[Chwkev]

Has anyone heard of a way to manually control activation of the back up camera? So that the camera could be activated at times other than when the car is in reverse.

 

[ai4px]

You could buy a tesla? It's the only car I know of with a manual camera activation. With the Bolt at least the camera stays on a long time when you shift from R to D. It's long enough to let me back my car in the garage and pull forward just a skosh.

 

[Bolt Action]

When automatically activated by entering "R", the backup and forward-facing cameras will stay on until the vehicle exceeds 5 MPH. The front and back cameras can manually be started by going into the Options icon, as I recall.

When I want to see the forward camera when parking, I'll place the car in "R" just to activate the cameras, and then shift into "D" or "L" to finesse the parking.

 

[Chwkev]

You could buy a tesla?

Well, not really. I’m not willing to drop the price of even a used Model S on a car (at this point) and if I had waited for a $40,000 Model 3 I would STILL be waiting. I’m pretty happy with our Bolt, but I would like control of the backup camera.

With the Bolt at least the camera stays on a long time when you shift from R to D.

True, but I would like to be able to turn it on at will. Not just when I am stopped.

I wonder if it’s as easy as tapping into a wire that activates the backup lights.

 

[LooseBolt]

There is a soft button on the infotainment screen that will turn on the camera. You must be stoped or moving very slowly. I can switch in on in stop and go traffic, one needn't be in R. I hard button would be nicer IMO, but you can turn it on and switch front/rear view.

 

[ai4px]

When automatically activated by entering "R", the backup and forward-facing cameras will stay on until the vehicle exceeds 5 MPH. The front and back cameras can manually be started by going into the Options icon, as I recall.

When I want to see the forward camera when parking, I'll place the car in "R" just to activate the cameras, and then shift into "D" or "L" to finesse the parking.

I think you just hit upon the logic of the backup camera. I've noticed it doesn't stay on for a consistent length of time, I never considered the 5mph speed limit. I'll verify today.... excellent!

 

[bro1999]

There is a soft button on the infotainment screen that will turn on the camera. You must be stoped or moving very slowly. I can switch in on in stop and go traffic, one needn't be in R. I hard button would be nicer IMO, but you can turn it on and switch front/rear view.

I really wish GM would add either a physical button (you got 3 blanks on the console!) or a soft button that can be accessed from any screen (like the energy/HVAC soft buttons). I don't know how many times I've parked somewhere and wished I didn't need to tap the center display 2-3 times to turn on the front camera.

 

[Chwkev]

There is a soft button on the infotainment screen that will turn on the camera.

Is this on both models and with all options? We have an LT and I haven’t found the soft button you are referring to. That would certainly be better than nothing! At least I could check that nothing has shifted in the receiver cargo carrier when I am going slow in town

 

[LooseBolt]

Is this on both models and with all options? We have an LT and I haven’t found the soft button you are referring to. That would certainly be better than nothing! At least I could check that nothing has shifted in the receiver cargo carrier when I am going slow in town

I have a premier, so I can't speak with any authority on the LT. I assumed (yea, I know) that all the backup cameras would work the same as there is really no reason for them not to, other than sheer cussedness on GM's part. Try pressing the soft button (top left of screen) with all four dots on it. That's where the camera button is on my Bolt. Bottom row right center.

 

[GJETSON]

I have a premier, so I can't speak with any authority on the LT. I assumed (yea, I know) that all the backup cameras would work the same as there is really no reason for them not to, other than sheer cussedness on GM's part. Try pressing the soft button (top left of screen) with all four dots on it. That's where the camera button is on my Bolt. Bottom row right center.

No such button on the 2017 LT.

 

[Chwkev]

Curses! Foiled again! :-D

 

[Bolt Action]

From the 2017 Owner's Manual, page 219.

"Rear Vision Camera (RVC)
When the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse), the RVC displays an
image of the area behind the vehicle
in the infotainment display. The
previous screen displays when the
vehicle is shifted out of R (Reverse)
after a short delay. To return to the
previous screen sooner, press [HOME] on
the infotainment display, shift into
P (Park), or reach a vehicle speed
of 8 km/h (5 mph)."

And on page 158, it describes the Infotainment option, attached.

 

[Edchris]

No such button on the 2017 LT.

Nor is there one on the last 2018 LT
You only get a choice of guidelines on or off.

 

[phuber]

I have previously installed a manual dash switch working a relay that simultaneously powers the back up trigger on the infotainment system while turning off power to the backup lights. This allowed the rear view camera to be turned on while driving forward and is very helpful in knowing what a trailer may be doing and/or what traffic is behind me. I plan to do the same on the Bolt and will post the results in the DIY section if this approach works.

 

[Chwkev]

I have previously installed a manual dash switch working a relay that simultaneously powers the back up trigger on the infotainment system while turning off power to the backup lights. This allowed the rear view camera to be turned on while driving forward and is very helpful in knowing what a trailer may be doing and/or what traffic is behind me. I plan to do the same on the Bolt and will post the results in the DIY section if this approach works.

Wow! That’s exactly what I’m looking for. Would you mind going into more detail on how you identified the back up trigger wire and the back up light wire?

 

[ArizonaJon]

The 4th soft button is only on the MY 2020. If you select the soft button for functions (third button), there is backup camera button there. I have used it to turn on the camera when I get ready to go into a car wash. It makes lining up with rails much easier.

 

[Bearsden]

Am I missing something here, but doesn't the Rear Camera Mirror provide what you're looking for?

 

[phuber]

The first thing that would need to be done is to find the common wire feeding power to the backup lights. You may have to disconnect one light from it's feed and connect it to the feed of the other back-up light in order to make a common feed. This same wire feeding the back-up lights triggers the rear-view camera screen. The power from the dash switch would trigger a double-pole double-throw relay with one side of the relay providing power to the wire feeding the back-up lights (in order to trigger the camera view) while the other side of the relay disconnects the power to the back-up lights. This set-up worked on a Nissan LEAF. I plan to check this week to see if it will work on the Bolt and if so, I'll post a more specific diagram.

 

[LightningMcSpleen]

Am I missing something here, but doesn't the Rear Camera Mirror provide what you're looking for?

OP has an LT. The rear camera mirror is only on the premier.

 

[phuber]

I tried providing 12 volt power to the back-up lights while driving forward today in the hope that it would turn on the back--up camera so I could monitor trailer towing and multiple lanes of cars approaching from behind. Unfortunately, I found that the screen on my 2018 Premier model automatically switches to the forward looking camera when moving forward. So my plan described in posts #14 and #18 will not work unless someone knows how to force the head unit to display the rear camera regardless of whether the Bolt is backing up or going forward. Hope this helps.