Dash cam installation

I have a Nextbase 402g on route to me due next week.

Can anyone point me to a good video or post for the installation into the fuse box.

I have a 402g as well which is powered by a piggy back fuse connector in the fusebox. There isn't a fusebox diagram in the manual (big VW failure), and there is one online but you have to pay to see it. I found the fuse for the power socket in front of the gear lever by plugging in my phone charger and pulling fuses whilst turning the ignition on and off - eventually one of them stopped charging my phone. I can find out which fuse I used if you need it, but it's dark just now :p

There are hard-wiring kits available for the 402 which use the piggy-back approach. I wired a hidden power socket (aka ciggy lighter) hidden in the driver's side cubby hole instead so if I change from a 402 I can plug in the power adaptor for the new camera instead.

I mounted the camera behind my rear view mirror on the suction mount and pushed the cable behind the trim on the inside of the A-Pillar and just above the windscreen leaving about 4 inches of cable exposed for the camera itself.

Long term the suction mounts fail - probably in 6-9 months in total - so buy a spare. My 402G is also occasionally corrupting SD cards so be aware of that too. And also on very cold days the camera doesn't power on - pulling the plug out and putting it back it cures this, not sure if this is a car or camera related issue - I suspect camera as it is powered by a short term battery which is kept charged by the car but keeps recording for a minute or so when power is cut off - e.g. a crash.

I'm currently looking for a non-Nextbase replacement, something more robust with a rear view as well.

I can try and get pics if that would help ?

Hi and thanks for your reply.

The 402G was brand new, sealed box and only £60. An unwanted Xmas present so the seller said. Cheap and good enough for my foray into in-car cameras.

We have two cars so I want to make things simple for swapping it from one to t'other. For the time being I have opted for the dangling cable and 12v lighter socket while I mull things over.

Our Skoda Yeti is still under warranty so I am reluctant to start pocking about in the fuse box. Skoda will do anything so as not to honour any problems which are found to be caused by third party bolt on parts.

Our Passat has air bags in the A pillars so I must take care with wiring in that region though I think, as you have done, pushing it into the corner should be fine. If I do hard wire I will more than likely purchase the OEM Nextbase Kit from Halfords. which contains a 12/5vdc step down trany and the piggy bag fuse cable.

Ref the fuse box wiring diagram, was there not a scheme on the inside of the fuse box cover. I think there is on the Yeti but I have not popped off the Passats cover yet to look see.

I did find this for the cig lighter fuse location. http://www.passatworld.com/forums/vo...-diagrams.html

I used the same fuse on my car as that photo - this is my fuse piggy back fitment.

Attachment 32370

I got an accessory socket extension which was £2.50 from ebay - it had a male and female power socket at each end.

I cut off the male end and attached it to the piggy back fuse and used a nearby bolt on the chassis to provide an earth. The standard Nextbase power adaptor plugs into the female end and contains the voltage step down circuitry.

There isn't a fuse diagram on the end cap any more and non in the manual. The link above contains the link to the place demanding £5 for the diagram.
Attachment 32371

When my local specialist who I use for servicing spotted an oil leak which required fixing under the warranty the local VW place took the car in and did that work with the camera fitted and didn't mention it voiding any warranty.

My experience with the 402G is that it has gradually become less reliable over time. Sometimes it doesn't startup when the engine is started, usually in colder weather. I have to pop the power out of the top and plug it in again and then it starts. It also starts to corrupt the SD card sometimes even when using good quality ones from recognised names - Verbatim, Transcend, Sandisk etc. I even bought one off Amazon which was Guaranteed to work but it also developed problems. From reading other forums they do seem to have a life of about 18 months to 2 years before faults appear. I'll probably go with something like GoPro next time.

You have my sympathy with Skoda dealers. So far with us they have :
- Tried to suggest ARB link wear on a Fabia VRS wasn't premature at 25K miles, even though they gave me a warranty on it as well
- Sold me a Fabia VRS with incorrect locking alloy wheel bolts, they didn't fit properly, and fell out one per wheel - after the ARB links had been fixed, so they had the wheels off.
- Gave me a blank look like a cow watching a train when I suggested that might be dangerous
- Refused to help with getting Sat Nav to work on 6 month old Octavia because we bought it secondhand from Nissan dealer next door - faulty SD card replaced elsewhere

Counts, the lot of them :)

Hi, thanks.

I did manage to find another forum with the correct fuse annotations.

My Skoda dealers Service Manager messed me about following the fitting of a new clutch after 5000 miles. They did not assemble the steering parts correctly so the alignment was a few degrees out. He told me it was road camber. I had to take the car, while still under warranty (6 months old), to a wheel alignment specialist to have it corrected. I returned to the dealer with the evidence and the GM issued me a credit note. I believe the SM is no longer there. 12 months later when I took the car in for a service and asked to use the credit note they denied all knowledge of it...after much loud discussion in the service centre between myself and 3 employees with other customers present they decided to honour it. I do not intend buying from them or having my servicing done there again.