Hardwiring a dashcam to your Mazda
 

I recently hardwired a dashcam dvr to my CX-5 and thought I'd do a video on how to do this because it really is needed when driving on today's crazy roads.

Here's a link for anyone interested in fitting one yourself:

Hi from the UK Hiltoncam. Your video guide is extremely helpful (they say a picture is worth a thousand words, and your video certainly proves the point). I currently have a CX-5 on order, and based on a recent incident where a van ran into the rear offside of my current car when I was negotiating a roundabout (him being at fault) I am going to have a dual camera dashcam fitted in my new car when it arrives (I've already had a Street Guardian dual channel fitted in my current car, but it will be staying in it when I do the swap. I'm very impressed with the Street Guardian, model SG 9663 DC by the way.).

The CX-5 is a bit longer than my current car and a ****ling question that has already occured to me, and is highlighted in a comment you make in your video, concerns the length of the rear camera connecting cable supplied with my Street Guardian kit. My new Street Guardian kit has two different length rear camera cables in the kit, and there is a strong likelyhood that the longer of the two cable will be long enough to go the route you demonstrate in your video guide. Do you by any chance know the length of the rear camera cable supplied with your dashcam kit please ? To protect my new car warranty I will be having the dashcam installed at the Mazda dealership supplying the car, but I am trying to prepare a set of installation instructions so that the new install is as I wish (I haven't dealt with the dealership before, and, based on experience with non motoring so called tradesmen, I know that if something isn't specified you take pot-luck as to whether common-sense will lead the tradesman down the appropriate route !!!

I like the install observation you make re threading the dashcam cable through the less wire-packed rear tailgate flexible concertina trunking, but I now have another question you may be able to comment on, if you can get DAB radio signals where you live. I've seen on another forum a comment about one of the trunkings containing a DAB aerial lead, and taking a dashcam cable adjacent to this caused interference with the DAB signal (I can't imagine why a DAB aerial lead would need to go through one of the trunkings, but what do I know ?!). Are you able to comment on this by any chance ?
Thank-you again for taking the trouble post your video guide. If my camera install was not on a new car, I have enough diy skills to be able to tackle the install (heart in mouth re the airbag deployment issue !) and your video would have boosted my confidence enough to do the job.

Hey Lordhenry,
Thanks for watching my video. The cable was just under 5 meters long and luckily the camera itself had a cable that was 20cm long which was more than enough to reach the plug I'd pulled through into the tail gate area.
My car is also under warranty is I've only had it four months now, but I like to ensure things are perfect and therefore fit them myself. Mazda won't void your warranty for pulling a few panels off and as for the electrics, no wires were cut or spliced, so they can't complain there either. As long as you ensure the Dashcam is properly grounded as well.
So far, I'm happy with this dashcam. The rear camera is only 720p, but that's enough to prove you're not at fault and the front is 1080p and captures really crisp pictures. I'll be doing a review on the dashcam in coming weeks, just building up some footage at night and day, sunlight and cloudy weather to let people see the quality.
Congrats on your new purchase, hope you get your Mazda soon and I totally hear you with regards them fitting it for you as they usually take short cuts and yank and pull where they shouldn't which causes rattles, squeaks and noises you never had before. That's why I wrapped my cable in the material automotive tape which manufacturers use for their wiring looms - to avoid rattles. I'm happy to say, I have not rattles after doing this ;-)
Happy motoring!

G'day Hiltoncam. What a speedy reply of yours. Thank-you. I'll be able to sleep at night now based on information in your response. The longer of the rear camera cables in my Street Guardian dashcam kit is 6 metres but plugs directly into the dashcam (no extra lead as in your set-up). With your 5 metre cable + 20 cm extension just long enough for your install, my 6 metre cable will definitely do the trick.

I understand exactly where you're coming from with your comments about having the job done 'properly'. I'm very much in the same camp as you on that. I don't know what it's like in S.A. with warranty claim problems but here in the U.K. it seems any excuse is used to dump the cost of repairs on the customer if at all possible (to be clear, I'm not pointing a finger at the dealership I'm getting the CX-5 from, just a general comment from reading forums and motor magazines). My Mazda salesman has told me that if I have them do the install, I will get the same warranty on the install as with the car (3 years). Not on the camera itself obviously, but that has a 2 year warranty if the camera is registered with Street Guardian.

I bit of a ****le over delivery times on my new CX-5. I was told I could potentially get my car in ten days from the order as the dealerships operate a mutual support systemand swop available vehicles. Order was placed on 9th. January with an estimated delivery date of 31st. January. No news by the 31st. so made a phone enquiry and got to speak to a different salesman who did a computer check of the Mazda build/delivery timetable and was able to tell me my car was having to be built (in Japan) and should be delivered to the distribution depot (mainland Europe) 28th. February (why didn't my salesman do this ?!). The normal additional delay for the hop across the English Channel to the U.K. then on to the dealership a further two weeks, so I'm looking at the middle of March. Thanks again for your prompt reply. Kind regards, Lordhenry.

Hey Lordhenry,

Yeah, I totally hear. Dealers used to be like that 10 years ago in South Africa, but the manufacturers changed their attitude to this sort of thing to adopt the American way of letting you do what you want to your car as long as you don't mess with their stuff - hence, no cutting of wires.

I forgot to mention, that concertina grommet where I ran my cable through is where the rear windshield washer line runs - its the only pipe running through there and thus the best place for the cable to go through. The left side of the trunk controls virtually everything else, reverse camera, tail lights, revers lights, license plate lights, power tailgate, power lock for tail gate and some other canbus stuff. I'd stay away from that area altogether, but I'm sure the Mazda dealer will know this.

I went through a similar process when ordering my car - I wanted a white one with power tailgate, LED lights, satnav, power folding mirrors and here it's called the "Individual package" where elsewhere they call it the Grand Touring. Australia has the same name as SA. The dealer told me they had one in stock and would ship it to me as soon as I paid for it. The dealer was in Johannesburg and I live in Port Elizabeth, so they had to ship it to me Tesla-style. I paid for the car and they sent me a digital sales agreement which I signed digitally and then I waited, and waited and waited. This was all done on a Saturday afternoon - by the following Tuesday I'd still heard nothing from the dealer. I called the sales manager because the salesman was constantly unavailable and she said the car would be shipped that afternoon.

Wednesday came and still my car hadn't been shipped, both the sales manager and salesman were not available at all and after leaving numerous messages for them to call me, I eventually got hold of the dealer group's CEO. He was a pleasant guy who assured me my car would leave Thursday and I'd have it Friday. Long story short and many people running around and calling me to apologize, my car arrived on the Friday with a ding on the rear door. I had it repaired and the dealer paid for it.

Since then, I've done around 12,000 km's with my car and love how it drives. You will be very happy with yours. And yours will now have Android Auto and CarPlay, which mine still has to have retro fitted. I've asked the dealer if they can just sell me the kit and I'll fit it myself. They said no, so I have to have them do it later this year when the SA version of Android Auto is given the all-clear by Mazda.

;-)

Hiltoncam, Interesting to hear your update, especially about what is contained in the two concertina conduits.
Sorry you had the initial grief with the CX-5 supply, but you proved the adage that when things start to go wrong it pays to go to the top ! Despite being a 'wrinkly' I am daft enough to have a Triumph Bonneville motorcycle as well as a car, and I had some relatively minor issues with breakdown cover that was supposed to come with the 'bike, and didn't. The local dealer failed to recitify the problem (after several approaches by me) and I wrote to the CEO of Triumph themselves and got excellent service in response. Had the problem sorted in no time and got an extra years cover as as an apology. (I do have a moan in my old age, but also believe in saying thank-you and giving praise where it's due, so I sent an appropriate e-mail).

My World geography knowledge is not up to much so I looked up your general location on Google Earth. Looks a nice place to live, but the Jo'burg dealership isn't on your doorstep is it ! :eek: Glad to hear you are still loving the car after 12,000 km's. I'm hoping to fall in love with my chariot when it arrives. My Wife is fed up with me keep changing my vehicles, often a large expense and money in the 'rainy day fund' is getting less and less :o
I'll watch out for future posts from you. Thanks again for being so helpful. Lordhenry.