2013 CX-5 OEM camera failure, next steps?

vtsurly

Member
:
2013 Mazda CX-5 Touring
Hi all,

First time poster, but I've been a reader since before I bought my CX-5. I've got a 2013 CX-5 Touring with a factory sat-nav in the dash and a factory backup camera that recently stopped working. I was hoping it was the extreme cold of a northern VT winter and it might start working above 0' but that appears to have been a pipe dream. So here goes...

Long story short, my factory backup camera worked fine when we bought the car (used, out of B2B warranty by 10k miles) but one day started to appear scrambled before it stopped functioning all together. Diagnostic code 92 shows the blue screen of death instead of what previously gave me a video feed. There is a TSB for my year CX-5 indicating that high pressure car washes can cause the camera to stop working:
BACK OVER PREVENTION: CAMERA SYSTEM
TSB #09-016/14
NHTSA ID #10055503
Date Announced: JUNE 04 2014
Summary: SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE INOPERATIVE REAR MOUNT CAMERA. DUE TO WATERING ENTERING THE CAMERA FROM A HIGH PRESSURE CAR WASH. 06/04/14*LJ

Since I'm out of warranty, I'm wondering what options might be out there. I've pulled the old camera out and inspected it and everything looks fine, but the thing is just dead. I'd love to keep the factory wiring and just hook up a new camera but replacing with an updated (or even just a functioning faulty) OEM camera would cost $200+ just for the part online. Has anyone spliced an aftermarket camera into the factory wiring and maybe even mount in the same place so I don't have a dead camera plugging the hole? Is there some way to fix the dead camera? Any help would be appreciated... it just seems like with a TSB issued there should be a cheaper fix than nearly $300 now that I'm out of warranty.

Thanks,

VTsurly
 
How about sourcing one from a junk yard?

Thanks for the reply. I've considered this and called the couple near me but they don't have any cars anywhere near new enough, let alone a 2013 or newer CX-5. Is there an easy way to find out if any other Mazda vehicles are equipped with a compatible camera so I can ask for multiple models?
 
I'd bet good $$ there's nothing unusual about the camera - Mazda doesn't make them, it's third party sourced and likely used on dozens of car models. Maybe look for code or manufacturer numbers on the part itself and then google that?
 
I'd bet good $$ there's nothing unusual about the camera - Mazda doesn't make them, it's third party sourced and likely used on dozens of car models. Maybe look for code or manufacturer numbers on the part itself and then google that?

That's a great point and what I expected in theory, but I hadn't thought to look for a code or number on the camera itself despite the few times I've had the thing in my hands. I've only searched for the Mazda part number (and the updated part number that they were replacing the faulty ones with) but obviously (now that you point it out) that'll only get me the expensive version as a result. I'll pull it again, look for a non-Mazda number, and see if that gets me anywhere. Thanks!
 
That's a great point and what I expected in theory, but I hadn't thought to look for a code or number on the camera itself despite the few times I've had the thing in my hands. I've only searched for the Mazda part number (and the updated part number that they were replacing the faulty ones with) but obviously (now that you point it out) that'll only get me the expensive version as a result. I'll pull it again, look for a non-Mazda number, and see if that gets me anywhere. Thanks!

If all else fails looking at images of third party cameras and how they're connected will probably work too. I think these cameras are actually fairly inexpensive to replace and should be pretty standardized.
 

I did look a bit but it wasn't immediately apparent how to splice the factory wiring into the wiring for something like that. Right now it has 4 wires running from the camera to a wire harness that is easily clipped in and/or removed. 20 bucks is certainly cheap enough to pick one up and give a shot at splicing it but the wires running from the new camera aren't exactly color coded to correspond easily to the wires on the factory harness. Thoughts?
 
You could splice into the factory plug to send the video signal to radio, but you will have to find power for an aftermarket camera elsewhere than in that harness. The factory camera runs on 6 volts DC, where aftermarkets run on the more universal 12 volts.

Additionally powering the camera off the reverse lights works in some vehicles, but can be problematic on the Mazdas. (depending on turn on time of the camera, the display won't read video input and think there isn't a camera present) You would have to run to an accessory or ignition source.

I believe a member on here found ignition going to the wiper motor in the hatch. If not you would have to at least fish the wire into the car and perhaps run it to the rear accessory socket.
 
You could splice into the factory plug to send the video signal to radio, but you will have to find power for an aftermarket camera elsewhere than in that harness. The factory camera runs on 6 volts DC, where aftermarkets run on the more universal 12 volts.

Additionally powering the camera off the reverse lights works in some vehicles, but can be problematic on the Mazdas. (depending on turn on time of the camera, the display won't read video input and think there isn't a camera present) You would have to run to an accessory or ignition source.

I believe a member on here found ignition going to the wiper motor in the hatch. If not you would have to at least fish the wire into the car and perhaps run it to the rear accessory socket.

Thanks for posting this before I ordered a 12V camera. I guess it's worth trying to find an 6DCV aftermarket camera on ebay or elsewhere?
 
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