Backup Camera Install - HELP!

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ollie770

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Alright I need some expert help.... Installing the factory Backup Camera kit I bought from my local dealer on my 2015 Ram 2500 SLT with the Uconnect 5.0 radio. Did some reading on this topic and it appears many of the 2500's already have all the body wiring in place. I have installed the new handle with camera, installed the camera jumper harness which goes to the camera and the power tailgate lock (which mine had from factory). The tailgate to body harness on my truck already had 8 wires and is identical to the one in kit. Where the tailgate harness plugs in the body harness, there is 8 wires there on both sides from the factory. Hoping that meant I was good to go!

No such luck! Went to dealer this afternoon and they flashed the XAC sales code. Now the radio screen goes blue in reverse but I'm not getting feed from the camera. I am really hoping to avoid installing the whole body harness and doing all the splicing and changing of pins like the directions say. Anybody had this issue? Should I pull the radio and see what it looks like there? Or maybe something with the connector the plugs into the BCM in the cab underneath the drivers dash? Hoping somebody has a easy solution - thanks!
 
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ollie770

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Well I think I figured out the main issue. The body harness on truck side at tailgate has 8 wires but if you follow it about 2 feet later the wIrving harness goes to a connector by the bottom of the hitch and guess what? Only 2 wires (for power tailgate lock) leave that connector and go in the main harness heading towards the cab. Guess Chrysler tricked me on this one. Looks like I will have installed the whole kit up to cab? Any tricks to make the connections at fuse box and in cab?
 
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ollie770

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Here is pic of the connector.
 

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00R/T

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Are you positive that connector runs to the tailgate? There should only be the connector where the tailgate meets the body. You have that one with 8 wires and it then runs to another connector with only two? That's the first I've heard of that. It doesn't match the diagrams I have either (they are for a 1500, though). I wonder why they chose to put another connector there.
 
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ollie770

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Yep, I double check and followed it up to the tailgate connection point. Have been doing some more research tonight and it appears 2500s have this "short wear out" harness which adds this second connection that I took a pic of. Guess I will have to suck it up and wire according to the instructions. Just don't like cutting a grommet to enter cab and splicing in at the BCM. Is it acceptable to use a quality Scotch-Lock or wire tap product for this?
 

Ricks Ram

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yes you can use a scotch like it's actually much easier tapping into the BCM wire with it. I don't recommend trying to run the wire through the rubber grommet like it shows in the instructions. It is extremely hard to do. There is a plastic cover on the firewall near the brake booster that is used for trucks with manual transmissions. That cover is not utilized in automatic trucks it's much easier just to drill small hole in that plastic cover and run your
wire through it.
 

00R/T

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I didn't cut the nipple off the existing grommet like they tell you to, but I did use that grommet. I just punched a hole through it with a screwdriver and went that way.

As for the t-tap vampire connector things, I absolutely despise them and avoid using them at all costs. However, I just could not get myself enough room to get in there with a soldering iron for the LIN bus wire at the BCM and ended up running out to buy a tap. That said, I highly recommend properly splicing into the power connection under the hood by soldering and using the supplied heat shrink tubing.
 

Ricks Ram

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I agree 100% I was only referring to the BCM connection to use the Scotchlock. It was the only place I just couldn't get to we'll enough to solder the splice. . I soldered all of the undehood connections.
 
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