Rearview Camera September 29, 2022, 04:02:50 pm I have a new to me 2003 26.5 mb. The rear facing camera and monitor don’t show any signs of life. The monitor is mounted in the drivers sunvisor. I found some warranty paperwork for Audiovox Rear View but it is only warrant info. Before I look I thought someone may have a place to start seaerching for power wires etc. Could it be it only works in reverse?Thanks
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #1 – September 29, 2022, 06:29:05 pm Hi BonesD; Well, in my '99 TK, the camera does only work in reverse. There is a manual override switch just under the key on the dash that lets you turn it on when you aren't in reverse. Do remember to turn it off though. My camera is distinctly aimed at the rear bumper, and shows little of what is behind you. It is to show you what you are about to hit with said bumper. You can re-aim the camera upward if desired. If it's like mine, although the camera is color, back in '99 it was expensive enough with a black and white display only. At least the wiring is all there, and better cameras, (also with sound now) are available. Along with modern larger color displays and infrared night lighting the experience can be improved. I'm in the process of mounting an RV890 Garmin GPS to the dash, and I have a color camera sitting in a box that might upgrade my LD. Then I'll need a new sunvisor! RonB
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #2 – September 29, 2022, 10:25:58 pm "Could it be it only works in reverse?"Close but no cigar! My 2004 has been hijacked by my daughter, Lazy Bones 2, but I faintly remember that there is a 3 position (?) slide switch on the monitor panel which allows reverse only, on all the time and off. Take a look and see what you have.
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #3 – September 29, 2022, 11:24:01 pm The camera has a fuse that LD hid somewhere. It could be under the hood on the driver's side near the battery isolator, under the dash, or even under the step on the driver's side (beneath the removable plastic step). It could be almost anywhere in the cab, LD excelled in hiding fuses and circuit breakers.If nothing helps revives the camera, consider a new camera and monitor, preferably with the monitor mounted on the dash or console. Camera systems have greatly improved during the last twenty years.I found the visor-mounted monitor to be almost unusable, it was so close I needed reading glasses to focus on it, definitely not designed for folks over 40. A console-mounted monitor is much easier to see. Our monitor remains on whenever we are driving.Larry
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #4 – September 29, 2022, 11:34:44 pm Here’s my old monitor that came with my 2017 Lazy Daze.Would come on when I was in reverse.Found that I could power it on and use it while driving, which became my standard when starting driving.Kinda miss it being on all the time, my current stereo head displays the view upon reversing and on demand, but I miss having it always on.FYI, the old monitor is available if anyone needs one. 1 Likes
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #5 – September 30, 2022, 02:47:45 am Hi Larry, Steve; Mine just has a two position rocker switch that bypasses the reverse switch, so it is either on all the time or just on in reverse. The two fuses are directly under the steering wheel behind the panel which just pulls off. With the gear shift in reverse, the camera and display shuts off when the key is off. If bypassed in manual, it is just on. Yes, mine has spent weeks on with the visor up. Not visible in daylight. But the solar was good enough and the power drain low enough, no harm. I'll mention that there is a small switch on the camera that reverses the image to act like a mirror in the display. (it spent a few years not reversed, but was hardly noticeable). I believe it is the Audiovox unit mentioned by BonesD. I tapped into the 'on with engine' wire to power my TST 507 TPMS. That works well. RonB
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #6 – September 30, 2022, 08:38:44 am Dave, I would be interested in your old monitor as a spare. Are you going through Tehachapi in your travels?
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #7 – September 30, 2022, 09:34:01 am Quote from: HiLola - September 30, 2022, 08:38:44 amDave, I would be interested in your old monitor as a spare. Are you going through Tehachapi in your travels?Nope, but I can just hand it to you in Morro Bay. 1 Likes
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #9 – September 30, 2022, 10:02:07 pm Thanks, I will take a look at all the hiding spots. I can always hook a tone generator to the camera wires that in the back. If I can then put will be able to trace them through the walls etc.
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #10 – September 30, 2022, 10:25:18 pm BonesD; No really, I'm sure the factory didn't change much between my 2000 delivery '99TK and your 2003. Pull on the plastic panel under the steering wheel. It just un-snaps. Harder to get off than push on. The fuses are labeled and right there behind that rubbery cover that lets the steering wheel be adjusted up and down.. It would take you about a minute to check them. That is where you should start. No need to trace wires! You are making this too difficult. RonB
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #11 – October 03, 2022, 04:07:16 pm Well I finally got back to the camera. My monitor has one switch, a rocker that is labeled On or Standby. I pulled the panel from below the steering wheel and as y’all informed me there are two inline fuses clearly labeled for back up camera. The two inline fuses have 12 volts with the key on and in reverse, one loses power when shifted out of reverse indicating to me possibly the function of the rocker on the monitor itself. The labels on the inline fuses also note there is another fuse in the Ford distribution panel and another in the 12 volt LD panel. All fuses are intact I was not able to discern which fuses the labels were referring to thoughMy monitor has only a two position rocker switch labeled Standby or On. I have not located any other rocker or slide switch under the ignition key or general area. I will keep looking. Thanks to all for the input.
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #12 – October 03, 2022, 04:53:20 pm Hi BonesD; You have the same fuses that I have. The one referred to in the Ford distribution panel (above your left foot), would be for the reverse lights. That wire is tapped into (after the reverse switch) to turn the camera on while in reverse gear. The other, powered when your rocker switch is in the 'manual' position, is from the house batteries. It should be sourced by the same wire that supplies power to the 'CB' radio fuse under the hood, drivers side. (yellow wiring) and the 'dash' radio fuse next to it. Those are both powered by the house 12vdc power distribution panel. I believe that the alternator source to charge the house batteries, at the diode isolator, through a red #4 cable is where Lazy Daze got the power for the back up camera. That should be the only fuse for the camera. You could check the wiring going to the camera. The cabinet above the back window [MidBath] has a false floor in it. You should be able to undo some screws holding the floor in place. Normally the floor is stapled down, but on mine, when I got the camera, the floor only on the driver side had screws. The excess wiring in the provided harness must have had about 25 feet of excess wire looped up and bundled there. The wire to the camera goes out the back wall exactly in the center, above the base of the cabinet, but below the false floor. I would follow that harness into the driver side outside storage compartment, in that compartment's ceiling, and forward through under the shower floor, behind the toilet and under the bathroom storage into the area under the kitchen sink, then the refrigerator and past the back of the battery box. From there to under the driver seat step. That plastic panel just pulls up. It would go up under the dash forward of there. I'd check for any damage along the way, that would impact the camera. Hope this helps. RonB
Re: Rearview Camera Reply #13 – October 03, 2022, 09:34:30 pm Excellent information. I will tackle it again tomorrow. Thank you