School me on the Rear, Left & Right Cameras

[CheckSix]

After the sway bar install, I drove home in the dark for the first time. I noticed when I turned the headlights on, the camera monitor switched from rear view, to left view. Then, when I turn right with the blinker, the rear view shows up but it blinks the monitor display, in unison with the blinker. The right camera does not work anymore. IIf I turn the headlights off, the monitor goes back to the rear view camera view and the right camera works correctly with the blinker on.

What am I doing wrong?

[abjb]

You've got a/some lights burned out or corroded, check them all.

[silver]

Were the cameras installed by the factory or are they after market installed by a previous owner? Almost sounds like the trigger for side cameras are tied into marker lights rather than directional. After market install make this mistake as side markers are easier to cut in to.

[Iggy]

X2
Don't make it more complicated. You do have a bulb burnt out. Check all lights.

[CheckSix]

It's factory.

I'll check the light bulbs today.

Thanks!

[CheckSix]

All light bulbs on the exterior are working. When I checked it today, after turning on the headlights, it switched from rear view, to left view but when I turned on the fog lights, that switched it back to rear view. It then behaved what I consider normally, WRT turn signals and camera views.

Is this system prone to gremlins? Seems so.

[Bubbamace]

Originally Posted by CheckSix

All light bulbs on the exterior are working. When I checked it today, after turning on the headlights, I switched from rear view, to left view but when I turned on the fog lights, that switched it back to rear view. It then behaved what I consider normally, WRT turn signals and camera views.

Is this system prone to gremlins? Seems so.

I have the same system installed at the factory. Turning on the headlamps and fog lamps do not affect my system. When I turn on the left turn signal, the left camera comes on and then the same for the right signal, the right camera comes on. When I back the rear view camera comes on. I can go in the menu and set the rear camera to be on at all times when I'm travelling if I'm interested in what is happening with a trailer or toad. I believe that something is not wired correctly or perhaps a bulb is out (I wasn't aware a bulb out could affect the system). I did find one of the camera wires off one time and reconnected it. Left camera, but it just wouldn't work. Also, I found one wire off behind the camera/radio system. the wire connector had fallen out of the radio system, so you might check there. I travel some rough roads out in the desert and I'm sure this caused the problem. Good luck and let us know what happened.

[abjb]

Originally Posted by CheckSix

All light bulbs on the exterior are working. When I checked it today, after turning on the headlights, it switched from rear view, to left view but when I turned on the fog lights, that switched it back to rear view. It then behaved what I consider normally, WRT turn signals and camera views.

Is this system prone to gremlins? Seems so.

Ours works like yours, the sockets get corroded. Every time I get a chance I use contact cleaner and apply dielectric grease
Permatex/Dielectric tune-up grease 22058 at AutoZone.com
to a few bulbs/sockets. last year I had to do 5 just to pass the state inspection.

Here are a few threads with similar problems.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...g-72196-2.html

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...0-a-51968.html

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...era-40985.html

[Bubbamace]

By the way, when I found the camera line unplugging, I didn't remove any screws or panels. I was able to lay down and see the back of the receiver/stereo and observe the plug that was out. That simple for me.

[CheckSix]

In my case, everything is plugged in and all bulbs are working. The camera monitor system seems to do what it wants sometimes, until I interrupt it with fog lights or headlights being switched on or off.

I'll have to get into the system and see how the preferences are set up.

[CheckSix]

So, the Tech has diagnosed the problem far enough to now know, that the issue is deep in the Ford front wiring harness. My issue has nothing to do with bulbs or sockets.

One idea is to run fresh 12v and ground wires from the rear wiring harness and bypass the front harness. FR and Ford were called and have no ideas.

[CheckSix]

Running wires to the rear harness still didn't fix the problem. So, the tech had to find the root cause. The problem was in one of the Ford harness connectors in the front harness, where a pin was bent in the connector and touching the pin next to it. Must have been that way from day 1. Took something like 9 hours to diagnose, try the work around, then find the root cause. The dealer only charged me 1 hr. He ate the other 8 hrs.

What boggles my mind, is that Ford didn't catch the problem on electrical test.... and that the previous owner never noticed it and never had it fixed while still under warranty. I noticed it first time out and knew it wasn't right.

[Joe Wxford]

I had the same problem with our 2009 Georgetown. When we were at the FR repair facility they found one of the turn signal bulbs was out. I replaced the turn signal bulb and camera operation returned to normal.

[CheckSix]

Originally Posted by Joe Wxford

I had the same problem with our 2009 Georgetown. When we were at the FR repair facility they found one of the turn signal bulbs was out. I replaced the turn signal bulb and camera operation returned to normal.

Checked my bulbs first thing but it wasn't that easy. As posted above your post, it turned out to be a bent pin in a Ford wiring harness connector shorting to crossfeed power when the headlights/running lights were turned on.