Dashcams shouldn't be this difficult!

[Ziggy32]

I have a 2022 RAM 1500 Big Horn eTorque Sport. I was trying to install a Garmin Dashcam 47. What a nightmare! There is no documentation on the USB ports in the Owner's manual. Simply by playing I found out that they are on 24/7. There is a cigarette lighter on the dash but found out it is on 24/7 too. So what brainiac at RAM decided not to put any ports in that follow the state of the ignition?

To continue..... Garmin makes a device that plugs into the OBD that turn the power off to its onboard USB ports in 10 minutes. RAM counters by putting in a non-standard OBD port. Is there no end to RAM's stupidity?

I hate to sound a little down on RAM but damn.... how much thought did they put in to the power situation? Anything plugged into any of the supplied USB ports will eventually drain the battery. Nicely done RAM! What a total bunch of morons! I can't be the only one encountering this problem. How have others over come it?

 

[MannyN]

I have a 2022 RAM 1500 Big Horn eTorque Sport. I was trying to install a Garmin Dashcam 47. What a nightmare! There is no documentation on the USB ports in the Owner's manual. Simply by playing I found out that they are on 24/7. There is a cigarette lighter on the dash but found out it is on 24/7 too. So what brainiac at RAM decided not to put any ports in that follow the state of the ignition?

To continue..... Garmin makes a device that plugs into the OBD that turn the power off to its onboard USB ports in 10 minutes. RAM counters by putting in a non-standard OBD port. Is there no end to RAM's stupidity?

I hate to sound a little down on RAM but damn.... how much thought did they put in to the power situation? Anything plugged into any of the supplied USB ports will eventually drain the battery. Nicely done RAM! What a total bunch of morons! I can't be the only one encountering this problem. How have others over come it?

The USB ports in the center console front and rear shutting off after one hour after ignition off.( Read your Manual.) The top power outlet can be switched from always on to ignition on by moving a fuse under the steering column fuse box. So, who are the morons?

 

[6of36]

I have a 2022 RAM 1500 Big Horn eTorque Sport. I was trying to install a Garmin Dashcam 47. What a nightmare! There is no documentation on the USB ports in the Owner's manual. Simply by playing I found out that they are on 24/7. There is a cigarette lighter on the dash but found out it is on 24/7 too. So what brainiac at RAM decided not to put any ports in that follow the state of the ignition?

To continue..... Garmin makes a device that plugs into the OBD that turn the power off to its onboard USB ports in 10 minutes. RAM counters by putting in a non-standard OBD port. Is there no end to RAM's stupidity?

I hate to sound a little down on RAM but damn.... how much thought did they put in to the power situation? Anything plugged into any of the supplied USB ports will eventually drain the battery. Nicely done RAM! What a total bunch of morons! I can't be the only one encountering this problem. How have others over come it?

You could have bought a Fitcamx, that plugs into the factory harness, and just replaces the mirror trim, where it looks factory.

 

[DEG]

None of my USB ports are powered 24X7. I use a USB port at the back of the center console to power both of my dash cameras and they turn off as soon as I shut off the truck and open the door.

The 12 volt plug on the dash can be switched from battery to key operation by changing the location of a fuse. This is described in the owners manual under the heading "Electrical Power Outlets".

I leave the 12 volt plug set to operate off the battery 24x7 and carry a USB extension cord so I can plug the camera's into this port to have 24x7 camera coverage when stopped away from home.

I had a car where all the ports were powered 24x7 and the camera never drained the battery even if the car sat for a week or two without being driven.

 

[vincentw56]

I have a 2022 RAM 1500 Big Horn eTorque Sport. I was trying to install a Garmin Dashcam 47. What a nightmare! There is no documentation on the USB ports in the Owner's manual. Simply by playing I found out that they are on 24/7. There is a cigarette lighter on the dash but found out it is on 24/7 too. So what brainiac at RAM decided not to put any ports in that follow the state of the ignition?

To continue..... Garmin makes a device that plugs into the OBD that turn the power off to its onboard USB ports in 10 minutes. RAM counters by putting in a non-standard OBD port. Is there no end to RAM's stupidity?

I hate to sound a little down on RAM but damn.... how much thought did they put in to the power situation? Anything plugged into any of the supplied USB ports will eventually drain the battery. Nicely done RAM! What a total bunch of morons! I can't be the only one encountering this problem. How have others over come it?

You are wrong on the USB ports like everyone else has said.

 

[Ziggy32]

The USB ports in the center console front and rear shutting off after one hour after ignition off.( Read your Manual.) The top power outlet can be switched from always on to ignition on by moving a fuse under the steering column fuse box. So, who are the morons?

I did read the manual. Look at the original question. There is no mention of the USB ports turning off after and hour. There is also no mention about moving a fuse under the steering column to switch the top power outlet from always on to ignition. 1) The manual says if the cover to that top port has the picture of a battery on it that it works off the battery. If it has the picture of a key on it then works off the ignition. 2) There is no fuse box under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment. So, who are the morons?

 

[MannyN]

I did read the manual. Look at the original question. There is no mention of the USB ports turning off after and hour. There is also no mention about moving a fuse under the steering column to switch the top power outlet from always on to ignition. 1) The manual says if the cover to that top port has the picture of a battery on it that it works off the battery. If it has the picture of a key on it then works off the ignition. 2) There is no fuse box under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment. So, who are the morons?

Oh Boy,

 

[OCD Solutions]

Things are only as difficult as you make them.

I ordered the proper harnesses for my cams and wired directly into the fuse panel under the steering column,
All my cables are hidden so I could avoid having things plugged into my dash outlets and wires draped across the dash.

 

[Ziggy32]

None of my USB ports are powered 24X7. I use a USB port at the back of the center console to power both of my dash cameras and they turn off as soon as I shut off the truck and open the door.

The 12 volt plug on the dash can be switched from battery to key operation by changing the location of a fuse. This is described in the owners manual under the heading "Electrical Power Outlets".

I leave the 12 volt plug set to operate off the battery 24x7 and carry a USB extension cord so I can plug the camera's into this port to have 24x7 camera coverage when stopped away from home.

I had a car where all the ports were powered 24x7 and the camera never drained the battery even if the car sat for a week or two without being driven.

I hate to be argumentative but with the ignition off I can plug in a iPhone. It comes back and says "charging" and the USB port I plug it into "lights up". Early on I had some problems with the owner's manual not matching the vehicle so I downloaded the latest owner's manual from Mopar and have been using it. I went back to the paperback that came with the vehicle and did find the place where it said I could change the operation of the dash port by moving fuse F54 in the fuses box under the steering column. The fuse box is not under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment and F54 is "PCB vapor lock".

 

[Ziggy32]

Things are only as difficult as you make them.

I ordered the proper harnesses for my cams and wired directly into the fuse panel under the steering column,
All my cables are hidden so I could avoid having things plugged into my dash outlets and wires draped across the dash.

Same old. There is no fuse box under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment.

 

[MannyN]

Things are only as difficult as you make them.

I ordered the proper harnesses for my cams and wired directly into the fuse panel under the steering column,
All my cables are hidden so I could avoid having things plugged into my dash outlets and wires draped across the dash.

Per Ziggy32, there is no fuse box under the steering column, it's under the hood.

 

[OCD Solutions]

Well deductive reasoning would lead me to run the wire to the fuse block under the hood then wouldn’t it.

 

[MannyN]

Same old. There is no fuse box under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment.

 

[MannyN]

I hate to be argumentative but with the ignition off I can plug in a iPhone. It comes back and says "charging" and the USB port I plug it into "lights up". Early on I had some problems with the owner's manual not matching the vehicle so I downloaded the latest owner's manual from Mopar and have been using it. I went back to the paperback that came with the vehicle and did find the place where it said I could change the operation of the dash port by moving fuse F54 in the fuses box under the steering column. The fuse box is not under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment and F54 is "PCB vapor lock".

Off course you can charge when you plug it in. This is how that works. As soon you unlock the door and opened it, the USB ports become active. When you close the doors and lock the truck, then after one hour the ports will shut off.

 

[Eighty]

Same old. There is no fuse box under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment.

Ok, slow down. There are two fuse boxes. One is in the engine compartment (that's called the External or Underhood Power Distribution Center). The other is under the steering wheel (that's called the Internal Power Distribution Center). This is all spelled out in the user manual.

The users manual also describes how to change the 12V power (at the top of your dash) from ignition to battery power, as others have mentioned. Pages 76-77.

 

[Ziggy32]

Yes. Thanks MannyN for posting a pic. It is moot at this point because the top cigarette lighter doesn't work period but I was at least able to check the fuse and put it in the correct position to work with the ignition. I have an appt to take it in and have them fix it.

The ones I am still struggling with are the USB ports. @DEG you are correct. I tested the rear-console ports for the first time and they do follow the state of the ignition. The front ones are still working of the battery and not the ignition. With no ignition on I can plug my phone in and it charges. Waiting to see if it turns off in an hour.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Did you check the fuse as well as you read the manual? If so you may just want to try replacing with a new one before taking it in. If you like hiding your wires then the simple solution, that thousands of people have done, would be to use a fuse tap on an IGN fuse under the steering column (where the interior fuse box is) and run it up the A pillar, across the headliner, and over to your dash cam. Or buy the tap that goes in behind the mirror and gives you a USB out.

 

[DEG]

I tested the rear-console ports for the first time and they do follow the state of the ignition.

Yea, I thought I was going crazy so ran out an double checked. All rear USB ports shut off when you open our door and do not come back on. I use my rear ports for power and front ports for music.

I don't like visible cables so snaked the wiring for both front and rear cameras under trim to terminate under the drivers seat. From there, they are both connected into a "Y" cable that plugs into a rear port. Only a few inches of cable where it plugs in is visible from the rear but I rarely have rear seat passengers who would see it and it's out of my sight.

 

[Ziggy32]

Did you check the fuse as well as you read the manual? If so you may just want to try replacing with a new one before taking it in. If you like hiding your wires then the simple solution, that thousands of people have done, would be to use a fuse tap on an IGN fuse under the steering column (where the interior fuse box is) and run it up the A pillar, across the headliner, and over to your dash cam. Or buy the tap that goes in behind the mirror and gives you a USB out.

Funny boy. Yes I replaced the fuse while I was in there. Do you have a link to the tap that goes in behind the mirror?

 

[Cbty2050]

I did read the manual. Look at the original question. There is no mention of the USB ports turning off after and hour. There is also no mention about moving a fuse under the steering column to switch the top power outlet from always on to ignition. 1) The manual says if the cover to that top port has the picture of a battery on it that it works off the battery. If it has the picture of a key on it then works off the ignition. 2) There is no fuse box under the steering column. It is in the engine compartment. So, who are the morons?

My guy