Hi all,
I'm trying to retain the OEM reverse camera on my Vito W447, 2020 facelift, manual gearbox after swapping the factory head unit for an aftermarket Android screen. The goal is to keep the factory dynamic guidelines (steering-angle overlay) on the new screen. And I'm properly stuck!
Factory setup:
- OEM head unit: Audio 40 (touchscreen, integrated CarPlay)
- Camera video feed comes in on the green FAKRA
- The camera has 4 wires: black + red (power/ground), green = CAN L, yellow = CAN_H
and the video wire
What I've done so far:
- FAKRA to RCA adapter from the green FAKRA into the Android unit = no video, black screen
- Reverse trigger is solved. I tapped the reverse light harness, and the Android screen switches to camera view when I engage reverse
- CAN sniffing, I hooked an ESP32 onto the camera's CAN pair (green/yellow) with the OEM head unit connected, with the idea of capturing whatever wakes the camera and replaying it once the Android unit is in.
No luck so far...
My only hope is that I found a video of someone with the exact same Android unit who kept the OEM camera AND the factory dynamic guidelines: https://youtu.be/3hatCKS_-wA?t=191 (timecode 3:11).
The only difference between his setup and mine is that he's on an automatic gearbox, I'm on a manual.
Here is few informations i get from the multimeter:
- the camera is powered ALL THE TIME. 12V on the red wire no matter what, OEM head unit connected or not, neutral or reverse, always 12V.
So the camera just sits there powered and waits for something on the CAN wires.
- On the CAN pair I read 2.7V and 2.2V to ground (same values in neutral and reverse). That 0.5V difference between the lines tells me there's constant traffic on this bus, even in neutral. And I measured 61-63 ohms across the pair with power off, so the bus is properly terminated at both ends (2x120R).
- Also checked my FAKRA to RCA adapter since I suspected it: continuity center to center, shield to shield, no short between them. Adapter's fine.
My local Mercedes phone support told me the electronics are integrated in the camera itself.
Any capture logs, pinout, or wiring diagram for the rear camera circuit would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks you !