Intermittent rear camera

[HonestReview]

Since changing to the Anker adapter the rear camera issue has only happened two or three times. Much less frequently so perhaps it is power related. That being said, my plan is to purchase a new card. Perhaps one day hardwire the camera power as well.

Let me solve your problem: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE used 3rd party hardwire kits. Manufacturers design their hardwire kits specifically to work with their product. The fact you are using aftermarket could indeed be damaging your product and causing lots of erratic behavior.

 

[Variman]

Let me solve your problem: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE used 3rd party hardwire kits. Manufacturers design their hardwire kits specifically to work with their product. The fact you are using aftermarket could indeed be damaging your product and causing lots of erratic behavior.

If I hard wire the camera(s), I will purchase the kit from Viofo.

 

[Ez12a]

I have this issue as well, however I can easily replicate this by removing power from the main camera and waiting until it powers off, then plugging it back in. Rear camera isn't detected until I reseat the rear camera connector

I have the whole setup powered by the viofo hardwire cable. It can switch fine between parking and driving mode. Only occurs when power is completely removed.

This is also my second a129 plus duo front camera as the previous one had the infamous broken wifi.

I also find it curious that the A129 Plus Duo has a unique rear camera cable. I wonder what the differences could be between that and the Pro Duo and the regular Duo.

 

[spike378]

Its well documented rear camera disconnects and never comes back until a hard reboot. Viofo is not known for their excellent softwares. I ran into many problems with the old A119c. I have mine with official hardwire kit and it does the same thing. It wouldnt be so bad if they allow an option for auto reboot of the dashcam everytime you start your car from parking mode.

The only option is turn off parking mode and let the camera reset everytime you turn your car on or risk driving with parking mode on with your rear camera unknowingly disabled.

 

[StrayCam]

Its well documented rear camera disconnects and never comes back until a hard reboot. Viofo is not known for their excellent softwares. I ran into many problems with the old A119c. I have mine with official hardwire kit and it does the same thing. It wouldnt be so bad if they allow an option for auto reboot of the dashcam everytime you start your car from parking mode.

The only option is turn off parking mode and let the camera reset everytime you turn your car on or risk driving with parking mode on with your rear camera unknowingly disabled.

Does the problem you mention have anything at all to do with reported bad cables connecting to rear camera? I could not imagine a Viofo made cable just going bad for no apparent reason...

 

[viofo]

I have this issue as well, however I can easily replicate this by removing power from the main camera and waiting until it powers off, then plugging it back in. Rear camera isn't detected until I reseat the rear camera connector

I have the whole setup powered by the viofo hardwire cable. It can switch fine between parking and driving mode. Only occurs when power is completely removed.

This is also my second a129 plus duo front camera as the previous one had the infamous broken wifi.

I also find it curious that the A129 Plus Duo has a unique rear camera cable. I wonder what the differences could be between that and the Pro Duo and the regular Duo.

The A129 Plus rear cable is different as the rear cam runs under a separated chipset.
If there is an issue with the rear cable, please send PM to me or contact us to get a replacement.

 

[StrayCam]

The A129 Plus rear cable is different as the rear cam runs under a separated chipset.
If there is an issue with the rear cable, please send PM to me or contact us to get a replacement.

Thanks for your reply. I needed to re-purchase the HW3 kit as well, so I bought both of those items off of Amazon. I'm not sure if Viofo was listed as the seller or not...? I know both items are Viofo made items.

 

[mini0806]

Is anyone having issues with their rear camera because of faulty wiring? Is this a common problem with this dashcam?

It hasn't been a year yet, and I'm on my third wire (the one that connect the front to rear camera); the third wire stopped working after three months of use. I'm having a fourth wire sent to me now.

 

[SWoMP]

I had, last summer, problems with rear cam disconnecting. Viofo acknowledged my case and got their UK reseller to send new one which cured the problem. It was also thinner than the original, and it alsp cured a small problem of it interfering with the car's GPS for the Satnav.
Since then I've bought another rear camera for a second car and it a fat one and I feared the worst... but it worked ok. In fact I now have another cable (a thinner one) as I needed two right-angle connectors to get the camera mount in the rear screen up high enough not to be annoying in the rear view mirror. Ordered it online from China and it arrived in about ten days and worked first time.

 

[mini0806]

Ok, so the permanent solution to this problem is a thinner wire? Could you provide a link to this wire?

 

[SWoMP]

I wish it was that easy. I suspect that Viofo got a bad manufacturing batch at some point and didn't realise it until they started getting customer failures. I'm sure they know which batches are ok but they always seem very quiet about this sort of info. And of course, some of the bad ones will have got into Duo kits, Rear Camera kits, as well as being sold as parts items. Plus I do have a fat one that does work! I suggest you raise a ticket on the Viofo website and ask them to send you a replacement.

 

[Variman]

Update, I installed the latest firmware a week ago. So far the rear camera connects all the time. It's only been a week but I am hopeful. Prior to the update, every few weeks the rear camera did not connect on start up.

 

[xeiter]

Update, I installed the latest firmware a week ago. So far the rear camera connects all the time. It's only been a week but I am hopeful. Prior to the update, every few weeks the rear camera did not connect on start up.

How is it going so far? Have you have any disconnects since the upgrade of firmware? What versions of front and rear cams are you using?

---

I am in a similar situation as you. I am still troubleshooting and believe can help this thread.

I have two cars: Hyundai i30 2019 and Mitsubishi Outlander 2019. Both cars have Viofo a129Plus Duo in them.

I only bought them recently (about 2 months ago).

I am having the same issue as yours (random disconnects of the rear camera which causes recording to stop and beeping start) only on i30.

However, on the Outlander - no issues at all! Not one.

Both cards are powering from the 12v cigarette lighter plug.

I have changed the microSD cards (at first had Samsung Pro Endurance, now using VIOFO cards that they recommend for his dashcam).

Dashcam on Outlander:
Front (build2): 1.8 Firmware (never updated anything as it was on 1.8 when purchased)
Rear: 1.5 Firmware (never updated this one either)

Dascam on i30:
Front (build2): 1.8 Firmware (was on 1.5 when purchased but upgraded to 1.8 later when was having major disconnects of rear camera)
Rear: 1.8 Firmware (dashcam came with this one)

The issues on i30 started straight away. LOTS of random disconnects while I was driving and while stationary (I do not use parking mode). Once I upgraded the front cam to 1.8 the disconnects became very rare and only happen (for some reason) when the car is not moving (especially when I just turn it on in the morning). I don't think it disconnected once while driving ever since I upgraded it to 1.8. However, it did disconnect when I stopped at taffic light a few times.

Usually, the rear camera re-connects by itself and I dont need to upplug/plug back in any cables.

I did buy a spear rear camera cable for this model but I have not tried it yet.

I have a suspicion it is a power issue. Frontcam in i30 NEVER failed while I had the rear cam disconnected (I drove like that for a while before I installed the rear cam).

What I am going to try is swap out the cams between i30 and Outlander (where the dashcam has not failed once). If it is the power issue, I expect the cam that worked perfectly in Outlander to fail in i30.

I will also try my spare rear cam cable as well as maybe use the second 12v cigarrate lighter plug in i30 since I have two in there.

To be honest, ever since I upgraded my "sometimes malfunctioning" dashcam on i30 the disconnects happen very rarely and only while not moving.

Perhaps, I could also try downgrading the rear cam firmware (if possible) on i30 to 1.5 to match the firmware of rearcam on Outlander.

I did nearly return the camera to Amazon where I bought it from but decided to be patient and troubleshoot. I am glad I found this thread.

 

[Variman]

Every once in a while the rear camera does not connect at start up. I am using build V1.8 20220704. The rear cam is V13_20201210. I have an early version camera(s), Non eMMC, so it uses the "s" version software. My last thing I will try is to use the hardwire kit when I have a chance.

 

[Mtz]

I am in a similar situation as you. I am still troubleshooting and believe can help this thread.

Your problem is for sure not a firmware problem. Never a firmware version created intermittent rear camera. Never! Also the car is not a problem.
Always is the install problem. 99,99% of the intermittent rear camera problem is because the user is damaging the cable between front and rear camera. In latest dual camera gift box I observed that Viofo added a small print to force people test the rear camera before install. I am sure they are also tired about users destroying that cable because of poor install skills.
Another, but very small chance, the rear camera to not work OK is the improper power connection on the fusebox, damaged power cable during install, defective power supply, using some USB car output instead of original Viofo chargers.

 

[xeiter]

Your problem is for sure not a firmware problem. Never a firmware version created intermittent rear camera. Never! Also the car is not a problem.
Always is the install problem. 99,99% of the intermittent rear camera problem is because the user is damaging the cable between front and rear camera. In latest dual camera gift box I observed that Viofo added a small print to force people test the rear camera before install. I am sure they are also tired about users destroying that cable because of poor install skills.
Another, but very small chance, the rear camera to not work OK is the improper power connection on the fusebox, damaged power cable during install, defective power supply, using some USB car output instead of original Viofo chargers.

Thank you.

I will check with another usb cable I bought from VIOFO and will swap out the cameras between cars

 

[xeiter]

Your problem is for sure not a firmware problem. Never a firmware version created intermittent rear camera. Never! Also the car is not a problem.
Always is the install problem. 99,99% of the intermittent rear camera problem is because the user is damaging the cable between front and rear camera. In latest dual camera gift box I observed that Viofo added a small print to force people test the rear camera before install. I am sure they are also tired about users destroying that cable because of poor install skills.
Another, but very small chance, the rear camera to not work OK is the improper power connection on the fusebox, damaged power cable during install, defective power supply, using some USB car output instead of original Viofo chargers.

I have changed the rear camera cable for the new one. First observation, the rear cam footage shows up, somewhat, faster than before (??) when I switch on the car (I could be wrong though).... And no disconnects after a few trips so far.

I connected the new rear cam cable without installing it properly.

One thought did come into my mind - that rubber protector for cables that go from body of the car to the rear door was narrow and it was tough to insert the original rear cam cable thourgh it. Maybe that's when the damage happened... if it is indeed the damage of the cable that's causing it.

Will keep monitoring.

 

[RLee]

Viofo sent me a new front camera and I am still having the same issue from time to time where the rear camera is not displaying on the LCD, reseating the cable cures the issue. To recap, the front & rear cameras have been changed, the cable to rear camera has been changed, firmware has been updated several times. I purchase the cameras directly from Viofo. I using a SanDisk 256 High Endurance card.

I suppose the next thing to try is a new 12 volt to USB plug or the front camera cable. I am currently using the Viofo suppled 12 volt adapter.

​

I e had read cam problems since day one. A new power cord solved the issue of the rear cam going out and not showing on the display nor recording.
But now every other time I checking my parking footage, every thing works fine for several hours and then the rear cam stops recording and the front cam records non stop 22 second videos.

It’s strand that auto event mode will work properly for a few hours. And then it messes up. But if I leave the rear unplugged the auto event mode works normally all night long.

 

[Variman]

Your problem is for sure not a firmware problem. Never a firmware version created intermittent rear camera. Never! Also the car is not a problem.
Always is the install problem. 99,99% of the intermittent rear camera problem is because the user is damaging the cable between front and rear camera. In latest dual camera gift box I observed that Viofo added a small print to force people test the rear camera before install. I am sure they are also tired about users destroying that cable because of poor install skills.
Another, but very small chance, the rear camera to not work OK is the improper power connection on the fusebox, damaged power cable during install, defective power supply, using some USB car output instead of original Viofo chargers.

While I agree that many issues are user errors, the issue I am having may be different. Viofo supplied a second cable, replacement rear camera, and a replacement front camera. I am not going to rehash all I have done (you can rear all in this thread) but it is safe to say that for me, it is either a power issue or a SD card issue or something to do with Viofo using the front camera to push firmware to the rear camera. It is just strange that others have had similar issues. For now, I just check the display every time I start the car. One day I may try a Viofo hardwire harness.

 

[xeiter]

Update: two more days of driving, rear cam is working perfectly with the new cable.