Back up camera glare from license plate lights

[Supazuk]

It only works that way in reverse. Not forward.

How often do you drive down the street in reverse?
Most of the time it's a parking lot or your driveway.
Not a problem when moving in reverse. The issue is - the LEOs need to be able to read your plate at night while you are driving - if you are backing into them, you have other problems.
Besides, getting rid of the glare on that backup camera while in REVERSE is a safety thing far greater than anyone needing to read your plate number while you are in reverse.

Just a tiny bit of logic could suggest that it's not going to be a problem shutting off that plate lamp while in reverse for a few seconds.
Just a thought, anyway..............

The only reason i brought up the legality of shutting the plate light off was the counter point of the legality of possibly shutting the back up camera off (that neither solution would be technically "legal" ) But this is a digression from my original question of "does the Tazer have the ability to shut off the back up camera"

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[ShadowsPapa]

The only reason i brought up the legality of shutting the plate light off was the counter point of the legality of possibly shutting the back up camera off (that neither solution would be technically "legal" ) But this is a digression from my original question of "does the Tazer have the ability to shut off the back up camera"

No, it cannot.

For some clarification and clarity -
The backup camera is FEDERAL LAW.
License plate lamps are generally STATE laws and although they vary in some details, CA's law is a good example -

VEHICLE CODE - VEH
DIVISION 12. EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLES [24000 - 28150] ( Division 12 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
CHAPTER 2. Lighting Equipment [24250 - 26106] ( Chapter 2 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

ARTICLE 3. Rear Lighting Equipment [24600 - 24617] ( Article 3 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

24601.
Either the taillamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear license plate during darkness and render it clearly legible from a distance of 50 feet to the rear. When the rear license plate is illuminated by a lamp other than a required taillamp, the two lamps shall be turned on or off only by the same control switch at all times.
(Amended by Stats. 1965, Ch. 1313.)

Now comes in the kicker - some states, like PA, have inspection laws and the operation of the plate lamps may be checked - how do they check? Turn on either driving lights or headlights and look at the license plate lamps. Are they on? Yes. Do they come on with driving lights or head lights? Yes. OK, pass.

Visible from a distance of 50 feet?
With backup lights on, there's no way you can easily read a license plate from 50 feet away - the glare from many backup lights would prevent it.
They'll likely only check this during inspection or a traffic stop.

The camera, though, is federal law............ that's a bigger deal if that's disabled. State law may only get you a "fix it order" post card like in Iowa.

That's my take - I know you ONLY asked if tazer can disable it - that's why that part is first.
The rest is for lurkers - at any given time, non-members or lurkers outnumber members reading by 2 to 1.

Just finishing up what I started in an earlier post.

 

[RudeJeepin]

No, it cannot.

For some clarification and clarity -
The backup camera is FEDERAL LAW.
License plate lamps are generally STATE laws and although they vary in some details, CA's law is a good example -

Just for clarification, states can add to it, or adjust it so to speak, but license plate lights are part of the FMVSS. 571.108 S7.7

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just for clarification, states can add to it, or adjust it so to speak, but license plate lights are part of the FMVSS. 571.108 S7.7

Found it - and absolutely stand corrected -

 

[skull_squadron]

When I back up during the night I get a glare on the camera from the 2 license plate lights. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Even more funny - you hit on a post that's 2 years old - well, 1 day short of exactly 2 years old.

 

[whysoserious]

The camera, though, is federal law............ that's a bigger deal if that's disabled.

It would still generally be a fixit ticket on the state level, if anything.

 

[Mr._Bill]

All the legal issues aside, temporarily disabling the license plate lights has no safety risk involved for the driver. Disabling the backup camera creates a major safety issue for the driver as it allows them to run over or run in to things that cannot always be seen with just the mirrors.

 

[Rusty PW]

Just shut the camera off. Don't look in the mirrors. Keep backing up until it sounds expensive.

 

[Hootbro]

 

[starrskream]

FWIW I taped off mine, sprayed VHT Niteshades tint paint on mine. Then wipe out the cone leaving tint on the light. It needs another coat to be where I want it. One coat made a noticeable difference.
Three coats would likely almost black them out.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Just shut the camera off. Don't look in the mirrors. Keep backing up until it sounds expensive.

I can’t believe this thread is still going. I get that this post now makes me partially at fault. But geez. We’re now quoting statutes on legality of illumination? Seems like we’ve reached a point.

 

[tdpolo26]

I'm curious - since the error doesn't request the warning lamp on in the cluster - do you just scan for codes daily - meaning - how did you know there was even an error since there's no light on the dash saying "hey, you have an error".

Tazer likely, via bus, tells the BCM to not power the license plate lamps. That's the likely explanation for no errors there - still, they'd never know if there was an error until or unless they went looking for codes and if they didn't do it on a regular basis - could go months and never see it.

Very possible everyone who uses the eBay system or even a home brew relay system would have a code in there, but never know it because there's no warning lamp request (intermittent faults often don't)
I wonder if a person ran the feed from the front (white/blue) from the BCM to terminal 30 of the relay and then 87 went to a resistor, or diode,, of the same resistance as the lamps if that quick blip from the real lights to fake lights would trigger the error.
In other words, when reverse light power energized the relay, it switched 30 from the real license plate lights on 87A to fake lights on 87 - if it happened fast enough to not trigger any error.

Now I'll have to scan mine for codes! LOL
I've never seen any sort of an error, not even a blip, not a single issue, since they resolved the misfire and CANbus comm errors back in November 2022, well over a year ago.

with a 5 pin
since 87a is the normally closed and runs the lights like normal
then it is triggered do you send 87 to the ground of the harness to the license plate ?

 

[RudeJeepin]

@ShadowsPapa
Awhile back I took mine to the dealer and they informed me that I had a code for fog lights being out.
Prior to this I had installed LED fogs in place of the original halogen fogs. The LEDs would occasionally flicker and shutoff at first. After a couple weeks they started to work normally and still do 2 years later.

 

[Mr._Bill]

with a 5 pin
since 87a is the normally closed and runs the lights like normal
then it is triggered do you send 87 to the ground of the harness to the license plate ?

The license plate light is routed through the Normally Closed section of the relay. The Reverse signal is used to activate the relay. The contact is just broken, turning off the license plate lights while the relay is active. The Normally Open portion is not connected anywhere.

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