How to hardwire a dash cam in a RAV4: the fuse box, parking mode and the safety camera

Quick picks

So if you're hardwiring a dash cam, what you really want is a clean install that won't drain the battery. And on a RAV4 that comes down to three things. You need the right two fuse slots, a camera spot clear of Toyota's safety camera, and wires that stay out of the airbag's way.

And this guide is the hands-on install. Which dash cam to buy, and why parking mode matters for keying, is on my RAV4 dash cam guide. So I link to the right part of that guide as we go.

Four ways to power a dash cam in a RAV4

So before you buy anything, pick how the dash cam will get its power, because that decides whether you get parking mode. Basically, parking mode means the dash cam keeps watching while the RAV4 is parked and turned off, so it can catch someone hitting or keying the car.

Now Toyota's 2023 to 2025 Hybrid manual says not to use the power outlets longer than necessary with the hybrid system off. So the outlet plug is fine for driving, but it's not the way to get parking mode.

And something to note is VIOFO also sells the VIOFO OP100 OBD-II power cable ($59.99, checked Oct 15, 2026). It plugs into the OBD port under the dash and has low-voltage protection built in. But keep in mind anything left in the OBD port can draw power all the time, which my 12-volt battery guide explains. So for parking mode, I'd still go with the fuse box or a battery pack.

Where the RAV4's fuse box is, and the two empty slots

So Toyota's owner's manuals put the cabin fuse box at the "Left side instrument panel," and say to "Remove the lid." Basically, that's under the dash on the driver's side. BlackboxMyCar's installers describe it as "under the driver's dashboard, just above the brake pedal." Toyota's Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid manuals also show a second fuse box in the right side of the cargo area, but the dash cam goes into the cabin fuse box under the dash.

Now on 2019 to 2025 RAV4s, four installs and owner reports found two empty fuse slots in that cabin fuse box:

• Morozov Automotive, on a 2020 RAV4 in November 2021, said "you will see two available slots" and used both.
• Morozov Automotive's earlier video, from March 2020, tested the same two empty slots. One had power all the time, and the other only had power with the car in ACC or ON.
• A 2022 RAV4 Hybrid XSE owner on the DashCamTalk forum found the same two empty slots, one always on and one live only with the car on.
• EVDude, on a 2021 RAV4 Prime, found one always-on slot and one accessory slot with a circuit tester.

Basically, the always-on slot is called constant power, and it powers the dash cam while parked. The other slot is called accessory or ACC power, and it tells the dash cam the car is on. A 3-wire hardwire kit has a yellow wire for constant, a red wire for accessory, and a black wire for ground.

And a fuse tap, also called an add-a-fuse, is a small adapter that slides into an empty fuse slot and gives you a wire with its own fuse. On a 2019 to 2025 RAV4 the fuse taps are the low-profile mini size. Morozov says "the type used in a Toyota RAV4 is called mini low profile," and BlackboxMyCar found the same on a 2023 RAV4 Prime.

So here are the hardwire kits and fuse taps that fit, with prices checked Oct 15, 2026:

• The VIOFO HK4 hardwire cable is $22.99 with two low-profile mini taps, $17.99 with no taps, or $25.99 with an 8-tap set. The HK4 fits VIOFO's A229 dash cams, which are on my dash cam guide, and the HK4 cable is 4 meters long.
• The 6-meter VIOFO HK4 is $25.99 with taps or $19.99 without, if your ground bolt is farther away.
• The VIOFO HK6 hardwire kit is $29.99 with two low-profile mini taps or $25.99 without. VIOFO's HK6 page lists which VIOFO dash cams the HK6 fits.
• The VIOFO 2-pack of fuse taps is $5.99, if your kit came without taps. Pick the mini low-profile option.
• The VIOFO fuse tap kit with every size is $15.99, if you'd rather pull a fuse and match it.
• The BlackboxMyCar Add-A-Fuse Kit is $11.99 for one of each size or $15.99 for two of each.

Now you'll see fuse numbers for the RAV4 on some websites, but the fuse-chart sites don't agree with each other, so I don't list them here. The fuse names are printed on the back of the fuse box lid, and a test light tells you which empty slot is which.

How to hardwire a dash cam to the fuse box on a 2019 to 2025 RAV4

So these steps come from the Morozov Automotive, EVDude and BlackboxMyCar installs, and all three agree. They're the same on the gas RAV4, the Hybrid and the Prime. You'll want a trim tool, a Phillips screwdriver, a 10mm socket and a 12-volt test light or multimeter.

1. Turn the RAV4 off and take off the lower dash cover on the driver's side. Morozov took out two Phillips screws, then pressed and pulled the cover off. On the Prime, EVDude pulled the floor mat back first and popped the cover's clips.
2. Find a ground. The black ground wire goes under an unpainted bolt that screws into metal near the fuse box. Morozov used the bolt underneath the steering wheel with a 10mm socket, and BlackboxMyCar used "a metal bolt next to the fusebox." Don't ground to the fuse box itself.
3. Test the two empty slots. With the car off, touch the test light to each empty slot. The slot that lights up with the car off is constant power, for the yellow wire. The slot that only lights up with the car in ACC or ON is accessory power, for the red wire. On a 2020 RAV4, Morozov found the upper empty slot was the accessory one, but test both slots anyway.
4. Put each fuse tap in the right way round. Morozov puts the tap in with "the wire facing away from the driver," so the power runs through the tap's own fuse. If the tap goes in backwards, the dash cam wire skips that fuse.
5. Use the fuse sizes your kit says. For a BlackVue DR900X Plus (BlackboxMyCar only lists a refurbished DR900X-2CH Plus now, $291.99 and sold out, checked Oct 15, 2026), a DashCamTalk reply says 3 or 5 amps in the always-on tap and 1 amp in the accessory tap. BlackboxMyCar says the tap's fuse should be "equal to or less than the existing fuse."
6. Set the parking mode cutoff and test the dash cam. Set the cutoff voltage first (the numbers are in the parking mode section). Then turn the RAV4 on and check the dash cam powers up. Turn the RAV4 off and wait about 5 minutes to see parking mode start, which is how BlackboxMyCar checked its 2026 install.
7. Tuck the extra wire away and put the cover back on. Zip-tie the extra wire to the factory wiring so nothing hangs down near your feet or where kids can grab it.

Now one installer, Rich Ideates, used the power outlet fuse and the dome light fuse on a RAV4 Hybrid instead of the empty slots. That works too, but the two empty slots are the cleaner way, since nothing else shares the circuit.

And on a 2023 to 2025 gas RAV4 with Stop & Start, Toyota says adding electrical accessories "may affect the Stop & Start system." Basically, Stop & Start turns the engine off when you stop, so that's worth knowing on a gas RAV4.

Where the front camera can go: Toyota's keep-clear area

So the black plastic cover behind the rearview mirror holds Toyota's front camera. Basically, that front camera is part of Toyota Safety Sense, which runs the automatic emergency braking and the lane keeping. And Toyota's manuals say to keep a strip of windshield in front of that front camera clear.

The 2019 to 2022 gas manual and the 2023 to 2025 Hybrid manual use the same words: "Do not attach objects, such as stickers, transparent stickers, etc., to the outer side of the windshield in front of the front camera."

Now the 2026 manual adds two more things to know. Don't block the "air intake vent of TSS control unit" on the camera cover. And the windshield around the front camera has a heater that defogs that part of the glass, and Toyota says that area can get hot enough to burn.

So where do installers actually put the front dash cam? Both BlackboxMyCar installs put it "behind the rearview mirror on the passenger side," which keeps it out of the driver's view and still inside the wiper sweep. On the 2026, BlackboxMyCar found the redesigned plastic cover over the safety camera "could not go back on with the front camera in place." So BlackboxMyCar took the dash cam off its mount, clipped the cover back on, then put the dash cam back.

So basically, mount the front dash cam beside or below the black plastic cover, never on the glass in front of the safety camera's lens. Then make sure the cover still snaps back on.

And if a "Front Camera Unavailable" or "Pre-Collision System unavailable" message shows up after the install, move the dash cam. Toyota's 2023 to 2025 manual says to clear the obstruction in front of the front camera. My Pre-Collision System Unavailable guide covers what those messages mean.

Plugging in behind the mirror instead of the fuse box

So the other way to power a dash cam is a plug-in adapter behind the mirror cover. Dongar's RAV4 page says every 2019 to 2025 RAV4, Hybrid and Prime has one of two plugs back there:

• A 12-pin plug at the Toyota Safety Sense computer, which works on every trim.
• A 10-pin plug at the auto-dimming mirror, only on trims with that mirror. Dongar lists the XLE Premium, Limited, Hybrid XSE, Hybrid Limited and Prime SE and XSE.

Dongar warns the 12-pin and 10-pin plugs "can easily be confused," so check which one you're unplugging. And Dongar's fit table lists 2019 to 2025.

Now something important to note is how these adapters connect. The Dongar 12-pin adapter works by unplugging and replugging at the Safety Sense computer behind that cover. And the Fitcamx dash cam replaces the cover behind the mirror itself. Toyota's manual says "Do not modify any components of the vehicle around the front camera," so these behind-the-mirror adapters run against that Toyota line. But if you want to leave the safety computer alone, the 10-pin mirror plug on auto-dimming trims is the one that does.

So here are the Dongar adapters, with prices checked Oct 15, 2026:

• The Dongar Classic+ is $64.99 and only powers the dash cam with the car on, so no parking mode.
• The Dongar PRO is $73.99, with parking mode, a fixed 11.8-volt cutoff and a 4-hour timer.
• The Dongar PRO+ is $99.99, with an adjustable cutoff and timer. Dongar says VIOFO dash cams may need the PRO+ for parking mode.

And for which harness fits your trim, Dongar's RAV4 fit guide has the table. The Fitcamx prices and picks are on my dash cam guide's RAV4 section.

Running the wire up the A-pillar, behind the curtain airbag

So the A-pillar is the post on each side of the windshield. And the curtain airbag is the long airbag hidden along the roof edge above the side windows, which drops down in a crash.

Now Toyota's 2023 to 2025 Hybrid manual is strict here. Toyota says "Do not attach anything to areas such as a door, windshield, side window, front or rear pillar, roof side rail and assist grip." And Toyota says not to repair, remove or replace the "front, side and rear pillars, roof side rails" without consulting your Toyota dealer. Toyota says the same about installing electronic devices, because "The SRS airbags may malfunction or deploy (inflate) accidentally." Basically, SRS is Toyota's name for the airbag system. So Toyota's official advice is to talk to your dealer before you work on the pillars.

And here's how the installers route the wire on a RAV4:

1. Tuck the power wire into the headliner above the mirror cover, then across to the driver's A-pillar.
2. Run the wire behind the curtain airbag, never across the front of the curtain airbag. BlackboxMyCar's 2023 Prime install says "make sure that it is not obstructing any airbags by running behind or avoiding them." Morozov hides the wire behind the A-pillar trim so it "doesn't interfere with airbag in any way."
3. Zip-tie the wire to the factory wiring so the wire can't flop into the airbag's path.
4. Run the wire down the A-pillar to the floor, then over to the fuse box.

Something to note is Rich Ideates pushes the wire up past the airbag in the gap without taking the A-pillar trim off on a RAV4 Hybrid. And on RAV4s with the JBL sound system, the A-pillar trim holds a speaker, so BlackboxMyCar warns not to pull on the speaker's wires.

Parking mode on a Hybrid or Prime without a dead 12-volt battery

So this is the part Hybrid and Prime owners worry about most, and for good reason. A RAV4 Hybrid has two batteries, the big hybrid battery and a small 12-volt battery that powers the electronics. The dash cam runs off the small 12-volt battery.

And the 12-volt battery on a RAV4 Hybrid is smaller than on a gas RAV4. Toyota's manuals list a 45 or 55 amp-hour battery on the 2019 to 2025 Hybrid, and a 60 or 65 amp-hour battery on the 2019 to 2025 gas RAV4. Toyota also says the 12-volt battery "will discharge gradually even when the vehicle is not in use."

Now a DashCamTalk forum thread on hybrid cutoff voltages explains the catch. The poster says a hybrid's 12-volt battery "is not recharged from the traction battery when parked, but it is recharged if the ignition is on." Basically, the traction battery is the big hybrid battery. And Toyota's 2023 to 2025 Hybrid manual says the 12-volt battery "recharges automatically while the hybrid system is operating." So while the car is parked, the dash cam is slowly using up the 12-volt battery with nothing topping it back up.

That's what the low-voltage cutoff is for. Basically, the cutoff turns the dash cam off when the 12-volt battery drops to a set voltage, so there's enough left to start the car.

Now one member in the same DashCamTalk thread says 12.4 volts is too high a cutoff to get much parking mode recording, and would feel safer at 12.2 volts even in winter. So 12.4 trades recording time for a safer start. EVDude set 12.4 volts on a 2021 Prime for a Canadian winter, and Morozov set 12.0 volts on a 2020 gas RAV4. And if the car will sit for more than a few days, I'd turn parking mode off.

And here's roughly how long that buys you. A DashCamTalk tester measured a 3-channel VIOFO A229 Pro at about 6.25 watts in low-bitrate parking mode, which is about 0.5 amps. So here's my rough estimate, and it's an estimate, not a measurement. A 45 amp-hour Hybrid battery that starts near full and stops at 12.2 volts has about 15 to 20 amp-hours to give. That's about a day and a half of low-bitrate recording at best, and much less in winter or if the 12-volt battery is already low.

So check how your kit sets the cutoff:

• VIOFO HK4: VIOFO's HK6 page says that on the A329S, the older HK4 only gives a cutoff time, not a cutoff voltage. So check your dash cam's settings for which cutoff the HK4 gives you.
• VIOFO HK6: VIOFO says the HK6 is needed for a cutoff voltage on the A329S. On the A329S, the HK6 also adds what VIOFO calls Hybrid Parking Mode, which drops to low-power, impact-only recording at the cutoff voltage or cutoff time you set.
• Dongar PRO and PRO+: the PRO has a fixed 11.8-volt cutoff or a 4-hour timer, and the PRO+ lets you set both.

Now say you have a Prime that's plugged in at home. One 2022 RAV4 Prime owner logged the 12-volt battery at about 12.8 volts while plugged in, and 12.3 to 12.6 volts after driving. So parking mode at home on the charger is likely easier on the 12-volt than all day at the office. That's one owner, and Toyota doesn't say. And Dongar says parking mode is "even less of a concern" for a Hybrid or Prime's 12-volt battery, because the big battery starts the engine. But Toyota's manual still says the hybrid system may not start if the 12-volt battery is low.

And if your 12-volt battery already runs low, my 12-volt battery guide covers maintainers, and the battery sizes by year.

The battery pack option for Hybrids and Primes parked all day

So if your Hybrid or Prime sits at work for 8 hours or more, a dash cam battery pack is the cleanest answer. Basically, the battery pack charges while you drive and then runs the dash cam while you're parked. BlackboxMyCar says a battery pack can run parking mode "while isolating the camera from the vehicle's 12V accessory battery."

And BlackboxMyCar put the battery pack under the driver's seat on both of its RAV4 installs, a 2023 Prime and a 2026 Plug-in Hybrid. The pack was wired to an accessory fuse and a ground. On the 2026, BlackboxMyCar checked that the battery pack's app showed charging with the RAV4 on and discharging with the RAV4 off.

• The BlackboxMyCar PowerCell 8 is $269.99 on sale (list $359.99), checked Oct 15, 2026. It holds 96 watt-hours, and BlackboxMyCar says a 2-channel setup runs for about 24 hours.
• The VIOFO BP60 is $219.99, checked Oct 15, 2026. It holds 64 watt-hours. VIOFO says the BP60 runs about 20 hours on a 1-channel dash cam and recharges in about 45 minutes when hardwired.

How to run the rear camera through the liftgate

So the rear camera cable runs along the headliner, past the B and C pillars, down to the top rear corner of the cargo area. Then it goes through the rubber boot into the liftgate. Basically, the rubber boot, also called a grommet, joins the body and the liftgate at the top corner of the cargo area.

1. Pull the rubber boot off at one end. The boot is tight, so EVDude used fishing line and a little Vaseline, and BlackboxMyCar used lubricant and a zip tie as a pull tab.
2. Feed the rear camera cable through the boot into the liftgate.
3. Push the boot back in all the way. Rich Ideates says to push it in fully "so it doesn't leak on you."
4. Mount the rear camera at the top center of the back glass, inside the rear wiper's sweep, with the defroster lines out of the rear camera's view.

Now on a 2019 to 2025 RAV4 with the digital rearview mirror, the mirror's own camera is at the top center inside the back window. So put the dash cam's rear camera beside the digital mirror's camera, and check the mirror's picture isn't blocked. EVDude did exactly that on a 2021 Prime XSE. My digital rearview mirror guide shows where that camera sits. On a 2026, the digital mirror's camera moved outside onto the liftgate, so it's not in the way.

And Morozov said the VIOFO T130's rear cable is about 6 meters, which is long enough for a RAV4, but check your kit.

The 2026 RAV4: the built-in Drive Recorder, and adding a dash cam

So Toyota's built-in Drive Recorder is standard on every 2026 RAV4 Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid trim, though the Drive Recorder is switched off when the car leaves the factory. And the Drive Recorder only records while the RAV4 is turned on, records no sound, and the front video is 1080p. So the Drive Recorder isn't a parking camera. How to use the Drive Recorder is on my 2026 RAV4 touchscreen guide.

And if you want parking mode on a 2026, here's what owners and installers have used:

• A Dongar 5-pin harness behind the overhead console. Auto Minute's 2026 install was on a RAV4 without the auto-dimming mirror. The overhead console came off with one 10mm bolt, then four clips that took "a generous amount of pressure." Dongar's fit table doesn't list the 2026 yet.
• A dash cam with a battery pack. BlackboxMyCar reinstalled an owner's own dash cam with a battery pack on a 2026 XSE Plug-in Hybrid.
• The Fitcamx for the 2026 RAV4 (HD2-6816), at $189.99, $219.99 or $269.99, checked Oct 15, 2026.

And something to note on a 2026 is the ACC setting in the RAV4's customization menu. If it's on, the screen keeps running after you turn the car off, which my 12-volt battery guide explains. So if your dash cam is wired to accessory power, check that setting.

Toyota's own dash cam for 2019 to 2025 RAV4s

So Toyota sells an Integrated Dash Camera, part PT949-08231. The Toyota dash cam is $284.20 at ToyotaPartsDeal (MSRP $315.00), checked Oct 15, 2026. And it needs the Dashcam Wire Harness PT949-48210, which is $35.70 (MSRP $40.00).

The Toyota dash cam is front only, mounts near the mirror and records 1080p. The listing says the Toyota dash cam starts recording "at ignition or on impact (driving or parked)." The PT949-08231 replaced the older PT949-08210-AA camera unit, which the dealer prices.

Now which RAV4 years and trims the Toyota dash cam fits isn't confirmed. Parts resellers mention some 2022 to 2025 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid trims, but Toyota's own page doesn't list RAV4 fit. So ask your dealer by VIN before you buy.

Does a hardwired dash cam void the warranty?

So under a federal law called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a carmaker can't void your warranty just because you added an aftermarket part. Toyota would have to show the part caused the problem.

But keep in mind a fuse tap that blows a fuse is exactly the kind of thing a dealer can refuse to cover. And a fuse tap in an empty slot is easy to pull out before a dealer visit.

A quick checklist after the install

• The front dash cam is outside the strip in front of the safety camera, and the black cover still snaps on.
• The wires run behind the curtain airbag and are zip-tied to the factory wiring.
• You tested both empty fuse slots, used low-profile mini taps, and put each tap in the right way round.
• The ground wire is on a bare metal bolt.
• The cutoff is 12.2 volts in summer and 12.4 in winter on a Hybrid or Prime, or you use a battery pack.
• On a 2019 to 2025 RAV4, the rear camera doesn't block the digital rearview mirror's camera.
• You watched for warning messages on the first drive.

Videos that show the install

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