Searched the forums for this and didn't find quite the right info, so hopefully someone out there can help with an issue I'm having trying to install a backup camera on my '05 HL Base, V6, AWD. I'm putting in a backup camera (new driver in the family) and wanted to tap into power at the reverse bulb for the camera. Found info online indicating pink wire is +12V and white/black is ground (although I was planning to ground to the chassis). Believing in "trust but verify), I opened the tail light access panel on the driver's side and went to measure voltage at the pink wire to make sure I had the right one. Found no voltage at any wire. Suspected that I somehow shorted the connection so I checked fuses and sure enough found the IGN1 7.5A fuse blown. Replaced checked again, same result. I checked continuity between the electrical connector pins and the light socket and determined that the pink and white/black wires are the ones connected to the bulb, so I tend to believe the power and ground wires are indeed correct. But, activating turn signals or backup lights with the socket removed from the tail light assembly or while checking for +12V against a chassis ground blows IGN1 every time. Any idea what's going on with this? My HL does have the towing prep package and a 4 wire flat trailer harness connected, if that makes any difference.
Tapping reverse light power for backup camera
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Do the backup lights turn on when you put it in reverse?
If you don't have a helper, apply your parking brake, turn the key to ignition and put into reverse. Check if your backup bulbs light up. If they do light up, use your multimeter to find the +12v and ground.
For the wires, see my posts in this thread. I also tell you where the reverse trigger wire is to connect to the HU.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/8...-2007/1294745-backup-camera-install-help.html
If you don't have a helper, apply your parking brake, turn the key to ignition and put into reverse. Check if your backup bulbs light up. If they do light up, use your multimeter to find the +12v and ground.
For the wires, see my posts in this thread. I also tell you where the reverse trigger wire is to connect to the HU.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/8...-2007/1294745-backup-camera-install-help.html
Saw your thread...
Nice install. Not quite the same as my problem though. Your camera power connection looks similar to mine, but I take it you didn't have any issues with blowing the fuse. I wouldn't even be able to check for power as you show with your multimeter connected to the tail light assembly plug without blowing the fuse. I suppose I could tap into the backup trigger at the ignition harness like you did, but then I have to run a power line all the way to the camera. Seems a waste with the backup light right there next to the camera.
Nice install. Not quite the same as my problem though. Your camera power connection looks similar to mine, but I take it you didn't have any issues with blowing the fuse. I wouldn't even be able to check for power as you show with your multimeter connected to the tail light assembly plug without blowing the fuse. I suppose I could tap into the backup trigger at the ignition harness like you did, but then I have to run a power line all the way to the camera. Seems a waste with the backup light right there next to the camera.
The fuse blows when...
Whenever you do anything unusual at the connector. Pull the socket from the tail light assembly, use turn signals or backup lights, it blows. Check voltage across the source when connected, it blows. Check pink to chassis ground while connected, it blows. It doesn't want to be messed with.
Whenever you do anything unusual at the connector. Pull the socket from the tail light assembly, use turn signals or backup lights, it blows. Check voltage across the source when connected, it blows. Check pink to chassis ground while connected, it blows. It doesn't want to be messed with.
PM - will do
Thanks for the info. A short is what I was afraid of. Tough to trace in the best of situations, and probably beyond my meager DIY abilities. Just to confirm, then, if I remove the driver's side reverse light socket and keep the wiring connector attached, then put the transmission in reverse, the backup light should light up OK, although the rest of the bulbs in the tail light assembly won't work, of course. There's nothing special about the way the socket feeds the rest of the assembly or in the 4 wire converter/adapter installed in the factory trailer light pre-wire harness that should cause this fuse to blow?
*Edit - I realized I didn't answer your question about whether or not the backup lights do indeed come on. They do, but only if the socket is inserted properly in the tail light assembly and I'm not probing any of the wires for power against a chassis ground. That was my first blown fuse - parking brake on, ignition in on position but engine off, transmission in reverse, backup lights on, probe with meter using chassis ground and red lead to pink wire. Fuse also blows if I remove the socket from the tail light assembly while backup light is lit, or if I have socket out of assembly with ignition off and then turn key to on and put transmission in reverse with no meter or anything else connected.
Thanks for the info. A short is what I was afraid of. Tough to trace in the best of situations, and probably beyond my meager DIY abilities. Just to confirm, then, if I remove the driver's side reverse light socket and keep the wiring connector attached, then put the transmission in reverse, the backup light should light up OK, although the rest of the bulbs in the tail light assembly won't work, of course. There's nothing special about the way the socket feeds the rest of the assembly or in the 4 wire converter/adapter installed in the factory trailer light pre-wire harness that should cause this fuse to blow?
*Edit - I realized I didn't answer your question about whether or not the backup lights do indeed come on. They do, but only if the socket is inserted properly in the tail light assembly and I'm not probing any of the wires for power against a chassis ground. That was my first blown fuse - parking brake on, ignition in on position but engine off, transmission in reverse, backup lights on, probe with meter using chassis ground and red lead to pink wire. Fuse also blows if I remove the socket from the tail light assembly while backup light is lit, or if I have socket out of assembly with ignition off and then turn key to on and put transmission in reverse with no meter or anything else connected.
Got it working
Thanks to 9009RPM, I verified my connections were right. So I took his other suggestion and checked my meter. Dug out my old analog multimeter and checked voltage from pink to white/black and what to you know, 11.7 V. Connected camera, image came right up. I never would have guessed in a million years I was blowing the fuse just by checking voltage. Lesson here is not to trust cheap digital multimeters made in China. And another big thanks to 9009RPM.
Thanks to 9009RPM, I verified my connections were right. So I took his other suggestion and checked my meter. Dug out my old analog multimeter and checked voltage from pink to white/black and what to you know, 11.7 V. Connected camera, image came right up. I never would have guessed in a million years I was blowing the fuse just by checking voltage. Lesson here is not to trust cheap digital multimeters made in China. And another big thanks to 9009RPM.
Bad meter
Yep, setup was ok, black lead to COM, red lead to V/Ohm, range set to 20V DC. Didn't use the 10A DC lead input. I might crack it open out of curiosity, but I'm thinking it's time to look into a better meter.
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