I have a 2012 XLT with the back up camera in the rear view mirror. It is working intermittently. It's flashing to a blue screen.

Would this be a bad connection somewhere or broken wire?

 

Most likely

 

Where does the camera wiring route through once it's out of the tailgate?

 

The camera wiring goes into the main harness along the frame to the front.

Most likely locations for an issue are at the tailgate connector and at the camera itself.

Mine was intermittent and wiggling the harness where it comes out of the tailgate would usually get it to work.

My tailgate connector was clean and tight.
The camera connector looked good as well, but I pulled it and gave it a shot of contact cleaner anyway.
No further issues.

You'll have to pull the emblem off to access the camera connector.
That will break the factory emblem.

There is an updated part with a new emblem and mount that is removable without breaking it.

Search the camera threads here, and the Ford Tech Makuloco YouTube channel for details.

 

Did you have any problems reconnecting the harnesses together? I'm pushing them together as hard as I can and they won't stay locked. I'm thinking the tab isn't engaging downward over that small piece of plastic. Any suggestions?

 

I had ordered a replacement emblem and base but when i popped the emblem off my 2014, it already had the newer version. Even a cheap china cam don't work so im checking the wiring once the weather cooperates.

 

Fiberglass filament packing tape is great stuff and doesn't stretch. You could push the connectors together tightly and apply several strips of filament tape in line with the connectors to hold the halves together, and then do wraps around both ends of the connector assembly to lock the in-line strips in place. If you ever have to separate the connector halves in the future, a razor blade easily cuts the tape.

 

Thanks for the advice, but I don't understand why the connectors won't compress enough to lock together. I can see the tab trying to lock but it just won't go. Very frustrating.

 

It works, thanks.

 

Awesome, sometimes it's just not worth messing around with little BS than can be quickly resolved the "wrong" way, lol.

If the tape adhesive doesn't hold up to Summer heat, use longer strips holding the halves together, so the tape extends past the ends of the connector and goes over/around the wires. Then put your locking wraps around the strips on the wires, against the ends of the connector. The "Tootsie Roll" wrap enveloping the connector makes it almost impossible for the strips to detach from the plastic connector, even if the adhesive gets weak.