I have are a rear view dashcam to install, a Viofo A229.

 

I am looking at running the cable through the head lining, from where the hatchback door cables enter the roof (through one the flexible rubber bellows connections) then straight to the front and out near the mirror.   There are 2 of these rubber cable bellows connections, one each side of the roof aerial and about 9 inches away from the centre.

 

Any advice on which side near the centre to go?  Our Karoq is right hand drive UK.  The nearside (left when viewed from the rear) might be best as the front dashcam is on that side of the central mirror.

 

I am looking at feeding in a cable threading device and pushing through from the rear to the front, although one website suggested the cover for a square section white conduit might be better to avoid having the cable threader recoil itself.  Is it Ok just to push it through near the centre line or are there obstacles?  How far away, or near to door pillars, are the airbags?

 

I can find various forum topics for different car models but not one that appears to go through the centre of head lining.  Several go along the side or edge of the roof hiding in the roof lining, but the air bags are there.

 

For info, I have already installed the front dashcam and using the many forum topics for info.

6 hours ago, BramptonTrev said:

I have are a rear view dashcam to install, a Viofo A229.

 

I am looking at running the cable through the head lining, from where the hatchback door cables enter the roof (through one the flexible rubber bellows connections) then straight to the front and out near the mirror.   There are 2 of these rubber cable bellows connections, one each side of the roof aerial and about 9 inches away from the centre.

 

Any advice on which side near the centre to go?  Our Karoq is right hand drive UK.  The nearside (left when viewed from the rear) might be best as the front dashcam is on that side of the central mirror.

 

I am looking at feeding in a cable threading device and pushing through from the rear to the front, although one website suggested the cover for a square section white conduit might be better to avoid having the cable threader recoil itself.  Is it Ok just to push it through near the centre line or are there obstacles?  How far away, or near to door pillars, are the airbags?

 

I can find various forum topics for different car models but not one that appears to go through the centre of head lining.  Several go along the side or edge of the roof hiding in the roof lining, but the air bags are there.

 

For info, I have already installed the front dashcam and using the many forum topics for info.

 

I installed the Viofo A229 plus in my sportline, and although it has a sunroof I managed to get it down the right side of the headlining, but didn't bother to push it through the hatch rubbers but came straight out and through the rubber seal by the headlining, works a treat. 

Hope this helps

On 20/08/2024 at 23:17, don_kiddik said:

 

I installed the Viofo A229 plus in my sportline, and although it has a sunroof I managed to get it down the right side of the headlining, but didn't bother to push it through the hatch rubbers but came straight out and through the rubber seal by the headlining, works a treat. 

Hope this helps

 

Do you have a picture of where the cable comes out at windscreen and rear window please.

7 hours ago, BramptonTrev said:

 

Do you have a picture of where the cable comes out at windscreen and rear window please.

@BramptonTrev

Pictures for you:-

First pic showing where it comes out from headlining

Second pic showing it going behind mirror holder and onto Cam

Third pic I pulled some cable out to show you where it comes from on drivers side

 

 

Hope this helps

Edited 8 September, 20241 yr by don_kiddik

20 hours ago, don_kiddik said:

@BramptonTrev

Pictures for you:-

First pic showing where it comes out from headlining

Second pic showing it going behind mirror holder and onto Cam

Third pic I pulled some cable out to show you where it comes from on drivers side

Hope this helps

 

 

As the rear camera in on the rear window, do you get any interence with the radio?

 

I have just bought one of these for mounting off the rear edge of the headlining - yet to be installed.

https://www.dashcams.co.uk/product-page/rear-window-dash-cam-mount-bracket    DC03 model.

3 hours ago, BramptonTrev said:

 

As the rear camera in on the rear window, do you get any interence with the radio?

 

I have just bought one of these for mounting off the rear edge of the headlining - yet to be installed.

https://www.dashcams.co.uk/product-page/rear-window-dash-cam-mount-bracket    DC03 model.

 

@BramptonTrev

 

No problems at all with radio even on DAB

 

So I have now installed my dashcam and the cable for the rear dashcam runs through the headlining.

Therefore I thought it appropriate to document how it was done.  Along the way I investigated many aspects so this may take more than one post, e.g.:

• Front camera install
• Rear Camera install – may be in more than one part
• Air bags
• Other – credits etc.

I would like to thank anyone who responded to one of my posts requesting more information, various forum topics (here and elsewhere) related to this subject (dashcam install, radio interference, etc), Karoq online manuals, Karoq parts diagrams, etc.

 

The camera. 

I wanted a front and rear dashcam with 4k resolution for the front as I thought that would be better.

I bought a Viofo A229 Pro 3 Channel 4K HDR Dash Cam, 4K+2K+1080P Front Inside and Rear Triple Car Camera off Amazon which was supplied by a UK reseller for Viofo https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLVCGDWT?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title.  I preferred a UK supplier to avoid any import issues as the Viofo online shop is in China and used Amazon as I thought that would be better for resolving any issues if any arose.

I bought the 3 camera version as it was not many more £s extra for the 3^rd camera , the interior camera.

I bought a hardwire kit which I have not yet used as I was concerned about stationary battery drain as the car is not used daily

 

Front Dashcam Install

The front camera was installed first and followed all the usual advice.

It is mounted to the left of the rear view mirror and so is not visible to the driver.

The power cable goes:

·       into the edge of the headlining at the top of the windscreen

·       left just inside the headlining to the top of the A pillar

·       down just inside the A pillar cover windscreen side – I tried to get the A pillar cover off but it would not move easily so gave up

·       between the top of the dash front panel and the bottom of the A pillar cover – this was most easily done by starting at the door end where the softer dash panel would give way more to allow the cable to be pushed in

·       down behind the front door rubber seal

·       out above the bonnet pull

·       behind the glove box and loosely cable tied

·       out through and in the mesh pocket

·       and then powered out of the cigarette light outlet.

The power cable is hidden except by the bonnet pull and the mesh basket before the cigarette light outlet.

 

Some photos follow.

  

First photo – dashcam unit mounted on windscreen.

The power cable comes out of the top (hidden behind mirror top left) and goes left.

The cable on the left side of the dashcam unit, has a right angle USB-C connector, then goes up and right and is for the rear dashcam.  You can see it is visible across the support for the rear view mirror.  After about 10cm, the cable disappears into the headlining.

 

Second photo - Power cable exiting door seal and passing above the bonnet pull.

 

Third photo – Power cable exiting from behind the glove box and passing through the mesh pocket and on to the cigarette light outlet.

 

Fourth photo – Power cable exiting from behind the glove box and passing through the mesh pocket and on to the cigarette light outlet.

 

Rear Camera Install

As part of my research, I found most of the rear dash cameras were installed on the tailgate door glass and the cable was then routed inside the rubber flexible housing for the tailgate electrics.

By accident, I came across a home made metal mount that was screwed into the headlining (near the grey push-in headlining clip) and then later a purpose made 3D printed mounted bracket.

The rear dashcam is mounted on a DC03 bracket from dashcams.co.uk https://www.dashcams.co.uk/product-page/rear-window-dash-cam-mount-bracket.

To run the cable from front to rear, you will need:

• something to help thread the cable through – apparently electricians have flexible fibreglass wands for threading cable through house voids and routes, but I did not have such and had to improvise and used the cover off a length of PVC mini trunking – I had a 2m length in stock
• some car interior panel levers or pry tools
• to remove several items that hold the headlining in place, viz front sun visor clip, central interior light unit and the grey push-in headlining clip at the rear.

First photo - this is the cover off a 2m length of PVC mini trunking.

Notice there is a slight bend at the end which is to help the PVC mini trunking cover to negotiate roof members.  This bend is at about 5cm – 10 cm from the end and pushes the end about 0.5cm down and out of alignment – that will be sufficient.

Here is an example of a conduit - https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/29745-16mm-x-10mm-pvc-mini-trunking-white-3m-length - pick the thinnest and narrowest you can find.  The length needs to be the longer of windscreen to centre interior light + 20cm or tailgate opening to centre interior light +20cm.

The cover is used flat side up.

 

 Some other useful information at this stage.

 

Second image is the roof structure.  So you can see there are large cross members front and rear, a medium sized cross member in the middle and smaller cross members at ¼ and ¾ along.  The rear dash cam cable will be passing below these items or obstructions.  Info from catcar.info http://www.catcar.info/audivw/?lang=en&l=c3RzPT17IjEwIjoiQnJhbmQiLCIyMCI6IlNLT0RBIiwiNDAiOiJLYXJvcSBFdXJvcGUiLCI1MCI6IjIwMTkiLCI2MCI6IkJvZHkiLCI3MCI6IjgxNzAwIn18fHN0PT03MHx8YnJhbmQ9PXNrfHxtYXJrZXQ9PUNafHxtZGw9PUtBUiAgfHxFcGlzPT04MzR8fEVpbnNhdHo9PTIwMTl8fE1haW5Hcm91cD09OHx8QmlsZHRhZmVsPT04MTcwMHx8R3JhZmlrPT0wODE3MDA4OTM%3D

 

Third image – the car roof on a frosty night – the dark areas are the roof cross members.

 

Fourth image - is the headlining which shows how the aperture for the centre light is ‘reinforced’.  Items numbered 2 are sound deadening mats/insulation.  Above each door opening, it looks like there is an airbag unit – so there are probably 2 on the other side which are not shown – or maybe where the above door grab handles are located and attached.  Items 3 and 4 are the sunglasses holder in the front roof light assembly.  Courtesy of catcar.info.

 

The rear dashcam cable will be passing about 10cm to the offside of the centre light opening structure and front roof light structure.  The cables for the centre light go to the nearside of the roof.

 

 

Removing the sun visor clip.

 

Photo 1 - Clip as installed.

 

Photo 2 - Clip removed showing the 2 parts. On the left is the cover – note the cover is 1mm thick.  The cover’s 2 prongs push into the 2 prongs on the clip base forcing the clip base prongs apart and thus holding the sun visor clip in the front roof member.  Note the different size prongs.

 

Photo 3 - Here is another view of the sun visor clip parts, the cover being on the left.  Note the area highlighted by red circle – this acts as a friction grip to slow down/inhibit the removal of the cover.

 

Photo 4  - To remove. insert a pry tool at one side but only just, i.e. 1 mm and no more – I found it required less force and was easier to remove inserting the pry tool at the side.  If the pry tool is inserted more than 1mm, the pry tool will be under the sun visor clip base and that will be impossible to remove.  Gently and gradually increase leverage and the cover will pop off from one side.  The cover can then be pulled straight out, evenly from both sides, about 5mm whence it will be retained by the ‘friction’ part of the cover.  When you pull straight out you are pulling the cover pins out of the base unit pins so the pull must be straight.

The cover will now be a bit loose – so pull straight again – it might be a bit fiddly and difficult due to the ‘friction’ part of the moulding.

When the cover is off, you pull the base unit straight out – comes out easily.

 

Photo 5 - Here are the holes in the front roof cross member – you can clearly see the different sizes for the different sized prongs.  Thus the sun visor clip can only be installed one way round.

It is the same sun visor clip on both sides of the car.

Removing the centre light

Photo 1 - There are 4 clips/prongs/tabs moulded into the side of the light unit at locations 1, 2, 3 and 4.  You will probably need 2 pry tools. So push the pry tool in at 1 about 1mm so you are pushing the clip/prong/tab and gently lever out.  Repeat at 2 but you may need a second tool inserted a 1 to prevent location 1 popping back into place.

The light unit will not fall out but will be trying to rotate itself back into place so wedge something into side 1+2.  The repeat for 3 and 4 and gently pull the unit out from the offside end.  The wiring cables are attached to the nearside of the lighting unit.  When the lighting unit is out, it will hang from the wiring cables.

 

Photo 2 shows a moulded-in retaining clip/prong/tab for the centre light unit.

 

Photo 3 - Centre light pulled out and hanging from nearside wiring.  The retaining clip/prong/tabs, circled in red, can be seen as part of the centre light fitting moulding.

 

Removing push-in headlining clip.

To remove the rear headlining clip, slide a pry tool in from one side and lever off a little, gradually move the pry tool around and lever off as you go.  It will probably take 3 or 4 revolutions as the clip gradually releases.

Photo 4 is a picture of the underside of the Skoda original clip (on left) so you can see the ‘tree’ which gradually releases.  On the right is an eBay alternative non-genuine part.  I replaced the Skoda original part with the eBay part. 

 

Photo 5 - There appears to be a 1.0mm diameter difference between the clips.  The eBay part is a good colour match and works OK as a replacement.  eBay listing - Plastic Car Trim Panel Fir Tree Spruce Button Clips Retainer Black Dark Grey UK

 - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295491946715?var=593586611794 -

 

 

Threading the rear dashcam cable through the headling.

 

The plan was to push the PVC conduit cover through from rear to front and then pull the rear dashcam from front to rear.  The rear dashcam cable has a straight USB-C connector at the camera end and a right angle USB-C connector at the front dash camera end, hence easier to thread the small straight USB-C connector through the headlining.

 

So at the rear of the car, the PVC conduit cover was eased under the headlining about 15cm to the right of where the headlining clip had been.  The PVC conduit cover was eased in and at about ¼ of the way along the roof, the PVC conduit cover stopped – it had hit a smaller cross member.  So the PVC conduit cover was eased back 1-2 cm, the leading edge was allowed to drop (i.e. flex) on it’s own and then the PVC conduit cover could be moved gradually further forward until it came to a second stop which was the medium sized roof member across the centre of the car.

 

Easing back and forth, did not work, so the PVC conduit cover was pulled back out and a slight bend made on the leading end.  The PVC conduit cover was fed back in (at the rear) and was able to pass the medium centre cross member and the 2 small cross members by easing back and forth.  The next big stop was at the big front cross member – it was obvious from the internal roof design that there was no way the PVC conduit cover could be flexed downwards to come out at the top of the windscreen.

 

So the PVC conduit cover was pulled back about 1/3 and slid over towards the centre light aperture.  I found that I could put my hand in the centre light aperture and feel the PVC conduit cover nearby.

 

The revised plan was therefore in 2 parts using the centre light aperture.

 

The PVC conduit cover was fed in from the front windscreen.  This took a bit of effort and manhandling to flex the PVC conduit cover to bend almost 180 degrees in the front passenger seats so the leading edge would go in and carefully easing the headlining away from the car roof.  Note – the headlining is not very strong so spread your leverage over a few inches to avoid a sudden bend and potential damage at one point.    The PVC conduit cover was fed in to about the centre roof member, then the end slid sideways towards the centre light aperture.

 

The PVC conduit cover will not come out of the centre light aperture due to the way the aperture is constructed, so you will need to put your hand in and fish out the PVC conduit cover which will require adjusting how far in or out the PVC conduit cover has been pushed and the direction of travel from the front windscreen.  Then pull out about 50 cm of the PVC conduit cover 

 

The rear dash cam cable is then taped flat to the underside of the PVC conduit cover at the front windscreen end.  Pull all the PVC conduit cover through the centre light aperture and most of the rear dashcam cable – lift the rear dashcam cable up as it is fed in at the front windscreen so as not to cut a round groove in the headlining edge..  Leave enough rear dash cam cable hanging from the headlining at the front windscreen so the rear dashcam cable can be connected to the front dashcam unit and have 10-20cm of cable spare.  Any spare cable at the front windscreen can be tucked up into the headlining above the front windscreen.

 

Photo 1 – the rear dashcam cable taped to the PVC conduit cover ready to be pulled through the headlining.

 

Detach the rear dashcam cable from the PVC conduit cable.  If the rear dashcam cable has become coiled in any way, then uncoil.

 

Go to the rear of the car.  At about 15 cm to the right of the headlining clip hole, feed the PVC conduit cable into the headlining.  Aim the PVC conduit cover just to the right of the centre light aperture, and as earlier, fish out the PVC conduit cover and pull 50cm through the aperture.

 

The rear dash cam cable is then taped flat to the underside of the PVC conduit cover at the centre light aperture end.  Pull through all the PVC conduit cover back to the rear of the car and all of the rear dashcam cable ensuring the rear dashcam cable is not taut inside the headlining but there is some slack inside the headlining and , of course, at the front windscreen end.  Check you have enough slack rear dashcam cable at the front windscreen.

 

My rear dashcam cable was about 5.0m long with 2.5m being used at the front windscreen and through the headlining.  There was up to 2.5m hanging out of the rear headlining – so loosely coil up the surplus at the rear of the car – I used 2 Velcro cable ties to hold the surplus rear dashcam cable in a coiled loop, 15cm in diameter.  Ensure you have enough spare rear dashcam cable at the rear dashcam end to connect up – any spare rear dashcam cable can be tucked into the rear headlining.

 

The DC03 mounting was clipped over the rear edge of the headlining about 15cm to the left of the headlining clip hole, the rear dashcam was attached and the rear dashcam cable attached.

 

IMPORTANT – once you have attached the rear dashcam to the DC03 with its sticky pad, the rear dashcam WILL NOT come off – so may be do a trial by tieing the rear dashcam to the DC03 using string, or other (I used plastic cable ties).

 

Test the system with car parked.  Check all the channels on your radio – there should be no interference except on maybe 909 or 693 (BBC Radio 5 old channels) which may have engine type interference.  Note we had a Vauxhall Agila 1.2 and 909 or 693 always had a bit of fuzz.

 

When everything is working ok, re-instate the centre light, sun visor clip and headlining clip - I used a new eBay headlining clip.  Tidy up any visible cabling by tucking behind the headlining.

 

Photo 2 – job done.

 

Photo 3 – a typical view.

 

 

 

 

Airbags

 

There has been much said, in various places, about avoiding the airbags.

 

So where are the airbags?

 

Image 1 is the parts diagram (catcar.info) of the roof curtain airbag – the diagram shows one airbag running the full length of the side of the roof – there is one each.

 

Skoda have a Safety brochure, https://www.skoda.co.uk/discover/safety, which has a section on airbags - scroll down to the airbags section.  The individual images are also attached

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Post.

 

 

Other

 

A catch all place for anything I missed.

 

Radio Interference.

There has been some concern about rear dashcams interfering with car radios.

The Viofo does not interfere with the car radio wherever the Viofo is placed.

It would appear that the interference arises from cheap 5v (or other) power supplies.

I found this topic very useful - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/475045-dashcam-interference-with-dab-any-advice/

 

Admin - could this thread be pinned in the Karoq Guides  - it’s very detailed and useful.