Note: for instructions on how to install/remove the Car Mount, go here.
Are you staring back and forth between your dashboard and your new PD Car Mount thinking 'where in the name of Daimler-Benz am I gonna stick this thing?'
Or maybe you've got your finger on the Add To Cart button and you're wondering if the PD Car Mount will fit in your vehicle?
Either way, this article should help answer some questions.
In A Nutshell
The PD Car Mount uses a strong, durable, 3M VHB adhesive pad that is specifically designed to stick to your car's dashboard or console (the center area between the driver and passenger that often contains the stereo and/or climate controls).
You'll get your best mounting results (strongest, most durable bond) on a smooth, mostly flat, hard surface. You can mount it on a vertical surface or at the edge of a horizontal surface (your phone will need clearance when it's attached). The mounting pad is flexible with a subtle built-in curve, allowing it to adapt to the contour of your mounting location. It'll work on surfaces that are perfectly flat or gently curved, but it won't stick to surfaces with heavy/sharp curves.
As you read through the information below to determine the best location for your Adhesive Car Mount, you may realize that what you're actually looking for is our Peak Design Vent Mount, which allows you the same hands-free (and if you choose wireless charging) mounting option without the commitment to adhesive.
Safety & Visibility
You don't want your phone blocking your road visibility. You also don't want your phone blocking important gauges or controls. Keep that in mind as you scan your vehicle for mounting locations. Many places have local laws regarding where you can/cannot mount your phone in a vehicle, so you might want to do some quick Googling to figure those out.
The PD Car Mount is not intended to be mounted to your windshield. While the VHB pad will adhere to glass surfaces, the slope of your windshield makes it impossible to position your phone in a viewable orientation. We intentionally designed the Car Mount with optimal geometry for attaching to your dash or console.
Mounting to Sub-Optimal Surfaces
You'll get inconsistent results on textured or porous surfaces, soft/puffy surfaces, and heavily curved surfaces. Sticking your Car Mount on these surfaces may be possible—some of us on the PD team has had great results on textured and soft-touch surfaces—but it may result in improper adhesion and could ultimately cause your mount/phone to fall on the floor while you're driving. You don't want that, and neither do we.
Mounting to some surfaces—like genuine leather or puffy soft-touch vinyl—could result in damage to the surface. You really don't want that. While our lifetime warranty covers all Peak Design products, it does not cover damages to other property like your car or your phone. It also doesn't cover damage to yourself.
In case your mounting doesn't work out on the first try, we include a 2nd VHB mounting pad with each Car Mount. Additional are available from our customer service department (email info@peakdesign.com).
Will It Work in My Vehicle?
There are simply too many makes, models, and trim levels of cars for us even begin to provide a simple answer here. Instead, we're working to collect a gallery of images to serve as examples of the different types of surfaces and locations where we've seen successful installation. We'll share those images here in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we're including some images that can also be found on our website.
If you'd like to share your mounting location, please email a photo to info@peakdesign.com and we can add it to this gallery.
^ Smooth, flat, hard surfaces like this piece of plastic trim will have the best results.
^ Horizontal surfaces also work, provided that there you mount close to the edge so there's space for your phone. Note in this example, the mount is stuck to a vinyl panel that is slightly soft to the touch, and has a slight texture, yet the adhesion still works fine.
^ Another example of a mount stuck to a textured surface. This surface also has a slight curve to it, but it's subtle enough that the mount still adheres fine.
My Car Mount Fell Off! Now What?
If you experienced an adhesion failure, don't fret. Each Car Mount comes with a spare adhesive pad (and additional pads are available upon request from info@peakdesign.com).
To make sure you get it right the second time around, check out our video and help article on How To Install Your Peak Design Car Mount.
The top causes of adhesive failure that we've seen are, in order of frequency:
- Using the Car Mount before allowing a full 24 hours for the adhesive to bond
- Mounting location not cleaned thoroughly enough
- Mounting to a sub-optimal surface (too curved, too textured, or too soft)
I Still Can't Find A Viable Mounting Location. Now What?
It doesn't happen very often, but it happens. We worked hard to make our Car Mount compatible with as many vehicles as possible. But with an adhesive mount like ours, 100% compatibility simply isn't achievable. If you find yourself in this situation, here are your options:
1. Return it for a refund. We have a 30-day return policy, and it applies to everything we make. If it doesn't work in your car, or you're unsatisfied for any reason, we'll issue a refund or exchange. To initiate this, go here.
2. Sell it on the PD Marketplace. Currently available to US-based customers, the Peak Design Marketplace lets you quickly and easily sell used PD gear to other customers. We designed it to be faster and more hassle-free than Facebook and Craigslist, and if you choose payout in PD store credit, you get paid out for the full sale amount with zero fees.
3. Get a Peak Design Vent Mount the Peak Design Car Vent Mount is hands-down the strongest, sturdiest, most adjustable vent mount money can buy.
3. Get a Peak Design Ball Adapter and custom-build a car mount. We now offer a full collection of Ball Adapters, allowing you to customize and build a totally modular mount for any vehicle using 3rd party components. Offered in 1" and 20mm, each option supports locking or charging products to fit your specific needs. You can build a mount with a suction base, or a long bendy arm, or anything you can dream up. We've even teamed up with the folks at Offroam to create vehicle-specific mounts. Read this article to learn more.