted to try the Red Tiger one that gets advertised here. Otherwise probably a Viofo or Garmin that are easy to install and I already have put a couple Garmin's in other vehicles...

Not sure if I'm going to do a rear camera with my install. It was a fight in the Lightning and looks to be even worse with the glass roof and then working around airbags on our Mach-E. I think most of my problems with my FitCam X has to do with the power for the front and rear cameras. First unit died, just out of warranty, of course. I bought another, but they gave me a discount. It's OK for now, it's only been a couple months, but still just "meh" at best...

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