Desperate help needed on tailgate reverse flip camera badge - Golf MK6

[doawee]

Hi Guys,

So I have problem and it's abit of a doozy and I’m desperate to get this working again and would very much appreciate any help at all from fellow members.

Now before you say anything, I have already exhausted all possible avenues and spoken to acouple of auto electricians but they still couldn't help me out and was wondering if anyone out there has had the same problem and how to fix?

Okay so here is the problem

Car: 2011 MK6 Golf R
Issue: Flip badge reverse camera video display not showing image, (recently bought the car and has not worked ever since it came into my possession).

From my online research, usually when there is no video display, the screen is either blue or black, due to a loose cable from the camera, mine is neither (mine is rainbow stripes - shown in picture)

Now, upon the initial troubleshooting checks, I found out I do have a loose cable (4 pin), which goes directly into the camera lens itself, but that has snapped off (shown in photo), I understand that each pin represents a different purpose i.e. Power, Ground, Video, not sure what the 4th one does.

So anyways, because of the way the cable is snapped, and I don't know which pin is meant to go where, I tried all 4 scenarios with no success. I even took out the head unit to see if the cable behind there was damaged but everything seems to ok behind the head unit.

I've spoken to an auto electrician on the phone and he said that if there is a wiring problem, he would be able to fix, however after explaining my case, he is concerned that the camera lens itself may be damaged, and no point him looking at it, charging me a fee and it still is not fixed. Is this likely? surely these lens are quite durable/versatile and don't get damaged that easily?

If it is the lens that is faulty, I have no choice but to replace the unit, but I have also explored aftermarket replacement flip badge cameras which can be purchased online for around $250, but that requires me replacing my head unit also? along with the VCDS program? I don't really want to go down that path, abit too fiddly as I like things to be stock, I also called over a dozen wreckers around Sydney to see if I can find a seconds unit, but no one has it.

Everything works fine, badge flips when put into reverse, just no display video footage.

Therefore, if anyone has any advice or can offer any help, that would be much appreciated.

[The_Hawk]

The stock camera is CVBS (four pins) if that helps.

Troubleshooting tips for you:

Make it as easy as possible.

You don't have to actually install a new camera to test it... you can just plug it into the head unit and see if it works.
Ditto for the head unit. You can just plug it in and see what happens.

As for VCDS, if it's already coded you don't need it. Effectively all those does is flick a switch to tell the car a thing is installed.


What you need is someone nearby with a spare camera you could test and a head unit with a PIN code so you could test that too. Without that you're somewhat left guessing... which leads to the next point.

Just look into a RCD330+ (or other Carplay/Android Auto enabled head unit) and a suitable camera and swap them both out. Newer, nicer and more functional.

[doawee]

Unfortunately I don't know anyone with a spare unit lying around or even a working on for that matter.

Thankyou very much Hawk, appreciate it mate.

The stock camera is CVBS (four pins) if that helps.

Troubleshooting tips for you:

Make it as easy as possible.

You don't have to actually install a new camera to test it... you can just plug it into the head unit and see if it works.
Ditto for the head unit. You can just plug it in and see what happens.

As for VCDS, if it's already coded you don't need it. Effectively all those does is flick a switch to tell the car a thing is installed.


What you need is someone nearby with a spare camera you could test and a head unit with a PIN code so you could test that too. Without that you're somewhat left guessing... which leads to the next point.

Just look into a RCD330+ (or other Carplay/Android Auto enabled head unit) and a suitable camera and swap them both out. Newer, nicer and more functional.