A further update of this peculiar problem.
Again the unit locked up. I don't drive watching the dashcam but we went to the shops (15minute drive), did shopping, drove home and on the way home noticed the default MPH display was sat on 0.
All buttons inoperative, lights blink when touched but no bleep and no action. Cannot turn turn the unit off, even when completely unplugged from rear camera and mount. The unit will remain like this until the internal battery dies. After which it will then switch on as normal, and of course, not unexpectedly, complain the battery is low!
I am beginning to suspect the cable connecting the two cameras. Reason? because this issue only seems to occur when the tailgate is operated and thus the cable is being flexed. The final clip from the unit, which ends at the point of fail, shows the tailgate being closed, and then the image freezes. Time digits then scramble. The clip ends at, I guess, the usual overrun period. If anyone is interested I could YouTube the relevant clip.
My disbelief is that if this is a cable issue, what sort of a cable issue could it be that even after disconnection the unit is still locked and nothing functions until the unit dies with a dead battery? Obviously there is something really obscure going on that causes the software to lockup. Just noticed the little RESET button on the underside of the unit. I will continue to use the unit in the hope it will lockup again and then I will try see of the RESET button does anything useful/interesting and report back.
For your interest the cable connecting the front unit to the rear camera is routed above the ceiling liner to the rear of the vehicle whence it meets up with and is tie wrapped to the main cable form passing from main chassis to the tailgate. This mass of cables carries rear brake light power, rear wiper motor power, number plate illumination power, power to the tailgate electric lock and power to the heated rear screen. The route and anchoring of this cable form is clearly designed with consideration to the inevitable flexing as the tail gate is opened and closed, and certainly none of the original cables has shown any issues over the 16 year life of the vehicle. There is no issue with the plug and connector on the rear camera as the cable and the camera move as one when the tailgate operates. This is a very attractive installation and well out of sight and harms way, and applies no more stress to the Nextbase cable that to the OEM cables of the vehicle.
