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Does the front unit (rear view module) gets its own power from the mmi? or does it get power from reverse light bulb? and if it gets it from light bulb does it get wired to constant?
You unplug the big cable to the MMI (There is a metal slide that keeps it from falling off). Make note of that to release it. The unit then plug into the MMI and that cable plugs into the unit. There is power and a ground and the camera sense wire. There is a fuse block on the right side of the dash. I quickly found acc power and a nice ground lug there for the unit (filtered that power also) and then the power from the backup light goes to the sense wire to trigger the unit to switch on. That sense wire is bundled into the video wire. So you only have to run a single wire from the back to the front.
camera needs to get its own power, any switched power from the fuse box, in most VW and Audi cars, the reverse light doesn't have enough power to run the camera; can only be used to trigger I/O.
So the camera only gets turned on when you are in reverse. I didn't draw the power filters, but they are straight forward, dirty power in, clean power out, with a common ground.
My crude drawing:
so do i tap both power and sense wire to reverse light bulb?
I just finished installing camera and it does not sit in flushed. Seems like one side is sticking out a little. Has anyone experienced this? Afraid water can go in. Its not bad but you can def tell is not perfectly flushed on one side
I tried to install the camera in my 2006 A6 Avant and hit a snag.
When I ordered the unit there were 2 styles - one for an A6 and one for a Q7 with the difference being where the slot for the switch is.
I ordered the one for the A6 and I believe that is the one that I received -- But I think that the Avant may need to Q7 one.
In the picture you can see the new unit with the camera next to my factory handle. They are actually the same size but the unit with
the camera is propped up.
With the unit out it looks like I should be able to drill a hole where the red mark is and use a surface mounted camera instead.
Any thoughts?
jeff, I just got my camera today. Same problem - apparently us Avant owners need the Q7 version. Did you try contacting them for a replacement?
what a pain.
camera needs to get its own power, any switched power from the fuse box, in most VW and Audi cars, the reverse light doesn't have enough power to run the camera; can only be used to trigger I/O.
Not true, I've been running mine off the backup light with zero issues. The A6 backup bulb is a C921 bulb and is rated at 18 watts which is 1.5amps. The Sony CCD my backup camera uses requires only 120 mA which is 0.1A which is less than 1% of the backup bulb power.
10-15-2018, 08:21 PM
