[269983]

Does anyone have any experience with the removal of the passenger side A pillar trim piece? I watched a YouTube video and it looks fairly straightforward but wanted to see if anyone here has done it and if there are any gotchas. I want to run my dashcam cable up the A pillar to conceal it. Given there is an airbag in these pillars I am hesitant to remove it (not overly but still a concern) but more concerned about proper routing to ensure it doesn't interfere with the operation of the airbag should it ever been deployed.

Alternatively if anyone has any recommendations for installing a dashcam I'm open to suggestions.

 

[VoltAP1]

Does anyone have any experience with the removal of the passenger side A pillar trim piece? I watched a YouTube video and it looks fairly straightforward but wanted to see if anyone here has done it and if there are any gotchas. I want to run my dashcam cable up the A pillar to conceal it. Given there is an airbag in these pillars I am hesitant to remove it (not overly but still a concern) but more concerned about proper routing to ensure it doesn't interfere with the operation of the airbag should it ever been deployed.

Alternatively if anyone has any recommendations for installing a dashcam I'm open to suggestions.

Mine was REALLY on there, but just follow the Youtube vid and it'll eventually release. The airbag is easy to identify and route a wire around. There are already some factory wires going up the driver's side a-pillar anyway. Just zip tie the new wires to that and you'll be good to go. The wires run well behind where the airbag would deploy from.

 

[269983]

Mine was REALLY on there, but just follow the Youtube vid and it'll eventually release. The airbag is easy to identify and route a wire around. There are already some factory wires going up the driver's side a-pillar anyway. Just zip tie the new wires to that and you'll be good to go. The wires run well behind where the airbag would deploy from.

Thanks. I was planning to run it up the passenger side to avoid having the wire possibly interfere with the pedals. Any benefit to using the drivers side instead of the passenger side?

As for removal can I just grab it and pull? Or should is use a spudger to assist?

 

[Don M]

I ran my dashcam cable down the drivers side A pillar on my '17 - I just pressed it under the cover, between the glass and the cover and didn't need to remove the cover

Don

 

[VoltAP1]

I ran my dashcam cable down the drivers side A pillar on my '17 - I just pressed it under the cover, between the glass and the cover and didn't need to remove the cover

Don

You can do this, but it'll just be a loose wire flapping around in your a-pillar that's not restrained.

I can't remember if I used a trim tool to help remove it, but I seem to recall it was a lot of force. So I want to say I started it with a trim tool, then got my fingers in there and put some force behind it to get it to pop off the first time.

You can run things behind the driver's side knee panel (below the steering wheel), so it won't be anywhere around the pedals. Again, you're like 2 ft away from the pedals, so no worries there. There's a ton of factory wiring in the same area, and you can easily zip tie the wire to existing factory wiring. It's very easy to go from this area to the a-pillar area on the driver's side.

 

[turboguy327]

You can do this, but it'll just be a loose wire flapping around in your a-pillar that's not restrained.

Sounds very dangerous..



Push the wire into the top of the pillar cover and down inside the rubber door seal. Way easier and won’t affect airbag deployment.

 

[269983]

Thank you all for the suggestions and recommendations. For those who did not remove the cover how did you run the wiring at the bottom of the cover and the dash? One of the advantages, at least from what I saw in the video, is the ability to run the power cord up from under the dash and into the corner where the cover meets the dash.

 

[MikeyCVolt]

Thank you all for the suggestions and recommendations. For those who did not remove the cover how did you run the wiring at the bottom of the cover and the dash? One of the advantages, at least from what I saw in the video, is the ability to run the power cord up from under the dash and into the corner where the cover meets the dash.

I didn't run mine behind the A pillar at all. The rubber seal curls around the A pillar so I ran mine under the glovebox to that rubber seal and just pushed it under the rubber seal all the way up to the roof. When you get to the top of the A pillar at the roof, there's a seam in the A pillar. You can easly pull back that seam to get it under there and across to the headliner. From there just tuck it behind the headliner between the headliner and windshield to the dashcam.

Mike

 

[wssix99]

Does anyone have any experience with the removal of the passenger side A pillar trim piece?

The official Factory Service Manuals for the car were just released. These will have the detailed step-by-step instructions for removing all the trim: http://www.helminc.com/helm/Result....18&Category=&Keyword=&Module=&selected_media=

I purchased the USB version and it's pretty nice. However, the file is locked to the USB drive, so if I want to backup the investment I need to pay to have the whole thing printed out on a hard copy...

 

[JuneBug]

I purchased the USB version and it's pretty nice. However, the file is locked to the USB drive, so if I want to backup the investment I need to pay to have the whole thing printed out on a hard copy...

You can always "print" it to a PDF file.

 

[wssix99]

You can always "print" it to a PDF file.

Nope... Their security prevents this. They seem to use a proprietary software that keeps the .pdf in a secure memory space that othe programs can't access normally.

 

[269983]

The official Factory Service Manuals for the car were just released. These will have the detailed step-by-step instructions for removing all the trim: http://www.helminc.com/helm/Result....18&Category=&Keyword=&Module=&selected_media=

I purchased the USB version and it's pretty nice. However, the file is locked to the USB drive, so if I want to backup the investment I need to pay to have the whole thing printed out on a hard copy...

Something to consider. Price is reasonable but I dislike the idea of being prohibited from moving / printing the material.

 

[turboguy327]

Nope... Their security prevents this. They seem to use a proprietary software that keeps the .pdf in a secure memory space that othe programs can't access normally.

Screenshot?

 

[JuneBug]

Nope... Their security prevents this. They seem to use a proprietary software that keeps the .pdf in a secure memory space that othe programs can't access normally.

I wish I could try it. Toyota's TIS system is the same way, but I can print everything to Bullzip, which installs just like a printer driver, and looks to the operating system as just another printer. Anything I print to Bullzip is saved as a PDF file.

 

[ReedN]

If you are installing a backup camera I found coming up through the roof route to be fairly straight-forward.

One panel in the trunk area that needed to be removed and then the overhead panel. No air-bags that route.

 

[wssix99]

I wish I could try it. Toyota's TIS system is the same way, but I can print everything to Bullzip, which installs just like a printer driver, and looks to the operating system as just another printer. Anything I print to Bullzip is saved as a PDF file.

I tried Bullzip and some other pdf printers and none of them work. The software that wraps the instance of Adobe that has the manual open recognizes them and blocks them. When one tries to print with these, the GM manual sends the print job to a connected physical printer (even when not selected!). If all physical printers are off, nothing happens in response to a print request.

Pure evil...

 

[JuneBug]

I tried Bullzip and some other pdf printers and none of them work. The software that wraps the instance of Adobe that has the manual open recognizes them and blocks them. When one tries to print with these, the GM manual sends the print job to a connected physical printer (even when not selected!). If all physical printers are off, nothing happens in response to a print request.

Pure evil...

That's simply diabolical...

 

[tjrybolt]

On my 2013, I ran my wire on the drivers side because it was easier to find a fuse on that side that was only on when the car was on. It has been about two years ago, but I recall removing the round plastic insert that said airbag, then taking out the screw. Then the plastic molding came off real easy. I did not see any airbag behind the plastic molding. I'm pretty sure the air bag must be above the side window just rear of the A-pillar plastic molding that runs along front window.