[matthewbright]

This one is for all of the Jeep Technicians out there...

My father bought my wife and I some wireless back-up cameras that mount above our licence plates. The camera needs to be wired into the vehicle's electrical system so when you put the truck/car into reverse, it kicks on and will the video will show up on the dash-mounted display (it looks similar to a GPS). I'm not playing around and installing this thing myself and voiding my warranty, so I'd like to take it to our local Jeep shop and have them install them in my Pat and my wife's Neon. Several of my Dad's friends already have the same until installed on their cars and trucks so I guess they work well, but most of the cars are at least 10 years old and no longer have warranties.

Here's the question: Even if I have my shop install these, is there a risk that the systems might void our warranties since they are not Chrysler units?

Thanks for your help.

 

[snowman]

no it won't void your waranty.
it's easy install
there is a wire that will go tho your back-up light.
and depending on your model of camera unit, you will need to pass a wire to the front of your jeep (dash)


but don't worry about your waranty.
and you should go to a local car-audo shop.

 

[Wade]

Matthew,

Check out my "How to" install a backup camera message. It has pictures too... And no, it won't void the warranty...

Installing a VR3 Wireless Backup Camera

 

[Mud]

Matthew,

Check out my "How to" install a backup camera message. It has pictures too... And no, it won't void the warranty...

Installing a VR3 Wireless Backup Camera

what he said!

 

[Rends]

I wonder how the wiring would look like if you add a camera to the rear license plate.

 

[jessi]

i want one but i got a couple o problems i need solved first.

1. if mounting on a license plate, i would have to drill a hole for the wiring to go through right, and i wouldnt want that to leak or are there already holes there somwhere.

2. if i mount it the bumper, im afraid that my parents driving might back up onto a snowhill and break it off, this is because i could teach em forever on how to use it, and they still wont. they always throw my cd's out of the stereo cuz they dont want to learn how to go from cd to radio lol.

3. can it installed in such a way that it can always be on, like when the car turns on, it turns on to? i know that u use the rearview lights as power, but is there any other wire that constantly has power?? this is so that when im driving, i always can see who's riding my bumper on the freeway lol, and once in a while even slam the breaks ever so slightly when theres some distance between that will allow me to do it safely lol , jus to get em off my rear end lol.

 

[jack.allwardt]

3. can it installed in such a way that it can always be on, like when the car turns on, it turns on to? i know that u use the rearview lights as power, but is there any other wire that constantly has power??

In many models, even if there's no tow package pre-wiring, there is a wire taped back on the LH tail light harness, inside the body--you'll need to pull out the grommet and look for this red & something striped wire. That is a constant voltage from the fuse panel, #5 I belive--look at the diagram in your owner's manual.

And if you need to get creative, there is a way to make this powered from the ign. circuit--I have done just the reverse to my power outlet so it is hot all the time.

PM to me and I'll forward a couple of pics showing how to bypass.

 

[jessi]

allright, i had wired my off road driving lights in a similar way by (see pic).

i should give the power to the cam via ignition instead of reverse light the same way so it only has power when ignition is on.

is this correct??

 

[Wade]

Please don't do this

... so that when im driving, i always can see who's riding my bumper on the freeway lol, and once in a while even slam the breaks ever so slightly when theres some distance between that will allow me to do it safely lol , jus to get em off my rear end lol.

A respected doctor for the Mayo Clinic here in Jacksonville did the same thing to a tailgater about two years ago. The woman who was tailgating him lost control of her car after he "slammed" his brakes to do the same thing you suggest. Cost the doctor his freedom as he was initially charged with wreckless driving that lead to a involuntary manslaughter sentence when the woman, and her three year old daughter died after the car flipped off the side of the road.

I agree, tailgating is a problem. I just slow down so they go around me or I move to the other lane if possible.

 

[jessi]

ok ok i wont do it then lol, but is the way im saying to wire it possible and correct??

 

[Wade]

I would go with the schematic you added, replacing the lights with the camera, of course. One warning however. I read somewhere while installing my camera, leaving the camera on for extended periods of time will greatly reduce the life of the camera.

 

[matthewbright]

Thanks for the info...my wife asked me yesterday if I could make an appointment to get them installed. I'll call my shop and set something up for our next oil changes.

 

[KillaCam]

ok so i read in a post (that i can't find anymore) that if you splice into the reverse light wiring it will trip the fuses and the computer that monitors all your lights and make whatever accessory, as well as the reverse lights, not work. does anyone know anything about this on an 09 pat? i'm trying to hook up some fog lights on my trailer hitch and i want to splice them into the reverse lights so they only come on in reverse. i want to do the same thing with a reverse camera. any suggestions?

 

[JoeBecker]

The important thing is that you only use the backup signal as a switch via a relay. Don't splice into the backup wire and use that as your power to run the devices. What you need is a SPST (single pole single throw) relay. By using a relay, you are only pulling a few mA from the backup circuit just as a signal. The power to run your accessories will come directly from the battery (or a circuit that is not as sensitive as the lighting).

The picture is a link to my backup camera installation.
I chose to install a switch instead of using the backup signal to turn the system on.
My system is wired into the accessory outlet circuit.
I can use the camera for backing up, as a "rearview mirror" when I have cargo blocking my view, etc.

 

[HooverBucs]

Joe's is sexy. haha

 

[eighteenwheeler]

ok so i read in a post (that i can't find anymore) that if you splice into the reverse light wiring it will trip the fuses and the computer that monitors all your lights and make whatever accessory, as well as the reverse lights, not work. does anyone know anything about this on an 09 pat? i'm trying to hook up some fog lights on my trailer hitch and i want to splice them into the reverse lights so they only come on in reverse. i want to do the same thing with a reverse camera. any suggestions?

I know this thread is old but noone ever answered your question.

This is NOT true unless you have something that is a HUGE load.

I have multiple items connected to my reverse lights without a problem. Thats not going to be enough to convince you- however, think of this. When you connect a trailer wiring, it connects right into your stock wiring. There is nothing to "tell" your car its "hitch" wiring!

that hitch wiring goes straight to your trailer, and depending on your trailer, it can have one light, 2 lights, 10 lights... super bright, 2 watt, 20 watt... who knows! If the fuse tripped just because you tapped into a wire, then how would a trailer hitch wiring work... even when that wiring is included from the factory, and is made to work with a variety of trailers?

The answer my friend is fairly simple... tapping into your wires will NOT trip a fuse UNLESS you have a load significantly more than a few light bulbs. A backup camera, reverse beeper, reverse backup sensors, or a variety of other small electronics use such a miniscule amount of power, they won't blow a fuse unless hey are miswired!

Hope that helps!

 

[Steveo55]

It'd look like this. Where's my photo's??? I put a thread on this subject a couple of weeks ago on the same subject. (Rear camera and monitor) .It works a treat. Don't just rely on this though still keep a good look out.