Issue with rearview camera on aftermarket head unit...HELP PLEASE
 

So here's some background info on my current setup:

2011 Base/sport/M6/non-BOSE

Headunit:
Kenwood DNX 7120

Camera (probably doesn't matter but wth):
CAR REAR VIEW CAMERA Nissan Livina Cube GT-R Pulsar Versa Fairlady 350Z 370Z | eBay

Ok so the last couple of days, i've been working on my audio with very little hiccups along the way. Everything works for the most part with the exception of the rearview camera function.

Now, when I put the car into the reverse gear, its SUPPOSE to interrupt whatever its doing and automatically switch to the camera's feed. It does not.

After some tinkering, I found out that the only way for the headunit to show the camera is if - (1)manually push and hold the "NAV" button for more than 1 sec and (2) be in reverse gear. As soon as I pull it out of reverse, the feed from the camera goes blank but the headunit still continues to a "R-CAM" feed with nothing displaying.

As for the wiring, these are my 3 wires that I have to wire up:

From headunit - purple w/ white stripe (reverse trip wire)
From camera - red(+), black(-), yellow RCA (for video output)

I wired the (+)red into the reverse light bulb (orange brownish color) and the (-) into the negative wire on the taillights harness.

Also the purple wire is tapped into the (+)red wire on the camera.

I attached 3 pictures showing this.

Red(+) wire soldered into the brownish orange wire that goes to the reverse lightbulb:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/8...2db12cb3_c.jpg

Black (-) wire soldered into the black wire on the taillight harness:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8449/8...a9368383_c.jpg

Purple/white wire from the headunit tapped into the red(+) from the camera:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8...72c30f3b_c.jpg

I know the kenwood wiring manual states that the purple wire is suppose to be wired into the reverse lightbulb harness. So i'm assuming thats correct. But my main concern and what I think is incorrect is the (+) and the (-) leads from the camera.

Any idea's or suggestions will greatly be appreciated and rewarded with some rep points :tiphat:

Did you enable rear camera interrupt when doing the initial setup of the headunit?

yes I did. This is why I don't understand whats wrong...

The cam doesn't come on when you switch into reverse correct?


Or it switches to reverse, and there's no image? (Meaning, the HU switches to the camera feed, and there's no image shown?)

The headunit doesn't seem to recognize that the car is in reverse so therefore it doesn't switch to the camera feed automatically.

Only time it does come on is when the I have to manually push the NAV button for longer than 1 sec. Then it will switch to the R-CAM feed, and it will only show an image when the car is in reverse. If i'm not in reverse, the R-CAM feed will show no image.

Looks like you connected your + 12 volt to that wire as well, it needs to be connected to a switched 12 + volt that comes on with the car.

Also there are more than one orange wire in the trunk and there is only one that comes on with the reverse. Make sure you have tapped that one.

Thanks for the inputs guys. I went back in there last night and took apart the wiring to see what the deal was. Turns out that it was installer error. The purple wire didn't make a successful connection with the 12v wire. I went back in there and soldered the connections and BINGO! Reverse gear now triggers the camera to come on

Glad to hear it

I HATE T-Taps!!!!!


I still recommend running that red wire to a accessory switch powered 12 volt wire.

Hey big, since you hate T-Taps so much, how do you do your taps when cutting a wire is not possible or preferred. Do you just strip the cover, wrap the new wire around and solder?
Just curious on how you prefer to do those connections...

Big, as for the red wire, where would you recommend since i'm kinda clueless here

RITDR - thats what i would do. just have to be uber careful on stripping back a small piece with a good utility knife. There may be a better method so i'd like to hear this as well

Yes if you splice back some insulation and wrap the new wire around the existing one, than add solder and wrap with electrical tape. If it is more than one wire being wrapped I will cut the existing one do the same steps and use heat shrink.

You should see it behind your dash either use the red wire that your head unit is using or your 12 volt accessory plug.