Hi Sasnuke,

Slightly off topic, but you seem to know a lot about this Lexus's. Do you know anything about wiring an off-market camera for the Lexus IS? My came without one, so i bought one that has the camera mounted on the reverse parking light trim. There are two issues here:

1. The cable that connects to the camera has 3 three wires that need to be connected (not including the one that's actually hooked in to the camera it-self). The yellow video cable, which goes straight to the monitor, a red power wire and a black ground wire. Not exactly sure how to ground the black wire and where i can connect the red one to, i assume the back lights?

2. I did not yet check, but i would think that my car did not come pre-wired for a camera. When i was putting in the new monitor it had a connector where the camera (if i had one) would need to be connected to. I will try and remove the trunk lid sometime later this week and see if i am indeed right. Assuming i am right, is there any way for me to wire the camera in a way where the extension cable goes all the way back from the trunk to the monitor in the front without it being visible? Was trying to find how Lexus wire OEM camera's but could not find anything for my specific model.

 

Hi Edvin,

To start with item #2, we found here in North America that many early production IS's were pre-wired for both fog lights and backup cameras.
For those pre-wired for the backup camera, you could complete the install by getting an OEM Camera, a short OEM harness (literally a few inches) that goes from the camera to the main harness connector in the trunk lid, and the exterior trim piece that has the license plate lights, which is precut with the opening for the camera. Some members didn't get the trim piece and simply made their own hole for the camera. Personally I'd just get the trim piece.

Going back to item #1, the Yellow wire should be the female RCA for the camera cable.
The Red wire can be connected to the Reverse light wiring. The Reverse light socket will have two wires, Black (Power) and White with a Black Stripe (Ground)...those are the colors for the North American IS, so I'm assuming they are the same for yours.
The Black wire for the camera can connect to any ground bolt you can find near to the camera location, or you can connect it to the Reverse light connector White with Black Stripe wire.
To run the camera cable to the front, basically follow the main harness down the drivers side til you get to the dash. It will involve removing several trim panels however.

 

Thanks for that, will give it a try during the weekend. Yeah, i've seen posts where people are connecting their camera to a connector specifically pre-wired for a camera. Unfortunately i don't think mine has one, will check though however i think i will have to go the longe route and route the wire to the infotament screen.

I had another look at the camera which i bought when i got home, the 6m long connector has a red wire on both ends. Not, really sure what the one on the end that will connecting to the monitor is doing? The red wire on the opposite end i pressume just connects with the red wire of the camera cable and is then connected to the rear lights? I've added photos of what the whole system looks like, see what you think.

 

That looks like a pretty sweet setup...can't wait to see a pic of the final install.

Here's the explanation of the Red wire in the 6M long Black RCA cable.
First, that Red wire runs internally the entire length of the 6M long Black RCA cable and is meant to bring a Reverse signal from the back of the vehicle to the head unit in the dash, if the head unit DOES NOT have a Reverse signal already.
You are correct that IF you needed to connect it, it would connect to the Reverse light socket Power wire (which I presume is Black on your car).
As your IS radio DOES have a Reverse signal going to it, which i can only assume gets transferred to your new screen through the existing harness, then you do not need to connect either end of the Red wire that is part of the 6M long Black RCA cable.
Simply tape the ends of the Red wire and secure them.
I would confirm that the new screen has a female RCA input for the cable before you start wiring anything up.

As your IS is a 2014 I'm almost sure it will be prewired for a factory camera in the trunk lid, but you won't know til you remove the trim panel and check.

 

I took the trunk lid off earlier today to see what's there. I think there is a harness which is left out for the OEM camera as you said, not sure, Have a look, I've added some photos below.

Please tell me that that's it and that i will not have to route the 6m long extension cable to the front of the car?

See those two yellow connectors on either side of the trunk panel? Can i use those to power the camera?

 

That is the main harness connector for the OEM Camera.
There is a short sub harness that you will need that goes from that connector to the actual OEM Camera.

If you purchase an OEM camera and the short harness, then you can simply install both and you will have a functioning OEM backup camera without any need to run extra wires.
The only other issue to address is the physical camera install. The trim piece on the exterior of the trunk will either need to be replaced with the one that has the opening for the camera, or you will need to make the opening for the camera in your existing one.
Also you would need to create a hole for the short harness to connect to the camera.

 

I would be very surprised if the trunk lid did NOT already have a hole for the harness. Can’t see them making two different trunk lids, one for camera optioned cars and one without.

 

Sasnuke,

Are you saying if i get the sub harness, i don't need anything else (i.e. no need to connect to rear lights to power the camera or hook up the 6m long extension cable?). If that is the case i will try to find one that i can buy.

I think i would need a 4 pin conenector with a male video cable at the other end. Any idea where i can find one?

 

LOL...i thought the exact same thing, but...

Trunk lid without camera, part number 64401-53311
Trunk lid with camera, part number 64401-53321

I would agree with you that this is ridiculous to have a completely seperate trunk lid for a camera opening. Since the opening is in metal it would have to be painted when the car is painted, so I can kinda see why they do it.
You would think they could have made a weatherproof plug for the hole instead, but I guess not.

 

You need both the sub harness AND the OEM Camera...you can't use the camera you have.
Basically return everything you bought and get the sub harness and OEM camera.
I do believe you can buy OEM replacement cameras that work and connect just like the Lexus camera, but not as expensive.

I believe the OEM camera for your car is 86790-53031 (https://www.megazip.net/zapchasti-dl...amera-18038632)
The sub harness is a little tougher to find the part number.

 

Is there no way to make use of the one i have? The OEM is like 500 euro and alot harder to fit than the one i have currently. Is there no way to hook it up to the connector i found earlier today?

 

Since the cameras are all the same for the first few years of the IS, i would recommend finding a used OEM camera, as it will likely come with the sub harness already attached.
They is no reasonable way to attach the current camera you have to the harness in the trunk...the connection method between that camera and the OEM one is completely different.

I found several of these OEM cameras used on eBay, with the harness.

 

Well if that's the way then i guess that's what i will do. I did however ask this question in a different post and this one person came back and said he was able to tap into the connector with a very similar camera that i have. See post below. I would have gotten the OEM camera would it have been cheaper in the first place.

Anyway i'll trust what you say and try to find a used oem camera.

 

I found that thread (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...s-is-300h.html) and looking at the pic of the camera he installed it appears to be either an OEM camera or aftermarket replacement for the OEM camera, based on it's shape and location. This would differ greatly from the camera you have.
When i say "aftermarket replacement", this means the camera is made to look, connect, and function like the OEM camera, but it's simply not made by Lexus or the company that makes it for them...it's made by another copy that basically copied the camera.
In that case it would have been possible for him to tap the wires onto the connector...basically he made his own version of the sub harness rather than buying the actual sub harness.

 

Do you have a part number for this trim piece that has the camera hole pre-cut? (i.e. for the piece in the attached photo)