My back up camera works some of the time and other times it is a black screen saying “Camera Unavailable”. Is this the camera going bad or is there an electrical connector I need to clean and reconnect?

 

I just had this happen to my Rydeen CM-HD3 backup camera.

At first I checked the connector directly underneath the bed next to the spare tire. Just follow the wiring that exits at the bottom of the tailgate to a lone connector at the end. I disconnected and connected it multiple times, checking the screen inside to no avail.
I checked fuse 43 (10A kick panel for my 2010) as well even though I have the backup sensors, which are also on the same circuit as the backup camera. So if the sensors work, then likely the camera would still be getting power.

I don't know if you have the updated backup camera emblem which still is prone to breaking on removal, but nothing like the original ones were. Just plan on buying another emblem in case yours breaks on removal or use some really good industrial strength super glue to fix the legs/pegs.

You may have the same issue at the camera end like mine was. I discovered that mine was from the camera wiring weight having been wrapped up and hanging inside the tailgate (even as short as it was), that over time swinging and moving around over bumps on the road for years (3yrs since installation), started separating inside the sheathing under certain angles on the exit wiring from the camera body. So I rerouted everything so it wasn't pulling from that particular angle and this solved it for me! It's been over a week now with the fix and this corrected my issue with the same symptoms you described, albeit this with an aftermarket camera.

It also explains the intermittent issue about it too. Certain bumps, dips, jolts from potholes on the road would shift the camera wiring inside the tailgate and cause the intermittent signal. In my case, this was found to be true.

 

I don't know what truck you have. You didn't post that info. I have an '11 Lariat that I special ordered in 2010. The camera on it did the same thing. It was in January of 2015. I was at Happy Harrys. I hopped in the truck and put it in reverse to back out, and the camera did the same thing. So I just took a look at my service records. The truck had about 51,000 miles on her. I was past the factory warranty. But, I did have a 5yr/60,000 mile extended warranty. So the camera was covered. First the dealer updated the APIM (Firmware I guess). And it worked fine. But in October, it developed a problem with the guide lines not working, and sometimes not coming on at all for a few seconds once I was in reverse. The dealer said there was an updated version of the camera, so they replaced the camera. Then, in December, I couldn't do any of the settings, or zoom it in. So, they apparently had to date the firmware on the new camera. I guess they forgot to do it when it was replaced, duh. It's been fine since. So, you may need either a firmware update, or a new camera...

 

Wife's Edge and sons Explorer did this, dealer replaced, reprogrammed new camera, all returned to normal and still is many years later. Make sure if you go the camera replacement route you get the correct camera and not sure about how you need to program, maybe it can be done in Forscan, not sure.

 

Wife's Edge is doing the same thing. How much was the camera? The Dealer told me something like $465 (from memory) for the part.

 

sorry these repairs were under warranty.

 

I dealt with this for months on my truck. 2013. I cleaned the connections, nothing. Wasn't firmware related as I replaced my Sync 2 with Sync 3. Still did it. Dealt with this for a while because I didn't want to spend $200 on a camera.

I ended up getting a new battery as my old one was starting to get weak, and since then I haven't had a single problem with my camera. Coincidence or not, but dealing with a camera that intermittently worked for months that went away after a new battery leads me to believe it was the battery. YMMV but if your battery is old, it's worth a try

 

its been a while but did your camera get fixed with the battery change?

 

I’m currently having an intermittent issue with my passenger window and back up camera…noticed my positive terminals are super corroded so I’m wondering if the battery could be the culprit of both.

I’ve tried to inspect the wiring for both and can’t find an issue.

 

90 percent of the time it is a bad camera, but you can always try cleaning and reseating the connection at the camera and the connector under the truck coming out of the tail gate first. Mine needed a camera and I found one for 220.00 on Ebay. I have a late production 2010 so it used the 2011 camera, BL3Z 194G90 B, and I had to use a good double sided tape on the emblem or buy the expensive late model emblem and mount.
BEWARE of the cheap Chinese knockoffs. They dont work right.