What: Backup Camera and Monitor for 2007 is250 without navigation
Why: to get a better view of the whats behind you!
Cost: $40 from amazon
Hours: 2 hours
Difficult: Moderate

Hello Club Lexus,

I posted a thread earlier asking about opinions for back up cameras, and I have figured it out and made my own back up camera with a monitor. Below outlines the steps that I took. Do this at your own risk, I am not responsible of anything that you do. This is an outline of my process and hope that you get ideas and do this yourself! This is done on a 2007 is250 awd, the wiring will vary from year to year. Use a multimeter to test voltages.

I wanted to outfit my non-nav is250 with a sleek hidden camera without making any extra holes.

Finished Product!
The camera is mounted on the license plate light and the monitor is tucked away in the sunglasses compartment. like so...



On to the DIY
Sorry in advance, I took limited pictures of the install. Hope you can still follow along!

1. I ordered these following parts off of Amazon.com.
http://amzn.com/B0045IIZKU
http://amzn.com/B00H3ZN3JK

As an overview, the camera will have a signal connector (yellow) and a power connector (red); and will include an power wire connector and a yellow extension cable. The monitor has a signal connector (yellow), sound connector (white), and power connector (red); and will include a power wire connector. You will incorporate these wires into the cars harness! Both require 12V.

2. Start by removing the trunk felt protector/cover.


There are annoying clips on the rear that you can use by passing a zip tie through it and pulling them off.


3. Next locate the two nuts that go to the trunk opener. Remove them, and push the trunk opener into the trunk to make some room for the wires.




Take that back up camera and pass the video and power cord through the hole that you made.


Pull the cord through the hole (to your desired length). I am using 3M molding tape to secure the camera onto the reverse light. Thread your wires in and out of your harness to tuck it out of the way.


Tighten up the bolts for the trunk button.


My wires...


4. Next located the plug that goes into the reverse light. You will wire the camera to the reverse light power, so when you put the car into reverse, the camera will turn on.


Unplug it and locate the wires. You will need to wire the power wire(red) and ground wire(black) to into the reverse wiring. In this case, for my car, the wiring was as so...

Camera....................Reverse Plug
Red Power Wire --- Yellow Wire
Black Ground Wire --- White/Black Wire



After securing the wires together (I tied them together, you can also solder them), I wrapped them in electrical tape and tucked them away with the harness.

Find a TV/DVD player and test that everything is in working order. Plug the signal wire in to a monitor, and put the car into reverse....

5. Next you will have to plug in the extension and use this to route it to the front of the car, where the monitor will fit. Below shows where I put the wires.

Start in the trunk. Wire through the trunk cover, then down the gooseneck. When you are inside the trunk, you will have to pass it through the rear seat. This can be done by dropping the trunk liner and finding the grommet in the that existing wires are passed through. It will be easy to see when you remove the back seat (pull up on the seat bottom, remove 4x10mm bolts, pull up on seat back)



Once through the trunk, pass the wire under the seat siding (i forget the name now...). you can just lightly force/slide the wire under them.


Then to the front.... and remove the side cover and pass the wire up and to the A pillar.


Up the A pillar. Again, slide/force through the front of the headliner, until you get to the mirror. Pull lightly down on the headliner and then pass the yellow cord through it. Tuck/hide the wire under the headliner.


6. Remove the dome light, which is held on by two screws and two clips. Remove the screws. Pull hard down on the assembly and it will slide out.

You must then put a hole in the top of the sunglasses compartment. I used a box cutter to create this. This is for the wires of the monitor to pass through. As you can see, I put it on the lower corner of the compartment. Make the hole just big enough for the connector to fit through. Pass the connectors through and fit the monitor in the sunglasses compartment



7. I used the mirror power wires to power the monitor. This is done by wiring the monitor into the mirror/over head light harness. You can find this harness which is right behind the mirror in the headliner. It is taped to the headliner, and will require some fidgeting to get it out.

Once it is exposed, you will wire the monitor power wire to it, as shown below.

Monitor....................Mirror Harness
Red Power Wire --- Black Wire
Black Ground Wire --- White/Black Wire



8. Make sure that the signal wire from the camera, and the power wire (that you just wired) will be in the same spot!
Plug everything into one another, yellow->yellow, red->red. Put the console back into the car and screw it into place!



9. Push to Start. Put in "R". Look up and admire your handiwork.


Comment with any suggestions and if you DIY!
Mark

 

Great DIY. Just what I needed. Thank you!

 

very nice write up. i had the same idea, but couldnt find anywhere to hide the monitor on the 2GS

 

I like the idea but you're gonna have to open the eye glasses holder and I always put my shades in there so thatll be hard for me but great diy!

 

this is a okay idea, i already have backup camera but i still use my rearview mirror but now your rearview mirror is useless because you covering it when you backing out

 

Those are the only two downsides to this. However this method conceals the camera very well. I will only use the camera when I absolutely need it. And as far as storing sunglasses, I leave them in the arm rest. I was going for a perminant hidden look, and this was my solution!

 

I like the idea if you don't have nav. I had the same camera when I bought my Fly Audio unit. I did buy another camera that is out there that looks totally oem which was worth it. Other than that it looks great.

 

Thanks Sffd. I was thinking of going that route, but didnt wanna wait for the ebay camera to ship from china. but now that I have the wiring all down, I can get it and just wire it right in when I want to.

 

Great idea, I have been wanting to add a BC, but I also want to add bluetooth, so I will prob put in a navi system..

 

Very unique one of a kind. I think this is my first time seeing this project. Amazing work! How did you come up with this plan and know what parts to buy and how to work around all this? It is quite unbelievable.

 

Thanks FSportIS.

I had an idea in mind, and researched how back up cameras are installed in these cars. I got a screen that got into the sunglasses holder! It is typical to wire the camera into the reverse light for power. The tricky part was finding a hole for the wire if the camera. Some trial and error led me to the placement.

The wire was routed through the car like speaker wires.

The using power of the mirror for the screen was a last minute decision. Guys have used the same power connections for their radar detectors.

I used previous diy and my skills to do it!

 

Did you use double sided tape to mount the camera?

 

Nice DIY. I used the same TV before getting the indash nav unit.

One problem though - not sure if its cause i didnt give the TV constant power (only power when camera turned on when car was in Reverse) but it has a 1-2 second lag booting up to show the image. Other than that great job. I mounted mine on the controls to the left of the steering wheel (above gas/trunk button) and it was hidden enough from the outside.

 

I used double sided 3M mounting tape. Just a short strip to cover the camera mounting area. It is mounted to the license plate light. Super strong tape. Through rain and high speeds. I also tucked it a little under the light an body panel. It fits nicely.

There is a small lag. But it's enough time to look around to make sure everything is clear. I use the camera mainly to make sure my car is parked close to the rear.

Thanks for all the responses!