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      07-16-2023, 09:57 AM   #1
LindrelT
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BMW X1 U11 FitCamX Rear Camera Install

Thanks to others for pointing out the FitCamx product for our model... it is great! I got the front and rear kit and wanted to share some info on the rear cam install. The front cam is very slick, replacing the stock surround behind the rear view mirror. There is video on the vendor's site and instructions for it in the kit.

The rear you are on your own... until now. Have the tools shown available - plastic spudgers and some vinyl coated clothesline (fish) cable. The route is right along the seam where the headliner and vertical plastic pillar covers meet and between headliner and door gasket lip. The headliner is very forgiving and it is easy to push cable up in there fully.

It gets fun when you reach point "1". This is where ultimately where all the extras length of cable goes but also where you have to get to point "2". Pinch and pull out ends of the flex hose that goes into the lift gate. The rear cam cable comes apart near the end - you can't fish the rear camera thought the tube! Use the fish cable to get the route, tape camera cable to it and pull. Untape and fish next path (2 to 3, and 3 to 4), etc. Getting the cable between the points is the hardest part - you can't see and have to just push/twist wire. Pinch flex tube back into sheetmetal - it will be full of wires but goes in easily.

My rear camera has extra cable that will go back under panel above (below in pic) it and camera will be sticky mounted after my ceramic tint film goes on next week. This all (front and back) took about an hour and a half. Work slowly and gently with the prying and pushing.

Cheers!
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      07-17-2023, 06:43 PM   #2
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This is very helpful, thank you!
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      07-26-2023, 02:58 PM   #3
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Part 2 of Guide - Rear camera install

OK, my Xpel XR Plus ceramic tint has been in a week so I can finish rear camera install. Just use the view on phone feature to position it and on it goes. Extra cable and the connector all fit into the trim panel — looks clean!
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      11-09-2023, 05:09 PM   #4
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Many thanks for the write up and pictures, I’m about to fit a front and rear dashcam with a power core dashcam battery situated in the boot/trunk. I was going to fit the wire for the front cam along the sill but now seeing your pics it looks to be much better to follow your route…..many thanks!
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      11-10-2023, 07:13 AM   #5
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was it difficult to pull the panels on the liftgate off to run the wires through the gromet/tubing?
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      11-10-2023, 09:51 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richiro View Post
was it difficult to pull the panels on the liftgate off to run the wires through the gromet/tubing?
they were only held in place with screws and mostly clips. I used plastic pry tool to lift a corner and started pulling straight out. a little force was required. used one hand to hold the tailgate and pulled the panel away.

when running the wires, I used a little bit of lubricant on the wires so they could slide into and out of the tubes easily.

I was only running the wires for a GPS tracker and antenna into the tailgate, but it should be the same to run wires for dashcams.

the parts diagram below helped me figure out where to pull.
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      11-10-2023, 01:49 PM   #7
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I have a FITCAMX as well! Does your camera turn on and off when you’re parked? Mine records like 11 seconds every 3 min and sometimes an hour in between each recording stops exactly 11 seconds.

It’s using the normal adapter and parking mode is off.
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      11-16-2023, 12:01 AM   #8
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Is the parking mode good with fitcam? Is there remote viewing of the dashcam via the phone app?
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      12-11-2023, 08:48 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beemerboy View Post
Is the parking mode good with fitcam? Is there remote viewing of the dashcam via the phone app?
Bump, interested in this as well!
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      12-11-2023, 09:17 PM   #10
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I can't comment on parking mode, as I don't have a backup battery installed yet and I probably won't hard wire it. You can use the app to view footage, or live view if you want. The app is a bit clunkier than the one for my Thinkware cam in my other car. You do have to disconnect from CarPlay if you want to connect to the app though, which is a pain in the ass if your infotainment system is on because it keeps trying to connect to CarPlay and disconnecting the camera app. Honestly, I just keep a car reader in my car and just eject the card to grab the videos and then pop the card back in. Much faster that way.
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      01-16-2024, 08:09 PM   #11
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I can see how I would pull the wiring tubing at point 2 to insert the fish cable, but how do you get the fish cable to emerge at point 1?

Did you have to remove the headliner or the side plastic panel just below it?

How did you remove it? So far I was able to route the camera cable without pulling/removing anything up to the junction between the headliner and tha panel...
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      01-16-2024, 10:11 PM   #12
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What length of extra cable did you need to buy for the rear camera?
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      01-18-2024, 12:14 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PatL View Post
I can see how I would pull the wiring tubing at point 2 to insert the fish cable, but how do you get the fish cable to emerge at point 1?

Did you have to remove the headliner or the side plastic panel just below it?

How did you remove it? So far I was able to route the camera cable without pulling/removing anything up to the junction between the headliner and tha panel...
At point #1 you can open up the gap between the two parts of the headliner gently. Use the fish wire from point #2 and guide it back to #1. May help to have a second person looking/guiding. No need to do much removing of the trim/headliner, you are just tucking behind it. Good luck!
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      01-18-2024, 12:16 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by metapod View Post
What length of extra cable did you need to buy for the rear camera?
The kit with rear camera will have a cable with more than enough length. You will have a couple of feet extra to tuck in behind the tailgate panel.
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      01-18-2024, 04:18 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LindrelT View Post
At point #1 you can open up the gap between the two parts of the headliner gently. Use the fish wire from point #2 and guide it back to #1. May help to have a second person looking/guiding. No need to do much removing of the trim/headliner, you are just tucking behind it. Good luck!
Yes! In fact, I pulled gently the back side panel and that gave me enough room to easily fish the camera cable. I pulled starting from the corner closest to the gate.
Picture should be rotated 90degrees to the right...

Next step is to pass the cable/junction behing the tailgate top plastic panel.
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      01-19-2024, 12:51 AM   #16
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I finally fished the camera cable through the tailgate top panel.

I had in fact to fish the fish cable itself because it is easier to go up through the cabling tubing hole and get the cable to emerge close to the glass.

I am a bit concerned about glueing the camera on the heating elements, so I might position it off center, in fact just above the connector in the picture below. I will try different positions before finalizing.
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      04-03-2024, 12:08 PM   #17
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Thanks LindrelT for the awesome write-up and photos!

And thanks FlashMonkey929 for the good idea re: keeping card reader in car to be able to view videos.

I know PatL mentioned some concern about mounting camera on the rear windshield heating elements - anyone notice any issues with doing this?

Thanks again!
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      04-10-2024, 10:21 AM   #18
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Does this camera offer parking surveillance?
I would like to record when the car is parked.
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      04-10-2024, 10:44 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vded View Post
Does this camera offer parking surveillance?
I would like to record when the car is parked.
The company sells a parking mode kit which essentially is a set of cable to power the camera from the fuse box.
This cam doesn't have radar/motion detection to turn on recording when necessary when it is parked, so it would record continuously. The downside is the continuous draw on the battery

Maybe there is a way to add an auxiliary battery.

You should contact the company.
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      08-10-2024, 06:21 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LindrelT View Post
At point #1 you can open up the gap between the two parts of the headliner gently. Use the fish wire from point #2 and guide it back to #1. May help to have a second person looking/guiding. No need to do much removing of the trim/headliner, you are just tucking behind it. Good luck!
I just got my 2024 X1 and wanted to install a dash cam using the rain sensor power similar to the fitcamx. I was able to get an adapter off of Amazon and linked it up to a VIOFO dash cam. However, when I shut the car off and lock the doors I’m finding that the dash cam stays on and continuously records.

Is this the same on the FitCamX? Is the rain sensor power always on even when the car is off? If so, I’m worried about battery drainage as I don’t drive the car much during the week. Thanks!
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      10-30-2024, 08:47 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dkan94 View Post
I just got my 2024 X1 and wanted to install a dash cam using the rain sensor power similar to the fitcamx. I was able to get an adapter off of Amazon and linked it up to a VIOFO dash cam. However, when I shut the car off and lock the doors I’m finding that the dash cam stays on and continuously records.

Is this the same on the FitCamX? Is the rain sensor power always on even when the car is off? If so, I’m worried about battery drainage as I don’t drive the car much during the week. Thanks!
If your dashcam doesn't have parking mode, i would suggest you to find another fuse to plug it in.

If it does, Viofo sells a "Hardwire Kit Cable" that will stop the dashcam once the voltage goes below a certain value. This prevents the parking mode from depleting the battery.

PS: Hello all ! This is my first time posting here
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      10-30-2024, 09:22 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by omluan View Post
If your dashcam doesn't have parking mode, i would suggest you to find another fuse to plug it in.

If it does, Viofo sells a "Hardwire Kit Cable" that will stop the dashcam once the voltage goes below a certain value. This prevents the parking mode from depleting the battery.

PS: Hello all ! This is my first time posting here
It’s normal for the electronics to stay on for 10-15 minutes after you’ve locked the car. Been running the fitcam X for a year now with no battery issues, it turns off when the car goes to sleep.
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