[Bammerman]

My after-market rear-view back-up camera has worked great for about four years. I've come to depend on it, to tell the truth! Then, suddenly, two days ago, it just stopped working: I put my Volt into reverse and instead of showing a beautiful wide view behind the car, the screen just showed black (except for the car's software-provided cautionary warning to look around). I was hoping it was a fuse, but all the other lights, etc., are working just fine, and the retailer of the camera kit (dealer-installed) texted me, "I doubt it a fuse, more likely the camera -- You’d have to check for power at the camera". But, to do that, I need to gain access to the camera, mounted just above the license plate.

Does anyone have any suggestions/links/videos, etc., to offer that might help me with this? Thanks.

 

[freshcut]

The OEM camera requires the bumper to be removed to gain access, so I would assume the same is true for aftermarket. There are a few threads on how to remove the bumper cover which may be helpful.

 

[Bammerman]

By lifting out the lower tray and the back interior plastic panel I was able to find the end of the camera cable, which had been chewed through (I found signs of mice in the tray!), or perhaps inadvertently sliced through by the tray edge somehow. Then by removing one of the license plate lights and fishing around with a wire hook, I was able to pull out the other end of the cable. Then it was "just" a matter of opening up each end of the cut cable and soldering the wires together, and then closing it all up. SUCCESS! Back-up camera all fixed! And the only cost was a few dollars worth of pry tools from Ace Hardware.