How to Mount Your Dash Camera - Installation Guide

Every car can be mounted with a dash cam. However, if you are in the US, mounting a dash cam has some legality challenges, particularly implementing restrictions on the dash cam’s size and placement. See the list of dash cam policies per state here.

Every dash cam uses a front wide view angle lens to record the road ahead. As a result, front dash cams should be mounted in or near the center of the front windshield to ensure an even field of view for the vehicle's sides.

One more reason for doing so is that dash cam lenses are rarely adjustable horizontally. We recommend positioning the dash cam near the rearview mirror area to avoid blocking the driver's field of vision, minimizing distractions and keeping you focused on the road.

Another pro tip? Try tilting the lens slightly upwards for a better angle, so the footage displays about 60% road and 40% sky. This provides a good balance of exposure and clarity in capturing important details such as road signs and license plates.

Now, if you have a rear camera, we recommend you to place it in the uppermost center of the rear windshield. Just be careful not to install it on the rear defroster grid lines.

Like all the dash cams we carry here at BlackboxMyCar, every purchase comes with an adhesive which is needed for mounting your dash cam.

Before putting on an adhesive mount, the windshield should be thoroughly cleaned with a window cleaner. Ensure the area is wiped dry and at room temperature - not too cold and definitely not under direct sunlight - before applying the adhesive.

Once complete, press your hands against the mount and add pressure for about 10 seconds to secure the adhesive against the glass. This ensures the adhesive is properly bonded to the windshield and remains secure against vibrations.

The same instructions apply for dash cams that use suction cup mounts. The adhesives for these mounts, as well as for suction cups, work the best only on glass surfaces. Mounting onto other materials in the vehicle such as plastic, leather or alcantara will likely result in a weak and insecure hold.

Here’s another concern when installing a dash cam. Some vehicle models, particularly newer ones, may include sensors and radar detectors near the stem of the rearview mirror that control features like weather detection and advanced driver assistance systems.

If you have Subaru Eyesight, Toyota Safety Sense, Hyundai SmartSense, Honda Sensing, Mazda i-Activsense, or other advanced driver assistance technology in your vehicle, you may be wondering if mounting your dash cam will interfere with the sensors' functions.

To answer your question, these dash cams simply DO NOT interfere with the sensors, which are mounted directly against the windshield and pointed outwards. If you think this is a concern, you can simply move the dash cam to a different location on the windshield, and everything will work normally.

The black dots on the windshield, sometimes referred to as a "dot matrix", are known in the auto industry as a frit. If you’re wondering what they are, the black dots on windshields and windows, as well as the black rims that surround them, assist with the seal for the glass while the section behind the rearview mirror helps to block the sun in the gap between the two sun visors.

Now, can you place your dash cam on that surface? The answer is yes. It is safe and it will not cause any electronic interference if you mount the tape on these dots.

In fact, we love using these dots to hide the bulk of a dash cam as it reduces the amount of the camera that's visible from the outside. As long as the lens sticks past the dot matrix you will have no problems with the dash cam.

Just note that suction cup dash cams typically will not stick to the frit as the textured surface will not allow a perfect seal for the suction cup.

We don’t want residue left on our windshield. Aside from looking dirty, it can also be distracting for drivers. In this case, what we recommend is to stick a screen protector or static-cling film on the windshield before attaching your dash cam.

VIOFO has included this in their package and we call it the Windshield Static Stickers. The static sticker is a transparent film that adheres to the windshield using static electricity, making it a cost-effective alternative to a suction mount. It is designed for rental, carshare, and fleet vehicles and is useful if your car’s windows are tinted.

When using the static sticker, it also acts as a barrier between the 3M sticky tape and the glass, preventing sticky residue and marks if the dash cam needs to be removed. Again, if you don’t have a VIOFO but still want to try this, you can use a thin screen protector or a static-cling film.  

If one of these static stickers is not used, putting a little elbow grease into it can help remove the residue. Windex, rubbing alcohol, and Goo Gone can all prove helpful.

Of course, aside from keeping your windshield clear, you need to make sure that your dash cam lens itself is spotless, too! Suitable for all front cameras, we recommend the use of the BlackboxMyCar Aqua Shield. This accessory helps in keeping your footage free from external and environmental particles such as rain and dust.