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

Will it connect with the existing FRAC kit, or will it replace it?

 

It is an add-on for your existing FRAC Harness. I edited the original post for clarification. Thanks.

 

I have a Limited with the glass-break sensor, so no open space for the OEM switch. I'm intrigued by the idea of pushing the glass-break sensor behind the trim, but it seems like the microphone would be more muted by being hidden. -- I'm curious how people know the glass-break sensor works well when pushed behind the trim; is there a way you can test it?

For those who have pushed this sensor back, two follow-up questions: (1) D you somehow secure the glass-break sensor somewhere behind the trim, or do you leave it "floating" back there? (2) Do you still drill a hole for the VIM switch, or do you hard-wire that and leave it "always on"? (Admittedly, I'm still reading through posts to try and understand why both of the following can be true: (a) a VIM switch is offered and "needed" and (b) it's okay to hard-wire together and ignore the switch.)

 

When practicing the reach distance to where the camera switch would be, I have felt like it would be nice to have it closer to the driver / steering wheel. I'm curious to learn more about where you placed your switch. Would you and/or others who have tried different switch placements be willing to share some photos and details about where to run the extended wiring?

 

My understanding is you want the VIM switch if you use Nav functions. I do not, so have it hard wired. More info from TundraTex here:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/frac-faq-what-is-the-vim-function.56409/

 

The sound of glass breaking is at a very high frequency, which will easily get to the microphone behind the dash. There is also a pressure spike, which the microphone may detect as well, and which would not be affected at all by the dash. I have not tested this (I don't want to break any of my glass!) but the physics I had for my electrical engineering degree give me high confidence that it will work just fine.

I wired up my VIM switch and put it in the horizontal space just above the buttons. It is invisible without getting down in the floor but still easily reachable. I don't use it often, but I have used it a couple of times.

 

As the instructions indicate, the VIM switch’s “normal” condition is ON. The override position is VIM Off. So connecting the wires together if VIM is not needed is the same as having the switch in the on position.

 

GETTING CLOSER!

 

I ordered your kit and the iNewCow logo cam...but Amazon sent me a 1" square camera...returning it now...not sure if I should just reorder the iNewCow camera....wonder if I was unlucky?????

The other logo cams I found are shipped from China with a month or 2 turnaround...

 

Well that’s a bummer. I’ve got some alternate camera links on my installation help web page. Not sure about the logo cam suppliers anymore since I haven’t ordered one personally since about 2018.

 

Thanks. Ir3port'll

Thx. I'll look at your help page and report back on what I do...

 

^^^^^This. Man, I read this and remember reading this and still hooked it up wrong! Made the right connections and it works beautifully. Fine craftsmanship and great customer service.

 

Shame on Toyota for using the same identical connector in two places on the Head Unit. I doubt any engineer worth his salt would have made that decision. It was probably a bean-counter MBA that drove it.

OK. Rant complete. Glad you were able to get things up and running!

 

Finally got mine installed. Is it normal for the forward camera to not show if I turn off the truck with the switch in the forward position then start back up there when I return to leave? It’s happened both times when arriving at work and not switching back to center prior to switching the ignition off.

 

I haven't heard of that happening before. What is on your display rather than the front view when you restart the Truck in this configuration? Also, did you provide power to the front camera from the FRAC harness or did you power it from some other source? And finally, does the FRAC function normally after starting up and selecting another camera mode?

-Lou

 

It’s just black. Power is from the FRAC harness. Rear camera works fine.

 

OK. The black screen means that the FRAC Harness is properly switching to video display mode in the Head Unit when you start back up with the fwd camera selected, but there is no video coming from the front camera, so the screen is black. Something is amiss in your front camera or front camera wiring. I would double check the front camera power, ground, and video lines for an intermittent connection.

 

I’m hoping I’m not the only one who has experienced this, but I “believe” that I’ve meticulously installed the FRAC harness and Nakita front facing camera, with the VIM switch and the 3 way (6 wire) camera switch.

My issue is that no camera shows. Not even a black screen. Not even when I put it in Reverse.

Just wondering if anyone else knew the quick fix or has any recommendations of where to look.

I’m going to pull the head unit tomorrow and go back to original config to ensure that putting it in reverse still triggers the camera.

Any thoughts?

 

@JoelThor26 did you check the FRAC functionality before re-installing the HU? If so did it initially work? It's always a good idea to check the operation before re-installing everything.

It sounds like you may have a connector that's not fully inserted. I would start by disconnecting the FRAC Harness and going back to the OEM config as you mentioned. This is a good first step in troubleshooting. Once you have determined that everything works in the OEM configuration, reconnect the FRAC Harness into the HU and check operation.

If you still have the same results, double check your camera switch wiring. Make sure the red, orange, and green wires are connected to the Red, white, and blue wires respectively. Then ensure that the black ground wire for the switch is properly connected to a good ground. This is necessary for proper switch operation even if not using the illumination wires. A good way to ensure this is properly connected is to check that the small orange indicator lights on the switch illuminate when choosing a camera selection.

Let me know if this helps or if you need additional info. I want to make sure you are up and running.

Lou

 

Hoping to get to "reset" things this week, Lou - sincerely appreciate the quick reply. And yes - you're spot on - I did NOT validate functionality prior to poppin' things back on or putting the HU back in - I blame mother nature and mother earth for making it stormy and then sunsetting, and then making me rush through things. I can confirm the orange indicator, when switching the camera selection, so I'm confident of the ground. So my money is on a connector (R/W/B to R/O/G) wire might have come loose somehow. Thanks again, and I'll update what I find!!

 

Understand the ill effects of Mother Nature on mod activities! If you're not getting the reverse video when shifting into reverse, then I suspect the smaller (24-pin) connector is not plugged in all the way. The camera switch should not affect the OEM reverse video function, but it's easy enough to check that out as well. Please keep me posted.

-Lou

 

Finally pulled the trigger on ordering one of these!!

I will pair it with a Natika camera up front. Plan for now is to put the switches under the center console lip.

 

I just processed your order, Adam. Your build will start today.

 

Had my camera already, harness arrived today. Looking forward to being able to, uh, look forward

 

Started the install of my FRAC kit…thought I’d post a pic for anyone with a 1794 or Platinum that doesn’t have open switch bays for an alternative location

 

Nice Work!

 

Had time to knock this out... easily found the culprit...


Which means - if you have the scenario I had (camera switch is powered/lit, but neither the switch nor putting the vehicle in reverse results in any change to the screen), the "H" cable on the FRAC is loose/disconnected. Once I reconnected that, and this time checked everything before putting it all back together, everything worked as expected.

So, mental note - be sure to secure all possible connections before cramming it back in the dash. For me, a little electrical tape wrapped around these three and the FRAC body, did the trick.

Sharing the below pics, just to show where I installed the VIM and Camera switches in my SR5.

 

Well, I was close. The "H" RCA is what's tied into the other end of the 24-pin connector I thought may be loose. This connector is the output to the Head Unit video circuit.

Thanks for posting the update. Glad you got it figured out!

 

FRAC showed up today (that was fast!). Also got the Natica camera and some molex connectors to make extend the switch wires and make them separable if/when I take the center console apart again. The plan is to install the switches under the lip of the arm rest.

Forgot to get some wire so I can keep the color scheme going, I should be able to pick that up soon.

Hopefully, I'll have some time this weekend to pull this off. I'll try and remember to take some in progress photos to show when I'm done.

 

quick reminder to save you from the same oversight I had when running that yellow rca jack through the fire wall to the harness at the head unit…you need to separate the black and red wire that are part of the rca extension cable (red/black wires that will be closer to the black camera connection pin port) run the red wire with the yellow rca cable to connect it to the red wire intertwined with the green wires off the harness that go to the vim switch…that red wire is what gets power back to the camera and uses that loose red spade connector after you run it through the firewall. The black end of the red & black wires can be grounded in the engine bay on the sidewall by your air box with one of the two grounds already bolted/screwed into the sidewall. I realized this after fishing just the rca end through and then had to go back to run the red wire. (Pays to watch the video again before the install lol)

edited to circle what I’m talking about from your photo: