Reverse Lamp Wire near dash

I am installing an aftermarket backup camera and video head unit on my 2005. I would like to wire it with a switch so it turns on with the backup lights or anytime with a switch at the dash. I'm an EE and know how to connect this up with diodes.

I'd like to access the backup lamp wires near the drivers seat so I'm not running wires back and forth the length of the truck. Can anyone tell me the wire color and where I should be able to find it?

 

Is your truck equipped with factory tow package?
If so, male plug for trailer harness is located in driver side kick panel.
You'll be able to use your multi meter or computer safe test probe to test for reverse signal.
Good luck.

 

I don't think the harness carries that, unfortunately.

 

Don't have tow package anyways...just an aftermarket hitch and 4 pin T adaptor for trailer wiring.

 

I was wrong sorry OP

 

Unconfirmed, but worth a look:

 

Good info. That gives me a wire to start testing first. The quoted text was confusing. It sounds like the backup camera input could be manually selected at any time with the mentioned Pioneer unit. I've ordered a Pioneer AVH-X2700BS unit. I'll have to see if that works on mine before I try what I thought I had to do with diodes.

Can anyone recommend the best place to splice into accessory 12V if I wanted to power the camera all the time instead of only when the backup lights are in?

 

Hello I want to install a backup camera on my truck that has a AVH-270bt and I want to know if I just connect the red wire (from the camera) to that red and white wire to activate it on reverse.

 

There's a wire going to the head unit that connects to that red and white wire in addition to the camera red wire. That's wire tells the head unit when the truck is in reverse. I believe it was purple on my AVH-2700BS that I just installed. I spliced the three wires together at the spot in the above picture.

Just a heads up, I had a hard time getting the RCA video plug through the grommet under the drivers seat. Pushing the plug through wasn't working. I ended up fishing a loop of video cable through and pulling the plug through with its own cable. I was afraid that would damage the cable but I was beyond fed up. It's working ok for now.

 

I am installing a camera as well, I will admitt wiring scares the hell outta me. But this seems some what simple. Any and all info is greatly appreciated. Here are a few pics of what I'm working with.
My camera has the red and black which are my power and negative, rca, and a button to switch the view.
My question is do I connect the red an black to the stereo positive and negative, then run a wire from my stereo reverse gear signal to the trucks back up lights (red/white)

 

Connect the black wire to a ground near the camera. I used a screw behind the drivers side taillight. Don't run a ground wire up to the stereo, that's asking for electrical noise problems.

I connected the red camera wire to the red/white reverse wire shown in the picture above. That way it's only powered when in reverse. Current draw of the camera is negligible compared to incandescent reverse lights so added current draw to that circuit shouldn't be a problem. You could hook it up to accessory 12v, but I didn't think it was necessary to have the camera powered on when not in reverse.

Also, connect your stereo reverse wire to red/white as you said.

 

So it sounds like you connected the red camera wire and the stereo reverse wire to the same red/white wire as shown in the picture?

 

Yes, I spliced the three wires (red,red/white, and purple) together near the connector shown in the picture. My camera didn't come with a long red wire so I had to extend it.

Another option it to splice the camera in near the taillight and the stereo in where the picture shows. That way you don't have to run a power wire the length of the truck. I chose to only splice into the harness in one spot. You have to run the video cable anyways so one wire didn't seem to be a big deal to run with the video cable.

 

use IGN2 fuse spot behind the little tray on the left. should be open, Use one of these to wire it and it'll get signal with the keys

 

Worked perfect. Thank you very much

 

Just finished installing a RVC in a friend’s truck... very thankful for this info.

By the way, if you remove that connector and start the truck, you might get odd readings on your fuel gauge for a bit. His was pegged at zero and the low fuel light was on even though he had a quarter tank. I thought for sure we knocked something off up at the cluster when fishing wires up to the head unit. After a bit, the gauge went up and the light turned off... had me sweating there for a bit.

 

That's interesting.....

Over the last few months my gas gauge has done that a few times.

 

Did you disconnect that connector when you tapped the reverse wire? If so, you might want to pull the panel and verify it’s fully seated and locked. I don’t know for certain the fuel level sender runs through there, but it is the same bundle that goes towards the back of the truck.

 

Bumping this thread because I needed this exact info, and found it to be correct.

 

This made my camera install easy. Thanks for the pictures. Only difference in my 2011 was that the wire was solid red instead of red with white stripe. Location was the same in the plug though.