2013 Dodge Durango dash cam wiring assistance

[Fardringle]

I purchased a Viovo A129 Plus Duo dash camera kit as a Christmas present for my 2013 Dodge Durango because the vehicle has become rather concerned about the complete lack of driving ability and common sense that has been witnessed in a disturbingly large number of other drivers lately.

The kit has cameras mounted on the front windscreen and on the back lift door window so that bad and/or interesting drivers can be monitored in both directions. Installation of the cameras themselves was relatively easy, but I do have a couple of "snags" where I need a bit of help.

First and hopefully easiest, the rear mounted camera is supposed to be installed with its cable routed through one of the flexible conduits between the door hinges so that the cable is both secure and not hanging loose between the door frame and the door itself. The problem is that I can't figure out how to remove the trim pieces covering those areas on the door and the door frame. I can get the edges loose as they are just snapped in with tension clips. But the center sections of the trim pieces will not move no matter what I have tried. I'm sure I'm just missing something simple to get the covers to release, but I can't figure out what it is.

Second problem is that this kit also includes the Viofo 3-wire hardwiring kit, which is intended to be wired to the vehicle's electrical system so that the camera can function in "parking" mode while the vehicle is not running. However, the kit is supposed to be connected to the secondary fuse box inside the passenger cabin, and as far as I can tell this Durango doesn't have one as there isn't one listed in the manual or in anything that I can find online. It only has the main fuse box in the engine compartment. Am I missing something and there actually is a secondary fuse box? Or do I need to try to wire the kit up a different way - and if so, what would you recommend? I'm not sure I want to try to dig under (or dismantle) the dashboard enough to find an access port to run the wires into the engine compartment, but if there is a spot specifically intended for this type of thing that would be great. If not, I'll just stick with having it be an active camera system connected to a 12V outlet and only operates while the vehicle is running and not worry about the parking mode...

 

[manly]

Can't help much, but have you checked YouTube? Any popular car platform (I suspect Durango would qualify) will have plenty of DIY videos. Good luck!

 

[EXCellR8]

The first sentence suggests that the vehicle has become sentient... did you perhaps ask it for advice?

 

[rstrohkirch]

In regards to the trim piece, I would do as mentioned above and Youtube or check out Durango forums. You should be able to find the info you need relatively quickly for a car produced at those volume levels. For the fuse box, I would be really really surprised if there wasn't one inside of the vehicle. It would normally be on the sides of the dash, under the dash, in the footwell or in the back near the hatch.

My opinion on the 12v wired for parking monitoring is that it's not something that useful. If someone wacked your car with a door or tapped a bumper the chances of you actually catching their plate is very low. My biggest concern is someone hitting the side of my vehicle with their door and it wouldn't catch that on video.

 

[Fardringle]

In regards to the trim piece, I would do as mentioned above and Youtube or check out Durango forums. You should be able to find the info you need relatively quickly for a car produced at those volume levels. For the fuse box, I would be really really surprised if there wasn't one inside of the vehicle. It would normally be on the sides of the dash, under the dash, in the footwell or in the back near the hatch.

My opinion on the 12v wired for parking monitoring is that it's not something that useful. If someone wacked your car with a door or tapped a bumper the chances of you actually catching their plate is very low. My biggest concern is someone hitting the side of my vehicle with their door and it wouldn't catch that on video.

I've searched everywhere and every way I can think of and while I can find lots of videos showing how to remove the rear door trim on different vehicles, I can't find any for my 2013 Durango, or even for different vehicles with the same kind of trim.

I have found definite confirmation that Durangos since about 2011 do not have a secondary fuse box inside the passenger cabin. Apparently there's a small conduit/hole to the engine compartment below the dash on the passenger side so I might go looking for that if I feel like digging at some point.

And I'm not really concerned about the parking function itself. I just don't want to have to keep the camera's cable and USB adapter plugged into the 12 volt outlet all of the time since it kind of gets in the way of things that I normally keep in that area.

 

[rstrohkirch]

I've searched everywhere and every way I can think of and while I can find lots of videos showing how to remove the rear door trim on different vehicles, I can't find any for my 2013 Durango, or even for different vehicles with the same kind of trim.

Is this what you're talking about:

You have to remove the rear hatch trim to replace the backup camera which I believe what you're looking to do? If that video doesn't help center your search around a backup camera and you may find more details.

And I'm not really concerned about the parking function itself. I just don't want to have to keep the camera's cable and USB adapter plugged into the 12 volt outlet all of the time since it kind of gets in the way of things that I normally keep in that area.

Quick research says you're correct on the secondary fuse box. There is a plug in the firewall for your vehicle that you can use or you can use the connection going to the 12v outlet and tap into that.

 

[Fardringle]

Thank you for looking for a video for me. I appreciate it.

However, I realized I wasn't being clear. It's the trim on the top of the inside door frame that I'm trying to remove so I can get access to the conduits that run wiring between the vehicle and the lift door so I can hide the wiring for the rear window dash camera. The trim on the door pops off easily, and I can get the edges of that top trim piece on the door frame loose, but the center is very securely attached somehow and I can't figure out how to release it. It doesn't just pop off with tension clips like the rest of the trim everywhere else in the vehicle, and it won't slide in any direction even with the edges of the trim loosened. I'll try to remember to get a picture of the problem piece later since I'm probably not explaining it very well.

 

[rstrohkirch]

Are you talking about the upper trim pieces that make contact with the headliner? If you are then you'll want to search for headliner repair/replacement. Those videos will include details on how to pull down the headliner which would require removing all trim attached to it and most pillar trim pieces.

 

[Fardringle]

Are you talking about the upper trim pieces that make contact with the headliner? If you are then you'll want to search for headliner repair/replacement. Those videos will include details on how to pull down the headliner which would require removing all trim attached to it and most pillar trim pieces.

Yes, that is what I am referring to. I just didn't know what to call it. Having the right name did help, thank you! I didn't find a video, but I did find a step-by-step guide with pictures. It turns out that there are tension clips in the middle just like on the sides. The middle three clips are apparently a LOT tighter than the two on the sides and didn't just pop off with moderate pressure, and since I couldn't see them I was afraid I would break something. Knowing that it's supposed to come off that way made it a lot easier to be willing to pull hard enough to get them loose.

Thanks again for your help! I think I'll wait for slightly warmer weather before I try routing the permanent wiring for power through the firewall under the passenger side of the dashboard.

 

[rstrohkirch]

Nice, glad you got it.