Have a 2013 1500 quad express and I ordered it with uconnect 5.0. Stupid me, didn't order the backup camera with it. I've searched and can't seem to find a lot of information on adding an oem camera to the tailgate, or if the harness that's run back to the autolock will even have the connections. I figured it would be a stock harness, but they didn't use the connections for the camera. Is it possible to buy an oem camera to install that way, or would it be better to run something else? I'd rather not get into the 4-800 dollar range for an aftermarket, if for a couple hundred and an hour or so can just pop the tailgate apart and install a new handle/camera unit and go plug-n-play. If anybody has any information, would greatly appreciate anything you can pass on.

 

I assume you have the radio with the NAV/DVD video type display. On my 2009 I bought a factory backup camera kit, installed it in about an hour or so. It came with harness and new taligate handle, etc. But then I had to have the dealer activate the stupid thing for a some bucks. In reality it probably took them long to bring the truck into the garage than activate the feature. I think the current part number is 82211184 but you will want to verify it for your truck.

 

Thanks, but unfortunately the 2013 is a different beast all together. After doing a lot more research I can either rip out the original radio, etc. and run a new unit/harness/camera or I can wait until dodge finally releases the camera unit and purchase that. Going to keep researching, but was really hoping that it wouldn't come to a more costly solution. Don't have to have it, but was hoping it would be a plug and play option.

 

2013 express crew installation with uconnect 5.0. Well I did it. Started at 7:30 Am and was done by 10:30. The only reason it took so long was trying to feed it out of the cab. Dodge actually made it real easy, but you need some silicone spray to pull it through. Below is the easiest method and takes minutes.

Anyway, all the photos are here: http://sdrv.ms/17cW5Eb

Buy the Echo $199 (free shipping) kit from Parrot Sales (ebay or their site). I got it in 3 days.

It comes with a new latch with camera, wiring harnesses and good instructions.

All the extra you will need is some heat shrink (not a necessity but I live in the salt belt and it made the install much easier. $3.99 at radio shack) and some tie wraps. Also two quick wire connectors like these

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...questid=561845

I started at the tailgate. Remove the cover, remove the plug on the power latch (hint slide it to the drivers side and it comes off the pin holding it to the tailgate).

Remove the two rods by rotating the clip and pulling out towards you. Remove the two nuts holding the latch in place. I think it was an 8mm socket. May have been a 9 mm. The latch comes right out.

Remove the two 7mm or 9mm bolts holding the key cylinder on the latch and transfer it to the new one with camera.

Installation is the reverse. Run the new camera wire to follow the existing harness. As it comes out of the bottom of the tailgate, there is a hole to the underside. I went through that. I added some heat shrink to the armored cable so it would not rub on the paint and wear through. Bring the wire toward the drivers side and clip to the tailgate harness. Leave it hanging down at the corner where all the harnesses come together underneath.

You can put the tailgate back together. You are done at that end.

Now it took me a while to figure out how to run the long harness, but my work will make it much easier for you. Open the hood. Under the main body wiring harness in the drivers firewall corner, there is a future connector right under the big one. It's like a rubber nipple. Cut off about 3/8" of this connector so it is open.

Here is where I spent 1 hour or more. I tried a plumbing snake, screwdrivers, everything, I could not shove the rear connector through the hole from inside the car. Finally, I did it. First use silicone spray. Second, See my pictures, I heat shrinked over the connector and shrinked a large long tie wrap at the connector end (the latch of the tie wrap at the connector end). Then I heat shrinked a smaller piece on the over the tie wrap thin end to lock it in. (I would add another piece too for overall strength. Coat the heat shrink with lots of silicone spray. Push it through the hole in the grommet from inside the car. The tie wrap end will come out under the hood, below the harness. I just pulled and it came right through (actually my heat shrink shrink broke when the plug was at the open end of the rummer grommet). I grabbed it with needle nose pliers and it pulled right out. Next add silicone to the armor of the cable and pull the wire through. About 18' of wire. I left 3-4' in the car. I think you really need about 30-36".

Next push the rear connector down where the body harness goes down inside the wheel well and it comes out behind the front tire inner fender. Pull the wire out here and leave a 3" radius bend from the grommet turning down where the harness goes.

Now easy work ahead. Run the armored harness along the factory harness. Use tie wraps every 10" or so. This took 15 minutes all the way to the rear. I added heat shrink to the ends of the armor to the connectors for a watertight seal. I then made the connection at the rear plug and wrapped it with tape to be sure it water , snow and salt tight.

Remove the center dash. Simple remove the two screws under the top coin tray (they are a torx) and they pull at the top and sides. The dash comes right off. I laid it flat between the dash ashtray and the console. I connected the red and black power leads with the quick connector to the 12" accessory outlet wires on the lower left, under the 4WD selector. This was a royal pain. The tape the factory uses would not budge. Normally I would solder and heat shrink, but connectors made it so easy. I wrapped these with tape and reconnected the accessory outlet. The tab is on the left and gave me some trouble to disconnect.

Finally remove the 4 radio screws. Pull it straight out. Undo the connector on the left. Insert the yellow prong in hole 31 and the black in 32. The upper right of the connector (looking at the wires).

Plug in the radio, connect the RCA connector to the yellow matching end.

I then turned on the car, put in in reverse and the camera worked! The only thing it does not do is the grid lines do not turn with the wheel. Also, I have a low short ball mount. I can only see the last 1/2" of the ball on the bottom of the screen. But it is enough to connect a trailer.

The bottom of the screen is about 10" from the Bumper or so in real life.

That is it. It was easy and rewarding. The dealer flashed it for free and I had the materials. About $205 fully installed. And about 2 hours labor.

All are posted here. http://sdrv.ms/17cW5Eb

Enjoy!

 

Excellent, wonderful write-up as well. Can't wait to get the time to set this all up. Don't really care if the backup lines turn with the wheels. Just having the camera there makes a huge difference. If everything worked after you got it all hooked up, why did you need the dealership to flash the ecu? Just for a firmware upgrade, or something else?

 

I was going to buy an express and looked into this. The install is exactly as nburd says.

Now another little surprise I figured out about that radio. The information that Chrysler puts out for it states it is GPS input ready. Never could figure out what they meant. Asked a fairly knowledgable salesman and he stated it is for GPS in the future. Didn't fully believe him so I called Chrysler and the person on the phone did some checking. Took about 20 minutes and finally stated it is for the Tom Tom nav that is going to be offerred soon as an upgrade. Same type of upgrade as the larger 8.4 units. Did a final amount os searching and under a section for Fiat on Allpar it talks about that radio and the Tom Tom nav that was developed for it.

Anyway, that may be common knowledge but thought it was a cool thing to know for those looking at buying an express.

 

The option has to be enabled in the 2013/14 Ram software to work. It makes the screen turn on the camera input when the car is put into reverse. All the factory options work too (keep camera on for 10 sec after going to drive etc)

My thoughts are maybe the 5" screen does not have the dynamic bending lines. If anyone installs in a 8.4, post if the lines bend.

It should be 30 minutes labor or less. It has to be done with the 8.4" screen too and for the OEM camera. They connect to a computer, add the factory option to the vin and the system is enabled in the vehicle software. The '13 and '14s are all controlled by software. Still cheaper than NAV-TV and other options that are $350+ the cost of the camera and hardware.

I love this option. I use it everyday. We have 2 dogs and 3 kids. Bikes, Toys, Fishing poles, etc all over the yard on occasion.

 

I found this too. Also, NAV-TV is working on the same for the 5" and 8.4" without Nav to allow NAV to work. You can get it for the JEEP 5" now and soon for the RAM. It is expensive. $400 for the module (has very neat features though, makes your buttons do different things, allows other inputs and requires no dealer programming) and has a Garmin GPS option. It's about $1K for the package. I looked at the installation and function book and started drooling. It's awesome but way too pricey.

A TomTom option will be good and work for the 8.4 I am sure. It think it is offered on the Fiat now. Maybe it will work for the 5" too. Fingers crossed.

It definitely is set up for more options. It is so new in the Rams, that Dodge does not even know yet. They cannot give me a list of voice commands that work and the ones published do not.

I can't wait for a NAV option, but the backup cam was first on my list.

 

I have the 8.4 and love it. Just still impressed with all of what they have brought in to offer. FYI, the Tom Tom nav was developed specifically for the 5" by Fiat. Already offered in Europe.

 

nburd: In the following comment you wrote.....what yellow prong and black prong are you meaning? Where did the prongs come from?

"Finally remove the 4 radio screws. Pull it straight out. Undo the connector on the left. Insert the yellow prong in hole 31 and the black in 32. The upper right of the connector (looking at the wires)."

Thanks

SupermanWV (Clark)