I had written about this in another thread, but it's probably a good idea to put it in its own thread, so here goes.

3 years ago, I installed a Viofo front and rear camera set. There weren't any complications, and it worked fine. Yesterday (13 Jul 25), I replaced the cameras (and the wires, because the power lines are a thicker gauge, and all connections are now USB-C.) Ordinarily, I would take a picture before I start, but the three electrical connections were identical, so I simply replaced one at a time with the new wire; pretty hard to screw up. And it worked fine; the new cameras work just as they are supposed to.

During the installation of the wiring, as I was feeling around down by the internal fuse box, without any wires or tools in my hand, two times my hatch door opened without any input from me (as far as I know.) After the first time, I took my keyfob out of my pocket, because I have had buttons pushed from external pressure while just being in my pants. It happened a second time. Then I moved my hands around purposefully, around the grounding screw particularly -- and it opened a third time. So, not wanting to deal with that mystery at that moment, I simply went under the hood and removed the battery cables. I then cleaned them both, but did not hook them back up.

After I got the front camera and the wiring installed, I hooked the battery back up. When I opened the door, the door dinger started dinging; the kind of sound it makes when you leave the door open while the car is running. Except that the engine wasn't running, nor was the ACC or 'On' position active. When I started the car, I got the following warnings: CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM, CHECK VSA SYSTEM, CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM, CHECK HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM. I don't believe there is any sort of problem with any of those systems; I know for sure the power steering system is fine, since I drove around a few miles. One other thing I noticed is that the manual door lock won't work while sitting in the driver's seat while the car isn't running, but it will lock (and unlock) after I have exited the car, using the fob. It also unlocks properly when I put my hand near the door sensor.

After this all happened, I came inside and looked for clues here and on youtube. I didn't find anything that seemed likely, and went back out. After I finished connecting the rear camera wiring, I started the car. Magically, all the warnings were gone, and everything was perfectly normal. I drove around a few miles, putting camera data on my microSDXC card, and was quite happy that the gremlin had gone away. Then I parked the car and turned it off. The camera still had power (it did not work that way with the previous Viofo camera using the same fuse ports), on and the door dinged when I opened it. I noted that other electrical systems in the car did not still have power, like the radio, the lights, the air conditioner. I think this is related to the problem, but I can't seem to put it together.

This morning (14 Jul 25), I went out to try again, and the same problems were still there; they did not 'magically' disappear as they did after the first time I encountered this glitch. I have closely examined the electrical connections, and I cannot see any sort of problem. My next step will be to examine each fuse. Anyway, I am convinced it is something I did wrong, or failed to do right, but I can't seem to figure out what it is.

Finally, I have not had any sort of brake problem, and I simply can't believe that this is a rear wheel speed sensor (as posited in another one or two threads) which just coincidentally went out while parked when I happened to replace those three wires.

Thanks for reading!


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
I can't think of anything worse after a night of drinking than waking up next to someone and not being able to remember their name, or how you met, or why they're dead. -- Laura Kightlinger

 

Well, you guys aren't any help!

So, after a fair amount of trying various things. I have learned some stuff. First, I learned that the lead I had attached to the top row (number 37) was always powered, and that appears to be part of my mistake. I have moved that connection down to the middle row, to the open connection on the left, which is number 20, and is titled "ACC Key Lock." I left the other fused connection where it was, in slot 28, which was unoccupied originally. This did seem to solve the problem I had with the camera being always on -- not shutting off when I turned the key off and exited the vehicle. I believe that when I thought I was replacing the fuse connection from the previous camera in the same place, I actually pulled the old one out of number 20, rather than where I thought I pulled it from, number 37 (where it is in the picture above.)

This did seem to fix the the "always on" condition for the camera.

I also found that the reason the hatch door was opening when I didn't actually touch anything in the fuse box was... simply because I was hitting the button with my left shoulder as I pushed around, trying to get my hand in position to place the fuse and my head in position to see what I was doing. Entirely on me.

After I moved the fuse connection, everything seemed ok, and i drove around a while, without getting the warnings I had gotten earlier. But when I parked the car, the door dinged after the car was off and I opened the door, which it should do only wen the car is running or in the "on" position.

The other possible problem is that the negative terminal can get a bit loose even when I have tightened it mightily. I am going to get the proper shim, and perhaps replace the terminals as well.

If that does not solve the problem, I will order the rear wheel speed sensors and replace them. Nothing to lose, at that point.


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
"Some believe that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love." -- Gandalf the Grey

 

Well, I can say this: in my car, the 4 'apocalyptic' warnings (CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM, CHECK VSA SYSTEM, CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM, CHECK HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM) had nothing whatsoever to do with any of those systems. Nor did those warnings have anything whatsoever to do with a rear wheel speed sensor.

I found that I had put one of the two dashcam connectors in a (empty) fuse slot (#37) that I should not have put it in; my first mistake, and simply because I needed to use the one (#20) below it, which was also empty. After I did that, the camera stopped staying on after the engine was turned off. However, although the warnings stopped after each time I disconnected the battery, those warnings would come back the second time I started the car, again, after each time I disconnected the battery. I did clean the battery posts, and apply metal shims so that I could tighten each connector properly; I also examined the cables carefully.

The final solution was simple, and again the problem was operator (my) error. I had left an extra fuse (only 5 amp) in each of the two "add-a-fuse" connectors. When I removed those, everything went back to normal. The dash cam works very well, no warnings or camera staying on when it shouldn't, and no draining of the battery.

I hope this helps anyone who might run into a similar problem; for those who have gotten the same or similar 4 warnings, know that it could be electrical rather than physical/mechanical.

RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
When the only tool you have is a claw hammer every problem starts to look like the back of someone's skull.