Backup Camera Install into FACTORY Nav Unit!!

[Lex Talionis]

(add disclaimers, risks and caveats here about what damage you could do or warranties you could void or laws you could break by messing around like this)

 

Direct to FordEdgeForum - another first install - the new plug-n-play (yep, you can now do it yourself) rear view Back up Camera to the factory Navigation System offered by AV Electronic (click here). Thanks to Sam, the owner, my plug and play unit was one of the very first sent out a week ago Friday on their official release day and by the time I had it working by this past Friday, only 1 other person - a dealer - had the new release "plug and play" unit working before me. So, for your enjoyment, here it is. Install details, products details, tips, info on the first and only know true DIY plug and play option to add a backup camera to or factory nav systems. I think, even with the camera, you will agree this setup looks as factory as you could get and the camera is almost not even noticeable. Enjoy!

 

Products:

 

1. I used the "Budget Version" of the Navigation Video/Camera (Dual input) Interface as I only planned to run the backup camera and maybe a DVD player

2. I used the Power Acoustik CCD-4XS Rear View Color Camera. I did MASSIVE research on a camera that met my requirements (1) tiny - this thing is only about 1x.75x.75 (2) CCD best quality versus junky CMOS (3) adjustable pivot point. I defy someone to find a rear view camera any better, smaller, quality than this. I think you will agree when you see the final results. The only other option to consider is a license plate frame camera (which I have one to sell (click here) as I found a license plate frame I just had to have so could not use the camera).

 

 

Camera Install:

 

The camera is the bomb. Period. Anyone wanting to do this, just save your time and effort and buy this camera as it worked perfect and meets every goal (but night vision - which I did not care about given where I planned to place it which was right between the rear license plate lights which are bright LED in my case) you would want in a camera. Install was not so bad, but takes a lot of time. I would say to do it right, 3 maybe 4 hours at most just for the camera. You want to understand wiring and talking molding and such apart before installing a rear view camera. You have to remove the inside of the rear gate (easy, 4 screws). I had decided long ago to put a camera under the emblem in the little recessed alcove. It just so happens, there is a little "plug" there that I was able to pop out, attach the camera to, and plug back in with a few modifications. Like it was taylor made just for this mod. It even angles down towards ground so makes perfect angle. I then had to drill 1 hole in the inside of the gate to pull through the cable that run power, ground to camera and run to the front of the car to attach to the RCA video input. I ended up using silicon around the hole when I had it all setup to (1) keep the cables from getting cut or sliced over time with jostling and (2) make it weather proof - though I doubt that is even an issue given how it is installed with camera lower than cable and under the alcove. I had to run all of the cables and I ended up taking black (ground) and drilled a second tiny hole in the boot and attached the ground to that after sanding away and exposing the metal under pant for a solid ground. I then ran the camera power to the drivers side backup lamp (top most lamp) as you have easy access to that light. The color of the wire you tie into to get power to the camera only when the car goes into rear is: green/white in the bundle that goes to the rear light. Both of these wires I pulled through the rubber wire bundle protection sleeve that allows wires to run from hatch to car body. As for the actual thicker camera RCA wire, that was to think so I ran it behind that sleeve and zip tied it. It is clean, you cannot even see it really. This leaves the camera wire in the head liner. I then ran this camera wire over to the drivers side molding, along the rear window and down the pillar behind the passenger on drivers side and into the floor, along the floor molding - popping up molding to run clean hidden wire where needed and then right up to the kick plate at the fuse box. it is clean, you cannot see a single wire. There is PLENTY of camera wire to do this. Pictures show all of this.

 

 

can you believe this perfect placement port. like it was made for this.

 

hole for camera harness wire to be pulled through

 

a few shots of attaching camera to that popped off port door.

 

taped up wire from camera along gate and into open holes into wire bundles sleeve. power wires goes off to light, ground hooked right to gate and the plastic molding hides it all.

 

notice the red power wire from the camera, it ties into that green/white wire and will only et power when car is in reverse.

 

here is the sleeve bundle, power and ground run through this into car, but notice very close the actual thicker camera wire runs along it's backside as it cannot easily be pulled through the sleeve.

 

a few shots of the mounted camera. pretty flush, hidden, barely noticeable...

 

 

 

AV Electronic Video Input Box Install:

 

This system works awesome and exactly as claimed. Also, not like you have a lot of options as they are first to market with a plug and play DIY kit. I know, I called all other places. Sam, the owner of the company, is super helpful and very nice to deal with. We had to talk a few times during the 2nd part of install, the video converter box, as it was the first time install for anyone other than 1 other dealer and there were some small bugs to work out and he was a champ about helping me. Even stayed late into night - he is 3 hour time diff - to work out some plaguing kinks. Now I will say this now, this is NOT an install for the meek and unskilled. It takes patience, a very steady hand, small screw drivers, a light touch and diligence as you are working in VERY small tight spots with very small and tight tolerances. If I were rating the install of video input to the nav unit, I would rate it a difficulty of 7-8 out of 10 for electronics and wiring and such. it is tough. I think most might end up having a shop or dealer do this, but for those of us that can and do like to wire and mess with electronics, it is doable. Just set aside 2-4 hours to do this as tying the input box to the nav unit is the tough part, hooking up the camera to the box and powering the box is a cake walk. So, with this product, you get 3-4 pages of instructors so I will not go through all of that here. I will gladly help with specific quesitons if you come up aganst a wall and want help, but the directions are pretty good. I will have some tips here, but I will not recount the step by step they provide. But, the highpoints are... the install is 2 parts, the box and the ribbon cable to the nav unit. It is nice as there are several connection points so you can tie it all together in segments and check and recheck connections if things do not go well rather than pulling it all out. So, to do this, you must remove the center console (it pops off super duper easy and the entire center piece comes off easy). This will expose a huge alcove in the dash and the DVD nac unit. Remove battery cable to neg to turn power off to car!!! you remove the DVD nav unit with 4 simple bolts, undo 5 cables in the rear of nav unit and remove it. Then, the tough part. You must essentially weasel a small bundle of wires into an existing hole in the side of the nav unit (which is actually the nav, cd, radio, stereo, all in one). Fish that out through the front of the nav unit after you remove the screen and disconnect the ribbon cable. The point is, you will remove the ribbon cable, jump there new ribbon cable into that, reconnect the older ribbon to their new one, tie that bundle of wires into the new ribbon cable that has a mother board on that, SOFLTY squeeze all of this back into a tiny opening the original factory ribbon cable came out of.... and out it all back together. Simple? Not really so much. So, as I say, their directions step you through all of this but here are 3 CRUCIAL tips I would add that: TIP ONE for step 7... this bundle of wirs that has the white connector that attaches to the mother board is not a snug connecting fit and when you go to step 7 and try to push it all back into the ribbon slot, if comes apart as it is a VERY tight tolerance with the added bulk of the wire bundle, tiny motherboard, and ribbon cable. So, what I did was make sure that connector lined up perfect - that is crucial as that connector is ultra precise and imperative it is straight, even and lines up. And the tip is I added some quick dry silicon glue to hold the connection together. Electrical tape might work, but I just decided to use glue to be safe. All other connections you have to make have press fit holders and such, but that one. so that is what I found made it firm 100%. TIP TWO for step 7... when you are pressing all of this stuff back into the slot the single ribbon cable came out of before, you look in and see what looks like a piece of paper. It is not. what it is is the ribbon cable that powers up and runs the DVD nav unit! So, the tip is be very slow and careful. do not push hard and maybe angle the whole bundle to the right slightly and work around that. I know as I disconnected that cable and had to take apart the entire factory unit to reconnect it. You do NOT want to make that error. Once you get past that and button it all up and follow the rest of the directions, you move on to part 2 and that is firing up the actual video box that this whole new wire bundle attaches to. Here is where I will give TIP 3.. on the last page of directions Step 2 you tie that new bundle of wires into the main wire that goes to the input box. This is a 2 connectors:f 4 to 4 pin and 5 to 5 pin males/female connectors. the tip is be very careful and crucial with this connection also. I did not do it precise enough and that will lead to discoloration of the nav system when you turn it on as those 4/4 and 5/5 provide the color video. So, be sure to make those nice and clean, electrical tape them together to be safe and zip tie or tape them to the vent pipes you will see in the center console cavity. Other than tie, connect he main connector to the input box and then to power the input box you run the black to a ground (I did an exposed bolt), you run red and blue together to the red power wire that sticks out of the camera RCA wire to power the box when you shift into reverse, attach the camera RCA wire to "video 2" port, and then leave the yellow as that will be used for those that want to run a DVD player or other video item I do not yet, but will this week. Since the nav unit ribbon cable bundle comes down through the open cavity in the dash and pops-out at the floor by the drivers feet (at least, that is how I did it) I then hid all of this under floor carpet and put the small nav box in a little spot that it fits perfect in right behind the center console dash at your feet (gas pedal to be more precise). Pictures show some of this.

 

here is the small box with 2 ports, the ribbon cable + tiny wire bundle (right) and the main harness that ties the ribbon cable into the box (left)

 

see the box hidden to the right of the gas pedal behind the dash? I put a few strips of black electrical tape just to blend it in as the box is blue.

 

and this is what you get... how cool

 

Edited August 12, 2008 by Lex Talionis

[druck52]

Looks very good and looks like a very clean install. How much did the kit and the camera cost. I looked on the web site but i don't see that plug and play listed. i might be interested in doing this to my edge. also i am very suprised at the quality of the picture. I didn't think that nav screen would work that well.

[Lex Talionis]

Thanks...

 

I plan to wire up Video 1 today (the yellow wire) so I can run a DVD player or something. The Port is there, so might as well wire it up and I plan to put an RCA jack & a flat toggle switch in the center arm rest console as there is a very deep storage spot in there and a power outlet, so it makes sense.

 

The retail price for the nav unit is $325 and the camera was like $110-115 if you Google for best deal. Call Sam to order. It was just released a week ago. The unit is there, all they do to make it plug and play is the special harness (wire bundle, ribbon cable, cable to tie harness to box), but the box they show and list is the same. When you tell them what car yo have, they know that kit is needed. The photo above shows what you will get.

[Jaak in TO]

Looks good

 

 

 

Just a note ... need more paragraph breaks in the write-up ... my eyes ...

[Lex Talionis]

Looks good

 

Just a note ... need more paragraph breaks in the write-up ... my eyes ...

 

 

thanks... yeah, it was trying to not make the scrolling soooo long versus making readable paragraphs. I went for the former. if not, it could be about 5 more scrolls down long - but I feel yeah. I bet most will just look at the photos anyway

[PaulWatkins]

Hi Lex,

 

I did my install this weekend but I have not wired up the video box yet. What wire (color) did you tap into at the dash to get switched power for the unit? Thanks for the wire color for the reverse lights - that will be most helpful!

 

By the way, I was able to run the camera wire through the sleeve; but you are correct - it is not easy. I had to cut the electrical tape around the wire bundle and I used a fish tape to pull the wire through. I plan to post some pictures as soon as I get the power hooked up.

 

Thanks in advance for any help on that

 

Paul

[Lex Talionis]

Hi Lex,

 

I did my install this weekend but I have not wired up the video box yet. What wire (color) did you tap into at the dash to get switched power for the unit? Thanks for the wire color for the reverse lights - that will be most helpful!

 

By the way, I was able to run the camera wire through the sleeve; but you are correct - it is not easy. I had to cut the electrical tape around the wire bundle and I used a fish tape to pull the wire through. I plan to post some pictures as soon as I get the power hooked up.

 

Thanks in advance for any help on that

 

Paul

 

hey hey.... first, I could just not fit my camera wire through and the reason why - I did not explain above - is the end of my camera wire is a thick bundle that has the RCA jack, another stereo 3mm jack, and a red power wire. That all emanates from a pretty thick bundle and trying to fish it through that ridged rubber sleeve was just a no go as it was just to thick if a bundle and sticking to the tacky rubber. I tried, but decided given the time spent thus far just not worth the effort so went around. I assume not all cameras will be like this I am sure, mine was and it was just to thick a mass and taking to much massaging effort past each ridge in that sleeve. I said it and moved on.

 

as for the color wire to get power for the input box, I am pretty sure I explained above that I tied the blue and red together from the box and then tied those 2 to the red power wire that came at the end of that camera wire bundle - power viola to the box. Since the camera was already powered back at the rear reverse light, that red power wire that came off my camera end supplied the boxes power. That worked slick and allowed me to not have to search out the power up front for the reverse lamp since I did it back at the lamp.

 

BTW.... what camera did you get?

 

Report back your experience. I found wiring up that box is much tougher than running the camera. be careful with all that sensitive 9 wire bundle with white tip connector and thin thin ribbon cable & the snap connectors and 4/4 and 5/5 pin connectors and tight tolerances... it can get trying at times

[bobbyz95]

I LOVE IT, Lex ! Great install and report !

 

Fyi, your convenient "made-for-camera" plug doesn't exist for us 2007 model owners - it's our hatch release button.

[Lex Talionis]

I LOVE IT, Lex ! Great install and report !

 

Fyi, your convenient "made-for-camera" plug doesn't exist for us 2007 model owners - it's our hatch release button.

 

ouch... well there you have it, that explains why the 2008 has that little entry door there. I wondered why. looks like that same part is used in 2007/2008, but in 2007 they used it for the button and 2008 they closed it off with a plate when they added the actual lower grab handle with the button. well.. maybe there is room left or right of it? if not, a license plate frame camera would be ideal.

[dave-m]

as for the color wire to get power for the input box, I am pretty sure I explained above that I tied the blue and red together from the box and then tied those 2 to the red power wire that came at the end of that camera wire bundle - power viola to the box. Since the camera was already powered back at the rear reverse light, that red power wire that came off my camera end supplied the boxes power. That worked slick and allowed me to not have to search out the power up front for the reverse lamp since I did it back at the lamp.

 

am I missing something or by wiring box to the reverse light, won't you only be able to watch your DVD player (or whatever auxilary video input) when the car is in reverse?

Edited August 12, 2008 by dave-m

[Lex Talionis]

am I missing something or by wiring box to the reverse light, won't you only be able to watch your DVD player (or whatever auxilary video input) when the car is in reverse?

 

yes/no

 

IF you do not use the yellow wire off the input box and attach a switch (or parking brake) to override the nav system you will only get it to be a backup camera off Video 2.. IF you do use the yellow wire and put in an override switch (or attach to parking break) then you can flip the switch and use whatever video source you attach to Video 1.

 

now, on that note, according to the maker, the backup camera will ALWAYS have priority no matter what is going on. This is a step above most other systems (non of which are DIY at this point though). So, what this means is that even if you have hooked up a DVD player in Video 1, if you put the car in reverse it will always show the reverse backup camera and override whatever is happening on Video 1. So you do not have to flip the switch you put in to off or turn off the power to the DVD player (or whatever you have hooked up to Video 1) to use the reverse camera as it is the default primary input.

 

this being said, this will not get you audio. this is a video system. so, to get audio you would use the external audio from the device, an FM transmitter, or splice into the stereo head unit an auxiliary input for sound. since having a backup camera was the goal, I am not too worried about even doing this.

Edited August 12, 2008 by Lex Talionis

[xFred]

ouch... well there you have it, that explains why the 2008 has that little entry door there. I wondered why. looks like that same part is used in 2007/2008, but in 2007 they used it for the button and 2008 they closed it off with a plate when they added the actual lower grab handle with the button. well.. maybe there is room left or right of it? if not, a license plate frame camera would be ideal.

 

Another option is to use the Audiovox wireless backup camera $350. The camera can be mounted below the rear bumper and doesn't show up contrast wise like being above the licence plate, if the car is a light exterior color. Run power to camera and monitor via backup light wire from rear. I put a metal shield around the adjustment screws to prevent adverse tampering. and pop riveted the thing. Adding metal reinforcement to upper part of bumper is a good idea too.

[Lex Talionis]

Another option is to use the Audiovox wireless backup camera $350. The camera can be mounted below the rear bumper and doesn't show up contrast wise like being above the licence plate, if the car is a light exterior color. Run power to camera and monitor via backup light wire from rear. I put a metal shield around the adjustment screws to prevent adverse tampering. and pop riveted the thing. Adding metal reinforcement to upper part of bumper is a good idea too.

 

yeah... 'wireless' is not so 'wireless'... it only cuts out the wire that runs to the front camera head unit/control unit. heck, at that stage, the hardest part of wiring is already done as you still do have to run wires for it, so to have a 'wireless' only cut out the wire you run to the head unit... in your case the LCD display... not too wireless as power and ground are tougher to negotiate and those must be done.

 

plus, on a side note and not really relative to the Audiovax but more to the Costco and Wallymart systems, I have read time and time again the wireless are a bit questionable in quality of product and camera picture. that is why they are so affordable and a kit has an LCD and camera so inexpensive. IF I were to do this, I would only want to do it 1 time, and that means I would pay to get a really good high end camera and that means, +100 just for the camera unit itself.

 

In the Audiovox case, that is a lot of coin for a 'wireless' camera just to not have to run the 10 foot cable up to the head unit - but still have to have the stand alone LCD screen. $350 can get you the bitchen video switcher box so you can tie a wired camera right to your nav unit and use the preexisting screen. That is why this whole key is about tying into the existing nav screen and at these prices, I would go my route before a wireless no doubt - similar prices, but use the existing screen

[xFred]

yeah... 'wireless' is not so 'wireless'... it only cuts out the wire that runs to the front camera head unit/control unit. heck, at that stage, the hardest part of wiring is already done as you still do have to run wires for it, so to have a 'wireless' only cut out the wire you run to the head unit... in your case the LCD display... not too wireless as power and ground are tougher to negotiate and those must be done.

 

plus, on a side note and not really relative to the Audiovax but more to the Costco and Wallymart systems, I have read time and time again the wireless are a bit questionable in quality of product and camera picture. that is why they are so affordable and a kit has an LCD and camera so inexpensive. IF I were to do this, I would only want to do it 1 time, and that means I would pay to get a really good high end camera and that means, +100 just for the camera unit itself.

 

In the Audiovox case, that is a lot of coin for a 'wireless' camera just to not have to run the 10 foot cable up to the head unit - but still have to have the stand alone LCD screen. $350 can get you the bitchen video switcher box so you can tie a wired camera right to your nav unit and use the preexisting screen. That is why this whole key is about tying into the existing nav screen and at these prices, I would go my route before a wireless no doubt - similar prices, but use the existing screen

 

 

My car doesn't have an existing Nav Unit. I use my cell phone for navigation/traffic conditions. The advantages of a wireless camera is that I can add just the wireless camera and connect it to power from the back and then power the monitor off the cigarette lighter, if I care to transfer the monitor to each car every time. Its a less expensive way to have multiple car hookups. I like the idea to have the camera in the Ford Emblem as with the Ford Flex.

[Lex Talionis]

I like the idea to have the camera in the Ford Emblem as with the Ford Flex.

 

I loved it also UNTIL I found that tiny camera I found. you have to admit, the install is pretty awesome and the camera is barely noticeable. once I found the camera I used, I lost interest in trying to find out if the Ford emblem camera from the Flex would fit. I would still be curious to know, but certainly love how mine turned out.

[pbc]

Lex, does this work with the factory installed Navigation system? I just bought my wife a new Ford Edge Ltd AWD (2010) and while it comes with a rear sensor alarm (or whatever it's called) I really wanted a rear camera.

 

How easy is it to install? Any ideas as to whether it will hold up in the winter time? (sorry, don't know where "westsiiiide" is exactly as I live in Toronto, Canada! )

[pbc]

Duh ... maybe the "SoCal" emblem may give me a slight hint as to where you live!!

[ebaker21]

Looks good

 

 

 

Just a note ... need more paragraph breaks in the write-up ... my eyes ...

 

You can copy & past the text into a word processor (I use MS Office 2007 Word) and then edit to your preference.

[k-tech82]

1. This page is good.

2. This page has some good information

http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?/topic/4358-back-up-camera-2010-ford-edge-sport/page__pid__34292__st__0entry34292

3. This page has some good information

http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?/topic/1624-factory-nav-backup-camera-input/

 

All of these are here on this website & they have some pictures also.

They have alot to say, so I'll keep it short & to the point.

My whole kit came from www.avelectronic.com The interface "module" is $300.00 & when you buy it the camera is $150.00. The camera is Sony "very compact & high quality". This kit is totally plug & play. I went with the OEM Type 2 camera "metal body".

 

The interface "module" will put the reverse camera in the navigation screen when you put it in the reverse gear. It also will turn the DVD image on while in gear; just have the DVD on and turn the power to the radio off & on then push the top right corner then it will play the DVD to watch. It will override all the safety things "movies, sports, enter an address, & etc." by pressing & holding the Phone button for 2 seconds minimum. It will also turn the reverse camera on while going down the road by pressing & holding the Media button for 2 seconds minimum. Everything can be turned on & off. If any of the three are selected the navigation will lose its tracking function "it wont show you moved closer to you location" so if you really need the directions just turn it on then turn it back off so you wont get lost.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The million dollar question XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Okay I got my wire to go through the rubber tube between the rear door & the cab. I haven't read anywhere that anybody had any luck, so here is how I got it done.

 

I used a 14" cable tie 50 lb. strength about a 1/4" wide. The straight end I folded just the tip back on itself so it wouldn't poke the inside of the tube. Then used another cable tie to connect the 14" cable tie head to the wire "yellow connector". Basically the tie will go all the way through before the wire starts. There is a round hole on the door near the tube you can look through & spray alittle WD-40 to help it all slide through. This is a SEL Edge 2010. In the cab at the bottom of the tube they wrapped it up with tape; so I had to cut it to get it all through & then I retaped it with electrical tape.

 

Okay here is some of my other details. The back of the Ford logo it has a finger that I used to hold my bracket "I made" the once you have it positioned the logo & body strip has 5 nuts, so once all tightened it aint moving. I painted my bracket black & wrapped it in electrical tape so it wouldn't rub the paint. If you power the camera & hook it up to a TV you can get the angle right. Also with one of those Craftsman cutters where the blade moves back & forth real quickly I cut the little edge off, so the camera wouldn't see it.

 

There is little corners that a dirt dobber might could get in that back part (wont make it in the cab) & I put some silicone in those two spots beside the camera.

 

Here is my pictures. I didn't take many, but this might help some.

 

This is my aunts ride. I own a 2009 Ford Lariat crew cab black truck 2wd & it came with the reverse camera in the navigation from the factory. If you do as above you wont be able to tell it was an add on. Good luck.

 

K-TECH82

[k-tech82]

I didn't take a picture, but when your 10 feet away you don't really see it. You have to know its there & then you can find it. Very sleek & clean. Factory look.

K-TECH82

[Lex Talionis]

nice.. good upgrade, no

 

I guess you have a newer module as mine does not "It will also turn the reverse camera on while going down the road by pressing & holding the Media button for 2 seconds minimum." - wish it did, that would be cool.

 

I also never wired up the wires to run a media device like DVD player as it never was a desire for me.

 

EDIT: yes, it seems there is a newer module Sam tells me (owner of the company that sells the module) and the features listed above by k-tech82 were on the 2009 Edge with a newer module.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Lex Talionis

[k_m]

Excellent work/write up Lex Talionis. Very clean and very professionally installed. I do not think anyone could ask for a better setup/install. :hyper: :bowdown:

[er65nsunny]

Ford backup camera on 2008 Ford Edge.     July 24th reprogrammed radio using FORScan so I now have the color palette option that was offered on the Lincoln vehicles. 

Edited July 25, 2019 by er65nsunny
added new photos

[Lex Talionis]

Ford backup camera on 2008 Ford Edge.

 

early on, when the new in Ford emblem camera was announced, I was one of the first to theorize that you would be able to retro fit the new emblem/camera onto older models.. even made a thread about it. but, I was to impatient to wait around for them to start to sell them as parts.

 

seems I was right

 

BUT I never saw you do a write up here on it.

 

did you use the same box I used to convert the signal to be used on your navi head unit?

how much was the emblem camera?

any pictures of the install?

[klc317]

Interesting. I wonder where they place the camera on an MKX since it obviously is not equipped with a Ford emblem? Guess I need to look at some.