[PatL]

I have installed a FITCAMX dashcam with a rain sensor powertap on a 28i

When I lock the car, I can see the camera going off after a few minutes as expected.

After the car has been parked and locked, I can see the camera has been recording ~1mn videos. Some times just a couple, some times quite a few.

I made sure unlocking/locking at a distance is disabled so that car is not woken up by chance.

In the picture below, the car was parked and locked between ~12:32pm and ~13:34pm. I was at a large distance from the car. I don't use the keyfob.

Are you also seeing it? Do you have another model of dashcam?

[John27]

Can't comment on FITCAMX as I have no experience of it.

I have Thinkware U3000 dashcam with front and rear cameras. The reason I got this was that it has several parking cam modes, including a energy saving mode, (which I use) and so far I haven't needed to invest in an additional battery to support it to protect my car's battery. Parking cameras record when certain events trigger it. Works really well and great images. Had a Blackvue 750 dash cam on previous car and this is a big step-up from that (4K camera makes a significant difference).

[metapod]

If you have any of the proximity lock/unlock stuff enabled that could cause the car to wake up and trigger it. Unsure if there are other events that make the car wakeup like running the gas evaporation test or pinging the mother ship with the cellular connection.

I have a fitcamx and can check at some point. Also be careful when installing that stuff if it's cold out, a bunch of clips broke when I put mine in the other day.

[MontyB1]

I find our car can wake up when I go near it with the keys even without the comfort lock/unlock working. Car seems to wake up when the key is close in case it needs to open the doors via touch etc.

So if could be something like that. On the PHEV the car also wakes up when getting charged but that won't be happening in the US.

[PatL]

Originally Posted by metapod

If you have any of the proximity lock/unlock stuff enabled that could cause the car to wake up and trigger it. .

I disabled proximity lock/unlock prior to testing it above.

[PatL]

Originally Posted by MontyB1

I find our car can wake up when I go near it with the keys even without the comfort lock/unlock working.

I don't use the fob. In both cases described above, I was far from the car (phone was not in range, although the distance lock/unlock was disabled anyway).

Originally Posted by MontyB1

So if could be something like that. On the PHEV the car also wakes up when getting charged but that won't be happening in the US.

My car is an ICE, yes, US Model.

[a0krn]

I have this exact same issue. I have a us 28i and my fitcamx records for like a min but not consistently. Like every 5mins to 15mins sometimes 2 hours in between 24/7 exactly 13 second videos.(corrected)

My guess it’s bmw turning on power pinging to the servers or the alarm light feeding power?. Maybe every time you open the bmw app it powers the cars communication beacon?

My car is parked outside away from any keys.

Never got a chance to test sleep mode though.

At this point it’s going to be a phantom so I suggest getting a 12 volt car battery reader just to see how’ll it affect you personally.

If you drive a lot it shouldn’t matter though. Free random parking videos I suppose.

[PatL]

Originally Posted by a0krn

Maybe every time you open the bmw app it powers the cars communication beacon?

Great suggestion! I am going to uninstall the app for a while to see if that makes a difference.

I have contacted FITCAMX support and they are responsive. Right now I am answering their questions about my config/installation.

[a0krn]

Originally Posted by PatL

Great suggestion! I am going to uninstall the app for a while to see if that makes a difference.

I have contacted FITCAMX support and they are responsive. Right now I am answering their questions about my config/installation.

Do update if there’s a solution to this, I will try other things and maybe looking up the schematics of the car would provide some answers.
Also my car does have the garage opener(not in use) and auto dimming mirror that might cause it to power on.

[PatL]

I did uninstall the MyBMW app for 24h and I still had some recording while parked.
Interestingly, I have a radar detector taking its power from the mirror, while the cam is taking power from the rain sensor.
The detector loses power within a couple of minutes after locking.
The cam continues recording for some time. Some times, after more than 15mn, it is still on. In other tests, it shuts off after less than 15mn.
If I launch the BMW app, the camera restarts for a couple of mn (consistent with the short recordings)but the detector stays off.

It shows that the myBMW app contributes to waking up some car functions (but not the rear mirro) but is not the only source of waking.

I am asking FITCAMX to see if they could propose some alternate convenient connection to the mirror.

[metapod]

Mine is doing the same thing. If I had known this ahead of time I wouldn't have bothered buying one (and breaking clips off the stock plastic in the install process).

[metapod]

Any updates on this?

I guess a hassle alternative would be wiring it to fuses by the glove box?

I unplugged mine for now because I don't feel like having my battery die in winter.

[PatL]

I have contacted FITCAMX support and they are sending a cable similar to the radar detector (with 2 prongs) so that I can try to plug it on the mirror connection.

I checked and the mirror is not woken up when you launch the my BMW app for example, unlike the rain sensor device.

[PatL]

FITCAMX support sent me a new power cable that plugs similarly to the powertap cable for the radar detector.
Unfortunately, during re-installation, one the ribbon connections got pinched and is damaged. The camera image is unstable. The camera is unusable at this point.

I have contacted FITCAMX again for a resolution...

[metapod]

That's too bad. I unplugged mine since seeing this thread and verifying the same behavior. I ordered replacement OEM trim for the pieces with clips that broke and will likely go back to stock with no camera.

I guess adding a shortcut to the drive recorder and hitting that at the start of every drive might be an okay alternative.

[PatL]

FitcamX is sending me a new front camera, which is awesome customer service!

I tried the cable plugged into the mirror (instead of the rain sensor) and the camera shuts down normally within about 3mn after locking the car. I don't get any recordings while the car is parked like before.

With the replacement camera, FitcamX is sending a new cable, which I think is similar to the rainsensor I got first, but for the rear mirror.

[metapod]

Originally Posted by PatL

FitcamX is sending me a new front camera, which is awesome customer service!

I tried the cable plugged into the mirror (instead of the rain sensor) and the camera shuts down normally within about 3mn after locking the car. I don't get any recordings while the car is parked like before.

With the replacement camera, FitcamX is sending a new cable, which I think is similar to the rainsensor I got first, but for the rear mirror.

So do you need to use a different type of cable or will the stock one fit in the mirror connector?

[PatL]

Originally Posted by metapod

So do you need to use a different type of cable or will the stock one fit in the mirror connector?

FitcamX power cables insert themselves between the OEM male and female connectors.

You need a different cable altogether because the connector for the rain sensor is different from the connector for the mirror.

[metapod]

They made you a custom cable for the mirror?

[PatL]

I guess not. However, they might have taken the learnings from my case and considered using another cable by default for the X1. All these connectors are standard, so I am sure they have a plethora of cables for various connectors.
The simple "pin" cable (where you plug the pins in the right slots at the back of the OEM connector) works well. I told them so. They spontanously included a new cable with the replacement camera "for me to try"

[metapod]

Okay thanks I'm going to try contacting their support to see if they can give me a different cable to avoid the turning on while parked / locked problem.

[metapod]

I contacted support and received a cable to plug into the mirror. The dimensions of the cable didn't really fit because it's pretty stiff and the rain sensor plug is on the same wiring bundle. I ended up giving up and putting the stock trim back. Too bad the drive recorder doesn't behave like a dash cam out of the box.