What are the reasons for the reverse camera not displaying when shifting to reverse gear?

[DiCole]

There are many reasons why the reverse camera does not display when shifting to reverse gear, mainly including poor contact in the wiring and switch, malfunction of the reverse camera module, and a dead car battery. Below is a detailed explanation: Poor contact in the reverse camera wiring and switch: If the connection wire between the camera and the car display screen comes loose, or if the reverse camera switch is damaged, it will cause the reverse camera not to display. In this case, the wiring needs to be reconnected, and if necessary, a new switch can be replaced. Malfunction of the reverse camera module: There are many reasons for the reverse camera module to malfunction, including system disorder, garbled module, and formatting of the reverse camera. In this case, it is necessary to visit a repair shop and have a professional inspect it. Dead car battery: The display screen of the car reverse camera is powered by the car battery. When the car battery is dead, the reverse camera will not display. In this case, the car battery should be charged promptly.

[McHannah]

Last time my car's reversing camera suddenly went black, so I took it to the repair shop and they identified three common issues: either the camera was covered in mud, the wiring connector was loose, or the fuse was blown. The mechanic said the rear camera is particularly delicate and even splashing water on rainy days could cause a short circuit. Another possibility is that the central control screen doesn't switch over when shifting into reverse, which might be due to a system glitch. The scariest scenario is poor contact in the reverse signal line near the transmission—my neighbor had this issue and spent 300 yuan replacing the wiring. It's recommended to clean the camera with a damp cotton swab and check if the wiring harness connectors under the trunk lid are loose.

[RowanLee]

Last week, I suddenly noticed the screen went completely black while reversing, which gave me a real scare. I asked a car-savvy friend, and he said it was most likely the rearview camera that had failed—those things are prone to water damage since they're mounted at the back. Another possibility was oxidized connectors, especially in older cars where the rubber seals crack and let moisture in. A technician at the dealership told me that a frozen infotainment system could also cause a black screen, and a simple reboot might fix it. I tried restarting the system myself, but it didn’t work. Eventually, I found out that a mouse had chewed through the camera’s power cable. Now, I always check if the reversing camera display is working before parking—honestly, I wouldn’t dare reverse without it these days.

[VonBrianna]

If the reversing camera malfunctions, first check for dirt or damage to the camera. Last month, my car's camera was covered in bird droppings and stopped displaying. Next, verify in the host settings whether the camera function was accidentally turned off. Another possibility is that an aftermarket central control screen's protocol doesn't support the factory camera—my cousin's Highlander had this issue after installing a large screen. When shifting into reverse, listen for a beep sound. If there's sound but no image, it's likely a camera failure. Finally, remember to check if the reverse lights are functioning properly. If the reverse lights don't come on, the entire vehicle's imaging system might fail.

[McValerie]

As a seasoned driver with ten years of experience, I've encountered two instances of reversing camera malfunctions. The first time was after a car wash when the camera fogged up due to water ingress, and it took two days of sun exposure to recover. The second case was even more peculiar—the repair shop spent two hours diagnosing and found that a short circuit in the parking sensor module had affected the camera system. Another often-overlooked factor is unstable battery voltage; when the voltage drops below 11 volts, the vehicle's system automatically shuts down certain functions. I recommend that car owners regularly clean the camera lens with alcohol wipes and pay extra attention to waterproofing the wiring during the rainy season. Used car buyers should be particularly cautious—a colleague of mine bought a used car with an intermittently functioning camera, only to discover that the wiring had been haphazardly modified by the previous owner.