Technical Where's the f'ing fuse box

[NitramA]

Help!!
I'm trying to fit a power hardwire kit for my dashcam but I can't find the fuse box!!
According to the manual it's to the left side of the steering wheel but I can't see anything obvious there. Do I have to start removing the plastic covers or does this only relate to lh drive cars and its somewhere else on UK cars?

Glad I'm doing this at home in daylight rather than on a rainy Friday evening on the M4!!

 

[Frank128]

Hi, there are fuse 'boxes' in 3 positions on the 500X.
By the side of the battery, in the boot, but the main fuse box is on the RIGHT hand side of the steering wheel ( right hand drive cars ) behind a small cover which clips off.
Hope this helps.

 

[NitramA]

Hi,thanks for getting back to me.
Isn't that the OBD port cover or do I have to remove the larger panel which incorporates the OBD port cover?

I can't see anything that obviously comes off - sorry for being dim

 

[Frank128]

Sorry for confusion, I have looked online and is reported to be on the left of US and Canada steering wheels, which should put it on the right side of ours.
I've just had a root around and apart from the port behind the small cover I can't find it.
It is deemed to be a computer fusebox and handbooks state dealer access only,why?
Hope you sort it.

 

[NitramA]

Even Fiat don't know where it is! Lol.

 

[NitramA]

Ok, just talked to my dealer, who kindly ferreted around a new 500x.
Seems that the Cross plus only has a fuse box in the engine compartment and possibly in the boot (depends on options fitted).
So there is no fuse box in the dash.
Going to make plumbing in my dashcam fun then!

 

[Mikehep]

The cigarette lighter is an ignition switched supply. Couple into the rear of this and power will be supplied when you turn engine on and off when you switch off.

 

[NitramA]

The cigarette lighter is an ignition switched supply. Couple into the rear of this and power will be supplied when you turn engine on and off when you switch off.

Yeah could do, I've also got power in the rear view mirror that I was thinking of using, but, maybe for no good reason I'd like to make a fused spur from the fusebox. And I get obsessed with this sort of thing!
Also I found that when I plugged my dashcam into the cigarette lighter it would switch on/off whenever the SS kicked in.

 

[varesecrazy]

Yeah could do, I've also got power in the rear view mirror that I was thinking of using, but, maybe for no good reason I'd like to make a fused spur from the fusebox. And I get obsessed with this sort of thing!
Also I found that when I plugged my dashcam into the cigarette lighter it would switch on/off whenever the SS kicked in.

look at the guides in the punto EVO section, it doesn't look too different

 

[NitramA]

I've managed to get to talk to a tame techie. Seems that the fusebox I'm after is only located under the steering wheel on lh drive cars. On rh cars it's on the left under the glovebox - remove the cheap looking material cover and its up and to the left.
The techie said the fuses were in and around the main body computer and isn't really a fuse box as such which is why I couldn't see it. Sounds expensive enough for me so I'm not going to be connecting anything around there. Hopefully I've saved someone a bit of hassle.

 

[Terry Fisher]

Hi, there are fuse 'boxes' in 3 positions on the 500X.
By the side of the battery, in the boot, but the main fuse box is on the RIGHT hand side of the steering wheel ( right hand drive cars ) behind a small cover which clips off.
Hope this helps.

Add a 4th set of fuses when checking air con filter found a set of fuses there as well behind glove box

 

[NitramA]

Add a 4th set of fuses when checking air con filter found a set of fuses there as well behind glove box

How easy is it to remove the glovebox?
Might have another go at hardwiring the camera. This would be the preffered option for me as it has a Parking mode so need ACC power as well as normal switched 12v.

 

[ehtisham]

Help!!
I'm trying to fit a power hardwire kit for my dashcam but I can't find the fuse box!!
According to the manual it's to the left side of the steering wheel but I can't see anything obvious there. Do I have to start removing the plastic covers or does this only relate to lh drive cars and its somewhere else on UK cars?

Glad I'm doing this at home in daylight rather than on a rainy Friday evening on the M4!!

if you have finished hardwired dash cam???csn you please share how did you do this any photos would do???

 

[NitramA]

if you have finished hardwired dash cam???csn you please share how did you do this any photos would do???

In the end I just plugged the dashcam into the accessory socket (what I'd call the cigarette lighter socket). I keep meaning to hardwire it, but never seem to get round to it!!
It all works fine so I use the old adage "if its not broke....."
Maybe some day I'll do it!

 

[ehtisham]

In the end I just plugged the dashcam into the accessory socket (what I'd call the cigarette lighter socket). I keep meaning to hardwire it, but never seem to get round to it!!
It all works fine so I use the old adage "if its not broke....."
Maybe some day I'll do it!

oh ok..may be i will do it and post it when possible

 

[s130]

You can get OBDII Port plugs to supply power from the OBDII socket. I was thinking about that but on the 500X the socket is close behind the cover that one would then always have to have no cover and a little bulge :yuck:

However it is (from what I can see) a dead easy run from there to the rear view mirror area.

 

[Vic20]

Hi All

I volunteered to hard wire a dashcam into my Daughters 500x this morning.

I'm familiar with some of Fiat's build quirks but wasn't prepared for this. :bang:After what felt like close to 2 hours looking for the dashboard Fuse Box I browsed and found this thread. Thanks to the hint above I found it behind the glove box. Once it's location was secured, the install took around an hour.

Removing the glove box is fairly straightforward, there are three Torx screws at the top and two at the bottom. Remove all the screws and the compartment is held in place with some retainer clips so a sharp tug is needed or some trim pry tools to pull the whole box forward. Take care here as there is a blue connector for the glovebox light's power that needs to be disconnected before the glove box can be fully moved away.

This is what you are then presented with.

Another point of note here, that honeycomb flat panel looks like it's the cover to access the pollen filter!

The fuseboard is conveniently situated partly shrouded by a stamped sharp edged metal plate, the only way to pull the fuses is with long nosed pliers!

I connected the piggyback connector for the dashcam power in the lowest red (live when ignition on) fuse's location, ran the USB lead up the A pillar, under the roof liner to neatly appear in front of the rear view mirror.

 

[theshootist]

Very helpful write up Vic20.

Just hard wired my dashcam in same way thanks to you.

 

[NitramA]

Finally got round to doing this but I have to say its not for the faint hearted!
I can't see any reason why Fiat couldn't have made access easier.

 

[TrevC]

Access is probably much easier on lhd cars, which of course accounts for most that are made.