Author Topic: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?  (Read 15784 times)

Offline SKAVIA

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What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« on: 19 September 2008, 18:12 »
I'm almost done fitting a reverse camera, but need to find the + wire for the reversing light.
I've taken up the trim from the front footwell to expose all the wires that are running from the back to the front, but don't know which ones are reverse light wires.
I've had a look under the plastic trim piece on the bootlid and there are brown and white wires going to the reverse bulb, however the same colour wires can be found under the other trim piece for the fog light!
Anybody able to help?
 :sad:

Offline Komenda

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Re: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« Reply #1 on: 19 September 2008, 18:40 »

Use a multimeter, only thing I can think of doing.

Offline Teutonic_Tamer

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Re: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« Reply #2 on: 19 September 2008, 19:16 »
The Golf 5 doesn't have conventional "wires", but instead uses CAN-BUS system.  So it works on a different principle to conventional electric circuits.  If you do just scotchlock into the reverse wire, the ECU may keep triggering faults.

Does any of the manuals in the maintenance section not have wiring diagrams?
Sean - Independent Automotive Engineering Technician (ret'd)
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'06/7 Golf Mk5 GTI 5dr (BWA) DSG, colour coded,

I feel like a homo


Offline SteveP

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Re: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« Reply #3 on: 19 September 2008, 19:24 »
Have a look in the maintenance section at the reverse sensor install guide here http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=53808.0

I shows how he found the reverse power connections.


Offline SKAVIA

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Re: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« Reply #4 on: 19 September 2008, 21:29 »
Excellent! - cheers SteveP  :smiley:
I've put the car back together after fitting the camera above the number plate, running the video and power cables and hooking it all up to the head unit. I've also run the wire from the reverse input, so once I follow that guide I can just join the cables under the side trim.
I'll post some pics once all is done.

Offline marmac

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Re: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« Reply #5 on: 20 September 2008, 00:43 »
I followed dave n guide when fitting my reversing camera but camera only worked when ignition on but engine not running.I ended up taking pos from boot socket and fitting a rocker switch up front to switch the power to the camera.Also if your taking off the c pillar trim its a bstard to do.

Offline SKAVIA

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Re: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« Reply #6 on: 20 September 2008, 21:27 »
Thanks for the heads-up, but I took my reverse-light + from this link: http://72.232.196.98/~dpham00/gti/mods/parktronic/PARKTRONIC%20DIY.pdf which was embedded in DaveN's thread.
I'd already run my ignition+ and earth from behind the socket in the boot and just needed the reverse+ to trigger the display to switch to reverse cam.
Total trust in the article as I couldn't test whether it was the right wire as I couldn't get the pin out of the plug!
So I just bit the bullet and joined my reverse trigger wire to pin 12 of connector C and hey presto! All is working lubbly jubbly! :grin:
Best thing is the speed at which the Kenwood displays the rear-view cam. Even though the unit takes 10 secs to power up fully, if you select reverse gear the cam is displayed instantly, so no need to wait. Nice.
Next things on the list are some stiffer anti-roll bars and a dog-bone insert (I think that's what it's called!) to improve the handling.
Anyone recommend tried and tested ones - do they make a difference?
Also, I think I need to change my DV as I'm either losing power or have just got used to the remap!
Thanks for all your help guys - I love this forum!
 :smiley:



Offline antonshah

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Re: What colour wire goes to the reverse light?
« Reply #7 on: 02 May 2015, 09:05 »
Hi can anyone help please i have installed the camera and screen to the positive and negative wires in the boot lid reverse light of my 2007 VW golf mark 5 1.4 but the camera only works on ignition perfectly fine, as soon as i turn on the engine the camera turns itself off, the links from the post don't all work so hoping someone can help with a solution to the cam-bus issue.

Ant