Chevy Suburban Backup Camera Install

Had a new Chevy Suburban come into the shop the other day for a backup camera install. Since the Suburban (in a very rare red BTW), was ordered without navigation, backing up the beast was a little tricky coming from a smaller vehicle for the owner. We installed an Alpine rear view camera, and an audiovox monitor. Maybe windshield navigation units will accept a plug from a rear view camera. The camera is setup to only activate when in reverse.

Install is straight forward, but time consuming. The nice thing was that with only 1000 miles on the clock, all the plastic panels are still nice and soft and flexible, so you don’t break off tabs or anything when removing the panels as can happen with older brittle panels. Since the camera is mounted on the rear license plate, the trick is running the wires so it looks factory. To get from the interior cabin, into the rear hatch door with no exposed wires means running it through the factory accordion loom.

This will allow the wire to be completely hidden.

And rear tailgate panel off to run the wire to the license plate area, following the factory wiring harness.

And the small screen mounted to the windshield. Though you can get the video unit closer to the driver by mounting it to the dash, in 10 years when someone goes to remove it, it may ruin the dash when pulling up on it, or leave a circle on the dash where UV light has not affected, and you’ll never get it to match the rest of the dash. Thus the windshield is the logical choice for placement for easy of removal and re installation if needed.