Have you ever returned from an auto shop or dealership only to find that your dash cam has mysteriously stopped working? Many drivers have encountered this frustrating experience, leaving them puzzled and concerned about the sudden malfunction.
We'll explore the common reasons behind dash cam failures after bringing your car in for service and provide you with step-by-step solutions to get your device back up and running smoothly.
One of the primary culprits for a malfunctioning dash cam is a loose or disconnected power connection, and many dealerships and shops have a policy of unplugging customers’ dash cams and other aftermarket electronic accessories as their vehicles are being worked on. Sometimes, the technicians may have forgotten to reconnect the dash cam to power or avoided doing so for liability reasons, so it’s important to ensure that the power cable is firmly plugged into both the dash cam and the vehicle's power outlet, such as the cigarette lighter socket. If your dash cam is connected to the OBD port for power, technicians will often need to unplug it to hook their scanners up to the OBD port.
Sometimes, technicians may need to work around or even with your dash cam's wiring. When electrical issues are being diagnosed, technicians may disconnect the hardwiring kit from the power source (such as the fuse box) to remove the dash cam from the equation. Furthermore, if you have a multi-channel dash cam system and notice that only some of your cameras are working, it’s worth checking all of the cable connections to see if the technicians unplugged any.
Still not getting power? Check out our list of other reasons why your dash cam may not be turning on here.
Another potential issue could be a blown fuse or fuses, which may result from technicians performing electrical work on your vehicle. Fuses can blow from electricians performing certain electrical tests that can sometimes cause more power flow than usual, overloading the circuits, and we’ve even seen cases where fuses blow simply from technicians disconnecting and reconnecting the 12-volt battery, as a new power supply can send jolts through the system.
Start by inspecting the accessory and constant fuses in the fuse box or add-a-fuses to see if they are blown. Additionally, if your dash cam’s hardwiring kit has inline fuses, inspect them to ensure they haven’t blown. If any fuses are blown, replace them with new ones of the same amperage rating to restore power flow to the dash cam. Fuses are very common items found in most auto repair shops, and often will have their specifications written on their bodies.
When identifying a blown fuse, look for a broken metal wire or a discoloured, cloudy, or melted appearance inside the clear plastic housing. If the metal strip inside the fuse is intact, the fuse is still good; if it's broken or appears burned, the fuse needs to be replaced.
If you’re noticing that your dash cam is behaving differently after your car is serviced, like parking mode not working or previously disabled notification sounds being re-enabled, or that you’re missing footage on your SD card, there’s a chance that technicians may have reset it while working on your vehicle. They are professionals, after all, and operating a dash cam should be relatively easy for them. Nevertheless, there is a margin for error, and resetting the camera has the potential to cause issues, such as wiping the card when it is not formatting properly.
In this case, it’s worth checking the relevant settings, like parking mode and notification sounds, and changing them back to your preferred settings if you find that they’ve been reset.
If troubleshooting steps prove ineffective, don't hesitate to contact the dealership or shop. Inform them of the issue and when it occurred relative to your visit because it's possible that actions taken during the service process inadvertently affected the dash cam, and they may be able to offer assistance in resolving the matter.
Encountering dash cam issues after getting your vehicle serviced can be frustrating, but through systematic troubleshooting, many problems can be identified and resolved, don’t give up!
By checking for unplugged wiring, blown fuses, reset settings, and contacting the dealership or shop if necessary, you can restore your dash cam to optimal functionality, ensuring continued protection and peace of mind on the road!
