Finally installing the A139 "properly"

richx

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Dash Cam
A129 Duo, A139, Mola N3, A119v2, B4K
So okay, I finally took the trouble to strip the A139 off my test car where it was installed alongside an A129 Duo. My 2" wide band speakers had arrived and I was removing a lot of panel pieces to install the speakers anyway, so I might as well as undo the HWK-C. Then yesterday (Saturday), I spent about 5 hours removing old Papago S50 dashcam (with its own hardwire and GPS wired receiver) from the front and a Mijia 1S from the rear, cleaned up and installed the A139 as 2-channel system.

The car in question is a 2017 Honda Jazz (or Fit in some markets).

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First step was getting the wire from the interior out to the exterior of the waterproof tunnel to the hatch.

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And then getting the wire through the waterproof tunnel to reach into the hatch panel.

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Oh no, a bit unexpected here. They also sealed the gap between the metal and glass from the inside. I've met some cars where you can pass the wire through the gap. Initially I thought of pulling the wires down to the bottom of the hatch where you could pass the cable out, and then run it along the inner edge of the glass up to the dashcam again. I'd need to pull more length through the tunnel.

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But alas I got lazy and took the quick way out. Made a 4mm hole on this rubber plug, just enough for the connector to pass through. Had this been a regular mini USB connector, this method would have been much more unsightly. So here's my thumbs up for Viofo's new cabling! It has certainly achieved its claimed objective!

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Argh! Low quality local assembly welding workmanship! A very tiny metal spike punctured my finger as I was running the wire across the B-pillar!


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Anyway, some shots of the final install. Very low profile rear camera, hardly visible from outside and now the wire no longer loops when the hatch closes (I used to take the lazy way out and just pass it through the head liner out to the rear camera, so you'd need to leave some span for the hatch to open and close. The shape of the front camera body allows me to almost-centre the lens underneath the rear view mirror attachment. Have decided not to install the inner camera just yet (looking out for battery drain).

Overall this is a very nice kit to install and the new wires make it less stressful on the low quality headliner as you stuff it into the gap. A shakedown test drive also did not reveal any rattling or noise from the wire run.
 
Looks like a well done job (y) Having worked on all but the highest cost cars, sharp or rough welds and sharp edges will be found in hidden areas with them all. Perhaps along with the extra 3M sticky pads dashcam manufacturers could supply a few band-aids too :LOL:

Phil
 
@SawMaster Noted on the luxury cars and sharp edges. I've yet to find the means to own my first Porsche or Lotus or someting. So I really have no idea - except I've worked on more than half a dozen Toyotas and never ran into such a dangerous spike.
 
@SawMaster Noted on the luxury cars and sharp edges. I've yet to find the means to own my first Porsche or Lotus or someting. So I really have no idea - except I've worked on more than half a dozen Toyotas and never ran into such a dangerous spike.
There’s the odd sharp edge on Bentley’s so I’d say they almost certainly also feature on the rest of the VAG umbrella vehicles (including Audi and Porsche) I think all cars will have them.
 
I hope nothing like this welding spot here?

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My Crosstrek was pretty easy too. About the same looking as yours. Rand from the fuse box on drivers side to the top left (I can't mount behind the rear view due to Subaru's eyesight camera's). Routed BEHIND the airbags. Ran the back camera along the top drivers side headliner, again BEHIND the airbags, and through the little grommets onto the rear hatch. Was much easier than my older F150. I plan on getting my family setup for Chirstmas this year. Right now they are using a cheap $30 cam that has to run off the cigarette lighter (it's really not worth splicing into). Their fuse box is also easy to get to and the setup is essentially the same. Pretty straight forward process with most newer vehicles, even if you include a batter pack.

Oh, and don't worry, if you don't gash your finger to the bone, you didn't do it right. Seriously... I was taking off the eyesight cover, which I actually only needed for the interior cam and could have done without removing by just shoving the wires up there cuz that's really all I did aside from putting them behind one single screw, and since it's all brand new plastic clips on a brand new car, one go me real deep into finger. I didn't even notice until I made it to the drivers side rear door with the wiring and then I realized I bled all over the place. It was great... Brand new interior? Not anymore! /s (but I did seriously touch my seat before I realized it)
 
@SawMaster Noted on the luxury cars and sharp edges. I've yet to find the means to own my first Porsche or Lotus or someting. So I really have no idea - except I've worked on more than half a dozen Toyotas and never ran into such a dangerous spike.
No sharp edges on my Land Rover which was actually design by Ford. So a non luxury manufacturer can do it.

But to get a cable over the ceiling and access to the end of the rubber tube to the tailgate, I have to take out every trim panel starting with the boot sill.

Swings and roundabouts!
 
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