Nightmare Install, Sony XAV-AV100, 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe

Ok. I’m an amateur. Installed my own stereos many, many years ago. Decided to add a “smart” radio with carplay in my 2012 “police package” Tahoe. Used this adapter... Metra Axxess GM LAN Data Bus Interface with Chime Retention for Select Chevrolet Impala and Silverado Vehicles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049MV2IY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gdcQBb643SDAX

And this backup camera ...
eRapta ERT01 2nd Generation Car Rear View Reversing Backup Camera with 149°Perfect View Angle Design 8 LED Lights Night Vision 9 Level Waterproof Universal Car Backing Camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074KZSVD6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_decQBbC6B46RBP

Without going into all the gory details, I spent all day trying to get this to work. Can someone please tell me how to power the camera and get the Sony to automatically go tot the camera in reverse? I don’t think this truck as a reverse “trigger” in its harness. Thanks!

Catch it at the reverse lamp itself. There is a wire in the front of the vehicle. Give me a minute.

Reverse Light      dk. blue      +      BCM left of steering column, white plug, pin 22

I had already buttoned up the rear hatch trim so I connected a lead from the green wire on the left reverse light and ran it back up to the radio once I diiscovwred that this truck apparently doesn’t have a reverse “trigger”. Is it okay to connect both the little red power lead pigtail on the camera’s video wire at the Sony”s rear input and the reverse trigger going to the Sony’s harness input?

Thanks but could u put that in laymen’s terms? :)

Get on the floorboard and look up. Just to the left of the steering column there is a box called the Body Control Module. There are I think 3 plugs looking right at you. I think the colors are brown blue and white.

There are at least 4 plugs on the bcm. white pink brown and black.

Yes, you connect the wire at the BCM to both the radio trigger wire and the wire going to the camera.

Awesome! As part of the nightmare, I was getting super impatient and slightly confused after a long hot day in the garage when I couldn't get the camera to work "correctly" (turn on both when I pressed the "camera" button on the Sony radio AND when shifting into reverse), based on a bad advice video I saw on youtube ("Five Star Audio...connecting reverse camera to Sony XAV-AV100") so I was swapping a wire with the system powered on and I saw a spark. Apparently blowing the radio fuse (under the hood, not on the radio) and screwing up the little Axxess GM data/chime box, which started allowing voltage through to the radio even with the car off :x. I've ordered another one, but in the mean time I'll measure for a reverse voltage trigger on that blue wire you recommended. Is that "better" than just using the wire I ran all the way to the front from the left rear reverse bulb? Lower amperage?

There is s black box to the left of the steering column with 6 or 7 plugs. The white one is near the top. About impossible to reach through all the wires etc. can I not just use the tap off of the rear left reverse light as the trigger? Is the amperage too high?

Ok. So I pulled off the plastic shield under the steering wheel to gain access to the congestion around the bcm. I was able to pull out the white plug. I tapped into the dark blue wire and sure enough it puts out voltage when in reverse. Thanks!

That harness supplies switched voltage after you turn the key off. It turns the radio off when you open the drivers door.

Ok. With ALL DUE RESPECT, what’s your point? I just need the reverse trigger. I’m using the red accessory wire for radio on/off. Everything worked fine with this install, minus the rear camera connection. That’s what gave me headaches!

You said your harness puts out 12 volts on the red wire after the key is off. I was just making sure you knew you had to open the door for the 12 volts to go away.

Right. I appreciate that. The Sony wouldn’t doodie off no matter what, unless disconnection power completely. When powered down, voltage went from 13-ish to 10-ish from the axxis interface after the “spark” incident. I reinstalled the factory radio (which necessitated removing the axxis interface) to verify that it was the axxis that was faulty and not the truck or it’s wiring itself.

If you are waiting on your new harness, there is a retained accessory terminal in the junction box mounted to the firewall inside the truck just left of the brake pedal.

Are you saying I should measure that terminal to verify that there isn’t a fault in the truck’s system? I feel like there isn’t due to the fact that I put the old radio back in and it shuts off after I turn off the truck and open the door. Thanks!

No, I am saying if you are having to wait on the new harness to come in and you want to enjoy your new radio until it comes in, there is a terminal in that junction box that will make your radio come on when you turn the key on and it will allow it to stay on until you open the door. This terminal has nothing to do with your factory radio. The vehicles computer tells it when to come on and go off.

Ahhh. Ok. I appreciate that. Luckily the replacement axxis box arrived and based on your advice everything is working fine!! Thanks again! It would b nice to access the reverse camera when not actually in reverse but it’s not a big deal. Thx again :)

If the radio has provision to view the camera by pressing a button, simply power the camera via the red wire coming from the axxess piece. Leave reverse connected to the radio as it is now.

If the radio does not have such, this can still be achieved via a Single Pole Double Throw On-On rocker or toggle switch.

If I powered the camera the from the red wire I’d have a group of bright white LEDs shining in the face of whomever is following behind me. Not good.

Same switch, wired as follows. Center leg of switch to camera power and the reverse wire of the radio. Reverse wire from bcm to one of the outer legs of the switch. Ignition power to the other outer leg of switch. Camera will only be lit when in reverse or when you flip the switch.

jimbanville wrote:

---

If I powered the camera the from the red wire I’d have a group of bright white LEDs shining in the face of whomever is following behind me. Not good.

---

To avoid this issue, it is always best to run a dedicated wire from the dash to the camera instead of powering the camera by tying to the reverse lamps at the rear of the vehicle.
The dedicated wire leaves you with options like forcing the camera on while not in reverse gear.

I actually turn mine on while I am signaling a turn - it shows vehicles that you may not have seen in your blindspots.

The user interface of the radio is a little confusing. It has a camera icon that you can tap to go to the camera (if the camera has power). Problem is that if I keep power to camera at all times car is running, (a) the eight LEDs will be shining at whoever is behind me at night and (b) the radio wants to go straight to the camera when you start the car and are still in PARK gear. I really only need the camera to make sure nothing is behind me prior to backing. It's a tahoe so there is plenty of room for a child to be standing there and not be seen.

But where’s the logic in the camera icon (switch) on the radio? It’s presumably to turn on the camera when not in reverse but ask said if the camera has power whenever car is on, the radio switches to the camera irregardless of gear positioning. Just trying to figure that out. I get the whole separate switch thing u r suggesting.

Some cameras do not have 8 LEDs. It is OK to power them off ignition and then use the button on the radio if you want to view.

Right. But unless I’m mistaken, it appears that this particular radio goes straight to the camera when u start car if camera is constantly powered. I can’t imagine anyone wanting that.
On a side note I also noticed on this radio that the camera blanks out for a second while backing about 10-11 seconds once u go into reverse. Noticed it on mine and in a couple YouTube videos. This thing takes quite a while to “boot” and start playing source. It seems that the blanking out coincides with the source strating to play.

So my question is...based on the sony’s User interface that is supposed to turn on camera when the car is in reverse and to turn on the camera whenu press the camera icon, how should that work without gains for cobble together some additional switching if the radio goes straight to camera if the camera is powered at all times?

Seems like radio would need a dedicated wire output that sent power out to camera when you pressed the camera icon (switch) In addition to being triggered by the reverse wire thank you

If you power the camera off of ignition, you would still need to use the reverse wire of the deck to tell it to come on, but only when you put it in reverse. If you use a rocker or toggle switch it will come on when you put it in reverse or when you flip the switch to the other position. The only time the camera will be powered is when in reverse, or when you flip the switch. It will not come on as soon as you turn on the key.

Yes, yes. I’m clear on all that extra switch stuff. I’m trying to understand the logic involved in the radio’s own on-screen camera icon (switch). In therory it will display the camera’s view any time the icon/switch is pressed in addition to when the car is in reverse but the problem I’m runnjng in to is that that scenario would ideally only send power to the camera under those two instances....when car is in reverse or when camera icon is pressed. With the camera powered at all times, the radio displays the image as soon as u turn on the car. I don’t thnki thats how it is supposed to work. Seems to me the radio should have both a reverse sensing input, which it does, and a 12v power output to the camera to turn it on only when radio senses that the car is in reverse or when the camera icon is pressed. There shouldn’t b any need for extraneous switches involved.

Car goes in reverse>sends signal to radio>radio sends power to camera to power on>interior display shows camera view. Car goes out of reverse> reverse signal is cut to radio> radio cuts power to camera> interior display goes back to whatever screen it was previously showing.

Driver press camera icon>radio sends power to camera to turn it on>interior display shows cameras view. Driver presses icon a second time>radio cuts power going to camera.>interior display goes back to showing whatever it was previously showing.

The only 2 ways the radio will show the camera display is when there is 12 volts on the radio's reverse wire or when you press the icon. The radio has no way to tell if the camera is powered up. As long as there is not 12 volts on the reverse wire it will not switch to the camera at power up.

Not in my experience. What I was observing with this radio was that if you have a camera that has 12v going to it at all times the car is running, this sony radio will go straight to displaying the image when the car is started, irregardless of gear or pressing the icon. It was like the radio sensed the camera was powered on and putting out a video signal and it automatically switched to it. The only way for me to prove or disprove this would be to yet again, pull off the trim panel and mess around with the wires, which have all been taped up. I may do it sometime in the future.