Here is my experience installing a backup camera in a 2009 DB9. Some preliminary exploration can be found in https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ocation-2.html

 

I stand on the shoulders of giants when performing this work. Unfortunately from that high the work that they did is sometimes a bit hard to see, or interpret. It turns out that a DB9 is not as similar (with respect to this work) to a DBS as I would have wished and a 2009 DB9 is not the same as a, for example, 2006 DB9 or even a MY09.5. It also turns out that there is precious little detail information about the various steps. Therefore there were a lot of details that I had to research by reading manuals (not always super informative), try things and all-in-all, for my skill level (intermediate – I’ve installed 4 backup cameras and a few Nav override systems), this was not easy. Of course, what is common sense to some people is hidden info to others, and I guess there will always be some of that.There are times when I wonder how a professional would have done it, or what they would have charged.
Issues:

1. Find the appropriate Navigation display interface to connect to.
2. Choose the Backup Camera System
3. Figure out how to mount the camera
4. Figure out what to do about the license plate
5. Figure out how to get the appropriate powersources
6. Figure out how to run the wires
7. Figure out where to put the Backup Camera Module
8. Figure out how to add discrete jack and switch
9. Figure out how to put it all back together

I did it. I don’t claim that I used an optimal method; but it seems to be working now and, except for six bolts leftover, everything seems to be back in place.(Most projects I do end up with bolts or screws left over – so far so good anyway.)
I’m going to try to describe what I did, in case it can be of some help to others, keeping in mind the degree of differences between models and sketchy explanations one sometimes sees. I took pictures, but sometimes one gets so into it, that the camera was forgotten and that task was completed without remembering to take photos, I think I took photos of much of the relevant parts (at least relevant to me), although perhaps not with the best perspective to see what’s what.If you decide to do this job, the photos may then become self-explanatory.
Well, here goes. To start with – see my initial, getting ready, posts at https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ocation-2.html . I appreciatethe feedback I got from people, and I do appreciate the “Definitive guide….” https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/368405-definitive-guide-backup-front-camera-installation.html, even if parts were missing (for me) or not applicable to my case. In my experience (see above) it’s the details that define the job, the general steps are ‘common sense’.

 

• Find the appropriate Nav display interface toconnect to.
  This car has an lcd monitor for use by the GPS/Navigation system display. That is the only thing that is displayed – there are no other systems displayed. Therefore the lcd monitor is fed from that Sat/Nav unit. The connection to a Backup Camera and/orVideo system will be at the Sat/Nav unit (in this case), NOT at the monitor. For this model, the Sat/Nav unit is a Volvo system. Later years have a Garmin system– so stop reading this now, probably, if you have one of those. During those years, Ford owned AstonMartin. Many say that Ford essentiallysaved Aston Martin, as sales were not so high at that time. (Also note the Ford front grilles – ugly version of AM grills (or is that my imagination?).) But Ford also owned Volvo at that time and it turns out that many of the units you will see when you take apart the interior trim are Volvo units, but I didn’t know this to start. So my first look for the Nav interface,according to a post I received was under the rear Driver side seat, under the subwoofer. Indeed there is the Sat/NavDVD drive, but there wasn’t a Volvo label on it. As an aside, I bought a legit version of an upgraded Volvo DVD and used it to upgrade the maps. Even though it took 3 hours, it worked (and yes – as noted in other posts, the Aston Martin logo is still displayed when powering up). (Also, I’ve kept the DVD in, even though the car did NOT initially have a DVD in, but the Nav was working (maybe a factory thing.)) At the time it didn’tlook like the DVD unit had the connectors I saw online for the camera interface (for example Navtool (which I do NOT recommend – see my posts) so I kept looking. (Spoiler – the photos online are ‘placeholders’ NOT the real connectors.) Some people indicated that it would be in the boot. I took virtually everything in the boot out, and found what I’ve called the TARDIS – a bunch of empty space in between the boot and the rear seats. In that was a unit with a big label “VOLVO” and I thought I hit the jackpot. (PHOTO 1) It even had enough space to mount the Camera interface. That was when I thought the only non-Aston Martin part would be the Nav system. Another post informed me that this was the audio amplifier. It turns out I don’t have the upgraded audio system and there’s some space here and there where those upgrades might be.

 

2. Choose the Backup Camera System (and continueto find the Sat/Nav display interface) Finally I became convinced that the DVD (and HD) was the Sat/Nav brain and I shouldn’t fixate on the connectors, just ‘trust’ the Camera interface company to send the right one. I finally chose the Volvo EU Tech VBB4 (See the “Definitive Guide to backup and front camera installation https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/368405-definitive-guide-backup-front-camera-installation.html ”) and confirmed that it was the right one for the ’09 DB9. Turned out, it was. It has a nice mini camera with lines/no lines as you like.

 

3. Figure out how to mount the camera and what to do about the license plate.
My ‘Federal model’ version of the DB9, AKA a US vehicle, had a license plate adapter to both fit a US license plate and to satisfy the “Federal regulations” about the angle a license plate can be from the vertical (the ’09 DB9 had too much of an angle compared to the US Federal Regs, as did many European cars, at the time). This adapter covers the normal AM license plate lights and boot opening switch. Therefore Aston Martin replaces this with license plate lights to stick out (See PHOTO2) and a boot opening switch on the side of the right stick out (Well – I found that switch after I started the modifications). Therefore there is no easy place to mount the camera. Normally it would be under the lip of the boot (the lip under the Aston Martin logo), which doesn’t exist because of the adapter. So I started to look for other places (see post https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...-location.html ), but all of these would require drilling into the body and running wires in more difficult locations. I eventually found out that after 2009, the Federal regulations had changed and it was okay to have the license plate at a larger angle (also see post for reference – in case you get stopped by the constabulary). I found (courtesy of AstonMartinBits, and independently from a 6speedmember) the replacement part for the original boot lights/switch. (See PHOTO 3 –left side lower two photos) I also found and modified a simple license plate adapter to enable me to use the existing holes. I was able to install the new license plate lights and boot switch AND keep the US version of the lights and switch (they all fit together). I could then mount the camera between the light and boot switch.I could have gotten a license plate light/camera, but then it would have been that much closer to the lights that stick out (which I’ve elected to keep). So I had to drill holes in the light/switch unit (PHOTO 3 Lower Left and Lower Right) for the camera and the mounting plate (PHOTO 3Upper left), for the cable. Yes, it’s true that the left light that sticks out, even with the camera in the position I chose, is visible in the camera, but unless I’m so close to an object on the driver’s side that I can’t see with my side mirror, I will be able to see it as I’m backing up. I decided to accept this limitation.

 

4. Figure out how to get the appropriate power sources. The Camera interface requires two power sources. One that is related to the car being in Reverse and another which is preferably a switched source. For the former, I chose the reverse lights power. The wires were indeed the Green/Yellow and Green/Black going into the rear lights (See again “The DefinitiveGuide”). For the latter I did choose an ignition switched source. One could use constant power for that one, but the manufacturer indicates that the battery would be worn down in a few weeks if one did that. For the ignition power please see the wiring information in my posts https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...-location.html . Owing to the uncertainty (I couldn’t get any definitive answers) of which fuse was connected to which source for some of them (e.g. was a spare really a spare), and also not knowing what theconvertible fuses were (if anything) connected to in my coupe, AND the limitation of the “Add-a-fuse” of 10 Amps (very specifically stated on the package), I chose F13, which I think is the tyre sensors. That seemed to be a reasonable compromise. (See PHOTO 4)

 

5. Figure out how to run the wires (in the boot) Okay – deciding what power sources to use was a good accomplishment, but running the wires is another story. Everything is SOOOooo neatly and well assembled in an Aston Martin, it would be a crime to have wires running everywhere, so I decided to sort of respect the existing wiring runs (mostly). It’s also the case that you have to consider the wires you received with the Camera interface. The unit I chose was really nice in that respect (and others). They gave the right connection points at the right places and a goodly length of the wires in between. So the wiring run looks like the following:

• Camera wire through the boot light mounting plate along the top of the boot towards the hinge and across to the right side there and to the only wiring conduit connected to the felt liner (PHOTO 5 upper left and upper middle). At that point, there is a camera wire connector, so you can run the smaller sections from different directions, in sections.
• I have another length of camera wire with connectors at both ends. One connects to the camera wire at the start of the small conduit (connected to the camera) and then goes through the conduit to the back of the boot (PHOTO 5 upper center lower righthand side), then run across the boot (under the felt) to the left and bring the wire to where I will get the power. The wires going on to the camera interface (the power and the video cable) go through the rubber sock (PHOTO 5 Right set of 3photos) which the wiring bundle goes through. I will put the three wires (ignition power, ground and camera video) through that rubber sock. But it’s very tight (and electrical tape at the end). So I cut the end off of a funnel, forced the end through the rubber sock and stretched the opining large enoughfor the RCA (yellow in PHOTO 5 (inside the green funnel)) cable and otherwires. So now the new wires look likepart of the bundle, except one of them comes from under the felt across the top end of the boot lid.
• The camera gets power at this point and I tapped the reverse light wires to power the camera (see the “Definitve Guide”). (Note, in the video cable is another wire,which is connected to the camera interface module later – so I’m not missing any wires here).
• After going through the rubber sock, you’re in the TARDIS (named since it’s bigger inside than it appears from the outside)and you can do anything you want, no one can see it, but be neat, it’s still anAston Martin. I did go through an opening near (BUT NOT IN) the seatbelt connector (PHOTO 5 bottom left), instead of removing the material to put these wires in the wiring bundle going in the center,because – well – why not.

 

6. Figure out where to put the Backup CameraModule (Part 1) Okay – this was worrying me for a while. I did ask someone who did it and was told that there was plenty of room. Well, I specifically asked, considering the subwoofer was there any room and was told there’s plenty of room. I’m here to tell you that there is almost zero room between the Nav/DVD/HD brain and the subwoofer. I measured, felt and probed and there is no way to get the camera interface module there. (See PHOTO 6) There is even a built in bump out in the metal work for the wiring behind the DVD brain for it’s wiring (PHOTO 6 bottomright inside yellow ellipse – note that the arrows are reversed since the subwoofer is upside down (too lazy to fix now)) there is so little room. Did I mention there is very little room?? So the next challenge is whether there’s a place with sufficient room within reach of the length of cable provided. I did find one space inside the side panel (towards the driver’s door). But this would have been touching the outside metal and it was hard to fasten and the length of cables to run the rest of the way would have been another issue. So I looked for another place and there was none visible at that time – until I took apart more of the interior trim… (see below – suspense is building).

 

7. Figure out how to add discrete jack andswitch (Part 1) I skipped looking for a place for the camera module and started looking where I would put in the jack and switch. I need a video jack since the unit has asecond video input (of course I want to be able to watch a DVD while driving an Aston Martin (NOT), but I’m not throwing away a perfectly usable function- e.g.maybe eventually a smartphone screen mirroring interface). And there is a switch to select either the normal (Navigation maps or Reverse camera) video input or the secondary video input. The center utility box alreadyhas 12V power, Auxiliary audio input, USB and IPOD connector. I thought that would be a good place to put the RCA connector and Switch, but I had to get the wires there and find someway to install the connectors (neatly). That meant removing all the center stuff from the back to between the front seats. Here’s (methods to remove the parts) where there was again differences with other AM models.

One starts in what seems to be the model independent standard way by popping out the trim between the rear seats (PHOTO 7) using a plastic pry tool – that part is connected by built in fir trees (Photo 7 bottom right) at the front of the piece. There is a tab that goes under the grill piece above it. (Photo 7 Center, Yellow ellipse (behind that).) One can then remove the two screws holding the grill on (screws on lower part of grill) (PHOTO 7 Top right Green circles). This is all well and good, but removing the next piece closer to the front is a challenge. Now here’s one of the secrets to the center console/utility box. There is a trim piece near the back (PHOTO 8), which can be pried out, revealing two screws. These can be removed. Then one takes out the rubber base in the cupholders at the front. AND ANOTHER SECRET– DO NOT, repeat DO NOT completely remove these screws (under the cup holder )unless you want to spend some time looking for the 4 washers that my wife had to help me find. This part has a metal piece which fits under the metal section in front of the console and the screws are used to tighten that metal piece (the washers ensure that the angle is parallel to the front metal part). So loosen these, but not too, too much. (See PHOTO 8 Lower Right) Putting this back in (and presumably taking it out) is also a bit tricky (at least for someone with my level of skill). One pulls back (getting the metal piece behind the metal part in front that is sandwiched inside), lift up a little bit at the front, and then pull forward getting the leather sides of the back part of the center console out from between the leather sides of thecenter part between the rear seats (Also shown in the red ellipse of Photo 8 –look at the sides). Reverse this process when reassembling. This was a real Eureka moment for me when I reassembled it (after finding the washers), since I didn’t remove it the easy way – or rather it was easier to remove it once I loosened the bolts and dropped the metal piece below. Now you have lots of pieces – See PHOTO 9. Keep all the bolts with them, unless you have a good memory or are diligently taking photos.

 

8. Figure out where to put the Backup CameraModule (Part 2) Did you think I’d leave you in the lurch here – not I. Well, having removed a lot of the parts between the rear seats, after removing the grill piece I found a big piece of hard foam. Maybe this is a place for a more expensive audio system speaker, but I didn’t have that, only some more space. (PHOTO 10) And this was a space that could satisfy thefollowing conditions.

• Enough Space to mount the module. (PHOTO 10)
• Close enough for the wires to reach the DVD brain (Well the connection to the brain was a little tight (PHOTO 10) but I think it’s okay
• Close enough to run the wires for the Switch and Secondary Video (PHOTO 10)
  Woo Hoo !!
  Getting access this space means removing (partially) the vertical section between the rear seats (I choose not to split it apart by removing the screws in the black section between.) (Photo 10 left side, center piece with leather sections on each end – see green circles). This requires one to remove the back section of the passenger side rear seat. By remove, I mean, pull off the seat cushion, and small lumber trim section (both are fixed via Velcro), and remove the two bolts at the lower part of the seat back. Then lift the seat UP a bit (there is a hook (sort of)). You don’t have to fully remove these seatbacks, because I think that would involve doing something with the seat belts,which I’d rather not do. One can shift the positions to then unbolt that vertical section (back waterfall?) (one bolton each side of the top of it) and you can then move it around. (This may not be strictly needed, but I did this until I realized that it may not be necessary. But I think it makes things easier.)
  Now you can put the Camera interface and wiring where it is convenient. I also tie wrapped the camera interface to fixation points at that location. One can then run the wires to the Sat/Nav unit (See Photo 10 right side) – the wring is a bit of a squeeze, but I think it’s okay. (Again no space to the sides and not enough cable to do much else.) Also, run the wires from the back to the interface and run the wires from the interface towards the center console utility box (Photo 10 centerphoto).

 

9. Figure out how to add discrete jack andswitch (Part 2) As is the case in these types of projects (or at least one with this much uncertainty (for me)) things are an iterative process. So that’s why I’ve skipped around a bit in these Part 1s and Part 2s. I wanted to add the switch and connecter in a nice way. This meant integrating it in the center console utility box with all the other connectors. So I had the console out, how to add them? Well, the way I did it was to disassemble the box, so that I can get it on a drill press. (PHOTOs 11 and 12 show some pieces) I noted that the place where the connectors are mounted are NOT just plastic (Photo 12) – they are mounted n a relatively thick piece of aluminum. This is an Aston Martin!

So I took it apart (PHOTO 12 top center) and there are a bunch of pieces. Strictly speaking you don’t have to remove the box cover, but I didn’t know that at the time and did so (PHOTO 11 Lower photos). If you then remove the screws from below, the sides come apart leaving the aluminum/plastic/leather box pieces (PHOTO 12 Top photo). You can unscrew various sections – I unscrewed the back. (PHOTO 12 Lower left and middle photos). Then I drilled the appropriate hole WITHOUT ripping the leather (PHOTO 12 lower middle – red circle) – very careful drilling, bit by bit. Pushed the leather through the hole and slipped (sounds easy – doesn’t it – It wasn’t !) in the RCA jack. I chose this jack because it was recessed and looked ‘professional’. There were several alternatives all of which would have entailed a smaller hole, but would have stuck out into the box further. Be careful of the placement –there is a wire raceway metal piece just behind and you have to be high enough with a part this big. I then cut a rectangular hole for the switch (I chose this low profile rocker switch – and after a lot of filing, got it to fit.) Final result was acceptable to me (PHOTO 12 lower right – see yellow circle). I’m thinking I can get a 12V DC cover (like the one on the left) and can cover the RCA connector, but not urgent. I also installed the switch so that if one pushed it down when shoving stuff in the box, it would be in the correct position for the Nav/BU Camera.

 

10. Figure out how to put it all back together Well, putting it back together is not too bad– as long as you keep the screws together. It turns out that 4 of the screws I had left over were for the grill and another piece, but then I used 4 other screws that were part of the car for some place else, so still, the total is 4 + 2 screws/bolts. Maybe it will come to me. I had to replace some of the fir trees, I was pretty meticulous when removing them. Iused electrical tape to route the wires with the existing wiring bundles. One choice I made was to connect the two sets of license plate lights and boot switches together so that they both work. The new license plate light/boot switch pieceI got had the same connector that was being used and the same wires, so connecting them was straight forward. Note that finding the connector was not “obvious”. It was hidden under the boot top at the hinge end all the way to the right attached to a metal piece with two plugs. I put the wiring at the hinge end of the boot as neatly together as I could. I put all the felt and trim back together. A mistake I made was, when reassembling the center console I put the part (PHOTO 8 back section behind the removable trim piece) backwards (I think) so the part is slightly shifted and one can see a bit of the aluminum in the back. Well, I can, and now maybe you would notice it now that I told you.

 

So that’s the story. A month or two of preparation and 1.5 days of work. During that time added a door to a garage – not counting the concrete cutting, adding that door was a couple of hours and a cinch compared to this AM project. More info up front, at least that connected with me, would have shaved a day off the time needed. I hope, if you decide to do this, I will have saved you some time. I missed some details here – so message me, but my memory of the details will fade with time. I’m told it’s like childbirth (no offense to women – I don’t mean to minimize it), it was hard but the memory of the difficulty is fading with the pride of the working product.

Summary of some of the steps:
Backup Camera Installation process that I used after temporarily assembling the license plate light assembly

1. Remove New License plate light assembly temporarily installed
   1. Remove bulbs
   2. Unscrew two nuts
   3. Remove
2. Put camera cable through opening
3. Run cable from opening to SOMEPLACE
4. Identify Backup light wires
5. Tap wires and run to SOMEPLACE
6. Install Add-a-circuit (See possible fuse locations in list)
7. Tap wires and run to VBB4
   1. One wire to add-a-circuit (check which side ishot side)
   2. One wire to ground
8. Connect VBB4 to DVD player
9. Test Backup camera
   1. Turn on ignition (not start car – turns out you have to start the car)
   2. Put in reverse
   3. See if camera displays
   4. Adjust position of camera to see what can be seen
10. Disconnect camera
11. Drill holes for camera in license plate assembly
12. Thread camera cable and put nut on lightly
    1. Leave enough cable to enable connecting doublesided tape (Really couldn’t do this‘lightly’ owing to the difficulty in accessing the nut location later.
13. Reinstall license plate light assembly (don’t tighten all nuts)
14. Tap wires for license plate lights and boot opening (connect both sets)
15. Neaten up license plate light wiring
16. Reconnect camera
17. Test camera again
    1. Finalize mounting position
    2. Use sticky tape
    3. Tighten nut
18. Tighten license plate light assembly nuts
19. Neaten Reverse light wires
20. Neaten Add-a-circuit wires
21. Connect all cables to VBB4
22. Find a way to secure VBB4 and do it
23. Put connectors in box
    1. Drill hole for RCA cable (decide which connectorto use)
    2. Drill hole for Switch (GET A BETTER SWITCH)
    3. Install Switches
24. Test Cameras
25. Check all connections and wiring
26. Reassemble Car
27. Install License plate adapter and license plate.
28. Take a ride now that we’re more intimate

To be continued????

 

Great work and great write up. Happy you could solve all problems and mysteries.
Now you can enjoy your very personal car. Well done.
Cheers
Christian

 

Thanks GDay2 ! Yes - my personal car - you really understand. Sehr geschätzt !


Now here's a more mundane question: Do you know anything about the DB9 visor mirror? It's like a 'fun-house' mirror unless I bend the visor, but I don't want to do that too much. Any thoughts?