Keep the backup camera clean?

A

aelaan

Member
:
Mazda CX5 GS 2014 - NAV
I hope one of the DIY people can answer. The rear backup camera for the CX5 - 2014 model - becomes unusable when I drive in sleet, on wet roads and at night. In the evening I need to turn up my internal light to see proper. When the camera is wet it becomes simply not usable and in fact is dangerous if you rely on it. My wife has a KIA and my daughter a Toyota and those camera's never have this issue at all, I mean not even in sleet. It seems the placement of the camera is to blame, but I am wondering how you have resolved this?

Thanks for any feedback

-al
 
Well, it seems to work just as well as th one in my wife's frontier. I just gently clean with a soft cloth an warm soapy water after any bad weather.
 
aelaan said:
I hope one of the DIY people can answer. The rear backup camera for the CX5 - 2014 model - becomes unusable when I drive in sleet, on wet roads and at night. In the evening I need to turn up my internal light to see proper. When the camera is wet it becomes simply not usable and in fact is dangerous if you rely on it. My wife has a KIA and my daughter a Toyota and those camera's never have this issue at all, I mean not even in sleet. It seems the placement of the camera is to blame, but I am wondering how you have resolved this?

Thanks for any feedback

-al
Click to expand...

Like any camera it can't provide a clear image if the lens is coated in road grime or has water droplets. I live in a rainy climate and have found it stays cleaner for a few weeks after I use a quality carnauba wax on the lens. Either way, you do need to use a soft cloth to gently wipe it off from time to time.

Even when the lens is clean you should not rely solely on the back-up camera - it's just there as one more data point.
 
Just to be clear I do not rely on the backup camera but it is handy to check if there is anything near the car. I will put that wax on it, never thought of that. It is something I have been meaning to ask for a long time and since today was the first day of being able to wash the car by hand I looked at it again. Will also experiment with rainx. The point of cleaning it is moot, because when I need it, it is smudged. I clean it daily but never put on wax.
 
Get some trico view or aquapel, same product actually, better then rain-x and last 10 times longer. Apply to your windows and use the last little bit on your camera lens
 
Ride92 said:
Get some trico view or aquapel, same product actually, better then rain-x and last 10 times longer. Apply to your windows and use the last little bit on your camera lens
Click to expand...
I suppose that's worth a try, but in my view once the lens gets wet in a rain storm, nothing's gonna' clear it short of physically wiping it off.
 
Well it's better then nothing. The aquapel is extremely Hydrophobic so that even a little wind will help push the water of the lens
 
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I usually use my thumb or forefinger over it if I'm going around back. Works pretty good these last 3 years...
 
Hydrophobic, I meant hydrophobic you jerks! For crying out loud, use one wrong term and everyone loses there minds. Anyhow, It repels water very well, is not silicon based so it actually bonds to the surface it's applied.
 
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don't worry, I'm not really upset about that, the previous statement should be read with a lot of sarcasm.
 
Ride92 said:
Hydrophobic, I meant hydrophobic you jerks! For crying out loud, use one wrong turn and everyone loses there minds. Anyhow, It repels water very well, is not silicon based so it actually bonds to the surface it's applied.
Click to expand...

wrong "turn"? (laugh)
 
I agree rainx is pretty crummy compared to other products out there. I am currently using GTechniq G5, almost didn't need my wipers at all on a 4 hour car trip in the rain last week. It helps the backup camera, but does not completely fix the issue, a wipe down sometimes in necessary, but not needed as often.
 
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