dashcams for gen4 ?

[Left Coast Geek]

researching dashcams for my 2019 Stealth...... My wife's Mercedes E350, someone makes a replacement 'shell' for all the domelight and cnosole stuff around the mirror with a dashcam inside, so it all looks stock. you transplant the Mercedes switrches and other bits inside the factory shell to this new shell. Note this Mercedes has its own camera for lane following, auto high beams, etc. I haven't seen anything like this for Fords...

so my priorities for a dashcam...

1) excellent video with HDR so night time glare is reduced
2) clean install so the camera is discrete and barely visible
3) ease of installation
4) ease of use
5) affordable

I've used a few rando Chinese dashcams before, had pretty good results with a Viofo about 5-10 years ago, just not sure whats the best choice today. I see the Viofo A229 is recommended by several review sites.

so, those of you who have added dashcams to your Expeditions, what do you have, and why do you or don't you like it ?

 

[GixxerJasen]

I don't know if you'll find a solution for number 2, except for clean wiring, but you'll still see the camera.

I have a Viofo and have been pretty happy with it so far, just got a video of a scary near head on collision this past weekend when a driver lost control in a curve in the rain and crossed right in front of us.

I followed the many threads on here for installation and it was pretty easy wiring around to the fuse box and using the steering wheel warmer fuse for my installation.

Wiring the rear camera was easy except I have to leave too much of a loop of wiring hanging out which I found out you need the first time I opened the rear glass and yanked the camera off of it.

 

[East-TN]

This thread may have some ideas for you.

How to: Install dashcam in 4th gen

I decided to do this write-up when I was almost finished with this install so I apologize for the limited pics. I still think it could help someone thinking about tackling this themselves. I initially had this dash cam on my F150 but took it out when I traded it in. This is a Thinkware F200 Pro...

www.expeditionforum.com

 

[HILLY]

FitCamX has solutions for most Ford models. I haven't seen one specific for the Expedition, so I've been meaning to get ahold of them and ask what would work. I currently use a Wolfbox dash cam that I have strapped to my rearview mirror and a rear camera mounted under the CHMSL. It's OK, but the camera quality at night leaves a bit to be desired. I would love to use a setup that would tie into the factory rear cam as the night vision quality is much better.

I use a FitDVR that tees into the rain sensor harness and supplies USB 5v power to the dashcam and 12v power for my radar detector to keep my wiring simple.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

hmmm, FitcamX lists 2023 Expedition, but not 2018-2022 ... I emailed them.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

hmmm, FitcamX lists 2023 Expedition, but not 2018-2022 ... I emailed them.

ok, i sent them pics of my mirror, and they said yes, the '2023 expedition' version should work, so I ordered it..

turns out this is the same vendor who's Mercedes E (W212) specific cam I looked at a couple years ago for my wife's car. I'll probably revisit that after doing the Expedition install.

 

[HILLY]

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. The pictures they have for the 23 Expy look like stock photos, and my mirror setup has the wire going through the stem of the mirror mount, not external like most of their pics.

 

[MtnOps]

We have had good luck with the Garmin 2 and Garmin 3 Mini Dash cams (biggest difference between them is #2 we added a polarized lens cover, #3 has it integrated) Small, but great picture, easy to hide the wire.

 

[aksarben]

My question is, why the need to make it as discreet and hidden as possible? I did put a Rove2 2 channel (4k front if you choose to use it) in the Expy (did tons of research and they are all so-so, technology has not advanced that much) and it really is not that noticeable from the outside the vehicle in the front. Looking through the passenger windows, yes. Not worried about someone breaking to steal it or anything so that doesn't bother me. One other thing I learned from 3 yrs with a Tesla (yeah, yeah, I can hear the moans already) is I have never really had to access it so "ease" of using as far as watching saved segments was not too high on my list for the EXPY. The Rove has the Sony Starvis2 which is supposed to be better than most for night viewing, is it though, don't really know as I never look at my recordings. Someday I may need to, then I will look at it and find out.

Wiring was easily hidden as others have said and I did buy a 500gb data card and just hit the "save" button occasionally if needed for possible review later, but have not needed to yet. Setting the recordings for 1 min loops and then mark as needed will make review later pretty easy. The Rove 2 has a feature to install their app and view on your phone but I did not install it. If I need to view something someday, I will just pull the data card and look at it on my computer. I am sick of apps and don't need another to keep track of.

 

[GixxerJasen]

but have not needed to yet.

Your time will come, mine was earlier this week.

Car Slide

youtu.be

 

[aksarben]

Yikes! Glad you didn't actually need the video! I almost needed it last week as a big a** box truck dang near took my driver's side out by quickly trying to come into my lane. No time to honk and I was able to just as quickly swerve to the right shoulder. Fortunately he saw me and braked and got back into his lane. Had I needed the video, I hope it would've shown that I swerved and he still hit me because he was along side me the forward facing camera may or may not have helped. The Tesla however, has great side cameras though that would've made it real clear it was his fault. FYI that is interested, YouTube has a channel called WhamBam Tesla cam. Some really crazy things to watch on there.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

Well, my FitCamX is in LA, gotten through customs, and awaiting pickup by OnCall.

The instructions for installing mine show the wires inside the mirror mount cover, with a jack that you plug the Y cable into.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

and my FitCamX arrived. They sent me the 2-camera version :-O

so I installed it today. I need to re-route the rear wire as I didn't leave enough slack in back and have too much in front, and when its not so hot out, I need to mess with the wiring under the cover up front so said cover fits back on properly

 

[aksarben]

Does it record in cabin audio?

 

[Left Coast Geek]

Does it record in cabin audio?

there's an option for audio, I switched it off.

 

[Fizzy]

so, those of you who have added dashcams to your Expeditions, what do you have, and why do you or don't you like it ?

I bought and installed the factory Ford Thinkware camera (rear and front). Installed myself. It plugs into the OBDII port, but it comes with a port duplicator so you still have a spare OBDII port to use.

Doesn't have a screen on it - I connect to its wifi, open the app, and can get all the recordings (or live for positioning).

So far I've been happy with it.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

I don't like having wires hanging under my dash when I'm driving, not sure the ODBC plug would be my preferred power source as its right where my knees might hit it. This FitCamX is powered off a Tee adapter plugged into the rain sensor in the mirror cluster. No visible wires at all

lets see if I can upload a sample video from last night without further compression... k, i had to post it on youtube, sigh.

2025-02-27 Sample video from a FitCamX dashcam...

www.youtube.com

 

[smp7032b]

insane!

 

[aksarben]

Hmm, not sure if it's just your time of day lighting, but that concave shadowing at the bottom of the image and reflection of either the venting outside under the wiper or the venting at the front of the dash inside would bother me if it's there continuously. I haven't downloaded any videos from my Rove R2 camera yet but from what I can see on the camera monitor itself I don't see any ghosting images like yours.

 

[Fizzy]

I don't like having wires hanging under my dash when I'm driving, not sure the ODBC plug would be my preferred power source as its right where my knees might hit it.

No wires are visible. No plug to hit your knees. It’s all behind the trim panels. The odbII port is exactly where original one is. The connection to the ODBII port is concealed behind the dash panel.

This is the Ford official dashcam. It comes with parts from Ford to integrate it into the vehicle.