Toyota Highlander Dash Cam Adapter

Toyota Highlander Dash Cam Adapter

Plug & play dash cam power for every Highlander generation — protect your family on every drive
<5 min
Install time
0
Tools required
17
Submodels covered
3 yr
Warranty

The Toyota Highlander is Toyota's best-selling SUV — and Dongar has every generation covered from 2019 to 2026. Whether you're commuting with the family or loading up for a road trip, a dash cam gives you peace of mind for insurance, evidence, and everyday protection. Multiple connection points, trim-specific options, and the cleanest dash cam install you can get — no fuse taps, no wire splicing, no tools.

Why not just hardwire? A plug & play adapter means zero risk to your warranty, zero tools, and zero exposed wiring. Dongar's pass-through design keeps every OEM connector intact — your rearview mirror and Toyota Safety Sense continue to work exactly as designed. The entire install hides behind the mirror shroud in under 5 minutes.

Which Adapter Fits Your Highlander?

Current Gen Highlander (2024–2026, refreshed with TSS 3.0)

The refreshed Highlander with TSS 3.0 gives you two connection points — the auto-dimming mirror and the TSS 3.0 computer. All trims get both options.

Trim Mirror (DCA-10B) TSS 3.0 (DCA-16T) PRO / PRO+
LE ✓ ✓ ✓ (10B)
XLE ✓ ✓ ✓ (10B)
XSE ✓ ✓ ✓ (10B)
Limited ✓ ✓ ✓ (10B)
Platinum ✓ ✓ ✓ (10B)

Previous Gen Highlander (2019–2023)

Configuration Adapter Connection PRO Compatible?
With auto-dimming mirror DCA-10B (10-Pin Type B) Underneath plastic mirror shroud Yes
With TSS 2.5 DCA-12T (12-Pin Type T) TSS lane-trace computer No — Classic only
Highlander PRO harness: All Highlander models use the 10B harness for Dongar PRO and PRO+. The PRO box includes the 10B harness — just confirm your Highlander has the auto-dimming mirror (standard on most trims XLE and above).

Connection Points Explained

Rearview Mirror

DCA-10B (2019–2026)

Plugs into the auto-dimming mirror connector underneath the plastic mirror shroud. USB output mounts on the windshield near the mirror — easy to access and disconnect. The most popular connection point for Highlander owners.

TSS 3.0 Computer

DCA-16T (2024–2026)

Shares power from the Toyota Safety Sense lane-trace assist computer near the mirror base. Available on the refreshed 2024+ Highlander with TSS 3.0. Does NOT connect to the mirror itself.

TSS 2.5 Computer

DCA-12T (2019–2023)

Shares power from the TSS 2.5 lane-trace assist computer on the previous generation Highlander. Classic adapter only — does not support Dongar PRO parking mode.

Don't confuse the connectors! Behind the mirror shroud, you'll see both the mirror connector (10-pin) and the TSS computer connector (12-pin or 16-pin). They look similar but are different products for different connectors. The DCA-10B pamphlet warns: "Most Toyotas have a 12-Pin Safety Sense Connector that can easily be confused with your rearview mirror connection: DO NOT UNPLUG THIS." Use the Compatibility Finder to confirm which adapter you need.

How to Install

Mirror Install (DCA-10B)

  1. Tilt your rearview mirror down and remove the plastic shroud/cover
  2. Locate the 10-pin mirror connector — NOT the nearby TSS connector
  3. Unplug the mirror harness
  4. Plug the Dongar adapter inline between the harness and mirror
  5. Route the USB-C cable behind the headliner to your dash cam
  6. Replace the shroud — done

TSS Install (DCA-16T / DCA-12T)

  1. Remove the plastic shroud/cover around the rearview mirror
  2. Locate the TSS lane-trace computer connector (16-pin on 2024+, 12-pin on 2019–2023)
  3. Unplug the TSS harness
  4. Plug the Dongar adapter inline between the harness and TSS module
  5. Route the USB-C cable behind the headliner to your dash cam
  6. Replace the shroud — done
Pro tip: The mirror install (DCA-10B) is the most popular choice for Highlander owners — it's the fastest install and supports both Classic and PRO/PRO+ adapters. If you want parking mode, this is the connection point to use.

Parking Mode

Want your dash cam recording while your Highlander is parked? Protect your family vehicle around the clock:

A word about parking mode: It sounds great on paper — your dash cam watches your car 24/7. In reality, memory cards fill up quickly with motion-triggered clips (especially in busy parking lots), and most front-only or front+rear cameras won't capture a side-impact hit-and-run anyway. Repeated charge/discharge cycles can also wear on your vehicle battery over time. That said, if you do want parking mode, the Dongar approach gives you more flexibility than generic hardwire kits — easy install, easy removal, and built-in voltage cutoff to protect your battery. That's why we invented these products: to give you more options, not fewer.

Dongar PRO PMA-01

3-position switch:
• IGN — on with engine only
• Timed — 4 hours after parking
• Continuous — up to 36 hrs, 11.8V cutoff

Includes 5A + 5C + 10B harnesses in one box. Use Harness 10B for Highlander.

Dongar PRO+ PRS-01

OLED display + one-button menu:
• Custom voltage cutoff (0.01V precision)
• Custom timer (hrs + mins, default 8hr)
• Energy Budget mode (Eco/Normal/Heavy)
• 5V always-on + Parking Mode CC for Viofo/RedTiger

Same harnesses as PRO. Swap module & mount if upgrading.

Highlander Hybrid owners: Your hybrid doesn't use the 12V battery to start the engine — the 288V hybrid system handles that. This means extended parking mode is even less of a concern for your battery. The PRO's low-voltage cutoff provides an extra safety net regardless. Perfect for overnight parking protection at airports, parking garages, and driveways.
Using a Viofo or RedTiger dash cam? These cameras have non-standard USB-C implementations. The Dongar PRO+ has dedicated "5V Output Always-On" and "Parking Mode CC" settings that bypass the USB-C handshake, letting these cameras properly enter and exit parking mode. The PRO will keep them recording continuously, but they won't enter their low-power standby state.

What Highlander Owners Are Saying

This Dongar Pro guys is LEGIT! Highly recommend it especially if you're only doing a 1 channel set up. You can forget running cables and such. The hardest part was just removing my mirror shroud, which honestly wasn't that hard. You find the right plug and it just clicks in.

— u/ZeroVll__, r/Dashcam (12 upvotes) • Highlander owner with Vantrue S1 Pro

I received a Viofo A229 pro for Christmas, along with a Dongar to connect the front camera to the mirror's power. While the front install was smooth, I need help with the rear camera in my 2024 Highlander.

— u/Best-Self2782, r/ToyotaHighlander • 2024 Highlander

I got my wife the A229 Pro... The dashcam will be installed in a 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. I don't want to fuse tap.

— u/stateside_gunnerAFC, r/VIOFO • 2020 Highlander Hybrid

Dongar vs. Hardwire Kits

Feature Dongar Adapter Mangoal / FitDVR Hardwire
Install time <5 minutes 30–60 minutes
Tools required None Wire strippers, fuse puller, zip ties
Warranty risk None — pass-through design Potential — modifies fuse box
Parking mode PRO / PRO+ with voltage cutoff Basic timer or none
Reversible Yes — unplug to remove No — permanent modification
OEM connections preserved Yes — mirror & TSS pass-through N/A
Dual-channel support Yes — 18W USB-C output Varies

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Dongar adapter fits my Highlander?

2024–2026 (TSS 3.0): DCA-10B (mirror) or DCA-16T (TSS 3.0 computer). 2019–2023: DCA-10B (mirror) or DCA-12T (TSS 2.5 computer). For parking mode, add the Dongar PRO (PMA-01) or PRO+ (PRS-01) — uses the 10B harness. Use the Compatibility Finder to confirm your exact trim.

Does the Highlander Hybrid work with Dongar PRO?

Yes — and the hybrid battery actually makes extended parking mode even safer. The Highlander Hybrid uses a 288V system to start the engine, so the 12V auxiliary battery can tolerate more drain from a parking-mode dash cam without risk of being unable to start. The Dongar PRO's low-voltage cutoff provides an extra safety net regardless.

Will the adapter void my warranty or affect Toyota Safety Sense?

No. Dongar adapters use a pass-through design — all OEM signals continue to flow through the adapter to the mirror or TSS module. Your auto-dimming mirror, Homelink, and Toyota Safety Sense features work exactly as before. The adapter simply taps a small amount of power for your dash cam. Unplug it and your Highlander is 100% stock again.

Can I power a front and rear dash cam?

Yes. Dongar adapters output 18W USB-C, which is enough to power dual-channel cameras like the Viofo A229 Pro. The front and rear cameras connect to each other via the camera's own cable — only the front camera needs power from the Dongar adapter.

What's the difference between Dongar Classic and PRO?

Dongar Classic (e.g., DCA-10B) provides ignition-switched power only — the dash cam turns on with your engine and off when you park. Dongar PRO (PMA-01) adds parking mode with a 3-position switch: ignition-only, 4-hour timed, or continuous with 11.8V low-voltage cutoff. Dongar PRO+ (PRS-01) adds an OLED display, custom timers, custom voltage cutoff, and Energy Budget mode.

Does the adapter work with Garmin / Viofo / Vantrue?

Yes. Dongar works with virtually all USB-C powered dash cams. Garmin Mini 2/Mini 3 and Vantrue cameras work great with both Classic and PRO/PRO+. Viofo and RedTiger cameras have non-standard USB-C — for proper parking mode detection, the PRO+ is recommended (it has dedicated 5V always-on + Parking Mode CC settings). All cameras work fine with Classic for ignition-only power.

Installation Resources

Product Install Pamphlet (PDF)
DCA-10B (10-Pin Mirror) Download PDF
DCA-16T (16-Pin TSS 3.0) Download PDF
DCA-12T (12-Pin TSS 2.5) Download PDF
Dongar PRO (PMA-01) Download PDF
Dongar PRO+ (PRS-01) Download PDF

As Featured In

TechRadar: "This ingenious adapter is the dash cam installation hack I've been waiting for"

autoevolution: "Dongar Dashcam Adapters Are the Automotive Accessory You Didn't Know You Needed"

Ready to Install?

Find Your Highlander Adapter Shop Dongar PRO Shop Dongar PRO+

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