2014-2021 Front/Rear Anytime Camera Mod - FRAC Harness

I got an email telling me the switch is out for delivery so I tore into it. Funny thing: With the switch removed, key on and in reverse I got a good picture of the rear view. This makes me think it might be the relay..... If so, I'll dig deeper into the dash and see if it's a common piece with RCA jacks soldered on.

I've seen both relays and switches fail if the voltage and/or current is low going through the contacts. A well designed switch or relay wipes the contacts when they close to help keep them clean.

Update in a bit.

 

Well. Isn't this just great. New switch installed and it works fine. Swapped back to old and it works fine.

Here's the relay. I'm going to see if any auto parts stores have this locally. May as well change it while I'm in there.

$9 Zlirfy 4-Piece 5-Pin Relay Kit - 12V 30A Multi-Purpose, Heavy Duty, Waterproof Automotive Relay

https://www.amazon.com/Zlirfy-Automotive-Multi-Purpose-Replacement-Accessories/dp/B0C4DGLWHX?crid=Y4OO2ECOCY1X&keywords=mini+30+amp+12+v+relay&qid=1694267874&sprefix=mini+30+amp+12+v+relay%2Caps%2C293&sr=8-32

 

I'm going to try a couple things later this morning to see if I can narrow it down. I'm doubtful of the relay being the cause only because I've only ever had 1 relay go bad in the 20 years I been tinkering with cars. I'm thinking it's a loose connection somewhere which is odd because I taped everything

 

I found a relay at NAPA. AR385. Cost me 36 bucks

 

All back together and if it will fail it will be in two weeks when I leave to go south for the winter.

 

This is starting to sound like what I have been experiencing. It is not consistent by any means. Sometimes the pic is rock solid, other times it is black and then others it is so pixelated from being so distorted that you could not see anything. Then if I would turn it on/off/on it would clear up or get better. Just weird

 

My experience is when so little current passes through either relay of switch contacts they tend to fail over time. I don't know for sure but think these cameras take very little current. Yeah, $36 was a tough price when you can get four inferior quality relays from Amazon. Had I thought this out before I ordered the switch I would have replaced the relay first.

 

So I noticed today that the front camera was acting up not the back this time. I switched to the front and it went black. Did it again and it was fine. I tried it sporadically a few times while driving and noticed a delay sometimes. Also when the front camera was displayed and I hit bumps the picture was getting interference. Maybe it's my battery, it's at 9.5v on cold crank so I need a new one.

 

Possibly the camera RCA connection? I had mine pop out during the installation and had a black screen and rear camera still worked, I ended up taping the RCA connectors in just for added stability.

 

I did too since using two feet to cram the HU back in place with all those additional wires and doohickeys I figured they pull apart if I didn't.

 

The FRAC harness does not use automotive relays like the pics above. I believe that is one of the FRAC copycat systems. I can’t speak directly to how those systems work but for this issue they are probably similar.

If you have a FRAC harness installed and you see a black screen when you should see camera video, it means the the FRAC circuit has switched the HeadUnit to video display mode but there is no camera video to display. In those cases, I would check all the power, ground, and video connections to the cameras. Seeing lines across the image or seeing an unstable image also indicates the same issues. Either a loose RCA or power/ground that is not providing enough signal strength for the video sync function.

Hope this helps.

 

I have the Anytime Backup Camera package.

 

I'm thinking it's either the RCAs going into that black box coming loose or the RCA receptacles within the box getting janky

So, here's a question though since we were not seeing anyone talking about these issues until recently... Are you guys (that are having the problems) all running the newest updates in hardware??

IE>>> Do you have the Jan 2023 and forward versions which came w/dimmable switch wiring built into the units, or pre-2023?? I'm not referring to the switch itself as those have been capable to have been wired in to be dimmable but you had to tap another dimmable switch to make to that feature work; the new units can be wired that way into the supplied harnesses... (hope that makes sense)!!!!

 

I've had my anytime system since early 22 and do use it often.

 

I've had mine since late '22, and I've not had any issues. I was just hoping to maybe identify a consistent issue (if there is one) to help Lou troubleshoot.

It is quite possible that in the process of bending the wiring harnesses around and such as we are moving these things (head unit) from on top of the dash back into place that maybe those RCAs are coming just loose enough to have intermittent problems

 

It seems to point to that it's just hard for me to believe since I taped it

 

Would a weak battery that needs replacement cause this?

 

I've had my system almost 2 years

 

Ok. That explains the automotive relays. I don’t know exactly how that system is wired but I think it’s slightly different than the FRAC based on some of the different functionality I’ve read about. But the head unit is the same so if the RCAs are solid, then I would trace and measure the power and ground. It is also possible that the relays are failing or that they could be going bad as someone suggested before. That’s the best I can suggest since the ABC is not my design and I’m not sure how it’s configured.

 

It’s possible. Though if the alternator is charging properly you should have plenty of voltage when the engine is running. Have you measured the running voltage?

 

Yeah it's normal. My cold start volts is low 9s though

 

You mentioned earlier that going over bumps in the road would cause some of the issues you’ve been seeing. That points to a loose or intermittent connection someplace. Since you’ve already check the RCA connections, I would re-check all the power and ground connections. The FRAC is powered by ignition voltage, so if you used the FRAC cam power lead to power your front camera, and your alternator is producing good charging voltage, then the low battery shouldn’t affect it.

 

Makes sense. I am going to install the new battery later this week, hopefully it helps, but I dont think it will. I really wanted to avoid getting behind the head unit again but at this point i dont think I am going to be able to avoid it.

 

Not sure what power/ground connections you have in the engine bay and grill area for the camera, but you might want to look at those as well.

 

just popping in here wondering if this is going to be possible and available soon for the 2022+ tundra. Sign me up on the waitlist if so

 

I would check with @TundraTex first but according to the description on the website for the 2020-2021 harness it will work on some 2022’s without the 360 degree panoramic view
system.

https://www.fracharness.com/

 

What @Devdog86 said... Unfortunately the connectors that Toyota switched to in 2022 are not commercially available yet. Once they are, I'll be able to start building the FRAC Harness for the panoramic and Multi-terrain-monitor vehicles.

 

Awesome thanks for the headsup! Ill stand by awaiting your work once those connectors become available.

 

Awesome.

 

I’m interested as well.