How To Diagnose A Failing Park Assist Camera
Park assist cameras should last the lifetime of the vehicle. Yet, they can fail early. If you're having issues with your park assist camera, you can use this guide to figure out what's wrong with it.
Can I Still Operate The Vehicle With A Failed Park Assist Camera?
Since 2018, park assist cameras are mandatory on all new vehicles. So some drivers may wonder if it's even legal to drive without a functioning park assist camera.
When you have either no image or a poor quality image, you can still drive the vehicle. It's perfectly legal to do so. There are plenty of vehicles on the road that were made before 2018, and these vehicles don't come with a park assist camera.
Yet, you'll have to be extra cautious if you rely on the park assist camera while backing up your vehicle. You'll need to go back to using traditional methods for seeing behind the vehicle, such as:
- Looking in the side and rear view mirrors
- Turning around and looking through the rear windshield
If your vehicle comes with park assist sensors, you can use those in addition to the mirrors. If you're asking "what is a park assist sensor?" it's a sensor on the rear or front bumper cover. Its job is to sense the distance between the bumper and an object, such as another vehicle. If your vehicle gets too close to the object, you'll hear an auditory signal.
Even though there are other ways to back up your vehicle safely, you should still bring your park assist camera back to good working order. The first thing you need to do is to diagnose the issue.
Telltale Signs Of A Failing Park Assist Camera
Many malfunctioning car parts, such as shocks, have many telltale signs. A park assist camera, however, has only one telltale sign, and it's poor image quality. The park assist camera image shown on the dashboard screen can:
- Be cloudy
- Be dark or blank
- Have lines or other interference through it
Troubleshooting Your Park Assist Camera
Image Credit: RSkelton
If you notice any of these issues with the image quality, it’s time to take steps to find out why the quality is poor. Here are a couple of things to try:
- If the image is cloudy when the vehicle is in reverse, check the camera lens for obstruction by dirt, snow, or ice
- If the screen is dark or blank when the vehicle is in reverse, go to user settings in the vehicle’s display menu to see if the park assist camera option is on
If those two steps don’t reveal a quick fix, the problem may be somewhere else. Check the components of the park assist camera system, such as:
- Park assist camera mounting hardware
- Electrical connectors
- Wiring harness
Look for any obvious signs of wear, such as loose connectors or corrosion in the wiring. If everything looks good, it's likely that the camera itself has failed. In that case, replace it and see if the new camera works. The only exception is if the screen has any lines or other interference through it. In that case, it's possible that you're dealing with a malfunctioning screen. You would need to play around with the screen to see if the issue persists. If the issue only shows up when the park assist camera is activated, then it's likely the camera that's the problem.
Do I Need A Professional To Replace A Park Assist Camera?
If you consider yourself skilled at do-it-yourself projects, you can easily replace a park assist camera. Begin your search for wholesale priced park assist camera parts here. All you need to do is look up your make and model. If you need help finding the right part number for your vehicle, feel free to contact us. We're always happy to help.
The harder task is figuring out exactly what is wrong with the park assist camera. It may not need replacement, but re-wiring or to have its software adjusted. For those problems, you may need to make a trip to the dealer.