Cabin camera powered radar issue

[jenkins007]

Mid July, I installed my radar detector getting power from the leads going to the cabin camera. All worked great. I use FSD all the time. About a month ago I had an error “cabin camera unavailable” and FSD was unavailable. This went away after I stopped and parked. Several weeks later it happened again. Once again this was a 1 time occurrence. A couple weeks later it happened a third time and only lasted 1 day. I decided to have Tesla check it out today. Their answer on this is that a third party device is taking power from the camera and want $400 to replace the camera. I didn’t tell them the camera worked and FSD driving to Tesla this morning. I know many others have powered their radar this way. Any others have this issue?

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[REM]

Why risk it? Plug your radar in using USB-C or 120 volt.

 

[Leifmb]

Exactly-using the power for a camera of all things is a risky move as it can overload that particular circuit and “throw” a DTC error. If you really want to hard wire, choose a non-digital power circuit, like a branch circuit to the license plate light, perhaps the footwell lights, but before the controller circuit. I’d have to see the schematic to be sure….and to find the correct voltage!

 

[jenkins007]

Well good point. I really love that it is up and out-of-the way by the top of the windshield. it was very easy to hook up... I should check if there is another power or get it before it branches.. but still... working fine for 8 months and 6000 miles. The service tech that I talked to when picking up the car, agreed that it had nothing to do with what the first tech said.... It happened 3 times over 2 months and only lasted one in-city trip... so it has worked 99.9% of the time. Even she was convinced it is the infrared sensor that is spotty...

 

[bigbangbadaboom]

zero issues plugged in almost a year later with the uniden r8
Just make sure its all removed before taking it in for service

I also have it in my model y and X with no issues and use the blendmount mirror tap since i know its high quality

I'm going to say its a bad camera. Check the secret service menu when it does happen and reset the DAS and see what the issue is

 

[jenkins007]

Thanks bigbangbadaboom!
Very interesting how even the service techs differ in their diagnosis. I totally agree with you. it is so easy to add/remove the "third party" device. I was kicking myself for not doing that the first time...But refreshing that the service tech at the end completely agreed that the symptoms do not agree that the cause was due to a "third party" device. which is what the first tech said it was...LOL

 

[REM]

Thanks bigbangbadaboom!
Very interesting how even the service techs differ in their diagnosis. I totally agree with you. it is so easy to add/remove the "third party" device. I was kicking myself for not doing that the first time...But refreshing that the service tech at the end completely agreed that the symptoms do not agree that the cause was due to a "third party" device. which is what the first tech said it was...LOL

I don't disagree with the first tech. All kinds of strange things can happen when you have vampire loads spliced in.

 

[jenkins007]

I don't disagree with the first tech. All kinds of strange things can happen when you have vampire loads spliced in.

We all have our opinions. I researched this issue and the symptoms correlate with what others have seen that do not "vampire" leads. From my experience, the simplest answer is usually the best, especially when past issues correlate 100%...

 

[REM]

We all have our opinions. I researched this issue and the symptoms correlate with what others have seen that do not "vampire" leads. From my experience, the simplest answer is usually the best, especially when past issues correlate 100%...

Yeah, but how can you be sure the radar device isn't causing the issue? Have you replicated the problem with it completely removed?

 

[Leifmb]

The main issue here is that the vehicle is digital. I'm assuming all the power feeds are more or less "monitored" by the Body control module...or whatever Tesla calls it. IT knows that the "camera module" usually or is supposed to draw a certain amount of power/amps. So when you attach a "vampire lead connection" to it to power some additional device, the BCM now detects a larger draw. There would usually be some normal operating range of the device so it may not register an ERROR/overload until certain conditions are met. For example, when the camera is actively tracking you and perhaps its (the module that powers the camera) also doing some other function like heating the glass or whatever, THEN, the radar detector or whatever gets a radar signal so all its lights light up and the speaker starts chirping. At THIS point the current draw on that monitored power feed exceeds the Normal Operating Range and the BCM detects that as a failure of whatever component it is assigned to (the camera module). So, I really doubt the camera module is defective when the vehicle shows the error, HOWEVER, the BCM or whatever module is monitoring the current draw, or the circuit itself could be damaged if it was not designed to be loaded in the way its configured-with the "Vampire" attached. I hope this explanation helps someone!

 

[jenkins007]

Well Leiden, the power is actually taken prior to the module that splits power going to the camera and the other sensors up on the windshield. There is a module that probably steps down the voltage to regulate the voltage to each of these devices as it didn’t register on my multimeter set at 40DC. Your analysis seems quite good and is plausible, but doesn’t really apply in this case. I double checked the connections as, when the SC gave me back my CT—even though I told them not to work on the camera—they dismantled my connection to the radar. They also broke the inside clip that holds the main power supply as it enters the windshield camera & sensor housing. That is when I noticed the power comes from a main line going to a module which then branches off to the other sensors. But the radar connection happens prior to that module on the main supply line. Anyway, good thoughts, the final ST told me it couldn’t be software from the rarity and duration of the symptoms.
BTW, they are replacing the triangle housing and the camera still works as does FSD.

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