Is the Dash Cam Useful After the Engine Is Turned Off?

[KimberlyLee]

The dash cam is not useful after the engine is turned off. The working principle of a dash cam is to digitally record and cyclically update the road conditions in front of, inside, and around the vehicle. It records data such as in-car audio, the vehicle's acceleration, steering, and braking for use in investigating traffic accidents. The usage method of a dash cam is as follows: 1. Press the MODE key to switch between video recording, photo taking, and playback modes; 2. Press the MENU key to enter the settings page; 3. The PWR key is for turning the device on and off—holding it down while the device is on will turn it off; 4. Press up to select and zoom in; 5. Press down to select and zoom out; 6. The OK key is the confirm key—pressing it during recording will pause or resume the recording.

[JanelleLynn]

The dash cam is indeed useful after the engine is turned off, especially its parking monitoring feature. After installing one in my car, there was an incident when I was parked on the roadside with the engine off and someone scraped my bumper. The dash cam recorded the entire process, which helped me and the insurance company resolve the issue. Modern dash cams are typically powered by the car battery. If you set up a constant power connection, they can operate even when the engine is off. However, avoid leaving it on 24/7, as it can drain the battery quickly. I learned this the hard way when I couldn't start my car one morning and found out the dash cam had depleted the battery. I recommend enabling the dash cam's parking mode, which activates only upon detecting vibrations or impacts. This approach is practical, worry-free, and helps extend battery life.

[DelJeremiah]

Whether the dash cam works when the vehicle is turned off depends on the power supply setup. Some dash cams are connected to constant power sources like the OBD port, allowing them to continue monitoring the surroundings after the engine is off. This is particularly useful in parking lots or at night to prevent theft. However, continuous power consumption can drain the car battery, potentially leading to premature aging of the battery and increasing maintenance burdens and costs. My view is to strike a balance between practicality and risk. When choosing a dash cam, opt for those with energy-saving modes, such as an automatic shut-off feature when the battery is low, to avoid the hassle of not being able to start the car next time.