When yous make purchases through links on this site, The Rails Ahead may earn an affiliate commission. Also, these posts are based off my own experiences. I am non responsible for any action you accept equally a outcome of reading this. Learn More


Finding the Correct Caput Unit

I previously wrote about my experience with trying out various Scion caput units in my 2003 Toyota 4Runner. I eventually chose to go with a Scion T10015 touch screen head unit not only because of its sleek but stock look, merely besides considering of its extra capabilities. One of them existence the power to brandish a backup camera on the bear on screen. I also later on tried using a Scion T10017 caput unit that is also compatible with this backup cam.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

Fill-in Camera Choices

Inexpensive Ebay Fill-in Cameras aren't that bad honestly, and I've tried both wireless and wired kits. These kits would brandish the backup view onto an addition rear-view mirror. This solution worked, notwithstanding I had some reservations using these kits.

One, they didn't e'er correctly brandish the view on the add-on mirror. The wired kit was more reliable, but the wireless ones had a lot of electrical interference causing static to be displayed. Either way, yous couldn't guarantee the fill-in camera would plow on every single time you shifted into reverse.

Another consequence I experienced was that all of these Ebay fill-in cameras were not actually wide view cameras. Y'all can ever tell that they're not wide view the moment you meet the backup camera in activeness. No matter how you lot angle the camera, you won't be able to go a proper view of both rear corners of the vehicle. These Ebay listings all claim to have various degrees of bespeak of views, just in the end, they all seem to have the same camera view.

Finally, I didn't like wait of the Ebay fill-in cameras. The backup camera itself merely looked inexpensive and the mounting of the photographic camera didn't look all that elegant either. The rear view mirror that comes with the kit snaps onto your OEM mirror, and overall everything but looks a fleck clunky.

I decided to take a stride upwards to a better fill-in camera that exhibits a true broad view and aesthetically looks pretty darn skilful. I so wired it up to my Scion T10015 bear upon screen caput unit of measurement to make it look every bit OEM as possible. The wiring got a scrap daunting at times, but I took my time and was able to become it all working in the stop. Here'south my installation process of installing a Rydeen MINy (CM-MINy) backup photographic camera to take it brandish on my Scion T10015 head unit.

Parts & Materials

Obviously, you will need both the Scion head unit of measurement and the Rydeen MINy fill-in camera for this installation. You lot'll also need a rear view photographic camera adapter (CAM-TY11), which is substantially a pre-wired connector that plugs into the back of the head unit with various connectors for ability, footing, and a yellow RCA connector.

It's very possible to make this work with a different head unit and/or backup camera, just with this specific setup, in that location are very peculiar details that need to be in place in order for the backup photographic camera to piece of work.  The head unit sends power in a very particular way to cheque for proper connection to a backup camera. Likewise, the backup camera has specific wiring that allows this connexion betwixt head unit and photographic camera to be made.

T10015 Scion Head Unit
Observe on Ebay:T10015 Scion Head Unit

Rydeen MINy Backup Camera
This is the specific backup camera I used, yet my agreement is that there are several other Rydeen (e.thousand. Rydeen Duo) backup cameras that may work.

Find on Amazon.com
Find on Ebay.com

Rear View Photographic camera Adapte r: CAM-TY11
Purchase on Amazon.com

RCA Connection Cord (male person-to-female person)
Buy on Amazon.com

Other Materials
These other items are things that yous will probably need for the installation, even so you may have similar materials or ways of getting around. I've included some notes below and so you tin can determine the need.

  • Flex Record: This will exist used to wrap some wiring during the install to make a waterproof seal. There is a part of this install that may require cutting open a waterproof seal, and this tape will aid re-seal so in that location will be no water intrusion.
    Detect on Amazon.com
  • Electric Record: Yous're going to need quite a scrap of this to wrap up all of the connections to be made.
    Notice on Amazon.com
  • Terminal Connector Plugs: may exist needed for running a new wire betwixt the reverse connector on the caput unit to the reverse wire in the footwell.
    Buy on Amazon.com

How the Rydeen MINy Backup Camera Works

Below is a wiring diagram that I sketched showing how the components claw up to ane another. Keep in listen that the lines below may not represent actual electric connections, just the way the wires from the diverse connectors and plugs connect to one another. Utilize this diagram as more than of a schematic along with the install process below.

It helps to understand how the whole organisation works. I say this because when I was troubleshooting issues during the install, it was difficult to know why something wasn't working even though everything seemed to exist connected properly. Here's a quick summary of how the organisation works:

  • When the fundamental is turned to ignition, +12V accompaniment power runs to the caput unit which powers it on.
  • When the Scion T10015 head unit powers on, it sends +6V power through the CAM-TY11 connector. As you can see below, the power to ground connection powers on the Rydeen camera.
  • Within the showtime five seconds of the caput unit being turned on, it checks for a video signal. If information technology sees the camera, it volition enable the fill-in camera feature. If it does not go a video signal, it volition disable the backup camera feature.
  • Moving forward, whenever the auto is shifted into reverse, the +6V power is sent through the CAM-TY11 connector to power on the backup photographic camera (if the backup photographic camera feature is enabled). If the backup camera was getting its power from the opposite lights (like yous would with some universal fill-in camera kits), and then the head unit would not get the proper signal at start up in order for it the enable the backup photographic camera feature.
rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner diagram

* note that an extra wire needs to exist connected between the #2 (REV) connector on part #90980-12624 and the reverse pin at the footwell. More on this later.

Rydeen MINy Backup Photographic camera Install

I chose the Rydeen MINy fill-in camera because I didn't want to drill any holes. This camera can be installed with a license plate mount. Contrary to other license plate mounted backup cameras which tend to wait bulky or cheesy, this i looks sleek and low-profile.

When y'all remove the wiring from the box, it tin can look like quite the mess. That'south why I institute it helpful to sketch out the wiring and connections to keep my mind straight during the install.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

The MINy camera and mount:

Disconnect the negative concluding of your battery to ensure you don't damage any electrical wiring/components during the install. I would recommend opening the tailgate start before disconnecting the battery since the latch is electronically controlled.

The commencement part of the install is to mount the camera and run all of the wiring. I decided to kickoff off with installing the fill-in camera and getting the wiring through the tailgate and into the cabin.

4runner 4th gen tailgate

After opening the tailgate, you should be able to undo the commodities that is hiding behind the trim piece where the pull handle is. After removal of this bolt, the whole interior tailgate trim tin can be pulled off past hand. Work your manner around the edges of the trim and pry the little trim clips off. After y'all've worked your style around the trim, you tin can slide the tailgate trim towards the hood struts and the unabridged piece will come off.

4runner 4th gen tailgate trim removed

You'll come across this butyl rain-proofing that holds the orange plastic canvas in place. The atmospheric condition proofing gunk tin can become messy so be careful. I normally utilise a razor blade or Xacto knife to slit the butyl ribbon betwixt the plastic sheet and tailgate frame. This plastic sail with butyl along the perimeter can easily be pressed back into place during reinstall.

4th gen 4runner trim removed and plastic removed

Now you'll see something like this. Remove the window motor (via the mounting bolts) and any other things that might go far your way when you run the wiring.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

In that location are several nuts that need to be removed from the inside of the tailgate that hold the trim piece (shown partially removed in below photo), and ii nuts that concur the key lock cylinder in place. Afterwards these basics are removed, the rear trim slice that includes the Toyota emblem tin can be pulled off by mitt.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

The camera itself is attached to the license plate mountain via the ii pocket-size bolts provided.

It takes a scrap of finagling to become the holes lined up, only it will eventually. You can go the bolts screwed all the way through. This should be how information technology looks in information technology's final place minus the license plate.

rydeen miny backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

The wire from the camera needs to exist run through the safety gasket where all of the other electrical wiring runs through. These wires include the ones for the license plate lights and for the rear window motor.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

There was very lilliputian room to stick another wire (with connector) through the hole along with the other wires. So, I poked a new hole through the rubber grommet and ran the wiring through there. In order to ensure information technology was protected from any water intrusion, I made certain the wiring was in its last position and and so filled the gap around the new wire and hole with silicone caulking.

It'south non the prettiest affair to wait at, but the important thing is that information technology's waterproof. After the silicone caulking set, I and so ran the wiring with the skinny black connector through the inner office of the tailgate on the vehicle's left side. The wire needs to be pushed through this corridor in the tailgate upwards towards the tailgate hinge.

To facilitate the motility of the wiring through this office of the tailgate, it helps to use a fish tape or a wire hanger to tape the wiring to, in lodge to guide it through. If you lot are disassembling a wire hanger to use as a fish tape, brand sure that the tip is filed shine so that yous're not poking and causing damage to other electrical wiring during the angling process.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

This ribbed rubber conduit between the tailgate and the body of the car is very hard to become through if y'all want to go along the rubber intact. I agonized trying to get the wiring through and somewhen decided I was going to cutting information technology open so that I could get the wire and connector through. Although the connector is fairly narrow and cylindrical, there was no fashion I was going to become it through this passage without cutting this ribbed rubber department open.

Going with an Xacto knife, I cut a slit through the rubber piece so that I could get the wire through. I figured I could wrap it all back again when I was washed fishing the camera's wire through.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

With the wire run through this section, I covered the wires with the rubber conduit again. Since there is an opening now, I used a waterproof wrap such as Aqua Seal or Flex Record to reseal this set of wires. I used this waterproof seal tape to wrap around the open slit kind of similar wrapping a new grip on a tennis racket. On top of that, I generously wrapped over the waterproof seal with electrical tape so that I could everything sealed upwards nice and tight.

The entire wrapped wire set tin can be put back into the plastic clip and secured. The plastic/condom grommets can exist popped back into place (one on the tailgate, and ane on the body of the car).

Phew! Now accept a beer (or your choice of non-alcoholic beverage). In my opinion, that function was the most frustrating part of doing the backup camera wiring.

Moving on, the blackness connector coming from the Rydeen photographic camera should be connected to the mating connector and and so taped together in order to continue it from pulling apart in the time to come.

Before moving frontward, secure the wires that you lot've run directly to the metal sheeting. I used Gorilla Tape to tape the wires to the tailgate, just you can use annihilation that y'all can be confident volition hold the wires to the sail metal for a very long time. The terminal thing yous want is for you lot to exist rolling down the tailgate window and take it catch, consequently pulling out the wiring that you lot just put in.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

At present, the window motor can be put dorsum, plastic protective sheet with butyl ribbon can be pressed back on, and tailgate trim tin can exist put back on and secured.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

There are iii wires that comes out of the cylindrical black connector (come across wire diagram at acme of post).

1 is a cherry power wire that should be taped off. I wrapped the stop with electrical tape and prepare it aside.

The other is a black wire with a fork connector that needs to be continued to the frame of the car. I found an empty bolt hole and a matching bolt that I was able to make use of to connect the fork connector to the frame. Before bolting the connector the frame, I scratched up the surface of the metal so that in that location was good contact for basis.

Y'all'll now need to run the wiring from the rear of the vehicle to the front end, all the way to the head unit location. This involves laying out the wires behind the interior trim, over the rear wheel well, running along the flooring trim of the vehicle from rear to front, and then upwards and effectually the steering column, finally catastrophe up at the head unit.

I kept the wiring within of the white wire clips (seen higher up) just in case the wire would get snagged when reinstalling the floor trim. Equally you follow this route, yous'll run out of wire and somewhen observe the demand to connect the yellow rca male person terminate to the rca female cease from the CAM-TY11 connector. However, the wire is non long enough.

You will demand to utilise the RCA extension plug to span the gap between the ii RCA connectors. Y'all'll also need to run some wire betwixt the ii red power wires. The ability wire provided by Rydeen appears to exist 20 or 22 gauge wire, but just size up the wire and ensure the wire gauge y'all're using is the same size or larger. I believe I used twenty gauge to be safe. And of class with these connections fabricated, I wrapped them securely with electrical tape.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

Both the extension for the RCA video bespeak and the red power wire should now be brought up past the fuse box and snaked between the steering cavalcade and lower trim console (located in a higher place the foot well). The two wires should be brought out to be connected to the CAM-TY11 connector, which ultimately plugs into the Scion T10015 head unit of measurement.

Accept your time to find the best route that best hides the wires and ensures that they are well protected.

There is also a blackness wire that comes from the CAM-TY11 connector that needs to be grounded. I chose to basis information technology to the rear body of the head unit of measurement using i of the existing case screws on the back side of the head unit of measurement.

There is one more connection that needs to exist made and that is the connection between the opposite wire of your vehicle and the reverse pivot of the caput unit. This will let the head unit to pickup the bespeak that the car has been shifted into contrary.

I used a dark-green-colored wire (again, match up the gauge wire which I believe is a 20 or 22 gauge wire). On one side, I tapped off of the red with yellowish stripe reverse wire in the 16-pin connector that is removed in the below photo.

I cutting the electric tape back on this harness and then I would accept enough room to brand a tap off of the wire. I wrapped the stripped terminate of the new wire around the stripped back department of the ruby with yellowish stripe wire (reverse wire), and so soldered in identify.

After borer off this wire to a new green twenty/22 gauge wire (which will go to the head unit), I securely taped the wires back, and plugged the connector back in.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

Route the dark-green wire along with the other red/black wire that was snaked between the steering column and the lower trim console. The end of this light-green wire needs to take a terminal end crimped on in club to plug into empty position #two in the following connector (plugged into the back of the Scion T10015 head unit of measurement).

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

Every bit an culling to buying the necessary last end, I found another connector plug I had that wasn't being used and pulled out a wire with the terminal terminate attached). I then took this wire with its already crimped last terminate and plugged it into the REV#2 position of the connector. Next, I took the dark-green wire I brought from the footwell, and spliced information technology to this wire going into the REV#2 position of the connector.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

I wrapped this splice up and proceeded to test out everything out. I wanted to check that my reverse view would brandish on the head unit when I shifted into reverse before I get-go putting things dorsum, just in case something didn't work. I reconnected the negative last of the battery, bolted back the head unit of measurement, and reinstalled all of the interior trim.

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

I turned on my car, shifted into reverse, and voila! A clear view of my rear end— the car'south rear finish— the automobile'southward rear view!

rydeen backup camera install 4th gen 4runner on a scion t10015 head unit

Now that I know everything works, I tin now more permanently attach the backup camera mount. The Rydeen photographic camera mountain comes with some very strong 3M double-sided record pre-mounted. This goes behind the license plate for a clean expect. The license plate is and then mounted on top of it.

Here's the terminal backup camera setup on my 4Runner. Perhaps I could do something improve to hide that wire that is showing, only I'm very happy with out how it turned out.

rydeen miny backup camera install 4th gen 4runner

I really love how this Rydeen backup camera and Scion T10015 head unit pairs upwardly. The install was a bit complicated at times, but the seamless operation of the backup camera role makes it all worth information technology. I'1000 still using it to this mean solar day (a year later) and information technology is still working flawlessly.

I recommend this upgrade for anyone who doesn't have a backup camera. Anyone who owns a 4Runner can probably agree with me that although rear view visibility isn't all that bad, zero substitutes a rear view photographic camera for rear visibility.


References
http://ae64.com/Rear-camera-16p-operation.htm