Thinkware u3000 installation...

[monikersupreme]

Has anyone here installed a Thinkware dashcam in their LC250 (wired through the rearview mirror)?

(I've got a 2025 LC250/1958)

I ended up buying the u3000 on sale and have been looking for a good installation video but am coming up short:

U3000 Front & Rear - THINKWARE US | Official Site

THINKWARE U3000, Parking Surveillance Re-Imagined

thinkwarestore.com

(actually also bought a Dongar Pro along with it but I'm thinking now I won't end up needing it)

I've got an idea of how the front camera should be installed but I'm worried about pulling off molding etc for the rear camera...

If anyone can point me to a guide/tutorial for this it would be much appreciated.

 

[otto]

Did you install the cam? If so, did you power it from the fuse panel? I am thinking of getting this cam.

Thanks

 

[ptahkeem]

I installed a U1000 and used the fuse box on the passenger side to provide parking mode power. I think I have a post showing a diagram of a 4th gen Tacoma passenger fuse box that shows which fuses you can tap into for constant power. Unfortunately, the rear view mirror does not have a constant power source.

 

[ptahkeem]

Oddly I couldn’t find my post so here is the screen grab I took. Our fuse box is ever so slightly different but it should give you an idea of what to look for.

 

[ptahkeem]

Here are some photos of my installation. The photo with the red lines is the wiring path I decided to use. Forgive the low quality drawing lol. The passenger fuse box is where the power starts and is on the middle right side of that photo, the wire then goes to the dashcam and then follows the roofline to the drivers side, down the A pillar(behind the airbags because safety), then down along the door foot area and up C pillar along the headliner through the wire gasket and somewhat untidily from behind the plastic trim. I could probably make it “cleaner” by making a hole in the plastic trim but I don’t want to bother drilling into the plastic. Hope this helps.

 

[otto]

Thank you!

 

[monikersupreme]

I installed a U1000 and used the fuse box on the passenger side to provide parking mode power. I think I have a post showing a diagram of a 4th gen Tacoma passenger fuse box that shows which fuses you can tap into for constant power. Unfortunately, the rear view mirror does not have a constant power source.

That's disappointing about the rearview mirror power; I was under the impression that I would be able to plug the cam in here and avoid having to muck around with the fuse box:

Post in thread 'Dashcam wiring harness for 1958' Dashcam wiring harness for 1958

Are you sure about this?

 

[ptahkeem]

That's disappointing about the rearview mirror power; I was under the impression that I would be able to plug the cam in here and avoid having to muck around with the fuse box:

Post in thread 'Dashcam wiring harness for 1958' Dashcam wiring harness for 1958

Are you sure about this?

Not 100% sure but I don’t think the rear view mirror gets power while the car is “off”.

 

[SD_Driver]

I recommend using a dash cam specific battery. BlackBoxMyCar sells several versions. You can plug the battery into the vehicle’s 12v power so it charges while you drive and powers the dash cam. Then the dash cam draws power from this battery when the engine is off. Much simpler and avoids any issues with the vehicle’s electronics or killing the vehicle’s battery.

 

[monikersupreme]

I recommend using a dash cam specific battery. BlackBoxMyCar sells several versions. You can plug the battery into the vehicle’s 12v power so it charges while you drive and powers the dash cam. Then the dash cam draws power from this battery when the engine is off. Much simpler and avoids any issues with the vehicle’s electronics or killing the vehicle’s battery.

I've looked into these - Thinkware (manufacturer of the U3000) makes one as well.

Can these operate in conjunction with the 12V (or hybrid?) battery itself - i.e. the cam will draw from the dash battery first then from the 12V if the former gets depleted?

 

[SD_Driver]

Yes, it will work fine with the 12v battery in the LC. Technically, the dash cam should be running off the separate dash cam battery all the time.

I’m not sure what would happen if this battery were fully depleted. The dash cam itself may not work until after the LC has partially recharged the dash cam battery. These batteries can last a long time when fully charged, so it’s doubtful this would happen. Plus, most come with an app so you can track the battery status.

I prefer this method instead of tapping into a fuse or grabbing power from the mirror. The electronics on these new vehicles are so sensitive now, I wouldn’t chance adding something not planned for by the manufacturer.

 

[monikersupreme]

Yes, it will work fine with the 12v battery in the LC. Technically, the dash cam should be running off the separate dash cam battery all the time.

I’m not sure what would happen if this battery were fully depleted. The dash cam itself may not work until after the LC has partially recharged the dash cam battery. These batteries can last a long time when fully charged, so it’s doubtful this would happen. Plus, most come with an app so you can track the battery status.

I prefer this method instead of tapping into a fuse or grabbing power from the mirror. The electronics on these new vehicles are so sensitive now, I wouldn’t chance adding something not planned for by the manufacturer.

The u3000 has low-power detection that should initiate shutdown when the 12V battery level drops below a specified threshold.

I wonder if, instead of an external battery, if it's possible instead to just install a higher capacity 12V car battery altogether?

 

[ptahkeem]

The u3000 has low-power detection that should initiate shutdown when the 12V battery level drops below a specified threshold.

I wonder if, instead of an external battery, if it's possible instead to just install a higher capacity 12V car battery altogether?

This is how I run my U1000, with the voltage cut off, and it has worked well on other vehicles I have owned namely a 2022 Sienna hybrid and a 2005 4Runner.

 

[SD_Driver]

The u3000 has low-power detection that should initiate shutdown when the 12V battery level drops below a specified threshold.

I wonder if, instead of an external battery, if it's possible instead to just install a higher capacity 12V car battery altogether?

Yes the low power shut down should work, but this will require finding a full time power source. Does the LC have a 12v power supply that’s on all the time? If not, you’re hard wiring the dash cam to the fuse box. This will be fine if there’s a spare always on fuse.

 

[ptahkeem]

Yes the low power shut down should work, but this will require finding a full time power source. Does the LC have a 12v power supply that’s on all the time? If not, you’re hard wiring the dash cam to the fuse box. This will be fine if there’s a spare always on fuse.

There are fuses in the passenger side fuse box that have constant power, can’t remember which ones off the top of my head but I posted a photo of the tacoma4g passenger fuse box above that shows the constant power fuses. I’ve used fuse taps to piggy back off of those to enable parking mode for my u1000. Has been working well for me.

 

[otto]

I recommend using a dash cam specific battery. BlackBoxMyCar sells several versions. You can plug the battery into the vehicle’s 12v power so it charges while you drive and powers the dash cam. Then the dash cam draws power from this battery when the engine is off. Much simpler and avoids any issues with the vehicle’s electronics or killing the vehicle’s battery.

Where is it possible to install a battery pack? There is no room under neither front seats nor back seats.