Backup Camera Activation

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 2 2006, 09:44 PM) [snapback]233992[/snapback]</div>

My non JBL 2005 does not have the middle speaker or a hatch. The dash in that area is monolithic.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(San_Carlos_Jeff @ Apr 3 2006, 12:31 PM) [snapback]234259[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for the info, Jeff! Good reason to include the "dash disassembly" method as well. Bummer for the non-JBL guys. I think EVERY dash should have a hatch like this!



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samoan_ridah @ Apr 3 2006, 12:26 PM) [snapback]234254[/snapback]</div>

Not even close. I can solder like crazy - just as long as somebody with some knowledge tells me what I should be doing first!

 

Before I go on, I just wanted to say to Darrell that I really appreciate all the information on this board as well as on his website. In the past week as a new Prius owner I can say I learned a ton of stuff from you.

With that said, I wonder if there is a way to do a combination of the two methods. I like the simplicity of Darrell's method but I like the button placement used in the original method. Anyone know if there is an easy way to "fish" the wire over to the left side of the car without disassembling the dash (other than to install the button)?

 

Thanks samoan! Usually I just take flak, so it is nice to hear some encouraging words. I gleen lots of info from others and try to organize it all in one place for easy reference. And if you get bored with Prius info, there's lots of EV stuff as well!

Hmm. Good question. To tell the truth, one of the reasons I discovered the speaker method was in trying to find a better place for that switch. I REALLY like having it up there just behind the MFD. NO confusion about what the switch does, and it is plenty easy to get to and unobtrusive. I didn't check to see if there was any daylight through the hole. I'm guessing that with your wire taped to an un-bent coat-hanger, you could likely get it to go where you wanted behind there. I'll bet you could at least get a wire to go straight down, and pull it out behind the bottom console cover ( http://www.darelldd.com/ev/images/prius/12...2v_outlet05.jpg ) then route it around the steering wheel from there. I'll take a look next time I'm in there. If you beat me to it, take pictures, and I'll add them to the page.

 

Thank you Darell, I will see if I have the guts to try it out. You gave me a great idea to just drop it down and maybe even put the button down the middle. If I do I will definitely take some shots and share them with you.

 

My daughter is now endlessly entertained by watching the road fly backwards on the screen. Somebody just pulled WAY close to me - enough to make me uncomfortable. I looked on the monitor, and the guy looked like he was 10' back, and I could easily read his license plate, and count the bugs stuck in the grille.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 4 2006, 01:17 PM) [snapback]234877[/snapback]</div>

I would imagine my 7y/o would get a kick out of this feature just as much as I will. It is going to be nice to get a good look at the idiots tailgating you on the road though. Very cool...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(keydiver @ Apr 4 2006, 12:25 PM) [snapback]234844[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for the heads up. I will definitely give this a try.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samoan_ridah @ Apr 4 2006, 02:20 PM) [snapback]234907[/snapback]</div>

I'll warn you that to get a good look at anything back there, it has to be no more than a few feet off the bumper! That lens angle is so wide that you can actaully partially see two numbers on your OWN license plate! Take a look! Fun, yes. But certainly not practical to identify anything following at any sort of distance.... but I'll bet your kid will love it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 4 2006, 01:17 PM) [snapback]234877[/snapback]</div>

Now all you need is an attachment so you can take a picture if they're too close. They can't say it wasn't them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(keydiver @ Apr 4 2006, 09:25 PM) [snapback]234844[/snapback]</div>

That's true! Is very easy to remove.I need 5 minutes to remove MFD.There is even no need to unscrew 2 bolts of dash below steering wheel.Just begin from the left of the dash and remove a little bit the dash above the steering wheel to access the center cluster...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vlenac @ Apr 5 2006, 01:24 PM) [snapback]235441[/snapback]</div>

OK, hold the presses. five minutes to remove the MFD? You're saying to pull back a bit of the upper dasy to get to the left vents that cover the MFD screw? I can pull the right vent off without anything else being removed - the trouble is pulling that left one off. And both vents have to be off to remove the MFD, right? I may have to re-document the whole thing!

 

Woohoo! I actually did it and everything turned out great! The only thing that could have gone better was that the button I bought is a push type and apparently I have to hold it down in order for it to turn on. I will check tomorrow if I can get another button of the same size to put in.

I used Darell's method of going through the speaker but used a coat hanger to feed the cable over to the side. Using one of the three empty spots I put in a nice round button that looks so perfect I hate to ruin it.

Since I am not a professional with the soldering iron, I did all of the soldering outside of the car using 3" pieces of extra wiring and then used butt connectors to finish everything off. Piece of cake not having to work in the cramped car. The only two things I had to disassemble from the car were the middle speaker and the left side vent. Since both only use clips it was so easy!

Thanks to Darell and the OP for such great instructions!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 5 2006, 10:59 PM) [snapback]235457[/snapback]</div>

Yes. The right vent is easier to remove of the left vent because the left has an side extension that goes below the left upper panel. So,begin to remove from the extreme left vent panel,then remove dash behind steering wheel, and you are able to access the left MFD panel.There is no need to remove completly the panels behind the steering wheel, but be careful not to scratch or deform them...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vlenac @ Apr 6 2006, 08:12 AM) [snapback]235810[/snapback]</div>

OK, so remove extreme left vent, which lets you loosen the panel above wheel enough to remove the vent to left of MFD. Take out the vent to right of MFD, and you've got access to the MFD screws. Cool. I'll give it a try and see if I can get additional pictures. Thanks much


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samoan_ridah @ Apr 5 2006, 11:51 PM) [snapback]235743[/snapback]</div>

Awesome! Our first confirmed <strike>victim</strike> customer! It is smart to do as much of the soldering outside the car as possible. I used connectors on those items that allow me to remove any dash pieces later without cutting wires. Yes, a toggle is the better way to go for any viewing longer than a couple of seconds!

 

Here was a shot of the speaker removed and the coat hanger feeding the wire through.




And here is a shot of the left vent removed and the wire coming through.




And here is the final installation of the button. It looks so purrty but too bad it's the wrong type.

 

Great work!

You should have NO problem swapping out the switch. Just get a toggle that's big enough to cover the whole, or spend a few bucks for an extra blanking plate and start over with a small toggle.

 

Man, my wife is going to kill you guys. I'm an electrical engineer, but wife is encouraging me to not do anything to the wiring of the car. I'm already working on a few circuits in the back of my head (I think I can remove the MFD beep, based on work by two other PCers)

Too bad I got the extended Warranty...

I think I can convince her to let me make mods, but it'll be tough. Anyone want to be my guinea pig?

 

I tried this today on my 2006 package 7 and now the MFD and most of the dashboard display lights won't turn on. The car starts and goes, but there are no indicator lights working. Even the Power button doesn't light. Help!!!

 

OK, I fixed the problem--somehow I blew 2 fuses during the install. i replaced both and everything's working fine. The button works like a charm. Now if anyone has instructions to connect video (e.g. DVD) to the backup camera feed...