Dash camera wiring in an E70.

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 7:17 am

I'm pretty sure I've read here somewhere, that a few people have connected into the console 12v socket wiring, not the socket itself, mine is already occupied anyway.

I don't believe I'm stupid, but how? I've had the carpeted console side trims off a few times now for phone cradle access and rear air vent tabs, but I don't recall seeing access to the 12v socket wiring.

Or is it accessed at another point somewhere nearby?

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 8:11 am

I traced the wires from the back of the socket and tapped in further away. On the E71 at least, the wires run along the drivers side of the tunnel.

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 9:33 am

It was thinking about how to access the rear of the 12v socket that prompted my question. I assume it must be somewhere behind the removable side trims?

That said, ideally i need a lead with right angle connection to the camera, which only comes in an £18 kit. Having discussed that with Nextbase, they suggest for £20 this is available, making life very much simpler. Its a plug n play OBD connection.

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X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 11:50 am

That’s what I have for an earlier generation of Nextbase. The wiring is behind the drivers side carpet panel for the X6, so I’m assuming as they are similar it will be in the same place? I took the trim piece off (single screw at the forward end, slid the trim forwards (I think) as it hooks into the trim at the rear. Looked at the back of the 12V socket to get the wire colours and traced the 12V +ve. Tapped into that. Found a screw into the body that gives a good ground and job done. Excess wiring tied up above the trim panel above the pedals so it won’t snag on anything.

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 2:08 pm

Its the same on my x5 , right side console trim ,single screw to remove and some clips and it will be along side of drivers seat, put the seat back and it crosses through to the pasenger side towards glovebox .

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 4:36 pm

Thanks chaps. It looks like I'll be taking that piece of trim off once again. Imagine you both used scotchlock type connections?

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 5:30 pm

I think I did (from memory). Trying to get heatshrink shrunk in the close confines was a no go.

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 6:08 pm

Thanks again. It looks like I'll have to buy a genuine Nextbase wiring kit anyway. The camera i have is new /sealed but only has a straight plug connection, but it needs to be their right angled type.

As the hardwire kit is only a few pence cheaper than the OBD kit, i may end up going for that after all.

The camera is their 380GW, its tamper proof but stylish (imo) and aimed at fleet owners and commercial users. I was stupid to leave one in the 'Greek' Touareg, or i wouldn't need to be buying anything :roll

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X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 6:46 pm

They make good kit. I’ve had a couple now. One thing to be careful of is using Sandisk or Samsung memory cards. For some reason they don’t seem to play nicely. I refuse to pay for Nextbase cards as they are double the normal price!

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jun 20, 2025 7:20 pm

I've got a 32gb Nextbase card in the kit, which is complete. Though why it only has a straight connection lead I don't know. The one i fitted in the other car had a right angled lead, which i can't buy individually

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Sat Jun 21, 2025 11:28 am

Oh well, it will be fully hardwired after all. Found a seller on eBay with a genuine, still sealed box hardwire kit at a good price.

Looks like I'll be removing the side console trim yet again. At least i know how to do it

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jun 27, 2025 6:15 pm

No pics but fitted it today. Having removed the side trim carpet, the 12v wiring was staring at me. I can't believe it never registered with me before. One of the A post trim fixings snapped on reassembly, but i didn't disturb it again. It looks fine and is hardly going to fall off.

I had to scratch the memory bank on how to log in to it from my phone, but its all good now.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jun 27, 2025 6:45 pm

I cheated with the A-pillar and ran the wire across in the join with the dash at the bottom and then pushed the wire in with a trim tool up the windscreen side of the A-pillar trim. The only thing (for anyone looking at this in the future) is don’t run the wire across the A-pillar trim at the top rather

than the bottom. At the top it means you cross the head airbag deployment system and you could inadvertently impede it from inflating. Depending upon your point of view, that tends to be a bad thing

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jun 27, 2025 7:14 pm

I cable-tied the camera wiring down the loom running adjacent to the screen. I was mindful of the airbags proximity. I found a route through to the removed dash end panel. There was a perfect earth point hole just inside the end panel. A self tapper made that easy.

As you doubtless did, i fed the power wire over to the console with cable ties. Piggy backed the 12v+ with an in-line fuse holder. Just a 2amp fuse on a Nextbase camera, so adding the fuse was pretty important.

It was rather warm work in the sun but well worth doing

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Jun 27, 2025 7:23 pm

A success then.

Time for a

or two to get the fluid level up again.

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