How Do You Install a Rear View Camera?

In order to install a rear-view camera, mount and position the unit clear of the trunk, snake the wiring to the front of the vehicle and splice the harness into the interior wiring. Unless the vehicle has a pre-existing monitor with a rear-view camera program, it will also have to be mounted inside the cabin.

Aftermarket rear-view cameras usually come with its own monitor that is installed onto the dashboard or windshield if there is no pre-existing monitor in the dash. Use the following instructions to mount a rear-view camera that comes with a removable monitor onto a car.

  1. Mount the camera
  2. Mount the camera in the center of the rear of the vehicle, which is usually going to be somewhere close to the license plate. One good spot is to mount the camera on the top of the plate. Make sure to get it as close to the center as possible. Secure the camera using compatible longer screws that can accommodate the additional length.

  3. Snake the wiring
  4. Take the wiring from the camera's transmitter box and snake it to one of the vehicle's reverse lights. Remove the light from its socket and expose the attached black and white wires by removing the plastic sheath or coating.

  5. Attach the camera transmitter wires
  6. Lock wiretaps around both the positive and negative exposed wires of the reverse light. Attach spade connectors to the pre-exposed transmitter box wires using a wire crimper, and then attach the spade connectors to the wiretaps on the exposed reverse light wires.

  7. Splice the wiring
  8. Connect the red positive wire to the white wire and the black wire to the black ground wire.

  9. Connect the camera to the wiring
  10. Secure the wires together using zip ties. Connect the camera to the transmitter. Reconnect the reverse light wires to the reverse light and put the light back into place.

  11. Connect the monitor
  12. Connect the rear-view monitor and camera into the 12-volt accessory outlet. Attach the monitor to the windshield or dashboard using the suction cup attachment.