BlackboxMyCar | Dash Cam Installation: 2022 Volkswagen Golf R x BlackVue DR900X Plus + DR750X-3CH Plus

This photo blog will show how we combined two BlackVue systems into one comprehensive all-around protection for the owner of a 2022 VW Golf R. 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.

The BlackVue DR900X-2CH Plus front and rear cameras give you a combined 300° field of view around your vehicle. The BlackVue DR750X-3CH Plus gives you a combined 278° angle capture of your car's surroundings and a 119° view of the interior. So it’s possible to create a 360° all-around surveillance system.

We installed a DR900X-2CH Plus and a DR750X-3CH Plus into this Volkswagen Golf R.

While mounting the two front is straightforward (just attach the cameras to the front and rear windshield), mounting the two rear cameras is a little trickier - the side windows roll up and down, so you can’t just stick the cameras onto the glass.

The BlackVue B-124X + B-124E battery pack plus extended battery pack combination will provide you with 12,600mAh of power to run parking mode.

The owner of this Volkswagen requested an installation with parking mode using the BlackVue Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124X) and a Power Magic Expansion Battery (B-124E). This battery pack combination will give you 12,600mAh of parking mode power.

Both the BlackVue Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124X) and the Extended Battery (B-124E) measures 157mm x 171mm x 39.5mm. Luckily, there is sufficient room underneath the driver’s seat to stow the batteries, one on top of the other.

Always refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

To get the most out of the power setup, we recommend hardwiring the BlackVue Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124X) to the car’s fuse panel. The fuse panel on this Volkswagen is located right under the instrument panel on the driver's side.

Always refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

The BlackVue Power Magic Ultra Battery (B-124X) hardwiring kit is a 2-wire cable, one for ACC (constant) and the other for ground. You will need to look for an empty fuse slot or one you can piggyback off using the add-a-fuse kit included in the BlackboxMyCar Essential Install Kit. Use the circuit tester in the Essential Install Kit to help you find a suitable continuous power fuse that is less than 10A. Always refer to the Fuses section in the vehicle's owner's manual to avoid fuse slots pertaining to certain safety features within your car.

Once hardwired, the BlackVue B-124X battery pack will recharge itself when you turn on the ignition, and when you power down the car, the dash cam will be able to draw power from the battery pack to run parking mode. The Power Magic Expansion Battery (B-124E) simply connects to the B-124X battery pack using the cables included inside the box.

The ideal place for the front camera is behind the rearview mirror

The perfect place to mount the forward-facing camera is behind the rearview mirror because it hides the dash cam from the driver’s line of sight and avoids any obstruction while driving. Luckily, BlackVue’s signature slender cylindrical shape makes it easy to position the DR900X Plus behind the rearview mirror.

Don’t forget 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 want to make sure you are mounting the dash cam in a spot so you can always get a clear windscreen in front of it.

Also important is to 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.

This is where we mounted the rest of the cameras:

Use the provided trim removal tool to gently pull back the headliner and panel covers.

Because the battery pack is stowed away underneath the driver's seat, we need to guide the dash cam power cable along the headliner, down the A-pillar, and across the floor to the battery pack. Use the included prying tool to gently pull back the headliner trim to tuck in the cables. Take your time when popping open the A-pillar - it's pretty straightforward but requires patience so you don’t accidentally break any of the clips holding it.

For this installation, we routed the power cable along the weather strip down the door and then routed the cable across the floor to the battery pack underneath the driver's seat. Plug the dash cam’s 12V power cable into the cigarette splitter.

Mounting a dash camera in a vehicle with a rear liftgate does require a few extra steps, and the best way to run the cable is to go through the hoses between the chassis and liftgate. Typically, 1 or 2 hoses connect to the liftgate, and it's best to give them a squeeze to check which one has more wiggle room before attempting to run the wire. You can also use a long zip tie, a coat hanger, or any variation of a long wire to guide the front-to-rear cable through the headliner and the rear hatch grommet before connecting to the rear camera.

Use the provided trim removal tool to gently pull back the headliner and panel covers.

Just like how you routed the cables from the DR900X Plus front camera to the battery pack, you will also need to do the same for the BlackVue DR750X Plus front camera that you’ve just mounted on the rear windshield. You will need to run the cable along the headliner and then along the C and B pillars straight down the length of the car. Once you get to the B pillar, you will run the cable down to the pillar and then across the floor to the battery pack underneath the driver’s seat. Plug the dash cam’s 12V power cable into the other socket in the cigarette splitter.

We created a custom mount using paper clips.

Because the side windows move up and down, mounting the rear cameras on the glass would not be suitable. Logically, mounting the cameras on the car's ceiling is the “next best thing.” Unfortunately, the adhesive mount doesn’t stick well to the ceiling material, so our technician had to devise an alternative - a custom metal clamp mount made with paper clips.

Once you’ve mounted the rear cameras, plug in the rear camera connecting cable and run the cable along the ABC pillars to the respective front cameras. Again, don't just run 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 carefully tuck the cable underneath the panel covers.

The interior IR camera is mounted on the overhead console. Note that because the interior camera comes as a separate camera unit, you can mount the interior camera anywhere inside your vehicle - as long as the connecting cable is long enough. Once you’re happy with the mounting location, plug in the camera connecting cable and run the cable along the headliner and the ABC pillars to the DR750X Plus front camera on the rear windshield.

Suppose you haven't done so, download and install the BlackVue mobile app on your smartphone. Once you’ve powered on the DR900X Plus and the DR750X Plus, enable the built-in WiFi and then connect to the dash cams using the app to check the angle of the front and rear cameras and adjust as needed.

Use the Live View feature to check the viewing angle of the front and rear cameras and adjust if needed. Once you’re happy with the camera angles and ensure all the cables are tucked away properly, you can put all the pillar and panel covers back into position.

And there you have it, a 5-channel surveillance system with a BlackVue DR900X-2CH Plus and a BlackVue DR750X-3CH Plus. From the outside, looking in from the front of the vehicle, the DR900X Plus and DR750X Plus front-facing cameras blend in well with the car. The rear cameras mounted on the left and side of the car are secured using a custom mount.

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!

Looking to have your dash cam professionally installed, we do offer installation services at our Richmond BC location.

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