Dash Cam Interfering With DAB Radio? Why It Happens and How to Fix It
Timi
If your DAB radio started cutting out after a dash cam went in, you are not imagining it. This is one of the most common complaints after a dash cam install.
Why a dash cam can affect DAB
DAB signals are weak and easy to drown out. Dash cams, and especially the cheap 12V USB adapters and power cables that come with them, give off electrical noise. When that noise is close to the radio antenna or its cable, the radio struggles to hear the station.
The result is stations dropping out, “no signal” messages or stations disappearing from the list.
FM radio is usually less affected, which is why many drivers only notice it on DAB.
Quick test to confirm it is the camera
Tune to a DAB station that keeps dropping out. Unplug the dash cam power completely. If reception improves straight away, the camera or its power supply is the cause.
If you have a cheap USB adapter in the socket, try the radio with the camera unplugged but the adapter still in. Sometimes it is the adapter, not the camera.
Where the antenna is matters
Many cars have the radio antenna built into the windscreen, the rear screen or a pillar, not on the roof. If your power cable runs right alongside that antenna, or the camera sits near it, interference is much more likely.
Check your vehicle handbook or look for fine lines in the glass to see where the antenna runs.
How to fix it
- Replace the 12V adapter. Cheap USB adapters are the biggest single cause. Use the manufacturer’s original adapter or a good quality one. Avoid unbranded multi port chargers.
- Fit ferrite cores. These clip-on rings go around the power cable near the camera and near the power source. They suppress noise and are cheap. Fit one or two and test again.
- Re-route the cable. Move the power cable away from the windscreen edge or pillar where the antenna runs. Even a few centimetres can make a difference.
- Move the camera. If the antenna is in the windscreen, moving the camera to a different spot behind the mirror can help.
- Hardwire it properly. A good quality hardwire kit with a clean earth point often produces less noise than a socket adapter. Make sure the earth is on bare metal, not a painted surface. See our guide to dash cam hardwire kits not working if you go this route.
- Try the camera’s own settings. A few cameras let you switch off Wi-Fi when driving. Wi-Fi is not usually the problem, but it is worth ruling out.
When nothing works
If you have replaced the adapter, added ferrites and re-routed the cable and the problem is still there, the camera itself is noisy. Some cheaper cameras simply have poor shielding. At that point a better quality camera is the real fix.
Why this matters for taxi and PCO drivers
For drivers spending ten hours a day in the car, losing the radio is a big deal. It is also one of the reasons drivers unplug dash cams, which leaves you with no footage when something happens.
If drivers keep unplugging cameras, you need to know. Connected 4G dash cams show when a camera goes offline, so you can spot it straight away. See our connected dash cameras page or our guide to TfL approved dash cams.
Summary
Unplug to confirm, swap the adapter, add ferrite cores and move the cable away from the antenna. Those four steps fix the large majority of DAB interference problems.