Tow mode digital rear view mirror

[mrphuzz]

I just posted my introduction post, and so I am now posting here to ask a question. I looked at the various threads, and it seemed like this post could fit in multiple ones, so I'm not really sure if this is the best one or not. But it's the one I landed in.

As I posted in my introduction, I just landed myself a very clean and nice 2024 3500 DRW. It's purpose is to pull a fifth wheel. 50 gallon tank, cameras all over the place, fifth wheel gooseneck prep, trailer tpms, reverse guidance, which I don't really think even matters because it's going to be a fifth wheel, not at her trailer, Auto rear leveling, good stuff like that. It even comes with an aftermarket air compressor and train horn which scared the **** out of my wife when I figured out how to use it.

If you want to see the window sticker, (which might be relevant), here is the VIN:3C63RRJL2RG204525.

One thing the truck doesn't have, and I would like, is the tow mode digital rear view mirror. I know I can install aftermarket crap off of Amazon or whatever, which I did do in a previous truck a few years ago (2011 F-150). Loved it, and I really missed it (the digital mirror) when it got totaled and I got my 2019 Ram 1500 5.7. For this truck, though, I want to stay oem. I don't want to get some wolf box or whatever stuff from amazon. So I went to a nearby Ram dealership and inquired about what it would take to get that option installed. They said that if it wasn't an installed option when the truck was built, it's not a possible future option to have installed. (But then again, they also said they can't get the wiring kit for the auxiliary switches, which I discovered to be incorrect). My gut says that I'm being blown off, for the people I talked to just don't know what the hell they're talking about. It seems to me that it should be possible to buy the mirror and the replacement wiring harnesses and whatever as necessary, including reprogramming the ECU or whatever computer, in order to gain this functionality. But they said no, and that just doesn't seem legitimate to me. Can somebody add some insight? If you disagree with the dealership, and you think this is possible, and you have tangible knowledge on the subject, can you give me information so that I can "fight back"? I will lower my standards to Amazon strapons (rear view mirrors, you perv) if that's my only option, but I would vastly prefer factory instead.

Thanks and have an awesome day!

 

[GeauxinUp]

2021-2024 Ram 1500 & Heavy Duty Truck - Factory OEM Digital Rear View Mirror Upgrade

CLICK BELOW TO UPGRADE: https://infotainment.com/shop/exterior-accessories/digital-rear-view-mirror-cameras/2021-2022-ram-1500-heavy-duty-truck-factory-oem-d...

youtu.be

 

[MADDOG]

I would agree with @GeauxinUp that Infotainment may be your best answer to the problem. Also, check your rear bumper trailer connection pack. Your truck may have the rear camper camera connector as well.

 

[mrphuzz]

Also, check your rear bumper trailer connection pack. Your truck may have the rear camper camera connector as well.

Are you referring to the connectors that are inside the bed on the left? I've attached a picture of what I have there. Or the actual bumper itself? I've also attached a picture for that. I see the blank cover on the left and I'm wondering if that is what you would be talking about, if something were there?

 

[crash68]

Are you referring to the connectors that are inside the bed on the left? I've attached a picture of what I have there. Or the actual bumper itself? I've also attached a picture for that. I see the blank cover on the left and I'm wondering if that is what you would be talking about, if something were there?

The plug next to the round 7-pin connection for the trailer lights/brakes is the plug for the trailer cameras. The ones in the bed are the same as on the bumper. The plugs are in both locations whether the truck is towing a tag-along or a fiver/gooseneck trailer

 

[Jimmy07]

I just posted my introduction post, and so I am now posting here to ask a question. I looked at the various threads, and it seemed like this post could fit in multiple ones, so I'm not really sure if this is the best one or not. But it's the one I landed in.

As I posted in my introduction, I just landed myself a very clean and nice 2024 3500 DRW. It's purpose is to pull a fifth wheel. 50 gallon tank, cameras all over the place, fifth wheel gooseneck prep, trailer tpms, reverse guidance, which I don't really think even matters because it's going to be a fifth wheel, not at her trailer, Auto rear leveling, good stuff like that. It even comes with an aftermarket air compressor and train horn which scared the **** out of my wife when I figured out how to use it.

If you want to see the window sticker, (which might be relevant), here is the VIN:3C63RRJL2RG204525.

One thing the truck doesn't have, and I would like, is the tow mode digital rear view mirror. I know I can install aftermarket crap off of Amazon or whatever, which I did do in a previous truck a few years ago (2011 F-150). Loved it, and I really missed it (the digital mirror) when it got totaled and I got my 2019 Ram 1500 5.7. For this truck, though, I want to stay oem. I don't want to get some wolf box or whatever stuff from amazon. So I went to a nearby Ram dealership and inquired about what it would take to get that option installed. They said that if it wasn't an installed option when the truck was built, it's not a possible future option to have installed. (But then again, they also said they can't get the wiring kit for the auxiliary switches, which I discovered to be incorrect). My gut says that I'm being blown off, for the people I talked to just don't know what the hell they're talking about. It seems to me that it should be possible to buy the mirror and the replacement wiring harnesses and whatever as necessary, including reprogramming the ECU or whatever computer, in order to gain this functionality. But they said no, and that just doesn't seem legitimate to me. Can somebody add some insight? If you disagree with the dealership, and you think this is possible, and you have tangible knowledge on the subject, can you give me information so that I can "fight back"? I will lower my standards to Amazon strapons (rear view mirrors, you perv) if that's my only option, but I would vastly prefer factory instead.

Thanks and have an awesome day!

The infotainment kit mentioned above won’t work for what you want to accomplish.
The blank cover on the driver side of the rear license plate is where the tow mode camera port would be, so you don’t have any wiring present at all for adding this.
A dealership won’t be able to help you with any of this, so you have to do it on your own.

For your 2024, you need the digital rear view mirror, the CHMSL with the rear view mirror camera, the digital mirror camera processing module, the tow mode camera kit, custom harness for the camera processing module, rear bumper tow mode camera port, 10’ fakra cable, 26’ fakra cable, and alfaobd.
All of the parts mentioned above must be for 2023-2024 Ram Heavy Duty trucks, they cannot be parts for 202-2022 Ram trucks.

 

[mrphuzz]

[...is the plug for the trailer cameras.]

Ok. The fifth wheel that I'm picking up next month with built in cameras, I assume, would then be plugging into that 12-pin connector (Brinkley 3515)? The UConnect screen has a couple AUX camera buttons, plus another camera button, if I recall correctly. I assume this is where I could see views from the cameras when the rig is plugged into the 12-pin connector? (I appreciate the help, brand new here. Stepping into a brand new world and I want to be as prepared as possible when I pick my my new trailer).

The infotainment kit mentioned above won’t work for what you want to accomplish.
The blank cover on the driver side of the rear license plate is where the tow mode camera port would be, so you don’t have any wiring present at all for adding this.
A dealership won’t be able to help you with any of this, so you have to do it on your own.

For your 2024, you need the digital rear view mirror, the CHMSL with the rear view mirror camera, the digital mirror camera processing module, the tow mode camera kit, custom harness for the camera processing module, rear bumper tow mode camera port, 10’ fakra cable, 26’ fakra cable, and alfaobd.
All of the parts mentioned above must be for 2023-2024 Ram Heavy Duty trucks, they cannot be parts for 202-2022 Ram trucks.

The infotainment kit mentioned above won’t work for what you want to accomplish.
The blank cover on the driver side of the rear license plate is where the tow mode camera port would be, so you don’t have any wiring present at all for adding this.
A dealership won’t be able to help you with any of this, so you have to do it on your own.

For your 2024, you need the digital rear view mirror, the CHMSL with the rear view mirror camera, the digital mirror camera processing module, the tow mode camera kit, custom harness for the camera processing module, rear bumper tow mode camera port, 10’ fakra cable, 26’ fakra cable, and alfaobd.
All of the parts mentioned above must be for 2023-2024 Ram Heavy Duty trucks, they cannot be parts for 202-2022 Ram trucks.

First, why would a deal ship not be able to add this? I fully acknowledge this could be just me not understanding how it all works, but it really just seems like it would be replacing the parts that need to be replaced, adding the parts that need to be added, and reprogramming the parts that need to be reprogrammed. Why is this not the case?

But anyway, thanks for this detailed reply. I did contact infotainment to see if they had a separate camera that could be attached to the back of the rv, then just use one of the auxiliary switches with a relay to switch back and forth between the truck rear view camera and the RV rear view camera. Haven't gotten a response yet.

But going back to your response, my current CHMSL (that's the third brake light, right?), it has the cargo camera in it. Does Mopar make a CHMSL that has both rear view and cargo view as two separate cameras? And, with enough digging, should all these things be available to find?

I remember when I had my 2019 1500, I was curious, briefly, about adding adaptive cruise control after the fact. In some Ram forum, there is a pretty detailed write-up on how to add it. Part numbers, etc etc etc. does anything exist like that for this particular project? If not, do you have any guidance on how I can search for the appropriate part numbers?

AND... When I had my previous truck, my 2019 1500, when I bought it last year, it only had one key fob. I found that alpha OBD wasn't sufficient for programming a new key fob because of some gateway lock or something of that nature. Would that potentially be an issue here? If so, it seems like even if I got all the hardware installed properly, then I would still have to go to the dealership to do whatever software adjustments that would be needed, and I can't imagine them being cool with that. But I could be wrong!

This project may be too big for the likes of me, but I want to come to that conclusion on my own, lol.

 

[Grams]

The infotainment kit mentioned above won’t work for what you want to accomplish.
The blank cover on the driver side of the rear license plate is where the tow mode camera port would be, so you don’t have any wiring present at all for adding this.
A dealership won’t be able to help you with any of this, so you have to do it on your own.

For your 2024, you need the digital rear view mirror, the CHMSL with the rear view mirror camera, the digital mirror camera processing module, the tow mode camera kit, custom harness for the camera processing module, rear bumper tow mode camera port, 10’ fakra cable, 26’ fakra cable, and alfaobd.
All of the parts mentioned above must be for 2023-2024 Ram Heavy Duty trucks, they cannot be parts for 202-2022 Ram trucks.

Do you know the “jumper” or “wire harness” part-number to make this work.

I bought new a 2024 Ram 2500 out of state which has that “coax” connector (left of the license plate) which supposedly accept the trailer rear view camera which displays on the Digital Rear View Mirror in the cockpit.
The selling dealer shipped the camera to me (Kit PN: 68686112AA).
I installed it according to the instrcutions but IT DOESN’T WORK.

Called the dealer who told me to take the truck to a local RAM dealer who will “Flash” the VIN with the sales-code that will enable the camera.

BUT..it didn’t work… Because…THERE IS NOTHING CONNECTED TO THE Rear-Bumper COAX-connector. The vehicle harness is “missing’ a jumper or similar which actually Connects to the vehicle-side of the Fakra connector. (Have no idea why they’d installa fakra connector on the assy-line when no harness leads to the connector. )

This has become a real puzzle…because the local Ram Dealer says that camera kit is intended for a CAB/Chassis 3500 or 4500. No info found by the local Ram dealer on what jumper or otherwise how to enable this truck to see that camera.