# back up camera adjustment?



## micah360 (May 19, 2010)

Today when I got in the Routan and was backing out of the garage, I noticed the camera's angle was a bit off from where it usually is. Before, I could see an inch or two of the bumper and none of the license tag, but now I can see all of the bumper and a bunch of the license tag on the screen. It's like it was just pushed in a little bit from where it was from the factory. 

I tried pushing on the lens a bit to see if it was adjustable, but it doesn't move. 

I was just wondering if there was a way to adjust it?

It's really weird cause there's no sign of an impact on the rear of the vehicle, so I have no idea what happened.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Check to see if you lost a bumper stop somewhere around the hatch. If one is missing, that would cause the hatch to be pulled in more, changing the angle of the camera. Just a thought.


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## micah360 (May 19, 2010)

I'll check that. But even if one was missing and the hatch was in a bit further than usual, that wouldn't cause my license plate to show up in the screen now, cause the plate is attached to the hatch too.

I thought maybe the plate had been pulled on by one of my kids, so I checked that and that's not the case either.

I don't understand how the camera shifted. Maybe my wife hit a really big pothole and it jarred it?


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Yeah, this is an odd problem. I wonder if there is an electronic adjustment for the viewing angle in the software, if so, then off to the dealer you go. Good luck, keep us posted.


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## micah360 (May 19, 2010)

I really wish I could connect this thing (like I can my GTI) via VAGCOM. Life would be much easier.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Micah360*

Okay, I'll ask the question. Not being a VW person (other than a Routan), what is VAGCOM? By the way, while I was at the dealer for service last time, I test drove a new '10 GTI. Terrific car, how do you like yours?


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## 58kafer (Jun 27, 2007)

As far as the camera goes, all you can do thru the head unit is either enable it or disable it. I has no USER adjustment thru the head unit, possibly at the dealer. I wonder if it is adjustable from the inside with the panel removed--why make it easy right? And NO ONE makes a repair manual for an 08 and up DGC or T&C.:banghead:


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## micah360 (May 19, 2010)

VAG-COM is a diagnosis software tool developed for... well... I will copy and paste "what is VAGCOM" from another website for clarity:

_"VAG-COM is an independently written PC application that Ross Uwe originally wrote as a tool to check out his own car and be a useful tool to the enthusiast community. It basically combines the diagnostic abilities of a number of dealer only electronic gizzmos and puts their power into the hands of owners and enthusiasts.

With an appropriate cable it can be utilized to examine any VAG group cars ECU for diagnostics and maintenance procedures. It is also used to tweak settings and enable features deactivated for certain markets.

The software is downloadable and a cable can be bought from Ross-tech as they deliver internationally."_

It's really cool. You just buy a specialized cable and download the software to your laptop and you can start messing up your car in seconds I can change all kinds of settings on my GTI, like disable TPMS (for your winter tires), disable DRLs, disable seatbelt chime warning, and I can turn off that loud horn that honks when you lock the car (but the flashers confirm locking), auto-windows up/down via key remote, auto-locks.. you know... stuff only your dealer can usually do. It's funny too cause VAGCOM works with all VAG cars, except for the Routan... hmmmm... I wonder why??

I love the GTI. It's a great little car and is so much fun to drive... but wait... you know that... you drove it Did you drive the manual or the DSG? Mine's the 6 speed, but I would like to know how the auto with the paddle shifters works. I installed a Magnaflow catback exhaust on it too... it growls pretty mean now. It has one of the best interiors too.



VWroutanvanman said:


> Okay, I'll ask the question. Not being a VW person (other than a Routan), what is VAGCOM? By the way, while I was at the dealer for service last time, I test drove a new '10 GTI. Terrific car, how do you like yours?



Yeah... I pulled the rear panel off just enough to see that you CAN'T see the camera. You can see the plastic piece that the camera is inside of, with some wires going into the case and it's got 2 bolts that hold the case together. I almost started unbolting them to see how much damage I could do, but I stopped. I bet the camera is slightly adjustable after you can get to it, but I don't want to break anything today... maybe later. 



58kafer said:


> As far as the camera goes, all you can do thru the head unit is either enable it or disable it. I has no USER adjustment thru the head unit, possibly at the dealer. I wonder if it is adjustable from the inside with the panel removed--why make it easy right? And NO ONE makes a repair manual for an 08 and up DGC or T&C.:banghead:


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Yeah, I don't blame you for being cautious, but it would seem that the camera was knocked out of alignment somehow. The GTI I drove was a black 6-spd. And yes, the interior is a very high quality interior.


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## micah360 (May 19, 2010)

Could someone please take a photo of their screen, with the reverse camera on, and post it here so I can compare it to the field of view on mine? 

thanks in advance......


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## ClownCar (Feb 16, 1999)

Sorry, crappy pic, but my camera shows part of my plate and the bumper. 

I like the fisheye effect when attaching a trailer. I can guide the hitch ball right to the receiver.

This is from a 2011 Highline (Canada).


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*B200*

Hey, ClownCar, I see you have a MB B-200. How do you like it. Pretty rare car here in the U.S. Saw one today in Florida. 4 cyl. turbo? I'll post a picture of the backup screen tomorrow.


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## 58kafer (Jun 27, 2007)

All I see of ours is the black strip across the rear bumper and whats behind the vehicle, no gate or plate. It could use a mini wiper for the rainy days though


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## ClownCar (Feb 16, 1999)

VWroutanvanman said:


> Hey, ClownCar, I see you have a MB B-200. How do you like it. Pretty rare car here in the U.S. Saw one today in Florida. 4 cyl. turbo? I'll post a picture of the backup screen tomorrow.


I like it a lot. I have the regular 2.0 litre (134) with the Autotronic CVT. It's a great car in the city as it is small outside but very big inside. Back seat and hatch area are very spacious. 

It's very solid, quiet, and has been dead reliable so far. Since '09, MB Canada has been keeping the price the same (just over CDN$30K), but adding more and more equipment. It's a bit more than a Golf Highline, but no that much more.

Only complaint is crazy amounts of brake dust from the front wheels, but that is an MB issue across the board.


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## micah360 (May 19, 2010)

thanks... this looks like mine does now... hmmm..



ClownCar said:


> Sorry, crappy pic, but my camera shows part of my plate and the bumper.
> 
> I like the fisheye effect when attaching a trailer. I can guide the hitch ball right to the receiver.
> 
> This is from a 2011 Highline (Canada).


and that is how mine used to look... weird...



58kafer said:


> All I see of ours is the black strip across the rear bumper and whats behind the vehicle, no gate or plate. It could use a mini wiper for the rainy days though


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Don't backup!*

Here's a pic of my backup camera:









Hope the pic helps. You can see the middle of the plate. The white tape on the bumper is a guide for backing into the garage. There's a guideline on the floor to follow.

When test driving a 2011 DGC, I noticed that the backup camera resolution seemed to be better, and the colors brighter also.


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## ClownCar (Feb 16, 1999)

I was told by someone I know at VW Canada that 2011 Routans have a 'higher definition' back up camera. I guess the '11 Chryco stuff got the same.


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## JETwagen (Mar 1, 2002)

VWroutanvanman said:


> When test driving a 2011 DGC, I noticed that the backup camera resolution seemed to be better, and the colors brighter also.


I wonder if it's just a matter of replacing the camera or is the radio screen higher resolution too? :sly: I heard the 2011's are also suppost to have guide lines for backing up (would be in the radio software I assume.)


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## Steveaut (Sep 16, 2010)

I think the Chryslers had a better camera from the start, or at least as early as 09. We had an 09 Journey R/T and as soon as we used the Routan backup camera, we noticed an immediate difference in quality. Very noticeable. The Journey was a much better camera and I have considered buying a Journey or equivelant to replace the existing. It even seemed like the night vision was better.


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## tuanies (Oct 16, 2009)

JETwagen said:


> I wonder if it's just a matter of replacing the camera or is the radio screen higher resolution too? :sly: I heard the 2011's are also suppost to have guide lines for backing up (would be in the radio software I assume.)


My 2011 has the guide lines and the camera works great at night and day with decent resolution


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## 58kafer (Jun 27, 2007)

VWroutanvanman said:


> Here's a pic of my backup camera:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Your camera is very close to mine, I can see a bit wider than what you can IIRC. I'll have to check if I can see any of our plate, never noticed---I'm watching where I'm going. I do love that I can back into a parking block/curb and just have it disappear and the bumper is plumb with the parking block/curb :thumbup: I'll try to post a pic up.



You can change you screen brightness. Not sure if that would help or not. Our RER I can choose between Daytime, AUTO, or Night time. Daytime is the brightest screen and changes the map to tan w/ black roads instead of black w/ white roads, it makes the screen REALLY bright. We run on night time all the time. I'll have to check it to see if when our headlight go on automatically if thats changes the display or if it's driven off of hour of the day?? Would be cool if it works off the auto headlights!


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## Steveaut (Sep 16, 2010)

I leave my radio brightness set to auto and when my headlights, which are on auto, come on the radio automatically switches to night mode thereby changing the color scheme.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Ren, no Stimpy*

The REN radio in my '10 SE also has the brightness adjustment that automatically sets it to nighttime when the headlights come on, although manually in the case of the SE.


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## taxman100 (Apr 30, 2011)

Has anyone noticed a delay in their camera view appearing on the screen when first starting the engine? If I don't wait a number of seconds after starting the car to back up, I'm out of the garage and/or driveway before the view appears on the screen.

Kind of defeats part of the purpose.


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## Steveaut (Sep 16, 2010)

There is a delay, but I don't think it defeats the purpose. From startup, everything takes a moment to boot. It would be nice to work a little faster, but its worth the few seconds for the sake of safety. Taking the time to backup in a vehicle that size is important. I have kids and I worry about them and other kids that maybe unbeknownest to me.


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## 58kafer (Jun 27, 2007)

taxman100 said:


> Has anyone noticed a delay in their camera view appearing on the screen when first starting the engine? If I don't wait a number of seconds after starting the car to back up, I'm out of the garage and/or driveway before the view appears on the screen.
> 
> Kind of defeats part of the purpose.


You must be starting and before the starter is disengaged be shifting to reverse. By the time I start the van, press accept on the screen, put my seatbelt on, get myself adjusted, then shift to reverse there is zero delay for me before backing out of the garage. There is a fix for it though, back in so you can pull out Just kidding!

And my camera is exactly like VWroutanvanman's camera, I just never noticed the plate before.


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## JETwagen (Mar 1, 2002)

58kafer said:


> And my camera is exactly like VWroutanvanman's camera, I just never noticed the plate before.


Same here.


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## trbochrg (Dec 1, 2004)

ClownCar said:


> Sorry, crappy pic, but my camera shows part of my plate and the bumper.
> 
> I like the fisheye effect when attaching a trailer. I can guide the hitch ball right to the receiver.
> 
> This is from a 2011 Highline (Canada).


Mine looks just like this too.


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