Need some rear camera advice, I installed the factory prep package today on my truck. The tailgate camera worked fine before hand. I unplugged the four plugs on the tailgate, set the tailgate aside, did all the install work, reinstalled the tailgate and plugs, and now I'm getting a black screen when I put the truck in reverse.

I checked fuses, cleaned and unplugged and replugged in the connections a number of times under the truck, checked the connection in the tailgate, did a master reset on the head unit, and checked to make sure no wires were out of place under the truck.

Could I really have messed up by just unplugging it, leaving it unplugged for a couple of hours, then reinstalling it?

When I put the tailgate down, I set it flat "on its back" so to speak, is there something that could have moved out of place when I did that?

I also took the tailgate access panel apart, and unplugged, cleaned, and replugged back in the camera, and did a continuity test on the wire in the center, and it tested good.

Does anyone happen to have a wiring schematic or diagram of the rear tailgate?

The truck is a 2018 f350 lariat and has the 360 cameras.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

Bump, anyone have any experience or insight?

 

Over 37,700 posts. Wow. I don’t know what the problem is but can’t leave a legend hanging. Have you seen this thread? Maybe it will help 🤷‍♂️

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ed-camera.html

 

I don’t think the link I posted will help. It was for the bed camera. I just watch a video of a guy that replaced the camera in the tailgate and there is nothing special to program after the installation so that’s ruled out.

Without looking at your op, have you tried cleaning the ends of all the connectors you unhooked? I’d inspect the pins, add dielectric grease and work the harnesses in and out to try to get better contact.

edit: you did all that but add dielectric grease. Try working some of the grease into the mix.

 

 

Thanks for the replies. Cleaned all the connections and i did add the grease.(forgot to add that part in my original post) The grease I have will prevent any future problems, but it doesn't help gain better connectivity.

The connections were pretty clean to start with though.

It does very much seem like a connection issue, but I have went over those four connections multiple times. Even tried playing with them and having the wife put the truck in reverse and watch the camera, and nothing.

I was going to try to unhook the batteries for a half hour then rehook back up, kinda as a hail Mary.

Can't think of what else to try.

 

Wanted to update my thread.

One rainy evening a few weeks ago the truck was inside and the wife was bugging me to take another look at things. I climbed under the truck, and started yanking connections apart again to reclean and regrease them.
When I got to the fakra connector, I started tugging on it a little bit harder, and noticed the cable was moving, where it shouldn't have been.
I took a utility knife and started cutting it apart, and quickly found that the wire was indeed broken, but oddly enough the outer protective coating wasn't.

I did have a hell of a time trying to find one of those fakra cables. I ended up ordering a white ended connection on a cable(1 meter) from China for 15? bucks Canadian, and just had to shave a little off of one of the ears, and it snapped right in, as well I put some corrugated plastic protection around the cable, zip tied it to the original, and it works like a charm.
​​​​

 

I added a rear camera for when the tailgate is off and needed some Fakra connectors. Bought a pack of 10 for $12 off eBay. If I had seen your post earlier, I could have sent you a couple.

 

Appreciate the offer even after the fact, that's super cool of you!

 

I realize this is last years post, but I am experiencing the same problem, and the next dry day, I will inspect my wiring. Mine were difficult to unplug and I may have ripped em up some while I was under there growling and cussing during the removal.

Mike

 

I'd like to think THAT was my problem, but I have a brand new Camera-Source.com camera and extension cable that I bought to use when the tailgate is off, on the back of our slide-in camper. When mine failed, I plugged that in - still nothing (though the break could be on the truck side of the plug I suppose)!

 

I'd like to think THAT was my problem, but I have a brand new Camera-Source.com camera and extension cable that I bought to use when the tailgate is off, on the back of our slide-in camper. When mine failed, I plugged that in - still nothing (though the break could be on the truck side of the plug I suppose)!

 

I have no help for the issue you have but it sounds like those Fakra cables are more delicate than I thought they were. I've disconnected and re-connected mine many times when I put my truck camper on (with camera source camera) and vice versa. I've never had a problem but I think I will try to be more careful from now on.

 

ok, every bit of information helps to shape my solution to this. I have a Garmin 660 GPS for RV, which is several years old now. Other than the fact that someone likes to play around with the gps differential ( for national security? ) and it sometimes takes me 4 hours out of my way, it also pairs up with a wireless camera. I have a camera mounted on my travel trailer, and one on my slide in camper. The cameras cost about 100 bucks, that may be my solution, to just buy another one and clip it on the license plate. The GPS is capable of pairing 4 cameras via blue tooth, so I still have room for 2 more. If it comes to spending money I will probably go that direction. I do have a 5 year warranty, but unless I take it to the dealer to get it fixed, it's not worth my deductible.

Mike

 

not wishing to put a cat among the pigeons BUT
"Dielectric grease, or tune-up grease, is a silicone-based grease that repels moisture and protects electrical connections against corrosion. ... The greasedoes not conduct electricity, so it shouldn't be applied directly to the mating surfaces (pins and sockets) of an electrical connection."

so you need not to make the situation worse. We all know guys usually work on the theory of "if a little is good, more must be better "