[WickedFugu]

Hello All,

I need some help with identfiying if the Toyota branded dealership did a dodgy on me with my reversing camera installation.

There was a massive stuff around with incorrectly ordered parts and what I suspect was a lack of workman skill to perform the job, leading me to be given a loan car for a couple days.

The end result was the attached, a dodgy circular hole, a camera barely protruding that films the internal body work occasionally and a weirdly angled camera. Additionally I thought the genuine Toyota Reversing Camera was supposed to have an on screen overlay of "lines" to indicate distance.

I think they really dodgied up my installation and still charged me full price, but I am no expert which is why I have come to here to ask all of you for your opinion please

Attached are some pictures. The install was performed by Toyota Motorama at Moorooka, Brisbane QLD Australia.

Thank you!

Xavier.

 

[Blogson]

I'm certainly no expert, either, but the camera appears to show what it is intended to show. Can the camera angle be adjusted if you aren't satisfied with it?

 

[WickedFugu]

I'm certainly no expert, either, but the camera appears to show what it is intended to show. Can the camera angle be adjusted if you aren't satisfied with it?

Yes and no. You can adjust it slightly but the perspective is warped, additionally it flaps around and is pretty loose, even at it's best angle (pictured) you can still see the inside of the body work.

I would expect this for a after market $300 / 400 job, but not the genuine parts supplied and fitted by Toyota.

I guess I am also rather unhappy that it appears to have been done unprofessionally, from my research (and this is what I am here to confirm) you arent suppose to leave a gaping hole in the body work, camera isn't supposed to be mounted like that and the on screen overlay is missing - putting into question if it's actually the correct camera for the vehicle (as I mentioned they ordered the wrong parts at first) which could explain why it appears to all be wrong.

 

[ToyotaFreak]

Hard to see, but that doesn't look like a genuine accessory camera (Which is square, not round.). Hopefully that camera didn't cost you $995! (As seen on an accessories price list at the dealer here in VIC!)

Here's a photo (Shown fitted on a Hilux, but I've seen a variation of this genuine camera fitted on a RAV4.3 & other Toyotas in the dealer years ago.)

The proper factory-fit cameras would be fitted sort of flush through a clean cutout (As shown below.).

About the lines, they can be switched on and off in the radio settings menu if I'm not mistaken (From what I can remember, while taking the Corolla Levin ZR for a test drive 2 years back.).

The screen should show a view of the rear like the one below.

EDIT: Found an eBay link, showing what the Genuine accessory camera looks like (Mentions that an AVN or display audio unit is required, the latter which is your radio and was also an optional dealer-fit accessory on the 2012 Camry and other models in Australia.) http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Toyota-C...504988?hash=item2103baf59c:g:dbEAAOSw7NNUGRuD

 

[rav4system]

man they really screwed you...not even close to how it should be done...now you have a hole in your back door that will probably start to rust...i doubt the camera makes a seal so you will get water, wind, dust, dirt and anything else that can get thru that hole into the door area...i would have freaked on these people...

 

[vanib]

With the camera deep inside, it will be harder to clean the lens cover. The angle is definitely weird.

 

[Blogson]

Yeah, I agree with rav4system about the hole in the rear door. From the pic it appears that there isn't any sealing and that will cause obvious problems especially in your apparently rather rainy location.

 

[WickedFugu]

Thank you so much everyone for your replies and confirming my suspicions - and pointing out the issue of rust which I never even thought of and is alarming to me.

I have forwarded them onto the dealer and I will let you know what happens

 

[rav4system]

actually looking at it the section with the camera might be plastic so rust may not be an issue...i have a sport SAP so mine is a little different...otherwise they did a real crappy job and i would insist that they do it right...

 

[Grumpy old man]

Looks absolutely nothing like the camera and view that we have on our
RAV. Our display also has the lines as well.

 

[WickedFugu]

Hi everyone,

I took my car in today for them to look at.

Rust:
They said (and I tend to agree) that the cavity which the hole opens up is really just painted metal body and the body which was drilled was just a plastic moulded overlay. Well deduced Rav4System

On screen overlay:
They said that the reason why there is no overlay is that my head unit is an old one. There are 2 versions in my series (according to them) and mine is the oldest. Where I have a problem with this is, the series of my Rav4 ran from 2008 to 2012, Mine is a 2011 but in the second half of the year batch (if that makes sense). I have difficulty believing that with only 1 year to go, the 2012 models had different touch screen head units to the 2011 ones. (I am still trying to verify this though).

Camera not pointing outside the vehicle:
He said the camera was loose and I would have to return another time to get this tightened.

Giant hole:
They pulled out a print out of the installation manual from Toyota that they used and cited it says to drill a hole there. I asked them to explain why then no other Rav4 that when I looked at had the same "installation technique" but rather all had flush and nicely presented - weather tight (regardless of rusting issue or not) installations. I have no way of knowing if the camera they installed actually matches this manual, and if this camera was the only option or the cheapest option for them - still investigating.
They also again blamed my head unit for being the "old one" and thus the camera you order for it is the "old one" and requires a big hole and is how it is. They even said if I had of got it factory fitted it would have a big old hole.

I spent abt an hour and a half yesterday walking around a major shopping centre's car park looking at every Rav4 I saw in my series, I saw about 10+ with reversing cameras over this time, all varying years and none of which had a giant hole in the body for a camera to barely poke out of.

--- Their proposed solution ---

The guy is going to see what he can do regarding the camera installation, which broadly could be anything but to his credit he did seem genuine. He cited "poor communication" at sale to be the cause of the disparity between my expectations and delivered product. To be fair they were very polite to me, but I do always enjoy reviewing the in car security cam footage to see / hear discussions when I am not around.


The only way I will be able to move forward with them is to independently verify what they are saying. Which is a shame as you're supposed to go to Toyota Motorama and pay the premium for piece of mind. So I will send out a bunch of requests for quotations today to a few other premium dealers and specifically ask how the end result will look, that's probably the easiest way to proceed.

Thank you everyone for your help, really appreciated!

 

[DVS]

They said that the reason why there is no overlay is that my head unit is an old one. There are 2 versions in my series (according to them) and mine is the oldest. Where I have a problem with this is, the series of my Rav4 ran from 2008 to 2012, Mine is a 2011 but in the second half of the year batch (if that makes sense). I have difficulty believing that with only 1 year to go, the 2012 models had different touch screen head units to the 2011 ones. (I am still trying to verify this though).

At least in North America, I'm pretty sure completely different head units were the main change for the 2012 model year. I believe they have different wiring harnesses than previous years, too. I think in 2012 they all came with Bluetooth and, for the first time, USB input. I believe it was also the first year the Entune option was available.

So I think it's not unreasonable to believe the "newer" head unit was in 2012.

.

 

[mlrav]

If it's "just a plastic moulded overlay" then you might ask them to replace the overlay. If they agree to do that, then the camera could be mounted on the outside (with no ugly hole) as shown in the other photos. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[WickedFugu]

At least in North America, I'm pretty sure completely different head units were the main change for the 2012 model year. I believe they have different wiring harnesses than previous years, too. I think in 2012 they all came with Bluetooth and, for the first time, USB input. I believe it was also the first year the Entune option was available.

So I think it's not unreasonable to believe the "newer" head unit was in 2012.

.

My head unit has bluetooth and USB inputs. I am not sure what Entune is though

 

[ToyotaFreak]

My head unit has bluetooth and USB inputs. I am not sure what Entune is though

Entune is an app-based system, from what I've read. Something like Ford's Sync or Holden's MyLink system.

EDIT:

If it's "just a plastic moulded overlay" then you might ask them to replace the overlay. If they agree to do that, then the camera could be mounted on the outside (with no ugly hole) as shown in the other photos. Good luck and keep us posted.

As mentioned by mlrav, if it's just the plastic trim, you could try asking for that piece to be replaced. Also, if you don't mind going the non-genuine route, there are cameras that replace the existing license plate light with a camera/ license plate light assembly (As shown below.).

 

[bionictony]

your tail light plate looks like it has 2 bulb holders. in the usa, there's 1 bulb holder. the dealer probably used an aftermarket backup camera. what part number is on your invoice? the camera is offset so your centered guidelines will probably be off.

i would use something like this that mounts to the plate. requres smaller hole drilled but it's too late.
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