"REVERSE CAMERA NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE"

[M4PDY]

Hi everyone,

I am beginning to loose patience with my reverse camera. It is coming up with "REVERSE CAMERA NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE"

I have checked:

the rear parking sensors all clicking
connections to the camera
fuse
cables from rear to front

I am hoping to buy a VCDS in the the next week but i dont currently have any fault codes as the garage did a scan when it was in for a service.

anyone ad a similar issue?

help please

 

[Pauly]

A fault scan would be the first port of call
Lots of generic scanners only scan for engine fault codes so its poss there is an error stored not yet seen ?

Is it factory fit or aftermarket ?
Has it ever worked ?
Does it ever work or is it permanently on the blink ?

 

[M4PDY]

Hi,

It is a factory fit camera and head unit, the van has almost every optional extra. It did work apparently but stopped working before the Poptop was fitted so it’s not that. Only thing I can think of is the previous guy fitted some sound deadening I am wondering if he removed the earth lead for the camera loom. Does someone know where that is located?

Cheers

 

[EAN]

If you disconnect the 3pin camera connector in the tailgate then you can do a continuity check between the brown or black wire in the camera loom to the body to confirm if there is an earth.
You can also then check you have +12v between the red wire and the black or brown wire when the ignition is on and that you have +12V between the yellow wire and the black or brown wire when reverse gear is engaged. That will confirm if you are getting all the correct feeds to the camera.

 

[M4PDY]

If you disconnect the 3pin camera connector in the tailgate then you can do a continuity check between the brown or black wire in the camera loom to the body to confirm if there is an earth.
You can also then check you have +12v between the red wire and the black or brown wire when the ignition is on and that you have +12V between the yellow wire and the black or brown wire when reverse gear is engaged. That will confirm if you are getting all the correct feeds to the camera.

Mint, thanks I didn’t think of that. I’ll do that now and report back.

Thanks for the help

 

[M4PDY]

If you disconnect the 3pin camera connector in the tailgate then you can do a continuity check between the brown or black wire in the camera loom to the body to confirm if there is an earth.
You can also then check you have +12v between the red wire and the black or brown wire when the ignition is on and that you have +12V between the yellow wire and the black or brown wire when reverse gear is engaged. That will confirm if you are getting all the correct feeds to the camera.

Hi,

i have just checked, i have continuity to ground on the brown pin and constand 12v on the red and 12v on the yellow with ignition on and in reverse.

What else can i check?

cheers

 

[EAN]

@M4PDY That proves that all the camera control signals are present and doing what they should which is good.
As the head unit is telling you the camera isn’t available the fault is either with the video coax cable or the camera itself.
My understanding is the head unit is looking for a video feed and displays the message when it doesn’t get one. I got the same message when my camera wasn’t feeding the video through due to having a 12V supply fault but that isn’t your issue.
I think the video is NTSC, but probably best to get that confirmed.
Further testing depends upon what you’ve got available. If you’ve got a spare monitor that accepts the correct video format you could try disconnecting the Fakra connector at the tailgate and feed the camera video into that, whilst it is powered and reverse is selected, to determine whether the camera itself is working or if the coax cable running through the van to the head unit is damaged.
Or you could buy a cheap camera of the correct video format and rig something up to temporarily replace the OEM camera to prove it’s the camera itself before spending out good money on an OEM replacement.

 

[Bigsidavies]

I had this after fitting cables and carpeting and stuff when the pop top was fitted.
There's a connection in the coaxial cable in the roof lining roughly in the centre of the van roof a few inches forward of the tailgate. I waggled that and it started working. Unplugged and plugged it back together a few times and it's been fine for 4 years.

 

[Pauly]

Its worth noting the camera only works if the tailgate is shut

As above theres as join in the centre of the roof at the rear and theres also a join under the drivers seat that would be worth checking

 

[M4PDY]

@M4PDY That proves that all the camera control signals are present and doing what they should which is good.
As the head unit is telling you the camera isn’t available the fault is either with the video coax cable or the camera itself.
My understanding is the head unit is looking for a video feed and displays the message when it doesn’t get one. I got the same message when my camera wasn’t feeding the video through due to having a 12V supply fault but that isn’t your issue.
I think the video is NTSC, but probably best to get that confirmed.
Further testing depends upon what you’ve got available. If you’ve got a spare monitor that accepts the correct video format you could try disconnecting the Fakra connector at the tailgate and feed the camera video into that, whilst it is powered and reverse is selected, to determine whether the camera itself is working or if the coax cable running through the van to the head unit is damaged.
Or you could buy a cheap camera of the correct video format and rig something up to temporarily replace the OEM camera to prove it’s the camera itself before spending out good money on an OEM replacement.

Great idea. Thank you again. I hope it’s not the coax cable.

That’s one thing I haven’t checked is the back of the head unit. Does it plug in directly to the back of the head unit or is there a cable?

 

[EAN]

Great idea. Thank you again. I hope it’s not the coax cable.

That’s one thing I haven’t checked is the back of the head unit. Does it plug in directly to the back of the head unit or is there a cable?

I’ve never had a look myself so I can only go by reading on this forum. I believe the OEM cable goes into two pins of a blue quadlock connector at the rear of the head unit. @Pauly can you confirm or correct me for @M4PDY please.

 

[Pauly]

Yes thats correct, pins 6 and 12 on the little blue connector in the quadlock

 

[Mick]

I have the same issue on my Weinsberg. At this chat. Reversing camera 6.1 failure

I’ll close the other chat down and move it to here.

 

[drinfinity]

When I had this fault was the purple connection under the drivers seat. In that case, it was swarf from the poptop install.

 

[Mick]

When I had this fault was the purple connection under the drivers seat. In that case, it was swarf from the poptop install.

View attachment 281489

I have a had quick look and cannot see a connector similar to that. But there is a white ducted channel that looks like the converters have put in. I think I’ll chance my arm at my local dealer and see if they’l look at it.

 

[Mick]

Mine just randomly started working again.

 

[RobinHill]

I currently have a 2023 VW Caddy Maxi Life and for the first year or so occasionally got the same reversing camera error, but oddly not occurred now for a good few months.