Hi everyone, 

I am fitting an aftermarket reversing camera to my 2018 Fiesta Titanium. 

The camera is integrated with the boot release handle, I have connected the camera live and earth and double checked the connections and that I am getting the correct voltage. 

I have run the video feed from the back of the car to the front and fitted the extra loom that fits the APIM and plugged the video feed in. 

I have connected one end of backup detection wire to reversing light bulb cable and checked the voltage. 

I have used Forscan to program the system to use the camera and I get the screen to switch to the reverse camera but with no image. 

The problem I have is the wire that comes from the reverse light that has 12volts on it has to go into the correct connection on the loom on the APIM to trigger the camera to work. 

The answer I am looking for is what colour wire or pin number is the back detection on the APIM module?

Sorry for the long message but I have been searching online for hours and found nothing conclusive, I am not going to just put 12volts where it's not supposed to be and blow something, any help would be much appreciated. 

Thanks in advance. 

13 minutes ago, Martyn62 said:

The problem I have is the wire that comes from the reverse light that has 12volts on it has to go into the correct connection on the loom on the APIM to trigger the camera to work. 

No need to connect any wire to the APIM to tell it that the car is in reverse, it automatically knows. If you have correctly made the changes using FORScan then when you place the vehicle in reverse the screen will switch to the camera.

If this an after market camera then I'm guessing it has a single red wire which they possibly say is for power. It's not needed. Your camera should just have two power wires connected, an earth and a wire connected to the reverse light circuit. Make sure that you are connected to the reverse light wire that is live when the vehicle is in reverse. The only other connection needed is the video signal that you run through to the APIM. I assume you have fitted the piggy-back harness that has the RCA video plug for the camera video signal.

Hi Unofix, thank you for your reply. 

Yes you are correct about the harness and RCA plug.

So should I disconnect the 12v supply to the camera, leaving the earth connected, and leave the 12v supply from the reversing light connected? 

Sorry but the instructions that came with the kit are very vague. 

9 hours ago, Martyn62 said:

should I disconnect the 12v supply to the camera, leaving the earth connected, and leave the 12v supply from the reversing light connected? 

That would be my recommendation.

Do you have a photo of the camera wiring?

Hi Unofix, thank you for you help, 

I have attached a picture of the of the camera I have downloaded from the Internet and a picture of the fitting instructions. 

I think it makes more sense to put the the 12volt supply to the reverse light instead of a switched live and not to connect the red wire that is on the phono plug lead. 

What do you think? 

Thanks. 

The two small red wires that are with the video lead are not used.

• The camera supply is from the red plug. Connect the black wire to a good earth point (The rear wiper motor will have an earth wire fitted).
• Connect the red wire to the positive of the vehicle reverse light.

The red wire of the RCA cable is only needed for an (aftermarket) audio system that requires a reverse signal to switch to the camera image. You do not need this on SYNC 3.


You can use the 12 Volt power of the reverse light to power the camera. This however has a major disadvantage. The SYNC 3 system has a delayed switch-off function of the reverse camera. When using the 12 Volt power of the reverse light the camera switches off immediately when the transmission is taken out of reverse gear. This means that the camera image disappears (black screen) while the camera view on SYNC 3 is still active.

This can be prevented by using an ignition switched 12 Volt power to power the camera. Most Ford models have a 12 Volt ignition switched signal on the rear wiper motor. It is quite easy to use this 12 Volt ignition switched signal to power the reverse camera.

4 minutes ago, JW1982 said:

This means that the camera image disappears (black screen) while the camera view on SYNC 3 is still active.

The 'black' screen can simply be avoided by using the Sync3 menu option and selecting camera delay 'Off'

 

That is also a possibility.

However, I personally like to have the aftermarket camera work just like the original one. On a system that supports the camera delay I like to have it working as intended.

It is also much easier to use the 12 Volt ignition switched signal of the rear wiper motor. The rear wiper motor is close to the reverse camera and there is no need to run any 12 Volt wiring though the rubber boot

Thank you Unifix, and JW1982 👍

I will have another look and let you know how it goes. 

Many thanks for your input. 

Right, I have moved the power supply to the reversing light supply, this has a 12volt supply, and earthed the camera on the wiper mounting bolt. 

The extra wires in the phono plug lead are no longer connected. 

I have used Forscan again to make sure the camera is enabled.

Turn of the camera delay on the screen. 

I am still not getting anything on my display apart from it going black when I put it in reverse, then a message saying "camera not detected". 

Pulling my hair out now, I am beginning to think that the camera may be faulty now. 

Have you any ideas that I haven't tried yet? 

1 hour ago, Martyn62 said:

, I am beginning to think that the camera may be faulty now. 

That is a possibility.

Did you check the BCM to see if there were any settings for the parking sensors and camera ?

Personally I've never liked the 54 pin piggy-back lead used to connect in to the APIM as I'm never sure they get the connections right.

You can just get the RCA socket with the pins fitted and install it directly in to the original factory fitted connector. Then at least you know what you have.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175408931039

Yes, the camera settings are enabled but as there are no parking sensors they are not enabled as there is no module for them. 

33 minutes ago, Martyn62 said:

the camera settings are enabled

It is possible that the video signal and ground have been crossed in the APIM piggy-back lead. Check pins 14 and 15

I will check that and possibly get the loom part.

14 and 15 are the screened cable and the feed from the camera, but which one is which? 

Only problem I have is that I am working all week now and won't have the time to look at it until next weekend. 

I will let you know the out come when I get to look at it, if that's OK with you. 

I really appreciate your help with this. 

Thanks👍

BTW, ATD is who I bought the kit from

Just a quick update,

Problem solved, got onto the supplier of the camera and they told me to cut a little white jump lead on the camera. 

No mention of this in the instructions, I did wonder what it was for, they said cutting this wire will make the camera work with the Sync3 system! 

So all working great now, but did have to turn off the camera delay aswell. 

Thank you for all your help 👍

1 minute ago, Martyn62 said:

So all working great now, but did have to turn off the camera delay aswell. 

Good to know it's working now.

If you want, and if you can be bothered you can get the camera delay working by changing the position of the camera power lead from the reverse lights, and connect it instead to the rear wiper 'self park' ignition live wire.

I have tried wiring it into the wiper supply but it only has one power on one wire when the ignition is on at the plug and when you connect the plug to the motor the supply dissappears, the camera only worked when the wiper was turned on 🤷🤷 very weird.

I have wired the supply and earth into the reversing light now. 

It works fine as it is so I'm going to leave things as they are now. 

Thanks 

Should you change your mind, here is the wiring schematic of your rear wiper motor and the connections.

Thanks 👍