Installing dashcam on Hyundai ix35 (A-pillar issue)

[Agie]

Hi there everyone,

Have installed a dashcam and ran the wiring through the headliner and poked it through the top of the A-pillar plate. This car however has side curtain airbags marked on the pillar, and I have just read now that it's better to remove the A-pillar and run the wiring behind the airbags.

Although I have read some comments that it can cause injury, I haven't been able to find any news on the Internet about accidents actually occurring from this, so was wondering how bad it could be....

 

[jokiin]

you can tuck the cables behind the airbag without having to disassemble it all, if you're not confident to do it yourself go to a decent car audio installer

 

[Agie]

Thanks mate will look bit more into it and decide what to do

 

[jokiin]

not too hard to do, our installer does that part of the install in less than a minute, easy once you know how though of course

 

[niko]

Important reminder for those who running / hiding any additional cables behind A-pillar trim panel, make sure you use some cables clips to mount additional cables / wires to be securely fixed BEHIND an Airbag and not freely hanging to avoid risks of airbag not deploying properly when ( God forbids ! ) something bad may happen.

As an example my both a-pillars have 5-6 additional cables running trough, so I had to use bigger size cable clips zip-tie and double sided tape, but if you run only few wires, then the smaller ones will do the job.

 

[Agie]

Thanks for the detailed photos Mate, so I'm gonna give this a go. So i am guessing that once the cable comes out the bottom near the windshield its ok to run it back along the glovebox and back down Under the Dash as per normal?

Also is it easy to put the A pillar back on? I have read in places that once you pop the clips its hard to put them back on, or u need to get new clips to fix the Pillar back on.

Sorry for all the silly questions

 

[jokiin]

. So i am guessing that once the cable comes out the bottom near the windshield its ok to run it back along the glovebox and back down Under the Dash as per normal?

yep

Also is it easy to put the A pillar back on? I have read in places that once you pop the clips its hard to put them back on, or u need to get new clips to fix the Pillar back on.

late model cars are generally no problem, older cars may suffer from brittle plastics

.

Sorry for all the silly questions

silliest question is an unasked one

 

[Agie]

Thanks again Mate Jokiin, yeha it is a 2011 car so should be ok. It does have a little button looking thing that says SRS so hopefully that doesn't give me grief. I assume i pry that off first before removing the A pillar panel.

 

[jokiin]

try some Hyundai forums and you might find some info on removing the trims

 

[niko]

It does have a little button looking thing that says SRS

In most cars on A-pillar this is to cover access to T20 screw. Gently pry it out. Thats the only place where A-pillar panel / cover is held by screw, rest is held by "push-clips".

 

[Agie]

In most cars on A-pillar this is to cover access to T20 screw. Gently pry it out. Thats the only place where A-pillar panel / cover is held by screw, rest is held by "push-clips".

thanks Niko, its a great help. i am gonna try it this afternoon, and grab the Torx key to take the T20 screw out. Not going to disconnect the car battery as i don't think i am silly enough to trip off the airbags.

 

[niko]

thanks Niko, its a great help. i am gonna try it this afternoon, and grab the Torx key to take the T20 screw out. Not going to disconnect the car battery as i don't think i am silly enough to trip off the airbags.

No problem.

There is almost no chance that you could trip off airbags while removing / re-installing A-pillar, but I guess 3min connect-disconnet car battery for safety reason is not a big deal.
Better safe than sorry

 

[Agie]

No problem.

There is almost no chance that you could trip off airbags while removing / re-installing A-pillar, but I guess 3min connect-disconnet car battery for safety reason is not a big deal.
Better safe than sorry

haha i have never disconnected a car battery in my life, so not going to take a risk on that. like you said, (and also have never ever read or heard) of anyone setting off the airbags, so should all be good.

 

[Agie]

Thanks for all your help guys, I successfully did it and am posting the photos here. Hopefully it will help others who want to try the same thing too.

The car is a 2010 Hyundai ix35 (marketed as Tucson in North America). First of all, used a guitar pick to pry off the "Airbag" cover and then as you can see in the photo below, it is a large screw. No T20 torx screw but just a big Philips head one, so it was a matter of unscrewing that, and taking it out. Then I removed the grey weather seal running on the car door frame.

From there, I proceeded to start at the top of the A pillar trim and pry it out gently from the A pillar. It was fairly stiff so it was a matter of wiggling gently until it came way, i then moved my way down to pull it away a bit more. After seeing I could pull no more, then I tugged on the A pillar a bit harder and *snap* it came off. The whole panel came off and then I was able to push up towards the roof and take the panel away. In the initial *snap* one of the clips had fallen onto the car floor, so had to push that back into place on the trim.

Then proceeded to run the wire down the A pillar and put a few of the white wire clips and fixed the wire in there. Ran the wire under the panel and back through. Attaching the A pillar trim was much much easier than removing it, so just pushed it back into place at the bottom of the dashboard then made my way up to gently bang it, to ensure that the clips had all gone in. Then tightened the Philips head screw and pushed the "Airbag" cover back in place, and then the weather seal. Done!

 

[kamkar]

Time to kick back and open a cold one and admire your handiwork

 

[niko]

 

[Agie]

Haha that's exactly what I did

 

[troels]

If there's a screw holding in the trim how would the airbag deploy?

 

[Agie]

If there's a screw holding in the trim how would the airbag deploy?

I don't know but that's how the car was made, so it must work somehow. Maybe someone has advice on this.

 

[troels]

I can only guess its powerful enough to overcome the screw.