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Clean windscreen in front of camera

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Wando, Feb 6, 2021.

  1. Wando

    Wando Junior Member

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    I have noticed that sometimes the windscreen in front of the “front camera” (i.e. the one used for lowering beams, etc...) gets fogged up and this affects the functionality of the camera for all of the functions that it is used for.
    Air conditioning and the windscreen defroster eventually take care of removing the fogging, however this made me think that, as that area is not sealed it will eventually require cleaning (on the inside).
    Is it possible to temporarily remove the camera plastic casing so that one could clean the inside of the windscreen with a cloth?
     
    #1 Wando, Feb 6, 2021
  2. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    #2 jerrymildred, Feb 7, 2021
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  3. Wando

    Wando Junior Member

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    Thank you. Unfortunately the “instructions” are not very clear.
    I have asked for further information and hopefully the person that did it is still on the forum.

    Cheers
     
    #3 Wando, Feb 7, 2021
  4. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    I have wondered about that too. The pages and pages of instructions and warnings in the owner's manual attest to the fact that this would probably not be a DIY process. Cleaning of the interior glass inside the camera housing would require removal and subsequent recalibration of the camera. I'm just now coming up on 5000 miles and managed the other day to acquire a windshield star near the lower right corner. Darn Arizona roads. The brochure from the Safelite AutoGlass company that repaired my windshield indicates that subsequent to windshield replacement on a vehicle that has one of these Advanced Driver Assistance Systems they will perform a recalibration and warranty it for 12 months. Nothing specific to that system mentioned in the Toyota Maintenance Log.
     
    #4 AzWxGuy, Feb 7, 2021
  5. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I'm working on a video or at least pictures right now. It's easy to do, but it's hard to get a camera on it while doing it and my hands are starting to shake. Break time!
     
    #5 jerrymildred, Feb 7, 2021
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  6. Wando

    Wando Junior Member

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    I could be wrong, but it seems to me that one could remove the casing without disturbing the camera itself which seems contained within such casing, but independent from it.
    Once the casing is off, there should be enough space to clean the windscreen with a cloth.
     
    #6 Wando, Feb 7, 2021
  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    No, the camera has to come out. My wife is doing her PT for her knee replacement now. She said she would hold the camera for me when she's done. There are too many things that take two hands and there's no place to position the camera on a tripod to do it solo. I'll try to be done here in a couple hours.
     
    #7 jerrymildred, Feb 7, 2021
  8. ihatenoise

    ihatenoise Junior Member

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    From the maintenance manual "If the forward recognition camera has been replaced with a new one or the windshield glass has been removed and installed, it is necessary to perform Forward Recognition Camera Learning." so it looks like it's okay to remove the camera without calibrating? I haven't tried it though.

    upload_2021-2-7_12-16-5.png
    upload_2021-2-7_12-16-33.png
     
    #8 ihatenoise, Feb 7, 2021
  9. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    All done. I couldn't find a video online, so I made one. Many thanks to my patient wife who did the camera work where I didn't have enough hands.
     
    #9 jerrymildred, Feb 7, 2021
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  10. Wando

    Wando Junior Member

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    Wow, thank you very much, this is great.
    I must say that it looks a bit unnerving as my previous experience with plastic is that sometimes it just snaps...
    However, you have proved my suspicion that that part of the windscreen WILL need to be cleaned from time to time.
    Thanks again. At some point I will have a go in my car.
     
    #10 Wando, Feb 7, 2021
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  11. Wando

    Wando Junior Member

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    @jerrymildred I assume that’s this operation will not affect the camera calibration?
     
    #11 Wando, Feb 7, 2021
  12. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

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    In the Repair Manual (more info), Toyota writes, “If the forward recognition camera has been replaced with a new one or the windshield glass has been removed and installed, it is necessary to perform Forward Recognition Camera Learning.”

    I assume the inverse is true, too: if neither the camera nor the glass is new, then learning (adjustment) isn’t needed.
     
    #12 Elektroingenieur, Feb 7, 2021
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  13. Wando

    Wando Junior Member

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    I am not fully convinced.
    The operation for changing the glass involves dismounting the camera and putting it back in place, which is exactly what we are doing here.
    Unless their concerns are about using non proprietary glass with different optical characteristics? But this would seem odd.

    Then again, a camera is a camera is a camera. If it was calibrated before I started the operation, then it should still be when I put it back together.
    Micro movements are irrelevant in any camera operation, unless it is mounted over a microscope.
     
    #13 Wando, Feb 8, 2021
  14. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Given that your info doesn't give a location, that's possible. I have no idea how cold it is where you are.

    Not in the least. It works just like before since it went right back in the same place. What surprised me was how loosely it fits in its bracket and how loose the bracket is in its mount.
     
    #14 jerrymildred, Feb 8, 2021
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  15. Wando

    Wando Junior Member

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    Once again, thank you.
    I live in the UK by the way, but I can wait until summer if that helps.
     
    #15 Wando, Feb 8, 2021
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  16. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Awesome! Thank you for creating the video, Jerry.
     
    #16 Mambo Dave, Feb 24, 2021
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