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Here’s a quick guide giving instruction on how to fit a hidden cable solution to hard-wire your dash cam on a CLS C218 model. I wanted the power to be switched live, so that after turning off the ignition, the power to the dash cam is removed. Therefore I have taken power from the cigarette lighter in the centre console, the front one located below the stereo. The camera shown below after fitting is the Transcend Drivepro 200.
Purchase a Dash Cam Hardwire Kit with Mini or Micro USB to suit your particular dash cam. (
Open both stowage compartments and remove the rubber inserts labelled 3 and 5 below. If you have the drinks holder, slide the two central clips in the direction of the arrow to lift up and remove.
Remove the torx 10 screws, located at positions 4 and 7 and lift out both stowage compartments.
You can then lift out the front part holding the cigarette lighter. Flip this over to expose the wiring. From the picture below, you can see that a 12V feed can be found across the brown (ground) and red (live) wires. (The grey one provides illumination to the lighter surround.)
To tap into the red and brown wires, I used these scotch lock connectors. (
Then mount your dash cam behind the rear view mirror. Use a door trim removal tool, or similar plastic tool to gently hide the cams 5V power cable along its route.
The route runs nicely from behind the mirror, just up into the roof liner where it meets with the windscreen, through to the A-pillar, down the rubber door seal to below the passenger side glovebox. From there run under the glovebox to the centre console. From there it can feed straight into the exposed area where the cigarette lighter sits.
Hope this helps someone.
Last edited by jasmart; 01-14-2019 at 01:23 PM.
Reason: Added pic of finished install and cable route.
Post a pic of the finished install and where you ran your cable through.
No problem at all. Post updated to show the camera in place and the route taken. I should have got pictures as I was routing the cable but didn't, hopefully that'll help detail where it ran.
One question - as it powers off with the ignition it won't record if someone hits the car when it's parked, right?
I've been looking at getting a dashcam but I want it to record if someone hits my car when it's parked or if it picks up motion (not sure if you can do the 2nd one though).
One question - as it powers off with the ignition it won't record if someone hits the car when it's parked, right?
I've been looking at getting a dashcam but I want it to record if someone hits my car when it's parked or if it picks up motion (not sure if you can do the 2nd one though).
With this cam, yes you are correct. It detects the ignition going off and then is set to power down after 10 seconds so no parked car protection.
There are actually two different types of cams with the type of parked car detection you are referring to. Some rely on the cams in-built battery, they will activate when the g-sensor detects a knock and record a couple of minutes clip. Hopefully enough to catch someone trying to leave the scene. Or, the other type which would permanently record but these would rely on having a permanent live. Personally, even though this would be a tiny amount of power draw, I don't feel comfortable having a third party device drawing power from the cars battery.
I used this post to wire my dash cam on my 2015 CLS550. Red wire from kit to red wire on car and black wire from kit to brown wire on car. Works like OP said it would. Ran the wiring from the same spot as you did above and everything is hidden and away from sight. Thanks OP!
01-12-2019, 01:17 PM
