Dash cam hardwire install and Subaru Homelink Mirror install on Gen 3 Prius (2015)

Hi guys. I've never made my formal introduction before. I just got a brand new 2015 Prius. I have put 700 miles on it so far. I love the car. My other car is a BMW 3-Series manual. I loved the BMW as I put lots of money into the suspension and other mods but since I moved away from the canyon roads where I loved to drive it, it's rarely put to good use. I come from a history of BMWs and they've all been of stellar reliability. Over half a million total actual driving miles between them and not a single breakdown. But it's time for a change. I'll get a BMW convertible one day as a second joy/fun car but I only have space and time for one car right now. So I bought a Prius for my commuter/pleasure car and I am very happy.

I plan to keep it mostly stock as I want to retain the full 50mpg rating. Any mods I do will be functional and for tech/fun reasons. I planned on getting Prius 17s and still might do it, but for now, the stock black wheels do fine for now. The less I can spend the better.

So my first real "mod" or addition (besides pulling the stock wheel caps and installing full LED interior kit) was to add a dash cam. I didn't want to just stick it on the window and plug it into the cigarette lighter, so I hardwired it. Couldn't really find detailed information online. Information was scattered and inconsistent. So I decided to probe with the multimeter and dig around.

For the dash cam, I chose the Mobius Action Cam. This cam gets great reviews and is super compact. It records 720p or 1080p video at 60/30 fps, respectively. It also does time lapse pictures. I have a 32gb micro sd card installed in mine and it will record about 5-7 hours of video. It simply records over the oldest video. You can also write protect a file while driving by simply tapping a button. You'll want to order the helmet cam mount for an extra stealthy/tidy install. You'll also need to buy the optional super capacitor so when the car shuts down, the video recording can properly stop when switched 12V power is turned off.

You'll also need a 12V to 5V DC converter. (Unless you can source 5V somewhere in your Prius) I tucked this above the map light area and sourced 12V switched from the cigarette lighter port. I soldered and wrapped a wire at the port then ran it towards the drivers side and up the A- pillar and to the map light area. I then spliced it into the input of the 12V to 5V converter. I ran ground to the black/white stripe wire of the map light 20-pin harness which is ground. (Use a meter to be sure). Double and triple wrap in heat shrink tubing and electrical wrap to make sure everything is tidy. Zip tie loose wires so they don't move and fray on sharp metal edges. The total cost for this was $150.

I will post a sample video below of when it was installed in my BMW. This can come in handy if someone does something to you on the road. The video will include everything you need to buy for this install and I'll include that same info here too.

Mobius action cam: Amazon.com: Mobius Action Camera 1080P HD Mini Sports Cam - Wide Angle Edition - C2 Lens: Camera & Photo

DROK 12V to 5V DC converter: Amazon.com: DROK Mini USB Car 12V to 5V Power Supply DC Buck Volt Convert 8-22V Waterproof: Electronics

Super capacitor: Amazon.com : Mobius Action Camera - Super Capacitor : Camera & Photo

Bicycle helmet Mobius action cam mount: Amazon.com : Bicycle Helmet Mount Holder Bracket For Mobius ActionCam Sports Camera : Camera & Photo

Right angle mini USB cord: Amazon.com: StarTech.com 2m Mini USB Cable Cord, Black (USBAMB2MU): Computers & Accessories (Optional, I doubt you really need this. The Prius has a lot of room) This makes things more compact though. i'd just get it. It's just $3.

32GB Micro SD card: Amazon.com: SanDisk Ultra 32GB Ultra Micro SDHC UHS-I/Class 10 Card with Adapter (SDSQUNC-032G-GN6MA) [Newest Version]: Computers & Accessories

My next mod:

2014 Subaru Forester Homelink Mirror.

I got it for $49 on eBay. Ran switched 12V (spliced from the wire I ran to the action cam) and constant 12V from the map light red wire. (Make sure you run a meter to it to ensure constant 12V) and spliced the map light ground I used for the action cam. The mirror works perfectly! Looks super cool and premium. The same or similar mirror runs for $300 from your Toyota dealer. Similar mirrors w/ a compass on eBay are the same price. Mine doesnt have a compass but I'm fine w/ that. This mirror was super cheap. It's manufactured by Gentex which is the same manufacturer that makes the Prius mirrors and pretty much all Japanese premium mirrors. Some American makes too. Way better than the stock dinky mirror that it comes with. It looks so cheap. If anyone is interested in the required pin out for a 10-pin Gentex mirror, PM me. Basically the bottom row is what you'll use. The left most pin is constant 12V, the middle pin is ground, the last pin on the bottom is switched 12V. The harnesses sell for $15 on eBay but I decided to solder the wires in to save money. I wrapped them in heat shrink and electrical tape. I have a wire cover on the way but I don't think I'll use it.



Coming soon (a week or two) Lexus HID retrofit.

 

Thumbs up. What mirror does your wife use since you stole hers?