so i've been ordering stuff like crazy to put in the car and this weekend i tackled putting in the backup camera.

i assume that anyone tackling this knows how to remove the stereo and sill panels, etc., because if you don't then this will be tough lol. even if you don't know then go over to the DIY section because there are some great tutorials on "how to". it's never too late to learn!!

so i order a barcam221 from Coastal Tech because it has distance markers built into the firmware of the camera. i had originally bought an OEM camera and OEM trunk spoiler to mount it in but i *really* wanted distance markers in the backup picture to make it seem more OEM. i interfaced it using the PAC VCI-NIS2 module. i chose this one because i am also installing a carputer to run navigation software from and this will allow me to use a toggle switch to swap between the stock LCD display and the carputer and will automatically default to the backup camera when the car is in reverse.

checkout the barcam221 here:

http://www.coastaletech.com/LOCKPICK_CAMERAS.htm

the pac VCI-NIS2 is here:

http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=1387

the direction that come with the VCI-NIS2 are pretty straight forward. i recommend you get yourself some 3M crimp-in connectors or some posi-tap connectors, which don't even require tools, you can check them out here:

http://www.posi-lock.com/posiplug.html

ok so lets go!!

so i removed the radio entirely and just set it aside. i had to find room for all the harnesses and junk i had behind the stereo to begin with, considering i have the PAC VCI, a parrot bluetooth unit and a PAC iSimple gateway back there too. in the end i made it all fit.

i also removed the liner in the trunk and the sill plates going down the passenger side of the car. i chose the passenger side because the power wires for my subwoofers are on the driver's side, and running signal wires by power wires is bound to cause interference.

i chose to run a stereo RCA cable up the passenger side of the car, this is because one RCA will go to the backup camera and the second will go to the video from the carputer and the cables typically have a red and white connector so you can easily tell which connector goes to what signal.

now for photos....if you get on your back and look up at the license plate you'll see that there is an ugly cutout which goes right into the trunk...



now if you remove the inner trunk liner and look down where the lock is you'll see a hole with rubber grommet in it, i removed the grommet and you can see the hole here



once you mount the camera (which just screws into the license plate holes) you can pull the wires for the power/signal right through this hole, when you remove the license plate you can see the hole right behind the license plate frame, check it out in this pic:



and here is the camera mounted up (sorry crappy photo)



and pull the wires through the hole...



now with the trunk liner removed, go to the upper right hand side of the trunk and there is a hole where the trunk goes into the cabin, it basically is located behind the upper part of the passenger seat back but you can stick your hand in there without removing the seatback (or at least i could)

picture of the general location from the cabin...



picture of the inside of the trunk where it goes through...



run your signal cable up the door sill...



behind the glove compartment...



now with the LCD panel removed you can wire up the PAC VCI module and actually shove it right between the air vents behind where the LCD mounts, it's the green box wedged right in the middle...




ok now you have this fairly squared away, just wire it per the instructions. i'll post a picture of the harness later but you'll wire it to the reverse wire and to a power source. the parking brake wire gets grounded! if you wire it to the parking brake wire from the stereo harness then your e-brake light will be on all the time (yes i did this by accident lol). ill post a picture of the harness later but you're basically looking at wires 104 through 107 if i recall correctly. 106 & 107 are your VSS and parking brake wires, respectively (again, if i remember correctly, reference the shop manual first!) and then there is a switched power source at pin 104 i think, which is what i used to power the PAC VCI module. then the ground for the power on the module i simply grounded to chassis ground under a metal screw for the LCD panel.

so now its time to power the camera...if you go to the upper left side of the trunk the harness for the reverse lights looks like this...



the reverse light wires are in there, i chose to use the orange and black wires to power the camera. i simply tapped into the wires and then ran the new power wires around the inside of the liner back to the hole where the camera wiring came in. connect it up and you're done here.

now unfortunately you have to re-assemble everything to test it out. don't start the car without the stereo installed because it will cause the engine to throw airbag codes and a check engine light, which is easily resettable but is just a pain.

now i have to put all this back together....



so i put the stereo back and start the car, put her in reverse and NOTHING....AAAAARRGHHH!!! WHY!!???? so i troubleshoot for 5 minutes and i realize, "oh yeah....there's a toggle switch on the VCI unit so swap between inputs so let me check the toggle." i flip the toggle while i'm in reverse and i get this:



GLORIOUS!! it works!!!!!

so i originally laid a tape measure on the ground and measured out to 6ft and aimed the camera at it (which you can kinda see in the photo, the yellow line that runs back to the 6ft mark) but that proved to not be practical. when i was at the grocery store i realized that 6ft on the ground is not the same as when you're backing into someone's bumper which is a completely different height. so you're better off pulling up to a friend's car, measuring the distances and aiming the camera appropriately.

at this point you're pretty much done. i had some leftover RCA cable which i coiled up in the trunk liner and i also ran a USB cable up to the headunit from the trunk which i need for my carputer (you can see it in the photo)



more on the carputer later

so this is kind of a brief tutorial, i apologize that i really didn't take enough photos but when you're in the midst of things you just kinda forget. i have to pull things apart again to replace the parrot harness i have in there because the wiring separated on it so my bluetooth is out of service right now. nards...

if you have questions feel free to email me. i'll post diagrams of the harnesses tomorrow!

Cheers!!

Bob

 

AWESOME TUTORIAL!! I was so relieved that there is already a cut out and no drilling is required. I will tackle this on the weekend. I am running the rca's to the armrest inputs. Do you know any easy path to the armrest? Can I go under the passenger seat or something?

 

thanks man! i was happy to hear drilling wasn't necessary also. as far as getting to the arm rest area you're better off either coming into the cabin the way i mentioned and then removing the seat bottom in the back (which is super easy) and running the cable under the seat and straight up the middle under the carpet. it's easy to remove the center console so you could use a hanger to snake the wire under the carpet and just re-install the console over top, voila!

you will have to drill the center console though to run the wires into it. i drilled mine to install my ipod connector, so it really isn't a big deal.

 

thanks, i'll give it a look later on this week. How are all the systems running for you? hopefully no hiccups

 

everything is fine, although i've started having some minor stereo problems, the volume button on my steering wheel doesn't always work and i've noticed the front driver's speaker seems to be going in and out but now i'm suspecting that it's BEEN out all along and i didn't realize it. or at least the tweeter has been out i'll say. i think i need to pull the door panel off and see.

i don't really think the radio issues are related but it's just odd it's happening now.

other than that things are fine, i'm just trying to get my carputer running so i can run my navi software. hopefully tonight!!

 

Great job with the installation. I like this camera option better than my BOYO camera, due to the distance markers (wonder if I can just swap out the BOYO for this one, what do you think?). I push the AUX switch to access the rear camera.

 

where would I drill the hole that it isnt visible from the outside of the armrest? and is taking off the center console as easy as the pics in the 'diy' you showed me before, like taking off the shifter **** etc? or is there a different method to take the armrest off? thanks

 

I did the install but mi image is soo bright!!
How can I tune the image when the vci-nis unit behind the LCD ?
Can I start the car with everything disasambled?

 

hey guys! sorry for the delay but i was away gambling at foxwoods casino all weekend since thursday woot!

dohturdima - i have to believe you can just swap them out. the coastal tech camera just uses a standard RCA connector for the video signal and regular 20 gauge black and red wires for the power. there is no special harness or brain needed for this unit.

samsizzle - ill take a picture but when i installed my ipod adapter i drilled the hole inside the armrest to the right of the cigarette lighter/power port. you'll need to run the wires under the carpet and the console to do it stealth but it's really not tough. the console itself was only held in by maybe 3 or 4 screws if i recall....

kendroz - you can start the car with the stereo disassembled but you will get your CEL and SRS lights on after, but you can easily reset the ECU's to clear these. i managed to start the car with everything plugged in just kind of hanging out so i could access the PAC VCI unit, you just have to shield the metal parts of the stereo so nothing touches or you'll blow fuses.

 

I suspect that something (a cable) is pushing the image buttons when installed. I set up my boyo camera and press the image brightness, but when installed, it got very bright again.

I supply the camera power using the 105 pin (reverse power) and grounding the black cable to the car chasis with the other ones (vci green cable).

Can it be that I need more power?

Will disasemble everything again to be sure that no cable is touching the ajustment buttons on the vci.

Take care

 

Other thing.. if i connect the camera to the auxiliary input, the video is perfect!!

 

kendroz - you're issue isn't the power to the camera (as i think you already figured out), it must be something with the PAC...here's a question for you...what do you have the power hooked up to for your pac unit? i believe that it needs a constant-on power (IIRC) because otherwise everytime you kill the power to it it would lose the brightness setting. maybe this is your issue. i have to double check the wiring instructions but thats my educated guess for now.

i'm thinking there are also some quality losses through the PAC unit but i haven't really investigated that yet.

 

power to the camera and the pac-unit is from pin #104 (grey cable) ignition power.

If I need constant power what do you suggest?

Thanks a lot !!!

 

gonna install the camera this weekend when i finally have some time, stuck inbetween moving into a new house. super excited

 

hey kendroz, sorry for the delay, i was away this weekend but ill look into your issue tonight.