Hey did you ever find the answer to this?

I'm doing my new deck this weekend and the wire harness is looking for the reverse sensor so when I put the van in reverse it auto switches to the camera.

 

Ok well after a ton of Google searches I found that the Light Green wire in the BCM (Body Control Module) which is under the passenger side dash is the Reverse light signal.

I will test this out tomorrow morning and see if this works for me.

 

ok well like anything its a lot easier to explain it to someone else after you have spent 3 hours trying to figure it out.

Ok well like lots of items on the Van this one is also slightly different then the trucks.


1) Remove all the random plastic pieces that you have to to get to the BCM in front of the passenger seat.
2) Disconnect all the cables from the BCM.
3) Push in on the BCM and lift up then pull it straight down (if you moved all the cables it is easy.
4) Its on the Grey plug.
5) Its a Green wire with a black line on the grey plug.

Here are some photos.
Note I already attached my wire to the deck so you can see.

Also note that this signal goes to ground when you switch into reverse.
So it has ~12-14V on it while in park.
As soon as you switch into reverse it goes to 0V.

It was a pain in the ass to find this, but this was super easy to connect to once I did. So hopefully my pain helps you guys out.

 

Get yourself Alldata, it comes with all those diagrams very handy.

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artementy: Any chance you have the diagrams and you could take a look. Apparently the cable I connected to only differs from Park to anything else.....So it isn't the reverse signal after all

Massive Failure.

 

Reverse light - Light Green wire at the Black 6-pin connector.

I also suggest that you wire the camera permanently powered, so you can turn it on from your headunit even when going forward. Helps to watch when you're towing.

 

good suggestion on wiring the camera for full time or switched power. i have mine set up that way (powered through the running lights actually) and i use it frequently when on the road as another means to see behind me while in traffic. i also have a camera on my trailer that i can connect to my back up camera wiring so when towing i can see behind me.

 

Black 6 pin connector on the BCM, wow I cannot read that drawing at all....glad you were looking at it! thanks I will give that a shot, thankfully the interior is still all apart for the most part.

So I'm scratching my head trying to figure this out, if I were to wire it to a switch that I could just flick on or off it would just have to be any 12V source right? I mean how I see it the wire is just either 12v+ all the time and goes to ground to indicate it is on, or it is ground all the time until 12v to indicate on. So in theory I should be able to connect it to basically anything switch it on and simulate the light.....

 

I don't know what headunit you're installing, but I have a Parrot Asteroid Smart. It has one lead for the Reverse light, so the screen switches to Camera automatically when I put van in Reverse.
I can always manually turn on Rear Camera app though.
Camera uses very low power so I ran the Camera power wire together with its Video cable and connected to the headunit's Power Out lead. It's the same lead where you connect your amp/subwoofer trigger signal.

Do not mount it above the doors! You will not be able to see both your bumper and have a clear view of the horizon.
New Express vans have rear camera mounted below the door handle:

I have mine mounted right above the license plate.

 

Is that your image or is that the new express?
Wonder if that would fit on the older models? That looks slick.

 

Pic is of the new Express. Yes it would fit all vans, they only molded a little bump for the camera. You might be able to find a part # and order from GM. But why spend money. Camera is only $10 on Amazon and it comes with 2 screws.

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True, I have the 10$ camera (two of them) but haven't found a great place to mount it yet. I take forever to plan things out though

 

OK the Light Green wire at the Black 6-pin connector on the BCM has been confirmed as correct.

artementy: So what is "all data" can you give more info? Is it a software that you then just download the vehicle you need or something?

 

http://www.alldatadiycom

I have it and it has been very helpful.

 

Here is a photo of my camera.

It has very good picture quality compared to the other two I tried to install. (Amazon link - www.amazon.com/dp/B0081GZDQQ)

I also tried top location but it is stupid, as the rear doors are curved and it is simply impossible to see rear bumper, and no "wide angle" lens can fix it. I think earlier Express vans had the OEM camera mounted on the top and since moved it to below the door handle.

 

Slick install, thanks for the heads up that is perfect I think for my camera.
I don't have a nightvision camera either so I was worried about that a bit but I have some extra backup lights installed.

 

If I need to see where I am backing up at night, I slightly brake to keep the red lights on, that gives me enough light to see everything, align ball to trailer, etc. It is not an issue at all.

 

The 3rd brake light camera is aftermarket. I have one and it works very well.

 

I would probably see how much the factory one molded into the license plate costs. GM's cameras tend to be a little grainy so I'd be interested to see how good it was before putting out the money.

I'm thinking of adding some LED lights in the rear hooked to the reverse to give me a little more light as well. I have dark tinted door glass and it makes it very difficult to see out the mirrors. I like the flush mount bumper mounts, I'm always afraid to cut into vehicles though.

 

Jeff: yeah my windows are tinted too, that's why I installed some flush mounted LED backup lights in the bumper. A bit overkill but when backing up camping or way out in the bush it is the only reason I don't hit more stuff

 

How easy of an install was it? I followed your thread and really liked them.

 

Jeff,
So ridiculously easy! I bet it was the easiest thing I did on the van!
So I ordered the lights from here (Much cheaper then Rigid Industries and ....they are just backup lights)
4 pack flush mount

Then I just took off the cover of the lens since they are removable and traced the template cutout onto the van.
Then I just used my dremel, I mean I bet there are much better tools to use but I used a dremel with a cutoff wheel on it and it took about 3 cutoff wheels in total to do both side, the metal bumpers are thick, make sure you look on the other side of the bumper before you cut as there are some support sections which are super thick that you don't want to try and cut through.

Then the wiring was a joke because of the side battery. So I just ran the wires to the side battery and the I ordered a wireless remote control switch so I didn't need to run any wires into the cab.
Wireless Remote for LED lights

Basically you just have a little key fob to turn the lights on and off (you could run a switch into the cab but too much work for me, you could have the relay work off the backup lights but I didn't want them always to turn on. The Wireless remote has a bunch of strobe features too which is actually really great as one time I had to pull off on the side of a bad road to work under the van so I put the strobe lights on to ensure I didn't get hit.

 

If I were to do it again I would get an extention cable too though.
Harness Extension

I have the extended van and the wires are a bit tight so I could have located them much better. If I ever take down the spare tire to work under there I'll add an extension.

 

Defintely a project I'll look into for the spring now that Winter has kinda finally hit. That being said, back up to 5 on the weekend apparently. The lights hold up well in the Alberta weather?

 

Very.
I have a 50" curved light bar on the front that took a huge rock last year, came off a semi and smashed into the lightbar so bad it twisted in the mounts, I had to loosen all the mounts and then straighten them again.....Also put a nice hole right through the middle of my headlight.....which is sill there (hasn't effected the bulb...) and a new upgrade for lights should be here soon

 

I have a hole in one of my headlights as well. Light is pretty dirty inside now but the bulb still works. The headlights on these vans are the worst. I'll be upgrading as soon as my HID/LED guy opens up after an extended Christmas.

 

Jeff: I ordered the JW Speaker LED

Watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ifsEY7KbBg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCNj9hvPSfY

 

They look pretty good, when will you have them?