# Wiring Harness/Backup Cam Question



## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've got a Pioneer AVH-4100NEX that I'm about to install into a 2003 Buick Century this weekend. I already connected most of the wires on the harness but have three unused wires. They are:

1. A blue wire on the Metra harness. It's labeled for powered antenna. I don't have a powered antrenna so I'll cap that off.

2. A yellow wire with black stripe labeled "mute" in the Pioneer harness. I think I won't need that so I'll cap it off.

3. A purple wire with black stripe labeled "reverse" on the Pioneer harness. This is where I'm a little confused. I bought a backup camera. The directions say to tap into the reverse ground and power wires at the reverse lamp in the back and then send the video cable to the video input at the head unit. That's it. I only need the camera for backup. Should I cap off the Pioneer harness wire labeled "reverse" then? What else is that used for? Do I need it? 

Thank you in advance!


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## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

1) If the Metra harness has a blue wire for powered antenna and the OEM harness it clicks into has a wire in the same pin, you need to connect that blue wire to the blue/white wire coming out of the Pioneer HU if the Pioneer's harness doesn't have a solid blue wire of its own. That would mean your car's antenna is powered (just because it doesn't go up and down doesn't mean it doesn't need 12v power). There's a difference between a power antenna (goes up and down) and powered antenna (requires 12v to actually get any respectable reception) - well, they mean either of them when they say "powered" because the wire is for either situation.

2) If you don't have a factory mute wire, cap this one. 

3) The reverse wire sends out the same 12V power that taping into the reverse light accomplished. You don't need to use this if you just tapped into your reverse light. Now you know, though, that you could just use the reverse output in the head unit and not cut into factory wiring (not that it will cause any issues if done right).


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## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

Thank you so much. I don't see a blue wire on the Pioneer HU harness to match up with. May it be one I've already used?


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## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

Just connect to the Blue/White REM OUT wire then. Generally they're the same 12v + output, just some manufacturers provide (or used to provide) two wires out for convenience sake.


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## crazhorse (Mar 9, 2010)

I have the nex4100 and installed a cheapo eBay backup camera in my car... I tapped into the power and ground wire at the tail lights to power the camera, hooked up the purple/ black wire which triggers the head unit to display the camera when in reverse...


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## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

Damnit! You're right... gotta tell the head unit to switch to camera when in reverse.... duh. I was thinking of a reverse camera power output when using a reverse sense wire vs. taping into rear wiring. MY BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ate Chinese food for breakfast, give me a break.


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## crazhorse (Mar 9, 2010)

Hey I am right every once in a while.... The law of averages.
You could hook it up to a switch and flip power on/off when you wanted. Otherwise it's automatic when the car is put in reverse the camera view pops up until you put it in drive


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## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

OK, I'm a little confused. The instructions for the camera say that I just tap in to the reverse lights and comes with cables for that and then a video cable to connect to the head unit. Do I need to go buy another wire and if so, where do I tap that wire into at the camera. 

By blue-and-white REM cable do you mean the one that's also used to turn on an amp?


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## crazhorse (Mar 9, 2010)

My camera had a wire attached to the video cable wire that I connected to the black/purple wire the other end of the wire goes to the reverse light at the rear of the car


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## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

I don't see any other wires. I have this unit:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005Q65ZIK?ref_=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t


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## crazhorse (Mar 9, 2010)

You'll need a wire running from the deck (black/purple wire) to the reverse light at the back of the car, twisted together with the red wire coming off the camera itself and getting power from the reverse light.. Mine had the wire attached to the video cable


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## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

jtrippe77 said:


> ```
> 
> ```
> By blue-and-white REM cable do you mean the one that's also used to turn on an amp?


Yessir


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## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

Thank you for the input and advice. What gauge wire should I get to connect the the purple/black wire if one is not supplied? I'm at work and will double-check to see of there is the additional wire when I get home.


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## crazhorse (Mar 9, 2010)

doesnt need to be heavy duty anything just triggering the head unit that the backup camera is on......... 
heres a pic of the video cable that came with mine...










its the red wire on the left side of the picture


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## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

crazhorse said:


> doesnt need to be heavy duty anything just triggering the head unit that the backup camera is on.........
> heres a pic of the video cable that came with mine...
> 
> 
> ...


My cables look similar to yours but without the red wire on the video cable. The instructions say that installing at the power and ground at the reverse lamp will trigger the camera to come on while in reverse. I'll buy some wire, test without it, and then add if it doesn't work. I think I'm in for a long install tomorrow as I'm adding the 4100, component speakers, 6x9s, a sub, Satellite antenna and backup camera.


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## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

sirbOOm said:


> Yessir


That worked for the antenna, thank you. I haven't added the backup camera yet. i'll try this weekend. The 4100 is up and running and works great. I ran in to one install issue. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the power wire for the sub amp through the firewall. The Buick Century has such a tight space. I've got new Pioneer 6x9s in the rear deck so I was hoping to rely on them for some bass. Is there any way in the Pioneer settings to go bass heavy on the 6x9s and high and mid heavy on the front components?


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## jtrippe77 (Apr 12, 2011)

Sub installed and sounds awesome! Got the camera installed and worked fine the first try. Then extra grid lines showed up over the old. I changed the polarity from ground to battery and that helped a time or two but now nothing happens when in reverse. Camera input is set to on, polarity is battery and camera view is set to off. I usually have to go to my inputs and press the camera view input. This is strange as camera view is set to off. If I switch polarity to "ground" it works a little better with respect to shifting to reverse but adds an extra set of guide lines. Those lines remain and the screen goes black when I shift out of reverse. I then have to hold down the mute button for 5 seconds to get to the main menu. What am I doing wrong? I've checked all my connections and everything seems to be as it should. The camera works well when I go to camera view. How can I get the camera to consistently come up while in reverse gear?


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