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This is related to a 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid. I'm looking to install a dashcam (Thinkware F770) which has a parking mode and requires tapping into an always on/hot circuit.

Is there a way to determine which fuse is always hot without using a multimeter? Are there certain fuses that are generally always hot?

My only concern with using a multimeter is that the fuse I find won't always stay hot. It seems that with this particular vehicle, everything turns off after a set period of time, I have not timed this but it's probably between 30-60min. Even with the ignition on, this car will turn itself off after a period of time idling.

2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid Fuse Box

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  • Wiring of the car will depend, and when I've done this in the past it has been trial and error. For instance, the brake light fuse might always be hot if the fuse is before the brake switch. – JPhi1618 Aug 17 '17 at 19:26
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    Is there a particular reason you want to use an existing line rather than running a dedicated fused line? – kyle_engineer Aug 17 '17 at 19:35
  • I would think central lock/unlock or power seats would be on all the time. But can not be sure without testing it. – CharlieRB Aug 17 '17 at 19:55
  • I'd be wary of using any of the fuses in the body control module. There are a few always hot high amp 125/50/50 circuits that run to the BCM. You could use them if you splice into the wire. – Ben Aug 17 '17 at 21:56
  • @kyle_engineer Did you mean using one of the "Not used" lines? If that is what you meant then you have a good point, I don't have a reason for not using any of these. I just thought that perhaps the named circuits would provide some insight on which of them generally may not always be hot. – Mr.Z Aug 18 '17 at 20:18
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The fuse 1 for interior lights / dome light fuse will be hot all the time - it's the electronic control after the fuse ie in the door or body ecu yhat puts the lights on or off as necessary.

However, getting to the wire on the fused side of that fuse might be more challenging.

If you find the wiring diagram then you can identify the colours and then, maybe, find that wire under the dash perhaps going up the A pillar to the dome light.

It may be that the feed to the light above the mirror may be good enough to feed the camera directly - depends on the size of the fuse in the fuse box and the current needed for the camera.

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  • Is the wiring diagram something that I could find in the Owner's Manual? I'm in the early stages of planing for this dashcam, I don't have the amp load the camera needs quite yet. Using the wires leading to the mirror is a good suggestion and definitely something I'll look into. – Mr.Z Aug 18 '17 at 20:28
  • Not the owners handbook type manual, but the workshop manual – Solar Mike Aug 18 '17 at 20:44
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What about the 12 volt power supply on the auxiliary power port (cigarette lighter) on some cars there always connected.

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