BlackboxMyCar | Dash Cam Installation: 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG C63S x Thinkware Q1000 2-CH

This photo blog will show how we installed a Thinkware Q1000 2-CH dash cam into a 2021 Mercedes Benz-AMG C63 S. If you're considering installing a dash cam, we recommend the Blackbox MyCar Essential Install Kit. The BlackboxMyCar Essential Install Kit comes with a circuit tester, trim remover tool, and other handy tools to make the hardwiring and installation process more manageable.

With cutting-edge video technology, built-in Bluetooth 5.0, and the new Thinkware Connected service, the Thinkware Q1000 is an upgrade from its predecessor, the Q800PRO. It's no wonder many dash cam users are turning to the Q1000.

We replaced the Thinkware Q800PRO with the new Thinkware Q1000 in this 2021 Mercedes Benz-AMG C63 S.

Before mounting your dash cam onto your windshield, locate the nearest power source closest to where you plan to mount your dash cam. Doing so allows you to strategically plan how your wires can be routed to minimize any wire obstruction or dangling wires.

If you are hardwiring the dash cam to your fuse panel, you will look for where these panels are located, typically under the driver-side cockpit or in the front passenger footwell. This Mercedes has several fuse panels in the car, and we will use the one in the truck.

Suppose you do not need parking mode recording, or you will be using the 12V power cable to recharge your battery pack. In that case, the cigarette socket can be found inside your arm-rest compartment, on the center console, or either side of the driver or passenger side.

Once you've identified the location of your power source, it is time to think about an ideal placement for your dash cam. In most cases, the perfect area to mount a dash cam is behind the rearview mirror because it hides the dash cam from the driver's view to avoid any obstruction while driving.

You also want to check how far the wiper goes because if you mount the front-facing camera above the wiper's reach, it will not have a clear vision. You don't want to have your dash cams installed in an area outside of the range of your windshield wiper coverage, or on a rainy or snowy day, the camera lens will not be able to capture video.

Next, clean the windshield from the inside of the car to ensure the camera sticks properly and to clean off any marks or smears that might affect the video quality of your footage.

For this installation, we mounted the Thinkware Q1000 front camera just off to the right on the windshield as the car owner prefers to have the dash cam fully in sight. Note that the Q1000 comes with a heat-blocking film applied directly onto the windscreen, and the dash cam is mounted on the film.

Thinkware's hardwire kit is a 3-wire cable. Connect the red wire (the ACC wire) to a constant fuse (12V power) and the yellow wire (the Battery wire) to an ignition switch (12V source). The black wire with the C-shaped connector is the ground wire, which should be grounded to an unpainted metal bolt or stud in the vehicle.

Use the circuit testing in the BlackboxMyCar Essential Install Package to help you find a suitable continuous power fuse for the red/ACC wire and an ignition fuse for the yellow. You can look for the empty fuse slots or ones you can piggyback off using the add-a-fuse kit included in the Essential Install Package. Always refer to the Fuses section in the vehicle's owner's manual to avoid fuse slots that could pertain to certain safety features within your car.

Use the trim removal tool to gently pull back the headliner trim to tuck in the cables.

Guide the power cable along the headliner, down the passenger's A-pillar, and along the B and C-pillars to the fuse panel in the trunk. While it sounds complicated, it is pretty straightforward; all you need to do is use the included prying tool to pry the headliner so there's a gap just enough for the cable.

As for the ABC pillars, take your time when popping them open. You can start with the kickplate/door sill - pop it straight up and peel back the rubber trim that runs along the entirety of the door frame. You don't want to stuff the cable into the pillar because there's an airbag inside it, and you don't want to obstruct it.

You also don't want to push the cable under the rubber seal because it will create a little gap that might prevent the door from sealing properly - you will get wind noise, or worse, water can seep into the car. Take your time to guide the cable under the trim - remove the B pillar covers and use the pry tool to tuck the cable underneath the panel covers carefully.

When you get to the rear windshield, route the cable along the rear windshield headliner until you get to the rear camera. Plug the connecting cable into the rear camera and power your car to turn on the dash cam.

If you haven't done so, download and install the Thinkware Dash Cam Link app on your smartphone. Once your Thinkware Q1000 is powered on, press the WiFi button on the front unit to switch it to WiFi mode and then connect to the dash cam using the app to check the angle of the front and rear cameras.

And there you have it, a Thinkware Q1000 dual-channel dashcam installed in a 2021 Mercedes-AMG C63 S. From the outside, looking in through the front of the vehicle, the Q1000 blends in well with the car. The rear camera is also very sleek and compact, small enough not to interfere with your visibility out the rear of the vehicle. And from the outside, looking in, it's virtually invisible. The installation took about 2 hours, including routing the cables, and checking the front and back cameras using the mobile app viewer.

Planning on installing a dash cam in your car? Check out our Step-by-Step Dash Cam Installation Guide and our selection of handy installation accessories. And if you ever need a hand during the installation process, just call us; our dash cam specialists are available to help!

We offer installation services at our Richmond, BC location if you want to have your dash cam professionally installed.

Please see some of our other dash cam installations in the BlackboxMyCar Dash Cam Installation Gallery.