Routing a rear camera cable

jonnyivy · Post by **jonnyivy** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:36 pm

I was the proud owner of my first X5 last week. Typically me though, I want everything to be working that should be.
Installed in the X5 when I purchased it was a new touch-screen satnav / dvd / radio etc. Whenever I select reverse gear the screen blanks off with the sign 'reverse camera' . I found the camera lying in the box of tricks he handed me when I bought the X5, so had a look at the rear of the head unit, found the connector and plugged it in whilst the camera sat on my knee.. It worked great,... but do I really have to run the cable all the way from the tailgate to the front head unit ???
I thought there might be a connection in the boot which maybe part of the original cars wiring harness ??
Any suggestions of an easy route please,

Jonny

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:44 pm

no you will have to run the cable in mate, there is no easy route its just time and patience and dont break anything!!

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:45 pm

You wish! Was never OEM in UK spec cars...

From the back of the unit, behind the glove box, down the passenger side sills, under the rear seat bench (you'll see the thick battery positive cable go through a hole) feed your cable through the same hole and into the boot space...

Then work out where you intend to place the camera (in the upper tailgate and you have to route that wiring into the headlining and down the side of the rear screen). Lots of work, good half days work...

jonnyivy · Post by **jonnyivy** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:58 pm

Thanks guys for your replies,... just what I Didn't want to hear !!
Oh well , now I know,.. maybe set Sunday afternoon aside and get started,
Thanks again,

Jonny

Ubatoid · Post by **Ubatoid** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:43 pm

Take pictures on the way, I've got this job to do in the next couple of weeks.

swipe · Post by **swipe** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 2:14 pm

Thinking of adding the rear camera as well can you take some pics to help us out cheers.

dirtymonkey29 · Post by **dirtymonkey29** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 3:17 pm

Be interested to know what picture is like after a week of winter weather. Back end of the car is filthy after a day or two driving. Also would like to see what the picture is like in the dark.

jonnyivy · Post by **jonnyivy** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 6:59 pm

Aye,.. your right about the mess of the back end of the car ! And exactly what you said about the weather,.. I aint standing out in that freezing weather working on the car,.. maybe next weekend now..

Jonny

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:11 pm

From experiences with the X6, the OEM tail camera needs cleaning every day in bad weather - as do all the others (I have top down and front wing cameras). I carry a microfibre lens cloth to do the job. It's not a surprise though as these things are pretty turbulent and the tyres throw a lot of spray. They're not unusable, just a bit 'misty'. As far as night vision goes, it's actually pretty good. It seems to be a day/night camera which switches to B/W mode at night, and the scene is of course lit with the reversing lights anyway.

jonnyivy · Post by **jonnyivy** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:59 pm

I've read that you should connect camera through a relay ?, mines didn'd come with any and was wondering if I can just splice it into the reversing light ?

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:17 pm

think you need the relay to put the screen onto the camera as a switch, i never got a relay with my camera i bought it seperatly and wired it as per sanj's wiring diagram

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:53 pm

Relay stops the rolling pic and tried direct connection but never worked on OEM setup.

Had to use it on the Hualingan unit too but wired differently!?!

jonnyivy · Post by **jonnyivy** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:28 pm

Tried the camera today,sitting in the front passenger seat,.. just laid it on my lap to test it. Plugged in the yellow lead to the head unit then spliced the positive wire into a live feed at fusebox,.. bingo,.. no problem at all,.. worked fine (lovely view of my crotch area )
Can't see a problem with hooking it up the same at the rear reversing lights for a live feed ??
Am I wrong ?

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:31 pm

[quote=""jonnyivy""]Can't see a problem with hooking it up the same at the rear reversing lights for a live feed ??
Am I wrong ?[/quote]

Try it but I believe that feed is 'pulsed' (cars way to continuously check the bulbs work or something along those lines) - you may get the rolling picture.

jonnyivy · Post by **jonnyivy** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:32 pm

I understand what you mean Sanj,... think I will just follow that way right enough,

Thanks,

Jonny

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