What is really going on here? License plate lights wash out backup camera image while reversing at night

[gtsonoma]

Is what I am seeing a symptom of a much larger issue?
The basic issue is that at night, while reversing, the license plate lights wash out the backup camera. Almost to the level of making the on dash screen unusable at night.
Now I know that there are several solutions to this. I am not looking for a solution. I am wondering about what is behind this issue. This situation, like so many others, have presented themselves to me on my 2021 Gladiator Rubicon and I am sure there are numerous other similar issues that others have found.

Specific to the plate light / camera washout issue I have these observations.
I reviewed the options provided by the aftermarket to address this. Tazer for one, does offer a tool that can access a on / off toggle that will fix this. The toggle allows the setting of disabling the plate lights while in reverse. But this only points to the larger issue.
The toggle that Tazer allows access to is within the design of the computer system as provided by the OEM. The OEM could have provided menu access to this toggle, same as they provide access to many other such toggles. The OEM could also just set this toggle the other way when camera option is installed on the given Gladiator and / or any? other models that have the same issue.

It is obvious to me that the engineers that designed these details had some awareness of this situation, after all they had the foresight to put the toggle in place to begin with. Like so many other things the OEM has decided that I (the end user) do not need this access. I spoke with the service counter at 2 of my local Jeep dealerships. 1 had no idea and would need to see and diagnose the jeep, of course for a charge. The 2nd offered to look into the question and call me back.

What are your thoughts ?
What is your experience with this specific or similar things.

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[brsnow2585]

My tazer has been acting up after either some tazer update or the some OTA Jeep update. I appreciate the license plate light toggle, had been working for a long time, and the 3honk disable when you get out with the keys. They all of a sudden they stopped working, winch and anchor mode I've never got to work, I have the diesel so I kinda figured some things wouldn't translate since I'm in the vast majority of gladiators. Thankfully, the auto stop start still works or I'd be looking for something pointy to stick in my ear.

 

[mooreman21]

I know it probably won't help you with an older year model, but my 2025 operates the way you want from the factory. kinda caught me by surprise the first time i backed up at night and saw that the plate lights were off. I do have the backup delay checked in my settings, so my camera shows it when they turn back on. maybe one of the Alfa/Jscan gurus can figure out how to enable that on yours?

 

[Mr._Bill]

It's a design quirk. Most of the time it was not a big issue. I bought one of the relay harnesses that plugs into the factory wiring. It disables the license plate lights when it is in reverse.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I know it probably won't help you with an older year model, but my 2025 operates the way you want from the factory. kinda caught me by surprise the first time i backed up at night and saw that the plate lights were off. I do have the backup delay checked in my settings, so my camera shows it when they turn back on. maybe one of the Alfa/Jscan gurus can figure out how to enable that on yours?

As my wife pointed out, sadly, they also made the 2025 display really horrible, as she calls it "GRAINY".
My 2020 and 2022 backup cam displays were SUPERIOR to the Grand Cherokee, which I always thought looked low quality, grainy, low resolution. The JTs were superior to that.
Now, they have gone backwards, making the display as bad as the WK2 backup cam display always was.

 

[Chasm]

my 2025 operates the way you want from the factory.

Oh, THAT's why I haven't noticed this as I've seen this complaint all over!

 

[Labswine]

I simply replaced my backup light bulbs with some very bright LED lights. Now the issue ain't so bad...not that I noticed an issue before, just wanted more light backing up than before, but noticed the improvement in seeing what was going on back there.

 

[Gvsukids]

My tazer has been acting up after either some tazer update or the some OTA Jeep update. I appreciate the license plate light toggle, had been working for a long time, and the 3honk disable when you get out with the keys. They all of a sudden they stopped working, winch and anchor mode I've never got to work, I have the diesel so I kinda figured some things wouldn't translate since I'm in the vast majority of gladiators. Thankfully, the auto stop start still works or I'd be looking for something pointy to stick in my ear.

Have you rebooted the Tazer?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Have your rebooted the Tazer?

Like a Ctrl-Alt-Del sort of thing?

 

[Gvsukids]

Like a Ctrl-Alt-Del sort of thing?

More like, turn the car off, wait, turn the car back on, repeat one more time.

 

[Hootbro]

It is obvious to me that the engineers that designed these details had some awareness of this situation, after all they had the foresight to put the toggle in place to begin with. Like so many other things the OEM has decided that I (the end user) do not need this access.

FMVSS and CFR regulations require the license plate lamps to be "Steady Burning" on when either the headlamps or the parking lamps is on. There is no deviation to this just because one is backing up. If there is a software toggle for it, then that is for other markets if allowed. It is not the OEM deciding you do not need access to it but the Federal requirements do not allow the OEM to readily offer it to the end user.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-...ubpart-B/section-571.108#p-571.108(S7.)(S7.7)

 

[Idlethunder]

My tazer has been acting up after either some tazer update or the some OTA Jeep update. I appreciate the license plate light toggle, had been working for a long time, and the 3honk disable when you get out with the keys. They all of a sudden they stopped working, winch and anchor mode I've never got to work, I have the diesel so I kinda figured some things wouldn't translate since I'm in the vast majority of gladiators. Thankfully, the auto stop start still works or I'd be looking for something pointy to stick in my ear.

Every month or two mine does this too, like the tazer has gone to sleep. The fastest way around it that I’ve found is the toggle in to the settings then back out again. I go in just far enough to see the light show option then back out to mph or whatever you want the display to show. After doing that, it works fine again for several weeks.

 

[rubicon4wheeler]

My tazer has been acting up after either some tazer update or the some OTA Jeep update. I appreciate the license plate light toggle, had been working for a long time, and the 3honk disable when you get out with the keys. They all of a sudden they stopped working, winch and anchor mode I've never got to work, I have the diesel so I kinda figured some things wouldn't translate since I'm in the vast majority of gladiators. Thankfully, the auto stop start still works or I'd be looking for something pointy to stick in my ear.

Mine has always had the same problems, and firmware updates haven't made a difference. In addition to the bugs you mentioned, my Tazer also periodically locks my rear locker on the freeway in 2WD, and it likes to disconnect my sway bar at random times. My hunch is that it has a lot of incompatibilities with the diesel, and Z Automotive simply decided to stop putting time into debugging it.

 

[Chasm]

It is not the OEM deciding you do not need access to it but the Federal requirements do not allow the OEM to readily offer it to the end user.

Stupid laws, sounds about right.
In looking to build a kit car I read a bunch of laws and learned that nearly every new car is illegal in Illinois if they decide to enforce the laws. Light brightness/location requirements, vehicle overhang, mirror width....

 

[Sandman 4x4]

I have helped the issue with a piece of electricians tape, that I used a hole punch to leave a small 1/8’s” hole I found through a few tries at 3 o’clock on drivers side, 9 o’clock on passengers side to work best, that helps actually illuminate the plate, but not drown out the camera view. Whenever it rains though I have to replace it. I’m sure I can make it last permanently, but want to be able to put back to original. Even though we have no inspections in Florida. Oh and I have the LED lighting package throughout my Gladiator except the head/fog lights.

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