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Backup Camera Useless in Rain

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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 12:13 PM
  #1  
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Default Backup Camera Useless in Rain

When the backup camera lens gets wet it's completely useless. Certainly not a big issue, but annoying anyway.
Has anyone come up with a mod or suggestions to improve this?
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 12:15 PM
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Not an issue for 90% of owners.
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 12:30 PM
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Move to San Diego?
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Woodson
Not an issue for 90% of owners.
At least 90%.

I just use the mirrors or turn my head - like it’s been done for decades before the advent of cameras.
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve_R
At least 90%.

I just use the mirrors or turn my head - like it’s been done for decades before the advent of cameras.
It's amazing how when new technology comes out how soon we forget
or protest returning to the old way?

Anyone remember looking for and/or pulling off the road to use a payphone?
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 01:20 PM
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Wax around the camera and also wax the lens. Well, doesn't have to be wax, just something that has hydrophobic properties, that will repel the water.

That should help some.

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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 01:39 PM
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Things could be far worse. I have a very cool old WWII era letter (on the patriotic paper of the time) from an 80 year old aunt to my father detailing her drive home to the farm from a shopping trip to Peoria, IL. Around 15 miles from home it started sleeting heavily and her windshield wipers failed so she drove most of the remaining distance with her window down and her head stuck out the window.

I think about this tough old lady every time I get ready to gripe about a failure of modern technology causing inconvenience.

But the OP makes a good point and I will make sure that my soon to be driving 14 year old daughter learns how to back up using mirrors because these cameras and display screens can and do fail even when the weather is nice.
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve_R
At least 90%.

I just use the mirrors or turn my head - like it’s been done for decades before the advent of cameras.
That is way too much of a simple solution.
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 04:58 PM
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Yeah, times are tough everywhere. I still have a few vehicles with no such cameras at all... but, on the plus side rain is no problem with them.
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 05:48 PM
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It's even worse if you drive on a wet road for 100 miles or so. Back of the car gets really dirty due to the aerodynamics, I'm guessing. My camera got so gunked up, I thought it was broken. Wiped it off, and was back in business...
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 10:11 PM
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Yep, water droplets make it kind of useless.

Not an issue in wife’s Mercedes. The camera tucks away and hides when not in use.

Last edited by SnowyATX; Oct 29, 2017 at 10:12 PM.
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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 10:16 PM
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I don't drive my Corvette in the rain......so I do not expect this to be an issue.

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Old Oct 29, 2017 | 11:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve_R
I just use the mirrors or turn my head - like it’s been done for decades before the advent of cameras.
That's what I do with my '15 Impala with a backup camera. Really not a problem to do that.
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Old Oct 30, 2017 | 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Steve_R
At least 90%.

I just use the mirrors or turn my head - like it’s been done for decades before the advent of cameras.
Usually do, but I was parallel parking in a tight spot on a dark city street in the rain. I almost always use the line guides on the back up camera to get close without curbing the wheels. Works great. Much easier than angling the passenger mirror downwards and straining to see where the curb is and then re-setting (1LT no memory). Just looking to see if anyone came up with something to avoid the water on the lens...other than not driving in the rain.
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Old Oct 30, 2017 | 09:24 AM
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We own 4 vehicles equipped from 4 different manufacturers (GM, Infiniti, Jeep, Winnebago) w/ cameras. They all suffer from the same vision distortion problem when wet or dirty.

Last edited by Foosh; Oct 30, 2017 at 09:27 AM.
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Old Oct 30, 2017 | 09:42 AM
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Great conversation! Anyone remember what you did BEFORE windshield washers, when on a longish trip in snow and slush (windshield gets opaque and wipers get frozen over)? I'd bet all the cold-clime drivers do!
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Old Oct 30, 2017 | 12:11 PM
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Maybe try a coat of Rain-X on the camera lens?
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To Backup Camera Useless in Rain

Old Oct 30, 2017 | 01:11 PM
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Doubt that will do much, if any, good. Rain-X works with a smooth, high-pressure airflow, moving water off a slick surface. There's nothing but turbulent airflow on the rear in the low-pressure zone creating as the vehicle moves through the airmass.

Last edited by Foosh; Oct 30, 2017 at 01:13 PM.
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Old Oct 30, 2017 | 02:37 PM
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Driving in the rain is useless when driving in the rain
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Old Oct 30, 2017 | 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Woodson
Not an issue for 90% of owners.
Yeah, well they were cheap, I shelled out for the option so my paint doesn't melt in the rain. Car works great with it.
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