Installing rear view camera (rear window) - 2011 Fiesta Zetec

[ChrizK]

Hi,  I have attempted to install a Road Angel Halo View camera, starting with the most difficult part, the rear camera.

The instructions are pitiful, but considering most cars are different, it is perhaps understandable.

Forgive me, I am not car literate and so my terminology will be off.

I opened the boot and pulled away the ceiling cloth below the tube which I assumed contained the wiring leading to the top break light and elements in the rear window.  Fine, I can get the wiring from the cabin 'toward' the window ... but ... if I feed the wiring into the tube, how on earth do I retrieve the other end so that I can connect the camera?  I removed the screws on the left and right side that held the top most trim sections, and popped out the clips ..that doesn't expose anything.  The metal surround of the window is tight, so I concluded I would have to trail the cable part way from one side of the tail gate/hatch ... but how on earth would I get it from the tube to the (left hand) side?  Noticing a couple of black covers over some bolts, I started to think I would have to somehow remove the whole internal section of metal, so I them removed the large section of trim covering the rear wiper mechanism.  I looked at this in dismay as surely I wouldn't have to take the whole lot apart.  I then had the idea that maybe I could remove the spoiler(?) that houses the top rear brake light, so that I could reach down into the void and feed the cable that way.  I removed the two bolts (actually screws with bolt heads), and the four torx screws either side.  I successfully lifted the spoiler (attached by wiring), but this gave me no access to the main frame whatsoever.

I have tried google and youtube but can't find anybody giving instruction on how to fit a rear camera to the back window.  I am starting to think it is impossible without dismantling every internal component of the tail/gate (wiper and all).  Even then, I am not convinced I will get access.

Is it possible?  Can someone either give me instructions or perhaps provide a link to someone actually doing this?

Many thanks

[Jonro2009]

Have you tried removing the high level brake light from the outside to see where the wires go?

[agraham]

Looks almost impossible to me. I wonder how they install the wiring loom at the factory - it must be done after painting the tailgate.

[Cragrat]

Hi I took all of the internal plastic trim off the left hand side of the hatch and around the lock / wiper area. Then used a very flexible thin metal rod, in my case it was a welding rod. I fed it through starting at the point where the rubber convoluted attaches to the hatch. Pre bending it to go around the corner. Lots of wiggling around and it finally appeared at a hole where using long nose pliers pulled it through. I had tied string to the other end. Once I had the string through I did the same again for the final section into the hatch lock area. once I had the string all the way though I tied the cable to the end and pulled that through with the string. Good luck

[Neb_engineer]

It's a very fiddly job, having done it to two fiestas more than twice (I digress) I found a piece of fencing wire to use as a fishing line to get the cable through works the best. Be prepared for lots of exclamation of expletives while doing it

[Jonro2009]

I did a similar install on a Corsa, it has the same type of trim around the rear screen and no access to wires either. I cheated a little as I have a borescope so used that. 

My only advice is to start at the numberplate end, the tailgate will be open so gravity will be on your side. 

In the picture though you seemed to indicate that you intend to put the camera up by the high level brake light, is that correct? If it is then my original suggestion still stands, remove the brake light from the outside and go in that way. 

[ChrizK]

On 11/20/2022 at 8:35 PM, Jonro2009 said:

 I cheated a little as I have a borescope so used that. 

Interesting thought ... I have one which is cheap and nasty, but I suspect the end (camera) is too long/inflexible.

Yes, the intention is to mount at the top.  Not quite following you regarding going in from the brake light (other than I get the point about gravity), as I attempted that and there is no access to the main body/cable tubing 😞

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

[ChrizK]

On 11/20/2022 at 7:20 PM, Cragrat said:

Then used a very flexible thin metal rod

Thank you for the suggestion.  I had started to think along these lines but hoped I was missing a trick ...damn 🙂

I wonder what I can find that is rigid enough to push but flexible enough to bend and find its way ... hmmmm

[ChrizK]

On 11/20/2022 at 7:39 PM, Neb_engineer said:

Be prepared for lots of exclamation of expletives while doing it

You must have seen me working on tricky projects ... will have to wait til the missus is out again, so she won't get embarrassed with my language in front of the house.

(she would have had kittens seeing me dismantling the car last weekend)

Thanks for the reply 🙂

 

[Jonro2009]

18 minutes ago, ChrizK said:

Interesting thought ... I have one which is cheap and nasty, but I suspect the end (camera) is too long/inflexible.

Yes, the intention is to mount at the top.  Not quite following you regarding going in from the brake light (other than I get the point about gravity), as I attempted that and there is no access to the main body/cable tubing 😞

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

If you remove the high level brake light where do the wires go that power the light?

[ChrizK]

6 hours ago, Jonro2009 said:

If you remove the high level brake light where do the wires go that power the light?

(I am confused how to reply directly ...having to choose 'Quote' and then reply)

I was trying to illustrate the 'solid' frame in the first picture.  If I remove the spoiler and expose the wire, the wiring goes from the break light through a rubber seal into the main frame.  I cannot see into the frame to see the top of the tube.  Hope that makes sense.

[Jonro2009]

2 minutes ago, ChrizK said:

(I am confused how to reply directly ...having to choose 'Quote' and then reply)

I was trying to illustrate the 'solid' frame in the first picture.  If I remove the spoiler and expose the wire, the wiring goes from the break light through a rubber seal into the main frame.  I cannot see into the frame to see the top of the tube.  Hope that makes sense.

You're doing the reply correctly if you want to include the text you're replying to. If you just want to reply to a person then type the '@' symbol and then the username, the forum then displays the persons avatar (profile pic if you like) and you tap that and you're good to go. Like this....

 

@ChrizK hope that makes sense. 

 

I understand what you are saying about the wires disappearing into the main frame and not being visible, that's annoying. Taking the wires to the top of the car is probably the more tricky way to go, you may be best trying to install the camera down near the number plate. 

If you remove the high level brake light and the rubber channel that goes from the tailgate to the roof of the car, can you see the wires in the channel? If you can see that they do go from the brake light then through that channel you might be able to chase them up through the frame blindly. 

[ChrizK]

Thought I would finish this question off with a couple of photos to show the final solution.  You will see the hole I fished out the cable and looped back in to where it was finally poked through a small gap leading to the window.  I stripped an old length of aerial cable (which was still too thick, and should have gone down to the wire).  I then tied some string and pulled through.  When it came to pulling through the dashcam cable, it found the end to be too thick.  Even switching to some old washing line it was impossible to pull through the tube as there are too many wires running through it.  You will see I had to get a phillips screwdriver to push through and tape onto the end before pulling the cable through (which worked quite nicely, although this ended up being the most challenging, causing the air to turn blue).  Although I had followed the (awful generic) Road Angel instructions and watched a few youtubes, when I actually got to mount the camera, I found the HALO VIEW rear camera is meant to be mounted outside!!! It has very little adjustment, simply being on a hinge.  It is completely unsuitable being at the top of the window, and eventually I placed where @Jonro2009 suggested 😅 However, I was happy enough routing the cable where shown.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed (at the moment, madam hates the Halo View, but that is another story ...don't get me started on the Nextbase hardware kit ...)

[Jonro2009]

Thanks for the update, they don't make things easy do they lol. Any pictures of the final install? Glad you stuck with it 👍