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kahoona's avatar
kahoona
Explorer II
Jun 01, 2015

Replacement Backup monitor OK but won't come on when reversi

I wonder if anybody here can give me some advice. I have a 2001 Coachmen Mirada. Ford F53 chassis. The old voyager monitor bit the dust after a lingering illness. The front panel switches all fell back inside one at a time until finally it quit working entirely. It may have shorted inside. I have replaced it with a Rear View Safety RVS-770613. It is not the best but it is more than adequate and I couldn't beat the price. Install was straightforward. The old wiring was 4 wire and the new 5 but I didn't need the picture flip feature so I omitted that wire and installed the correct plug and socket on the old wire and all is well. Very simple job for anyone who needs do it.

Here is the problem. The blue reverse trigger wire does not power on when the RV is shifted into reverse. It did work with the old monitor but it may have been shorted at some point when it quit. I have removed and tested every fuse in the coach (or at least the 3 panels I know of.) I followed the blue wire up to where it passes through the firewall. This is high and to the drivers side of center. I cannot be certain where it goes from there bit it may be spliced to a yellow wire that goes rearward along the frame behind the trans. The reverse lights work.

Is there a relay I am missing? Where does this trigger wire originate? Is there a spot in the shift lever wiring where I can hook it in? Do I need to connect it to a backup light and run a wire forward? I'd like to keep the original config but I can't figure it out. Does anyone know?
Thanks in advance folks.
BTW I really did try to search for an existing answer but no luck.
  • Thanks fluffo That was nice of you. Sadly the Winnebago doesn't seem to be similar to ours. Seems like they all vary a lot!
    Mr Wizard- Our linkage is a cable that goes through the floor. The part where the levers motion is connected to the cable is in a heavy steel box above the steering shaft and I cannot get to it to see.
    If I knew what color wire it was and where to intercept I could do it. I tried opening up the wiring bundle where I could see it inside the drivers wheel well.
    I knew it was a yellow wire when it attached to the bulb holder and I also found a diagram that said it could be black with pink. I skinned t yellow and one blk/pink with no luck. I am assuming I will have to run a wire forward from the lamp holder and add a relay as was suggested. Someday someone will find it and say "what kind of Idiot did that!" I'll wait a day to see if anyone knows the answer or has a wiring diagram pops up. Never know.;-)
  • OK! Working fine now. Thanks to all who replied particularly Mr Wizard who reminded me to use a relay. I fed a 50' 18ga wire through the grommet beneath the brake master cylinder. I started outside the front, poked a hile in the grommet and then fed a few feet of wire inside. I then sealed it up with some liquis electrical tape. I ran it down and fhrough behind the headlight. I wrapped and zipped it along the main wire harness bundle abve the wheel and back along the frame to the rear. I tapped into the yellow backup light wire at the drivers side rear corner. Back in the cabin I installed the relay (a smaller ford standard relay) and everything worked fine.
    Now, while I have the dash dismantled and the seat out (only way to get to the fuses) I'll see about the climate control light with the wire that fell off and the Cigarette lighter that quit working (for charging phones) and see if I can get the map lights to work again. Then I can try to find out why the AC fan won't go full speed unless I smack the dash with my palm. Probably a bad resistor. It is not often that I get under the dash! Things do pile up! DW will be pleased.