How do you install a dash cam on a windshield?
Reviewed by the Skyview Auto Glass technical team — NWRD-, ASE- and DINITROL-trained technicians · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
Install a dash cam by cleaning the glass, mounting it high and toward the centre-right so it sits out of your direct view and clear of the camera and rain-sensor area behind the mirror, then routing the cable along the headliner and down the A-pillar to the power source. Never run a cord across an airbag cover. Skyview does not install dash cams.
How to install a dash cam
Pick a spot before you stick anything. The goal is a clear view of the road that does not block yours.
- 1
Clean the glass
Wipe the mounting area with glass cleaner and let it dry. Dust and film stop an adhesive pad from bonding, and the camera will drop on the first hot day.
- 2
Place it high and centre-right
Mount the camera high on the windshield, toward the centre-right of the vehicle, so the lens sees the road but the body sits out of your direct line of sight and away from the camera and rain-sensor housing behind the rearview mirror.
- 3
Choose the mount
An adhesive pad holds firm and stays put long-term but is hard to move. A suction cup lets you reposition the camera or move it between vehicles, though it can loosen in heat.
- 4
Route the cable
Tuck the power cable along the headliner, down the A-pillar, and under the dash trim to the outlet. Never run a cord across an airbag cover or let it hang where it can tangle your feet.
Keep clear of the camera and sensors
The housing behind the rearview mirror often holds the forward camera and the rain and light sensor. Mounting a dash cam over that area can block the camera’s view of the road. See our guide on mounting a dash cam near the windshield camera.
Where to put a dash cam
- High on the windshield, toward the centre-right, where the lens clears the wiper sweep.
- Behind the rearview mirror but not over the camera or sensor housing.
- Out of the wiper-swept area the driver looks through.
- Away from the passenger airbag deployment zone on the dash.
Hiding the cord and who installs dash cams
Hiding a dash cam cord means tucking it into the trim, not draping it across the cabin. Most cars have a small gap where the headliner meets the A-pillar that accepts the cable, and a plastic trim tool or a blunt knife edge presses it in without scratching. Run it down the pillar, under the rubber door seal, and across under the dash to the outlet or a hardwired kit.
Who installs dash cams is usually you, or a mobile electronics installer who hardwires the camera to a fuse that switches with the ignition. Skyview does not install dash cams, sell them, or route their wiring. If a windshield replacement is needed and a camera is bonded to the glass, the technician removes and refits it as part of the job.
More questions about dash cam installation
Where should you put a dash cam?
High on the windshield, toward the centre-right, behind the rearview mirror but clear of the camera and sensor housing. The lens should clear the wiper sweep and the body should sit out of your direct view.
How do you hide a dash cam cord?
Tuck the cable into the gap where the headliner meets the A-pillar, run it down the pillar under the door seal, and across under the dash trim to the power source. Never route the cable across an airbag cover.
Who installs dash cams?
Most drivers fit their own with an adhesive or suction mount. For a hidden hardwired install, a mobile electronics installer runs the camera to a switched fuse. Skyview does not install dash cams or route their wiring.
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