Replacement Backup monitor OK but won't come on when reversi

[kahoona]

I wonder if anybody here can give me some advice. I have a 2001 Coachmen Mirada. Ford F53 chassis. The old voyager monitor bit the dust after a lingering illness. The front panel switches all fell back inside one at a time until finally it quit working entirely. It may have shorted inside. I have replaced it with a Rear View Safety RVS-770613. It is not the best but it is more than adequate and I couldn't beat the price. Install was straightforward. The old wiring was 4 wire and the new 5 but I didn't need the picture flip feature so I omitted that wire and installed the correct plug and socket on the old wire and all is well. Very simple job for anyone who needs do it.

Here is the problem. The blue reverse trigger wire does not power on when the RV is shifted into reverse. It did work with the old monitor but it may have been shorted at some point when it quit. I have removed and tested every fuse in the coach (or at least the 3 panels I know of.) I followed the blue wire up to where it passes through the firewall. This is high and to the drivers side of center. I cannot be certain where it goes from there bit it may be spliced to a yellow wire that goes rearward along the frame behind the trans. The reverse lights work.

Is there a relay I am missing? Where does this trigger wire originate? Is there a spot in the shift lever wiring where I can hook it in? Do I need to connect it to a backup light and run a wire forward? I'd like to keep the original config but I can't figure it out. Does anyone know?
Thanks in advance folks.
BTW I really did try to search for an existing answer but no luck.

[MrWizard]

good news...nice to hear.. glad you got it working

[kahoona]

OK! Working fine now. Thanks to all who replied particularly Mr Wizard who reminded me to use a relay. I fed a 50' 18ga wire through the grommet beneath the brake master cylinder. I started outside the front, poked a hile in the grommet and then fed a few feet of wire inside. I then sealed it up with some liquis electrical tape. I ran it down and fhrough behind the headlight. I wrapped and zipped it along the main wire harness bundle abve the wheel and back along the frame to the rear. I tapped into the yellow backup light wire at the drivers side rear corner. Back in the cabin I installed the relay (a smaller ford standard relay) and everything worked fine.
Now, while I have the dash dismantled and the seat out (only way to get to the fuses) I'll see about the climate control light with the wire that fell off and the Cigarette lighter that quit working (for charging phones) and see if I can get the map lights to work again. Then I can try to find out why the AC fan won't go full speed unless I smack the dash with my palm. Probably a bad resistor. It is not often that I get under the dash! Things do pile up! DW will be pleased.

[kahoona]

Thanks fluffo That was nice of you. Sadly the Winnebago doesn't seem to be similar to ours. Seems like they all vary a lot!
Mr Wizard- Our linkage is a cable that goes through the floor. The part where the levers motion is connected to the cable is in a heavy steel box above the steering shaft and I cannot get to it to see.
If I knew what color wire it was and where to intercept I could do it. I tried opening up the wiring bundle where I could see it inside the drivers wheel well.
I knew it was a yellow wire when it attached to the bulb holder and I also found a diagram that said it could be black with pink. I skinned t yellow and one blk/pink with no luck. I am assuming I will have to run a wire forward from the lamp holder and add a relay as was suggested. Someday someone will find it and say "what kind of Idiot did that!" I'll wait a day to see if anyone knows the answer or has a wiring diagram pops up. Never know.;-)

[fluffo2]

Went to the Winnebago site and found the schematic from a 2001 Brave on a F53 chasis. They have the best schemetics for all the chasis they build on. Found this on their wiring diagram. Hope it helps.

[kahoona]

MrWizard wrote:
I think you will find the reverse switch
attached to the shift linkage, but Not inside the steering column

it used to be common for it to be attached to the shift linkage under hood along side the steering column

Now that you mention it I haven't actually seen the shift linkage. I'll look for it and check for that.


Here are the wires coming off of the shift lever bottom area and I wonder if one of these is what I need to use.


Here is an overall view. A lower cover hides some of the rats nest of wires.



Hope these come out. Hope they help.

[kahoona]

fluffo2 wrote:
Just a dumb question; Have you made sure that the back-up lights, light when in reverse? You might not ever have power to the blue wire now. Bob

I never mind a dumb question. It can fix dumb mistakes. They do light and at the correct times even.

[fluffo2]

Just a dumb question; Have you made sure that the back-up lights, light when in reverse? You might not ever have power to the blue wire now. Bob

[MrWizard]

I think you will find the reverse switch
attached to the shift linkage, but Not inside the steering column

it used to be common for it to be attached to the shift linkage under hood along side the steering column

[kahoona]

Hi
Thanks for your direction so far. I have checked all of the relays on the Power Distribution and the relay panel above the radiator and they are good. The scary thing is that they don't seen to control what the manual says they do! As you suggested I will locate the backup light wire and add a relay. I would prefer not to have to connect at the rear lamps and string the wire along the frame to the front if I can help it. Do you know if I the backup light feed originates in the steering/shift column? There is a fuse but it is ahead of the switch (always on) of it it goes through a relay under the dash? I cannot find any info on the coach wiring.
Thanks

[kahoona]

MrWizard wrote:
you did do all this testing with engine running ? right
so that the tranny actually shifted to reverse
you did say the BU lights come on

it would seem the "trigger" wire circuit has been broken, it should be connected to the trans reverse that turns on the backup lights
you could add a wire from the BU lights, let it activate a small relay
but the relay in circuit between the HOt red and the monitor reverse turn on

Thanks for mentioning the relay. I would have just connected it direct to the backup lights and could have fried something else. Is it possible that I have fried a relay and that is why there is no power to the blue? I can learn to test relays and check them if so. Does anyone have an idea where that relay might be? I have the Ford manual and the Coachmen one but there is nothing I can find.

PS Yes. I checked with engine running and in reverse.

[MrWizard]

you did do all this testing with engine running ? right
so that the tranny actually shifted to reverse
you did say the BU lights come on

it would seem the "trigger" wire circuit has been broken, it should be connected to the trans reverse that turns on the backup lights
you could add a wire from the BU lights, let it activate a small relay
but the relay in circuit between the HOt red and the monitor reverse turn on

[kahoona]

Dakota98 wrote:
Do you have any power to the monitor whatsoever ?

Yes. Red power/ Black ground are fine and the monitor can be turned on manually with the power button. It does not come on automatically when in reverse and the sound and the grid do not come on since they are triggered by the reverse also. If I connect the blue reverse trigger wire to a 12v positive the monitor does come on with sound and grid so I know the monitor works. There is no 12v power on the blue trigger wire from the RV dash (checked with meter.)
Thanks

[Dakota98]

Do you have any power to the monitor whatsoever ?