Reverse Camera Woes

[Lyons]

I fitted a Pioneer camera a couple of weeks ago, connected to a Pioneer head unit. The connections on the camera were a brown camera plug on the back of the HU then power and ground. The HU loom also had a violet/white wire for reverse signal. So I tapped the power into the red of the loom, the ground into the black of them loom, then ran a wire from the violet/white back to the reverse light in the boot.

All was well and when I engaged reverse the camera appeared, then when I put it in drive it disappeared. However, I was out in the car yesterday and when I engaged reverse nothing happened. I played about with the camera polarity in settings and when I changed it to battery it worked as it should (it was previously on ground when it worked).

This morning when I took the car out of the garage, the camera didn’t come on. When I turned the engine off but kept the ignition on, the camera did work as it should. Again I footered about with the setting and it still isn’t performing as it should when the engine is on.

Any suggestions what I could try?! Am I missing something obvious? Should the black cable be attached to a ground and not the black of the HU loom, or should it not matter?

@Cartunes ?!

 

[karl7900]

If it worked as it should before then stopped working which is what I understand from your post, then check all the cable connections at both the camera and head unit end. Sounds to me as if something has come adrift or a bad connection has got worse.

 

[Cartunes]

if you can send me pics and diagrams, I can help - otherwise, like Alicia..... I'm clueless. I know I struggled on the Astra H as the lighting was on CANBUS so had to be very careful where everything was connected!

 

[Lyons]

What wiring would you need to see?

 

[Antoin]

@Lyons Won't work on the reverse light feed as it is a pulsed system. Need to find a reverse feed that is constant. Do you have a towbar and tap in to the reverse feed on it?

I took the feed from my towbar module/relay.

EDIT assumed this was a bmw. May not be applicable if it's another make. Not sure if other manufacturers do the same. Pulsed system to allow them to run thinner wires.

 

[karl7900]

What wiring would you need to see?

I would start behind the head unit. Just double check that everything has a good solid connection and nothing is loose. Not sure how you grounded the camera connection but check it too. I know on my Touareg once you have the depth of the head unit added to the wiring harness adaptor it is a very tight squeeze to get it all to fit and the last millimetre before the headunit clicks into place can be tight.

 

[karl7900]

This is what I had to contend with and if you don't feed it in to the dash carefully you don't have a mission of making it all fit

 

[Lyons]

@Lyons Won't work on the reverse light feed as it is a pulsed system. Need to find a reverse feed that is constant. Do you have a towbar and tap in to the reverse feed on it?

I took the feed from my towbar module/relay.

EDIT assumed this was a bmw. May not be applicable if it's another make. Not sure if other manufacturers do the same. Pulsed system to allow them to run thinner wires.

It’s the Tiguan. Couldn’t find much on fitting a camera in a VW sadly.

 

[Cartunes]

What wiring would you need to see?

All of it! Or take it to an autospark who lives in the country. Aaron Oliver perchance? Does a lot of reversals!

 

[Antoin]

Ian if you have a multimeter test the reverse light feed to see if it's a consistent 12v when reverse is engaged.

 

[Lyons]

Ian if you have a multimeter test the reverse light feed to see if it's a consistent 12v when reverse is engaged.

I’ll add it to the to-do list!

So if it pulses it’s no use?

 

[Antoin]

I’ll add it to the to-do list!

So if it pulses it’s no use?

Don't think so. I couldn't wire up my towbar wiring directly to lights due to this issue. Used the towbar relays instead and problem solved. When I wired in my reverse camera I then used it instead of the light feed.

To test the camera and monitor wire the violet white to a 12v feed so it's always on. That will rule out whether it's the reverse feed that's the problem

 

[Broomy]

We used 12v socket in the boot on my gti @Cartunes

 

[ryan2focus]

We used 12v socket in the boot on my gti @Cartunes

Same here, we put a reverse camera in dad's van and had to use a 12v relay and power from a socket at the rear light cover. The canbus signal wasn't enough to run the camera.

 

[heavyoilhenry]

On the wifes Touran iI had to use the input from the reversing switch. I had the exact same issues you are having.

 

[Lyons]

Cheers folks.

Same here, we put a reverse camera in dad's van and had to use a 12v relay and power from a socket at the rear light cover. The canbus signal wasn't enough to run the camera.

What do you mean a socket?

On the wifes Touran iI had to use the input from the reversing switch. I had the exact same issues you are having.

Where was the reversing switch?

 

[heavyoilhenry]

It was at the gearbox, I soldered a cable to the output side.

 

[Lyons]

ok. Sounds a bit extreme so will do some further research!

 

[Lyons]

A few other threads online suggest Connects2 harnesses sometimes have a purple wire in them that the white/violet signal wire of the Pioneer loom connects to and that’s all that’s needed. I don’t remember seeing said purple wire, but will strip everything down again later and have another look. It would be tremendous is that was all that was required!

If that fails, a few other folk have tapped into a switched live and used a relay with the reverse wire. I haven’t used a relay since technology in upper 6th though!

 

[JamieG95]

If you don't get it sorted with the above, give Connect Mobile Solutions a call/message. They fitted the Pioneer unit & rear camera in my MK5 GTI, I'm assuming all would be the same there so might be able to help you out with some advice.

 

[ryan2focus]

What do you mean a socket?

A 12v outlet like for a cigarette lighter.

 

[Lyons]

The relay is still connected to the reverse light wire too?

 

[karl7900]

What harness have you used to connect the head unit? If it is a Canbus lead it should have the wire for the reverse signal included as well as speed signal and illumination feed. If a basic harness, then most likely not.

If you go down the relay route the 12v+ from the reverse light would feed the coil+. The supply to the camera would be connected to the normally open switch contacts. You would need to sort a supply to feed the switch contacts too.

 

[alan_c]

I have a Connects2 VW adapter here and it does have the Purple\White wire for Reverse Gear Ian

 

[Lyons]

What harness have you used to connect the head unit? If it is a Canbus lead it should have the wire for the reverse signal included as well as speed signal and illumination feed. If a basic harness, then most likely not.

If you go down the relay route the 12v+ from the reverse light would feed the coil+. The supply to the camera would be connected to the normally open switch contacts. You would need to sort a supply to feed the switch contacts too.

I believe it is a canbus lead, it was vehicle specific and not a cheap generic one so I am hopeful.

I have a Connects2 VW adapter here and it does have the Purple\White wire for Reverse Gear Ian

Brilliant, cheers! Fingers crossed mine is the same.