Rear View Camera

Raneyboo,
There is a lot of ways to put in a backup camera that will determine the cost. And I'm sure the price will be different based on what shop does the work. Ebay has the Rostra kits for around $250. They use an LCD display in the rearview
mirror to display the picture. It is possible to get the image to display on the radio display, but I don't know how much a kit would be to do that. It should be cheaper since you wouldn't need the LCD display mirror. Your best bet would be to find a reliable car accessory shop in your area and ask them.

 

PM'd you

 

Raneyboo,

Same here. I am trying to find the way to put backup camera on the Prius Two. Dealer quoted $599 and I am pretty sure it could be done and others already done it before. But I am not that handy around the car and would prefer it was done professionally.

If you done it, let me know the detail and I will do the same. Thanks

 

1. Do I understand correctly that you can't hook an in-dash backup camera to a 2013 Prius Two without a new head unit?
2. If that is so what is the least expensive route to go? I have a smart phone so I don't necessarily need a map (although that would look nice) I am more concerned with making it look built-in and not off color or not flush with the rest of the dash. I will have to have this done as I am physically unable to do this level of maintenance.
3. Also how do people get a display for forward facing cameras?

I know, lots of questions, but I don't know where else to get the answers.

 

Check out this ebay link, look at the install pictures, looks like they sell a camera that plugs directly into the back. Says it fits 2012-2013 priuses with factory LCD audio screen. Not sure about 2014.



If you aren't comfortable with running the wire, i would just get any local audio shop to do it.

 

James4455,
You can hookup a backup camera to a stock head unit and have it display the image from the camera. I assume you have a prius 2 with the non-nav touch screen radio.
The stock prius already has the camera wires running from the head unit to a connector near the rear dome light.
There is a sticky thread at the top of this forum called "adding backup camera to 2012 non-nav prius 2 with touch screen" that shows how to connect a camera up to those wires.
But since you can't do the work yourself, you are limited as to what an installed is willing to do. Most installers
will only install kits. So they will run new wires from the rear hatch to the head unit (assuming they have a kit to do that). Some kits are designed to display the backup image in a LCD picture in the rear view mirror and not on the head unit. I'm sure there are some installers out there that could tap into the existing wiring, but they may be hard to find.
Then there is the challenge of finding a reliable installer near you.
I have never seen a forward facing camera display ! Are they legal ? In most states, you are not allowed to have
a display active when you are moving forward.

 

James4455,

Thanks, your information is helpful. It seems like the stock Prius already has the camera wires running from the head unit to the connector near the rear dome light. Camera kits is easy, I could find in a lot of place but a reliable installer is hard to come by.

 

I should add one more item. The stock prius camera is 6.5 volts. Nearly all of the cameras are 12V and nearly all of those are really 3.3V cameras with a 12V to 3.3V regulator. So you need to tap into a separate 12V supply to come up
with a 6.5V to 3.3V converter. The above mentioned sticky thread tells how to handle that.

 

i have posted a write up a while back heres the link, 2012+ package II back up camera, group buy, gauging interest ( i am not a vender) | PriusChat when i was helping a buddy do the install

i have worked with beatsonic (made in japan harness) to package a camera deal for $115 shipped for the lower 48 states PM me if you are interested

hope this helps

Hello Chang50012 i wont trust that source too much. i pulled several package II prius and the input harness lacks the pins for factory camera input

Hi James 4455
1. you may hookup a bakup camera to any 2012-2014 package II prius w/ factory entune stereo.
2. ebay, or i can sell you one. since I am helping buddy who runs a fleet of prius II to install backup cameras to all of them & i have made a deal with beatsonic to give me a bulk price of $115 each and i can sell several of them. i went with Beatsonic harness vs the ebay one, i believe the beatsonic harness was high quality after comparing them side by side
3. there are dash cams you can buy. if you may search mini dvr dash cam on ebay and you will find many options to pick from. it was very useful as someone locally tried to suicide ( jumping out to the street) infront of me and i caught in on my dash cam. Imagine if it cuased an accident i don't need to explain it to my insurance company

 

06d,

Wow, Thanks. I am not near Nor Cal, Do you know any installer at Portland OR?

BTW, Love the front facing drive cam too.

 

Thanks everyone for the information. I have scheduled Best Buy to do the installation on April 7 for $175 including parts.

 

James4455,
Is the image going to be displayed on the HU or the rear view mirror ?

 

if you have a 2012 or new prius it will display on the HU

 

I'm new to Prius Chat and have a couple questions regarding rear camera.
Prius II (2005) - can you go to a salvage yard and get a rear camera and install it without routing new wiring?

If so will the dash board display show the camera image without reprogramming the electronics?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Scuba Prius

 

Roger,
Prius chat never ceases to amaze me. There was a thread that went over all the options for the Gen 2 Prius :
2G Prius (2004-2009) Standard and Optional Equipment (Some Countries) | PriusChat
Anyway, it looks like 2006 is the first year you could get a rear view camera. Also they used a higher res display for those that had the camera. Given that, it doesn't look good for just being to plug in a camera and have it work. But then again I could be wrong.
Below is a link with someone who put a camera in a 2005 Prius. They used a mirror display.
2005 Prius Backup Camera Install help | PriusChat

 

How did the installation go at Best Buy? Did you purchase the camera from them too?

 

Yes, I purchased the camera from BestBuy. It was installed but the installer didn't know how to hook it up to the correct voltage. So now I have the parts in the proper place but nothing works. Everyone is afraid of working on the Prius because of the horror stories about expensive mistakes. Short of moving to a larger city with knowledgeable installers or trading the Prius, I am stuck with using the rear view mirror. No, I'm not happy.

 

James4455,
Do you know anyone that works on cars ? It would be interesting to see if you changed the camera power
line from the backup lights to the rear windshield wiper motor if the HU starts displaying the picture.

 

in theary it will work but all you will be looking at is the rear floor while you car is on ( since the motor is power with your ignition). with the factory system being overridden with that idea, the system will believe your on the reverse gear all the time and cannot be defeated.