Erratic camera function

[OldHiker]

Sometimes when I get in and press the parking brake button, it has a mushy function and no door clack. Then I notice I have no cameras. As we drive, if I hit a bump, I hear that clack on the door and notice that my cameras just came on. Today the cameras were not working and when I turned on the headlights, but I heard that clacking sound and the rear came on. However the side cameras did not work.

I believe this problem is somehow linked to the door. There is a latch mechanism on the top leading edge of the door frame. There are also a set of contacts in the middle of the frame. Does anyone know if this is where the problem is? Any other ideas?

[Doc Mark]

We had a problem with the cameras early on. Sometimes they would work, but not others. Don't remember if this was connected to door not latching.

Opened up dash area & found box where camera feeds enter. As I was removing the box I noticed a rattle in the box - something had come loose. Sent it back to mfgr & got replacement. All worked well after wards.

Check that you have the left (right) camera feed plugged into left (right) feed slot on new box. We didn't and I had to tear dash apart again & switch leads.

Good Luck

Mark

[RVDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldHiker There are also a set of contacts in the middle of the frame.

Those springy contacts are for the elec door lock.

The air lock is controlled by a tiny 1inch square electrically controlled air valve just above and to the left of the HWH "can" as they call it in the genset slideout area that is actually mounted to the firewall and pretty much all by itself there.

The air lock and the cameras (and a whole lot more) are controlled by the parking brake. Sounds like a wiggly wire in that parking brake interlock circuit. I can't get you any closer than that. A general twist/tighten all the connectors under the dash and in the genset area on the ODS side might get you started.

DocMark has exactly the right path except you said the air lock is also messing up with the cameras. However, as Doc said, I'd also dig up the MITCO controller he's talking about that is on the floor under the dash right in the center (behind the super easy to remove heater control dash panel) and make sure all those connectors are tight. I actually had a failing RCA plug going into that MITCO box that caused just the cameras to flicker.

[soricobob]

Don't worry about the door, we had the identical problem (2006 Essex) which was not diagnosed until the mobile tech in W. Yellowstone called Tom at Newmar. He guided him thru all the easy fixes, then directed him to the wiring up behind the dash next to the steering column. He reached the wiring harness which had become loose, clicked it together, the noise in the door, the parking brake, the lights on the dash controls, and the rear view camera were all fixed at the same time-Summer 08-no problems with any of them since!

[Iron Man]

The contacts in the door frame are for the electric door lock, they provied the point of contact. If the door lock is erratic check the contact by pushing them in, they are spring loaded. I am not wild about the upper lock mechanism. It can and will break if you open the door while the brake is off. We are on our third one.