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Did anyone add the Nextbase Hardwired Front & Rear Dash Cam option from Kia for the Soul EV? Is it worth £365?
If not, what are the alternatives?
If not, what are the alternatives?
Dash cam option
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Via the online build my kia. Maybe it can still be done as a retrofit.
My old camera was powered with a 12v plug so if it can be hardwired somehow, that would be preferable for me.
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If it was a Nextbase camera, or had a Micro or Mini USB connection, there are hardwiring kits available.
Both cameras are in the accessories - so appears to be retro-fittable:
www.kia.com
However when I put in my vehicle details to 'purchase online' it says that there are no accessories for a Soul EV 2020!
(I wasn't planning to buy it immediately - I'd checked this whilst waiting for vehicle.)
Car Parts, Tyres & Accessories for the Kia Range | Kia Motors UK
Browse Kia's range of aesthetic & functional car accessories for all models within the Kia range. Make your Kia your own with interior & exterior accessories.
However when I put in my vehicle details to 'purchase online' it says that there are no accessories for a Soul EV 2020!
(I wasn't planning to buy it immediately - I'd checked this whilst waiting for vehicle.)
I removed my 2 dash cams from my previous car for transfer to the Soul. When I became aware that Halfords have stopped their fitters installing in EVs because one of them bricked a car, I asked my dealer about it and they agreed to fit them as part of the PDI work before I collected.
I had to buy a couple of new hard wiring kits (from Halfords, ironically) and take them and the cams through to the dealer in advance of the delivery and they dealt with it. They charged me 100 quid for the labour, which is a bit steep compared to what Halfords would have charged but they did a tidy job and saved me the hassle of searching for somewhere else willing and competent to do it.
I had to buy a couple of new hard wiring kits (from Halfords, ironically) and take them and the cams through to the dealer in advance of the delivery and they dealt with it. They charged me 100 quid for the labour, which is a bit steep compared to what Halfords would have charged but they did a tidy job and saved me the hassle of searching for somewhere else willing and competent to do it.
The Kia unit is a Nextbase 380GW (front and back), or just front
Its a couple of years old, no polarising filter but is (from memory) HD in the front, can't remember the back (I THINK its HD in the rear as well)
www.kia.com
Sean
Its a couple of years old, no polarising filter but is (from memory) HD in the front, can't remember the back (I THINK its HD in the rear as well)
Car Parts, Tyres & Accessories for the Kia Range | Kia Motors UK
Browse Kia's range of aesthetic & functional car accessories for all models within the Kia range. Make your Kia your own with interior & exterior accessories.
Sean
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1,189 Posts
I'm still amazed that these are not completely standard or at least factory fit at a reasonable price across all ranges.
You'd like to think that manufacturers learned a thing or two from the explosion in sat nav usage over the last 20 years wouldn't you.
You'd like to think that manufacturers learned a thing or two from the explosion in sat nav usage over the last 20 years wouldn't you.
I quite like Skoda's approach of fitting a USB port in the mounting for the rear view mirror, so it is a simple task of sticking a dash cam to the windscreen and plugging it in.
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Has anyone got a picture of their rear dash cam wiring? I'm considering doing it myself, but when I open the rear boot, the gap is rather large between the headliner to the rear window.
Unless the wiring is done nicely (through the rubber tubing which seems to need removing a few panels), the wire would dangle quite a bit to allow the opening of the boot door.
Also has anyone got experience with the Viofo A129 dashcams? Seems much better specs than the Kia Nextbase option.
Sent from my EVR-L29 using Tapatalk
Unless the wiring is done nicely (through the rubber tubing which seems to need removing a few panels), the wire would dangle quite a bit to allow the opening of the boot door.
Also has anyone got experience with the Viofo A129 dashcams? Seems much better specs than the Kia Nextbase option.
Sent from my EVR-L29 using Tapatalk
You are right, it is quite a big gap, but although the wire appears long when the boot is open, it is neatly indiscrete - first time I actually noticed it was when I opened the boot to take these pictures.
When the boot is closed, it is all nice and neat.
See images below
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62 Posts
Thanks DSLRed. It's interesting you routed the wire up from the seal - doesn't that risk some water ingress from the top? Good idea to put your camera to the side. I've stuck my rear camera in the top middle of the window and not sure how distracting it will be when looking through the rear view mirror.
Another question for those that hardwired their dashcam to utilise parking mode, which switched 12v and which constant 12v fuses did you choose to tap into? Presume they are micro2 size fuses too?
Sent from my EVR-L29 using Tapatalk
Another question for those that hardwired their dashcam to utilise parking mode, which switched 12v and which constant 12v fuses did you choose to tap into? Presume they are micro2 size fuses too?
Sent from my EVR-L29 using Tapatalk
just to be clear - I didn't do anything - I can just about wire a plug. Anything else, I use that well worn method - pay someone else
I used a couple of the spare fuses - column 1 / row 1 as permanent live, and column 5 / row 2 as switched live (counting from the top left). There are several other alternative spare fuses, but it's pretty tight in there and these seemed the easiest to use. Be prepared to file the plastic surround on the piggyback connector a little to fit, dependent on its design. And yes, fuse size is micro2.
Be careful not to take the cable across the top of the A-pillar as that will be in the way of the airbag deployment. You can take it down the windscreen side of the pillar, behind the metal frame that holds the airbags, and finally down into the fusebox area. There's a handy nearby earthing point there too.
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I've just called Kia and they are happy to hardwire my Viofo dash cam. It will be max 1hr labour but could be cheaper so hopefully £115 or lower.just to be clear - I didn't do anything - I can just about wire a plug. Anything else, I use that well worn method - pay someone else
Thanks biogoo - sounds simple enough and I'm sure I can do it myself after watching loads of YouTube videos. The warranty issue though means any car electronics that the camera fuse is piggybacking off will not be covered by warranty if its found to be due to bad wiring/camera failure. So for me - going to Kia is probably the safest option. I'll take a picture of the fuses after its back so if others want to see how Kia connected it up, it might help.
Well, hopefully that's moot given the use of the spare fuse positions rather than any in-use car circuit. Short (boom, boom!) of it taking out the entire electrics of course....
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FWIW I have a Thinkware F770-2CH Front & Rear Dash Cam
Seems to work OK.
Fitted professionally (aka not by me, or by KIA since at the time they wouldnt wire it into the fuse box they wanted to do it via the cigarette lighter)
Seems to work OK.
Fitted professionally (aka not by me, or by KIA since at the time they wouldnt wire it into the fuse box they wanted to do it via the cigarette lighter)
Please could you tell us what fuse did they piggyback the camera into
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