Safely run power for dashcam?

[kleung]

Morning all, hope everyone had a great Christmas.

I'm trying to run a USB cable from my dashcam to the cigarette lighter power in the centre console. My idea is to tuck the cable under the roof lining, go left to the passenger-side A-pillar, down, then under the dashboard.

From the research I've done, as far as I can tell, the inflator for the curtain airbag is about half way along the length of the airbag, and mounted somewhere in the roof rail - but the airbag is the 'extended' type which goes all the way down the A-pillar.

I can fully conceal the cable if I run it down the door side of the A-pillar, but that would entail running it between the roof lining and the top of the A-pillar cover, which would, as far as I can tell, put it in the path of the airbag if it were to deploy.

My guess is that the safer option is to try and tuck the cable in as best I can between the windscreen and the A-pillar, but it looks like the gap between the A-pillar cover and the windscreen is too tight to fully conceal the cable, and I haven't yet figured out how to conceal the cable where it runs between the bottom of the A-pillar and the side of the dashboard.

My question is - what is the safest way to run the cable down the A-pillar in such a way that it won't interfere with the curtain airbag deployment?

Does anyone have any tips on how I can better conceal the cable, or if there's a smarter way to do it? My car is still under extended warranty, so I'm not keen on tapping into the power that's available at the mirror just yet.

TIA.

[mr gee]

you do not have to tuck it in too far. Just about half cm is enough. I run mine tucked to the headlining at the windscreen end then cross over to the A pilar where the plastic trim is along the top (just push it in enough to conceal) then tucked under the rubber door seals to rough knee height where you find another plastic trim joint. then behind the glove box and along the centre console to the power socket.

5 minute job

[kleung]

I run mine tucked to the headlining at the windscreen end then cross over to the A pilar where the plastic trim is along the top (just push it in enough to conceal)

Thanks for your reply, but I fear that the way you have done (where you cross over the top of the A-pillar) it will interfere with airbag deployment, since there is a section of the curtain airbag that is attached to the A-pillar when it deploys.

[brad]

Remove the A-pillar cover and you'll see where the airbag sits, then you can run the cable forward of the airbag so that the two don't interfere with each other.

[kleung]

Remove the A-pillar cover and you'll see where the airbag sits, then you can run the cable forward of the airbag so that the two don't interfere with each other.

Thanks, I did a bit more reading, and it seems that the B6 may have a single-use metal retaining clip under the A-pillar cover. Some people have said that they've managed to re-use that clip, so I'll do a bit more reading on how to do it as safely as possible when I get a chance and report back.

It seems there is likely to be an existing wiring harness that runs up the A pillar anyway, so I could probably just cable-tie the dashcam's power cable to that and be fairly confident that it won't interfere with the airbag. I already ordered a trim removal toolkit a few days ago so it'll probably be a bit easier once I have that on hand.

[brad]

I've only done it on an Octavia (all these VW group cars are engineered in a similar manner) but there were no single use clips that I could see. Yes, there's a wiring loom and I attached to it with a couple of fine cable ties.

If you want to do a full stealth install then put an accessory 12v outlet in the cubby hole near your right knee and wire it into a switched fuse in the fuse box. Works really well.

[Hillbilly]

I have done this in both my Passat and the Polo I ran the power cable from the Fuse panel in the end of the dash and up the joint in the end of the top of the dash to the front of the A pillar Then using a body panel tool pushed in between the A pillar trim and the windscreen to the top then under the edge of the roof lining and across to above the mirror It then tucks in the side of the roof console and you can only see a few inches of cable. However the cable is a lot thinner than a USB which is a cheap cumbersome way of doing it.

Using one of these and a ciggy socket you can power it off a spare fuse socket thats not used You can see the cable in the second pic going up the door trim The ciggy socket is in the bubble wrap to stop it rattling One of those fuses is permanent power and one is ignition only power Cant remember which is which after 2 years since I installed it. Reason for doing it this way is that some cameras run off less than 12V and have the stepdown in the ciggy plug which also usually has a fuse in it.


Camera looks like third pic.

[Passat R36]

Morning all, hope everyone had a great Christmas.

I'm trying to run a USB cable from my dashcam to the cigarette lighter power in the centre console. My idea is to tuck the cable under the roof lining, go left to the passenger-side A-pillar, down, then under the dashboard.

From the research I've done, as far as I can tell, the inflator for the curtain airbag is about half way along the length of the airbag, and mounted somewhere in the roof rail - but the airbag is the 'extended' type which goes all the way down the A-pillar.

I can fully conceal the cable if I run it down the door side of the A-pillar, but that would entail running it between the roof lining and the top of the A-pillar cover, which would, as far as I can tell, put it in the path of the airbag if it were to deploy.

My guess is that the safer option is to try and tuck the cable in as best I can between the windscreen and the A-pillar, but it looks like the gap between the A-pillar cover and the windscreen is too tight to fully conceal the cable, and I haven't yet figured out how to conceal the cable where it runs between the bottom of the A-pillar and the side of the dashboard.

My question is - what is the safest way to run the cable down the A-pillar in such a way that it won't interfere with the curtain airbag deployment?

Does anyone have any tips on how I can better conceal the cable, or if there's a smarter way to do it? My car is still under extended warranty, so I'm not keen on tapping into the power that's available at the mirror just yet.

TIA.

Have you considered getting 12v power from the auto dim rear view mirror?

The Blue/Black is + and the Brown next to it is -.

[Hillbilly]

If it has a USB power cable its probably 5 volts so will need correct connectors with a stepdown converter from 12 v which is frequently in the plug on the end of the cable.

Have seen a few fried who did not appreciate the difference. The way I did it has worked perfectly for over 2 years and will work regardless of the required voltage as it uses the original parts that came with the camera.

Is also not a good idea to splice into circuits in a VW

[kleung]

Have you considered getting 12v power from the auto dim rear view mirror?

Yeah I have - as I mentioned in my OP, my car is still under warranty so I want to avoid doing anything potentially invasive for now. Thanks all the same.

Then using a body panel tool pushed in between the A pillar trim and the windscreen to the top

Good to know this is possible. My trim removal kit has turned up so I might try again and see if I can't just push the cable between the A pillar trim and the windscreen.