Installed a Fitcamx dash cam in our 2023 Premium

[YAbo71]

Installed a Fitcamx in our 2023 Premium. Install is very clean. Install and setup is about 15-20 minutes.
Will follow up with videos once we use it for a while.

 

[KevinS]

Congrats!

I hate to point it out if it's there and you didn't notice, but some people complain about the fit of the shroud on the passenger side (a gap between it and the headliner.)

Are you seeing the same thing?

 

[mdolan92869]

Also, be very careful removing the clips from the old one. I had one that was stubborn and when it finally came off, it shot across the garage into the Raiders of the Lost Ark section, never to be found again. So, mine has a gap because I have only 4 of the 5 clips (I think there were 5 total?).

 

[YAbo71]

Congrats!

I hate to point it out if it's there and you didn't notice, but some people complain about the fit of the shroud on the passenger side (a gap between it and the headliner.)

Are you seeing the same thing?

Very small gap (you can see it in the last picture. From the passenger seat it is not noticeable. If you look for it you can see it a little. Not enough to bother me. No power cords and Factory look.

 

[YAbo71]

Also, be very careful removing the clips from the old one. I had one that was stubborn and when it finally came off, it shot across the garage into the Raiders of the Lost Ark section, never to be found again. So, mine has a gap because I have only 4 of the 5 clips (I think there were 5 total?).

5 clips and they came off pretty easy for me. Used to small flat screwdrivers to release each side of the clips.

 

[dtbaker61]

Installed a Fitcamx in our 2023 Premium. Install is very clean. Install and setup is about 15-20 minutes.
Will follow up with videos once we use it for a while.

any tips or techniques on removing the OEM shroud?
better to start at the front, or back?
pry straight away from windshield?

 

[YAbo71]

any tips or techniques on removing the OEM shroud?
better to start at the front, or back?
pry straight away from windshield?

Used the little plastic pry tool that can with the cam to start each side against the windshield. Once I could get ahold of it I just pulled firmly and it came off.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Congrats!

I hate to point it out if it's there and you didn't notice, but some people complain about the fit of the shroud on the passenger side (a gap between it and the headliner.)

Are you seeing the same thing?

A little careful use of a heat gun and gentle molding will eliminate the gap.

 

[HuntingPudel]

A little careful use of a heat gun and gentle molding will eliminate the gap.

Poodle tip: Remove the camera housing and heat from the back side.

 

[generaltso]

any tips or techniques on removing the OEM shroud?
better to start at the front, or back?
pry straight away from windshield?

Just grab it from the sides and pull away from the windshield. I didn't use any pry tools.

 

[dtbaker61]

Just grab it from the sides and pull away from the windshield. I didn't use any pry tools.

I can handle that.
just didn't want any surprises or broken clips.

 

[JohnnyForensic]

Two quick tips for you (one leads to the other).

1) If you're going to pop the memory card to look at the videos on a computer (it's easier than dealing with the WiFi from the unit), let it cool down a bit before you try to push it in to make it pop back out. The FitCamX gets HOT at the card, and the edge of the card is so thin that you're essentially pushing a heated knife blade into your finger. (I got a nice little blister the first time I ejected the card. Not doing that again without cooling it down first.)

2) Because the heat is so high, if you're going to replace the card for a larger size, I'd get one marked "high endurance" for extreme conditions, like dash cams. I replaced the card that came with it with twice as much storage and clearly rated for dash cam temps. This is the one I purchased, and it works great.

I'm really happy with the video quality, and I have to remember that I turned sound recording on and need to watch what I say to myself in the car now.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Two quick tips for you (one leads to the other).

1) If you're going to pop the memory card to look at the videos on a computer (it's easier than dealing with the WiFi from the unit), let it cool down a bit before you try to push it in to make it pop back out. The FitCamX gets HOT at the card, and the edge of the card is so thin that you're essentially pushing a heated knife blade into your finger. (I got a nice little blister the first time I ejected the card. Not doing that again without cooling it down first.)

2) Because the heat is so high, if you're going to replace the card for a larger size, I'd get one marked "high endurance" for extreme conditions, like dash cams. I replaced the card that came with it with twice as much storage and clearly rated for dash cam temps. This is the one I purchased, and it works great.

I'm really happy with the video quality, and I have to remember that I turned sound recording on and need to watch what I say to myself in the car now.

I did not find a heat issue, but I did find that the card supplied with the camera was junk. Super-slow transfer rates. I bought this one. You might find that there is less heat with a properly functioning card.

 

[Anton]

Is it worth it to also record the back? Heard that adds to the difficulty of the install

 

[21st Century Pony]

Is it worth it to also record the back? Heard that adds to the difficulty of the install

I thought about it when I installed my Thinkware dash cam.

My thoughts in the end:

1. Normally, any rear-ended accident is presumed to be the following car's fault, so the presumed culpability is there, rear dash cam or no rear dash cam.

2. At night, all or nearly all a rear dash cam will capture under usual driving conditions is headlight glare and blackness.

3. "...difficulty of the install".

Based on 1 thru 3, I stopped at the front dash cam.

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