The Ford F-150 is the backbone of the American workforce, and is an incredibly reliable and trustworthy vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes the Ford rear view camera can cause problems or malfunction or cease working properly.
If this has happened to you, you might be at a loss for what to do next? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with expert knowledge and backup camera troubleshooting that will help you replace your malfunctioning camera, and acquire a replacement if necessary as well. At the Camera Source YouTube channel we have multiple guides that walk you through the F-150 installation process for different mirror types.
Before you try and fix the camera, make sure the problem is actually with the hardware. Are you sure the camera isn’t just foggy? We have great guides available to help with a blurry backup camera or to help you adjust one if your license plate is in the way. So, let’s get started, and we’ll help you troubleshoot what’s wrong with your F-150 camera
Why is my F-150 backup camera not working?
Well, the answer to this question requires us to get more specific, which we’ll start to answer below. But first, to get the obvious troubleshooting steps out of the way, put your F-150 in reverse. What does the display say? “No signal?” Or is it your reverse camera giving a black screen? Do you have black and white visual noise? Depending on the answers to those questions, you’ll probably find your answer below.
Your truck is usually pretty good about giving you a signal that its having problems. That said, the distance from basic issue to easy fix and then onto finding out your camera has bit the dust can be pretty short.
If you’ve got a front-facing camera, the same logic applies. What happens when you switch it on? Is there a wiring issue? Or is it a problem with the display? Once you’ve done some narrowing down, you should be able to determine the answer pretty conclusively.
No signal? No problem
There are a number of reasons that your F-150 camera might be giving you this message. If it’s a wifi camera, and it was working previously, it likely means that the camera or the display needs a reset. (You can check out some of our thoughts about wired vs wireless backup cameras here) It also wouldn’t hurt to check your fuses and the power cables for the camera (usually located in the bed area of your of your truck, the wiring usually feeds between the hinges).
Possibly, a backup camera fuse may have blown or a wire may have frayed and become disconnected. (This is probably the best case scenario with these kinds of issues.)
If you have a wired backup camera, wiring is more likely the problem. Again, checking your fuses to ensure everything is connected (and not blown) and going and tracing the wiring and cables from the camera to the display will reveal the problem to you. For many F-150 owners, the wiring will be located up near the rear view mirror, though you’ll have to refer to your model’s maintenance manual for a Ford F-150 backup camera wiring diagram for more specific information.
If your display is embedded in the dashboard, start at the camera and work to the display, as removing a dashboard display can be a difficult process, and you only want to do it as a last resort.
In both cases, before you start troubleshooting the wiring, give the whole system a reset to make sure that it isn’t just a glitch. That usually just involves turning the truck on and off a few times.
Black and white, or white noise
You’re probably starting to sense a theme here. If your display is not powering on at all, it’s likely a problem with the display, not the camera, so check the wiring diagrams for your truck. (If you installed the monitor yourself, double check your work. Plugging the camera into the AUX dash cable rather than video feed is a common problem with home installs). More likely than not, if your display is not powering on, it’s either improperly connected (make sure that you’ve got the right level of power being sent to the display) or the monitor is damaged or broken. I’ll also add since it has come up before, that many people install their backup camera to only work when the truck is in reverse, so make sure you’ve actually given reversing a go.
If the display is powering on, and it doesn’t say that there is no signal, your camera might be the issue. Check it for damage, and replace it if necessary.
What if I need a new camera?
Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Camera Source sells a wide variety of backup cameras and other camera products. We can match you with the right camera for your F-150 backup camera replacement, be it for commercial or personal use. Browse our inventory, and get in touch with us if you have any questions! We also have a brand new front-facing camera, which you can check out here.
