How To Connect Backup Camera To Reverse Light

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A rear-view camera, likewise known as a backup camera, lets you encounter what's behind your vehicle without having to look backwards. Though the device comes standard with many new car models, you can add a rear-view camera to your vehicle if information technology didn't come up with i.

i
Buy a mountable fill-in photographic camera for your specific vehicle. For safety, brand certain yous purchase a device specifically designed to exist a rear-view camera. Purchasing one made for your specific vehicle will brand it easier to install than a standard aftermarket camera. And so you can install information technology easily, wait for a camera that mounts onto or directly backside your license plate.^[1]
- Look for backup cameras at consumer electronics stores.
2
Get an external monitor if you lot desire to keep your existing rear-view mirror. An external backup monitor is a small video screen that mounts onto your windshield similarly to a GPS. Though they take upwardly more than space than internal monitors, external monitors are far easier to see and tin be hands replaced if necessary.
- If you'd like, yous tin can use a standard video monitor instead. However, keep in mind that it may not have even so features every bit devices designed for utilise with backup cameras.
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Purchase an internal monitor for a less obtrusive device. An internal fill-in monitor is a fully functioning rear-view mirror that houses a small screen within the glass. Some internal monitors clip on superlative of your current rear-view mirror, just others replace your original mirror entirely.^[2]
- Nearly internal monitors shut off and disappear when not in utilise, making them a perfect option if you want to preserve your car'due south looks.
four
Buy ability and video cords if your photographic camera and monitor didn't include them. For about rear-view camera installations, you'll need camera and monitor splitter cords with connectors for video and power cables, 2 bare wire power cables, and an RCA video cable.^[iii]
- Most installation kits include these cables, but some may require you lot to purchase them separately.
- Some photographic camera models apply wireless transmitters instead of standard video cables.
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1
Take off your rear license plate. Using a Phillips head screwdriver, remove each of the screws holding your rear license plate in identify. Then, pull the plate off and set it aside.^[4]
- Make sure you place the screws in a condom place so you don't lose them.
2
Remove your trunk'southward interior panel. Pop open up your trunk and look for a solid interior panel covering the contrary side of your license plate mounting area. And so, insert a trim removal tool or other sparse device backside the console and pry it off.^[5]
- Removing this console will expose the machine's rear wiring chambers.
3
Drill a small hole in the license plate mounting surface area. Brand sure there are no obstructions between the license plate mount and the rear wiring sleeping room. Then, create a small hole in the car using a power drill equipped with a high-speed twist drill flake. Line up your pigsty so it is direct behind where your camera'south power and video cable will go.^[6]
- To figure out where to brand the hole, hold your camera up to the surface area you intend to mount information technology. Then, note the spot where its splitting string sits.
- Create a pigsty that's large plenty to fit your camera'due south power and video cable.
- If you run across any obstructions, attempt to remove them. If you lot tin can't, see if you can brand a hole nearby.
- For near jobs, you'll demand a drill fleck that has a diameter betwixt ^one⁄₈ and ¹⁄₄ in (0.32 and 0.64 cm).
four
Place a rubber grommet around your photographic camera cable. Before running your camera cable into the car, slip a safety grommet onto it virtually the non-splitting cease. These small rubber washers, bachelor at most home comeback stores, will proceed the wire in place and prevent leaks.^[7]
- Choose a grommet that's just big enough to fit inside the drilled hole.
5
Run the photographic camera cablevision into your torso. Pull the splitting cease of your camera'due south video and power cable through the drilled pigsty into the torso of your automobile. Make sure you pull it tight and so the condom grommet lodges into the drilled hole.
- Your camera cablevision should run from the outside of the auto to the inside of the car.
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Locate your car's ii reverse light wires. Reverse low-cal wires are the cords that connect your auto'due south tail lights to the dashboard. They claw direct into your vehicle's tail lights and are normally located in the hatch or trunk of your car.
- These cords look different for every vehicle so, if you tin can't detect them, consult your owner's manual for model specific information.
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Strip and separate your auto's opposite low-cal wires. Using a wire stripper or pliers, pare back the safe roofing the wires. Then, use a screwdriver or other thin tool to poke a hole through the eye of each exposed wire, separating the individual wire strands.^[8]
- For prophylactic, make sure you practise this while the machine is turned off.
8
Fuse your photographic camera wires with the reverse light wires. Attach i of your bare wire cables to the photographic camera cord'southward power connector. Then, poke your bare wires through the center of the exposed reverse calorie-free wires and twist them together. For safety, make sure y'all wrap the combined wires in electrical tape.^[9]
- Make sure you poke your positive (normally blood-red) blank wire through the positive opposite light wire and the negative (usually black) bare wire through the negative opposite light wire.
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1
Route your camera'due south video cable to the front of the car. Connect your RCA cable to the camera cord'southward video connector if necessary. Then, run information technology through your vehicle to the area past the fuse box. Depending on your vehicle model, you'll commonly be able to do this by peeling back the automobile's headliner or side panels and pulling your cable through the exposed chamber.^[10]
- For certain trucks, you may need to run the video cable through the vehicle's frame rail.
- In most cars, you'll notice the fuse box underneath the steering wheel.
ii
Fix external monitors to the front windshield. If you lot're installing an external monitor, first attach your device's included mount to the windshield by post-obit the manufacturer'south included instructions. Then, hook your monitor onto the mount.
- Near external monitors use a suction mount, though others may come with a more circuitous mounting system.
3
Attach internal monitors to the rear-view mirror or mirror mount. For sure internal monitors, yous'll need to prune the new device onto your current rear-view mirror. For others, you'll need to have off the mirror and slide your monitor into the pre-existing mirror mount.^[xi]
- Some internal monitors may come up with their ain mounting system that y'all'll have to adhere to the automobile's forepart windshield.
4
Run the monitor's splitter cable to the fuse box. If necessary, hook your monitor's ability and video cable into the device. Then, route the cable from the monitor to the area next to the fuse box.^[12]
- If you'd like, use a trim removal tool to pop out the headlining panel direct above your windshield. Then, run your cablevision through the exposed chamber.
5
Connect your monitor's camera cablevision to the RCA cable. After routing your monitor's splitter cable, connect the video stop of the cable to your camera'south RCA cord. Then, wrap the connected cords with electrical tape to concur them together.
- If your RCA and video cables have the aforementioned ends, you may need to purchase an RCA male to female person converter string. Y'all can find these at about electronic stores.
6
Attach your monitor's power cable to a fuse tap. Connect your remaining bare wire cable to the backup monitor'southward ability string. Then, push the positive (usually ruby-red) end of the blank wire cable into the open cease of a fuse tap. Finally, crimp the 2 cables together with a pair of pliers.^[xiii]
- A fuse tap is a small cable that converts a bare wire into a fuse point. You can notice them at nigh auto part stores.
- If you'd prefer, you tin can exit the blank wire cable off and connect your camera'south power cable to a cigarette lighter adaptor. Then, plug this adaptor into your car's cigarette lighter receptacle for power.
7
Plug the fuse tap into the fuse box. Locate your fuse box and open it upward. And so, plug your fuse tap into an open fuse cell. If necessary, cheque your fuse box'due south lid or your vehicle'southward education manual to come across which slots are open up.^[14]
- Subsequently attaching your fuse, consider taping all your wires together using electrical tape to get them out of the mode.
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1
Connect your backup camera to its power and video cable. Return to the back of your car in one case you've installed the rear-view monitor and all the necessary camera cords. Shut the body if necessary, and then connect the backup photographic camera to its power and video cable.
- Your camera'southward power and video cable should be sticking out of the pigsty you drilled in the license plate mounting area.
two
Mount the camera to your license plate. If the camera attaches to the front of your license plate, gear up information technology to the plate past following the manufacturer's included instructions. If the camera attaches to the back of your license plate, line the device upward with the plate'southward fastener holes and thread screws through them.^[15]
- In most cases, you can attach a rear-view camera to the back of your license plate using the screws you removed from the car earlier.
three
Reattach your license plate and trim panels. Using a Phillips caput screwdriver, put your rear license plate dorsum on your vehicle. Once you've reattached information technology, give the license plate and fill-in camera firm tugs to make certain they're secure.
- If you haven't already, reattach your car's interior trunk panel and other trim panels by pressing them back onto the vehicle.
4
Test the photographic camera to brand certain everything works. Before using your new camera on public roads, examination it in a safety area like your driveway. If information technology turns on, place a large, durable object like a trash can behind the camera to run into how distorted the paradigm is. If it does non turn on, read your installation transmission for troubleshooting data.
- In many cases, rear-view camera malfunctions are caused by loose or improperly connected wires.
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Add New Question

Question

I hooked the camera upwardly and it only flickers. Any communication?

You may want to ensure all cables and connections are secured tightly. Double check that all connections are correct. If this doesn't work, check to run across if the photographic camera chosen is in good shape and isn't physically damaged.
Question

Suzuki installed reverse parking camera in my Swift Dzire Zxi. But the camera shows upper view and not the ground below. What tin I do ?

Make sure that the camera is installed the right way (not upside downward), and check the position of the camera mounted. Take it back to the dealer that installed it and inquire them to cheque the alignment and fit.
Question

What is the best summit for a reversing camera?

There is no optimal height for a back-up camera. The platonic height is based off the specific car or vehicle that you have and your personal preferences, forth with its intended application. Some back-up cameras are placed on large service trucks so that they can line up to trailer hitches easier, some are to preclude a blindspot on the road. Depending on your awarding, information technology tin be placed at any summit. Most reversing cameras are a "wide view" style and the specific height location does non ever touch on the way it functions.

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Though well-nigh car dealers and mechanics will not install aftermarket fill-in camera systems, many sound and electronic shops will.

Make sure you turn the auto off before working with blank or stripped wires. If you need to touch exposed wires while the car is on, put on a pair of shock-resistant safety gloves.

Things Y'all'll Need

Rear-view photographic camera
Rear-view monitor
Connector cables
Phillips head screwdriver
Trim removal tool
Power drill with high-speed twist fleck
Rubber grommet
Wire stripper or pliers
Electrical tape
Fuse tap

About This Commodity

Article Summary 10

To successfully install a rear-view camera, first remove your vehicle'south rear license plate and interior trunk panel. Using a power drill, punch a minor hole through the exposed license plate mounting area and run your camera's power and video cord through it. Attach a blank wire power cable to your camera'southward ability connector, then strip your car's reverse light wires and splice them with your bare wire ability cablevision. To learn how to mount the rear-view photographic camera and backup monitor, coil down!

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