How To Install Car Backup Camera

Download Article

A rear-view camera, also known as a fill-in photographic camera, lets you see what'due south behind your vehicle without having to look backwards. Though the device comes standard with many new auto models, you can add a rear-view camera to your vehicle if it didn't come with one.

1
Buy a mountable fill-in camera for your specific vehicle. For safety, brand sure you purchase a device specifically designed to exist a rear-view photographic camera. Purchasing one made for your specific vehicle will brand it easier to install than a standard aftermarket photographic camera. And then you can install it easily, look for a camera that mounts onto or direct behind your license plate.^[1]
- Look for fill-in cameras at consumer electronics stores.
ii
Get an external monitor if y'all want 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 up more than infinite than internal monitors, external monitors are far easier to come across and can be hands replaced if necessary.
- If you'd like, you can use a standard video monitor instead. However, keep in heed that it may non have yet features as devices designed for use with backup cameras.
Advert
3
Purchase an internal monitor for a less obtrusive device. An internal backup monitor is a fully functioning rear-view mirror that houses a small screen inside the glass. Some internal monitors prune on top of your electric current rear-view mirror, but others supersede your original mirror entirely.^[2]
- Most internal monitors shut off and disappear when not in use, making them a perfect option if you want to preserve your car'south looks.
4
Purchase power and video cords if your camera and monitor didn't include them. For about rear-view camera installations, you lot'll need photographic camera and monitor splitter cords with connectors for video and ability cables, 2 bare wire power cables, and an RCA video cable.^[3]
- Most installation kits include these cables, just some may crave you to buy them separately.
- Some camera models employ wireless transmitters instead of standard video cables.

Advertizing

1
Accept off your rear license plate. Using a Phillips head screwdriver, remove each of the screws holding your rear license plate in place. Then, pull the plate off and set up it aside.^[iv]
- Make sure you lot place the screws in a safe place so you don't lose them.
2
Remove your body's interior console. Pop open your torso and look for a solid interior panel covering the reverse side of your license plate mounting surface area. Then, insert a trim removal tool or other thin device behind the panel and pry it off.^[5]
- Removing this panel will expose the car'southward rear wiring chambers.
iii
Drill a pocket-size hole in the license plate mounting area. Brand sure there are no obstructions between the license plate mount and the rear wiring chamber. And then, create a small hole in the car using a power drill equipped with a high-speed twist drill bit. Line up your hole and so information technology is directly behind where your camera'due south power and video cable will get.^[6]
- To figure out where to make the pigsty, agree your camera upwards to the area you intend to mountain information technology. Then, note the spot where its splitting string sits.
- Create a hole that's big enough to fit your camera'south power and video cable.
- If yous encounter whatever obstructions, endeavor to remove them. If you can't, see if you tin make a pigsty nearby.
- For most jobs, you lot'll need a drill scrap that has a diameter between ⁱ⁄_eight and ¹⁄₄ in (0.32 and 0.64 cm).
four
Place a safe grommet around your camera cable. Before running your camera cable into the car, slip a safe grommet onto it most the not-splitting stop. These small rubber washers, available at most home improvement stores, will go on the wire in place and prevent leaks.^[vii]
- Choose a grommet that'due south just large enough to fit inside the drilled hole.
5
Run the camera cable into your trunk. Pull the splitting terminate of your camera'southward video and ability cablevision through the drilled hole into the body of your car. Make sure you pull information technology tight so the rubber grommet lodges into the drilled hole.
- Your camera cable should run from the outside of the car to the inside of the automobile.
6
Locate your automobile's 2 reverse lite wires. Reverse light wires are the cords that connect your car'south tail lights to the dashboard. They hook directly into your vehicle'south tail lights and are unremarkably located in the hatch or torso of your car.
- These cords await different for every vehicle and so, if you can't find them, consult your possessor's transmission for model specific data.
7
Strip and separate your car's opposite lite wires. Using a wire stripper or pliers, peel dorsum the condom covering the wires. Then, use a screwdriver or other thin tool to poke a hole through the middle of each exposed wire, separating the individual wire strands.^[viii]
- For safety, make sure you do this while the car is turned off.
viii
Fuse your camera wires with the reverse light wires. Attach 1 of your bare wire cables to the camera cord's power connector. Then, poke your bare wires through the center of the exposed reverse light wires and twist them together. For condom, brand certain you wrap the combined wires in electrical tape.^[9]
- Make sure yous poke your positive (unremarkably scarlet) bare wire through the positive reverse light wire and the negative (commonly blackness) bare wire through the negative opposite light wire.

Advertizement

1
Route your camera's video cable to the front of the automobile. Connect your RCA cable to the photographic camera string'south video connector if necessary. And so, run it through your vehicle to the surface area past the fuse box. Depending on your vehicle model, you'll usually be able to do this by peeling back the auto'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 nigh cars, you'll observe the fuse box underneath the steering wheel.
2
Fix external monitors to the forepart windshield. If you're installing an external monitor, first attach your device'south included mountain to the windshield by following the manufacturer's included instructions. And then, hook your monitor onto the mount.
- Virtually external monitors use a suction mountain, though others may come with a more circuitous mounting arrangement.
3
Attach internal monitors to the rear-view mirror or mirror mountain. For sure internal monitors, yous'll need to prune the new device onto your current rear-view mirror. For others, you'll demand to take off the mirror and slide your monitor into the pre-existing mirror mount.^[xi]
- Some internal monitors may come with their own mounting system that you'll accept to adhere to the car'southward forepart windshield.
4
Run the monitor's splitter cable to the fuse box. If necessary, claw your monitor's power and video cable into the device. Then, route the cablevision from the monitor to the surface area next to the fuse box.^[12]
- If you'd similar, employ a trim removal tool to pop out the headlining panel direct higher up your windshield. Then, run your cable through the exposed chamber.
5
Connect your monitor's camera cable to the RCA cable. Afterwards routing your monitor's splitter cablevision, connect the video end of the cable to your camera's RCA string. Then, wrap the continued cords with electric tape to hold them together.
- If your RCA and video cables have the same ends, you may demand to buy an RCA male to female converter string. You can find these at virtually electronic stores.
half-dozen
Attach your monitor's power cable to a fuse tap. Connect your remaining bare wire cable to the backup monitor'southward power cord. Then, push the positive (ordinarily red) end of the bare wire cable into the open up end of a fuse tap. Finally, crimp the 2 cables together with a pair of pliers.^[thirteen]
- A fuse tap is a modest cable that converts a blank wire into a fuse signal. Y'all can find them at most auto part stores.
- If y'all'd prefer, you can leave the blank wire cable off and connect your photographic camera's power cable to a cigarette lighter adaptor. Then, plug this adaptor into your motorcar'south cigarette lighter receptacle for power.
7
Plug the fuse tap into the fuse box. Locate your fuse box and open it up. Then, plug your fuse tap into an open fuse prison cell. If necessary, cheque your fuse box's hat or your vehicle's teaching manual to see which slots are open up.^[14]
- After attaching your fuse, consider taping all your wires together using electric tape to get them out of the manner.

Advert

ane
Connect your backup photographic camera to its power and video cable. Return to the dorsum of your car once you've installed the rear-view monitor and all the necessary camera cords. Close the torso if necessary, then connect the backup photographic camera to its power and video cable.
- Your camera'due south ability and video cable should be sticking out of the pigsty you lot drilled in the license plate mounting area.
2
Mount the camera to your license plate. If the camera attaches to the front end of your license plate, prepare it to the plate by post-obit the manufacturer's included instructions. If the camera attaches to the back of your license plate, line the device up with the plate's fastener holes and thread screws through them.^[15]
- In most cases, y'all can attach a rear-view camera to the back of your license plate using the screws you removed from the car earlier.
iii
Reattach your license plate and trim panels. Using a Phillips caput screwdriver, put your rear license plate back on your vehicle. Once you've reattached it, give the license plate and fill-in camera business firm tugs to brand sure they're secure.
- If you oasis't already, reattach your car'due south interior body panel and other trim panels past pressing them back onto the vehicle.
iv
Examination the camera to brand sure everything works. Earlier using your new photographic camera on public roads, exam it in a condom surface area like your driveway. If it turns on, place a large, durable object like a trash can behind the camera to see how distorted the image is. If it does not turn on, read your installation transmission for troubleshooting information.
- In many cases, rear-view camera malfunctions are caused by loose or improperly connected wires.

Add New Question

Question

I hooked the photographic camera up and information technology just flickers. Any advice?

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

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

Make sure that the camera is installed the correct style (not upside downwards), and cheque the position of the camera mounted. Take it dorsum to the dealer that installed it and inquire them to cheque the alignment and fit.
Question

What is the all-time height for a reversing camera?

There is no optimal meridian for a back-up camera. The platonic acme is based off the specific car or vehicle that you accept and your personal preferences, along with its intended application. Some redundancy cameras are placed on large service trucks so that they can line upward to trailer hitches easier, some are to forbid a blindspot on the road. Depending on your application, it tin can be placed at whatsoever superlative. Almost reversing cameras are a "wide view" style and the specific height location does non ever affect the mode information technology functions.
Question

And so if I hooked up all the wires correctly simply nevertheless no power, is information technology a fuse tap that I need to splice into the wires for it to piece of work correctly?

Shannon Phillips

Community Answer

Check your earth or ground it may be bad. Use your multimeter to see if the basis is okay.
Question

Is it still okay to connect the back-up camera to the reverse lite with cars that accept auto lighting? Or, would I need to connect to the reverse wire on the gearbox?

Shannon Phillips

Community Answer

Aye, that volition be fine, that how information technology is supposed to exist done. Look for an machine electrician if you need someone to call.

Inquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertizement

Though almost car dealers and mechanics volition not install aftermarket backup camera systems, many audio and electronic shops will.

Advertizement

Make sure y'all turn the motorcar off before working with bare or stripped wires. If y'all need to affect exposed wires while the automobile is on, put on a pair of shock-resistant condom gloves.

Things You'll Need

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

Almost This Commodity

Article Summary X

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

Did this summary help you?

Thank you to all authors for creating a page that has been read 261,883 times.