What's The Best Way To Clean The Rear View Camera Lens?

[Hoof Hearted]

The rear view camera on my Auris Hybrid is really only useful in dry conditions. Even if the roads are only slightly wet, the camera picture gets distorted by water droplets or blocked completely by road dirt. So frequent cleaning is a must.

Trouble is - how?

The lens isn't flat, it seems to be tear shaped like a small light bulb. It's difficult to actually see it.

Dirt gets up inside between the rubber camera socket and the lens surface, out of reach of a damp sponge. I have tried pouring clean water up it, directly from a watering can or by using a saturated sponge. I can get some dirt off the lens flushing with water but not all.

I think a stronger jet of water needs to be used to clear the dirt that has got itself shoved all the way at the base of the lens socket.

Has anyone used and can recommend such a device?

[Miseryguts]

What about a cotton bud?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Spray bottle, cleaning solution and appropriately sized flat artists brush? Sable or camel hair would be softest and do least damage.

[RunningInPleasePass]

On my car the camera lens is flat, I just wipe it with a cloth and it's clean, perhaps the lens cover has come off yours?

[Devon Aygo]

The rear view camera on my Auris Hybrid is really only useful in dry conditions. Even if the roads are only slightly wet, the camera picture gets distorted by water droplets or blocked completely by road dirt. So frequent cleaning is a must.

Trouble is - how?

The lens isn't flat, it seems to be tear shaped like a small light bulb. It's difficult to actually see it.

Dirt gets up inside between the rubber camera socket and the lens surface, out of reach of a damp sponge. I have tried pouring clean water up it, directly from a watering can or by using a saturated sponge. I can get some dirt off the lens flushing with water but not all.

I think a stronger jet of water needs to be used to clear the dirt that has got itself shoved all the way at the base of the lens socket.

Has anyone used and can recommend such a device?

Can you post a picture? as what you describe doesn't sound correct.

[Aceshigh84]

I use my thumb, takes less than a second when I open the boot or walk past the back of the car. Keeps the water bill down too...

[IM35461]

I was thinking of applying some Rain-X to the lens...

[Hoof Hearted]

What about a cotton bud?

Good idea. I'll get some and give it a try.

[Hoof Hearted]

The rear view camera on my Auris Hybrid is really only useful in dry conditions. Even if the roads are only slightly wet, the camera picture gets distorted by water droplets or blocked completely by road dirt. So frequent cleaning is a must.

Trouble is - how?

The lens isn't flat, it seems to be tear shaped like a small light bulb. It's difficult to actually see it.

Dirt gets up inside between the rubber camera socket and the lens surface, out of reach of a damp sponge. I have tried pouring clean water up it, directly from a watering can or by using a saturated sponge. I can get some dirt off the lens flushing with water but not all.

I think a stronger jet of water needs to be used to clear the dirt that has got itself shoved all the way at the base of the lens socket.

Has anyone used and can recommend such a device?

Can you post a picture? as what you describe doesn't sound correct.

I'll get my camera out tomorrow - hopefully there will be enough light, unlike today.

[Hoof Hearted]

On my car the camera lens is flat, I just wipe it with a cloth and it's clean, perhaps the lens cover has come off yours?

That's what I expected mine would be too. I don't use my glasses when in the car (only for reading, close up and the computer monitor). So my close up vision these days means I can't see it too well - especially as it's a small black object in a black hole. I tried the thumb suggestion already, hence I know it's not a flat lens.

Good point though. I will contact my Dealer, after I have taken the photo. They may confirm what you say as correct and be able to fix it.

[RunningInPleasePass]

You are looking at the right thing Dean, it's next to the boot catch?

[Hoof Hearted]

I use my thumb, takes less than a second when I open the boot or walk past the back of the car. Keeps the water bill down too...

Does yours feel like a flat lens or more like a button?

[TomdeGuerre]

I wouldn't recommend Rain-X for the rear view camera nor would I recommend it for the windscreen. I bought some last year, the 2-in-1 stuff with the glass cleaner in it. Cleaned the windscreen before I started, sprayed the stuff on then wiped it off with a clean paper towel and found it was OK at first, when driving into rain it caused the drops to bead up and slide off the screen so quite often I didn't even need the wipers. It started to cloud up after a while so I re-applied it a couple of times but when the weather turned hotter it started to smear. I had a lot of trouble cleaning it all off the screen, finally had to use methylated spirits and detergent glass cleaner so decided not to use it again. I certainly wouldn't use it on the rear view camera. Incidentally mines feels like a flat "plastic" cover over the actual camera lens.

[Aceshigh84]

Does yours feel like a flat lens or more like a button?

Mine is flat, about 1cm square

[ic2]

Does yours feel like a flat lens or more like a button?

Mine is flat, about 1cm square

Same here, just checked

[Speed_Chaser]

Might not be the easiest thing to set up, but this is certainly easiest way to keep the lens clean

See the vid here and a different install with stage by stage pics of the process here.

[Hoof Hearted]

Might not be the easiest thing to set up, but this is certainly easiest way to keep the lens clean

See the vid here and a different install with stage by stage pics of the process here.

Now that would be the ideal solution, but for me it would have had to have been pre-installed. Even if I had the technical ability to do that, I'm sure that it would invalidate my warranty. I would love to have that hooked up to my rear screen washer though.

Can't quite see but it looks like the lens on the car in the vid might have a button shaped lens also.

[Hoof Hearted]

Here's my photos. As you can see, the lens is definitely button shaped.

[Devon Aygo]

Here's my photos. As you can see, the lens is definitely button shaped.

That is a picture of your rear windscreen washer jet, the camera is lower down under the Toyota Emblem where the boot release handle/button is.

[Hoof Hearted]

You are looking at the right thing Dean, it's next to the boot catch?

Sorry mate, what was I saying? I seem to have forgotten.

Never mind - it's me turning senile

[Hoof Hearted]

Here's my photos. As you can see, the lens is definitely button shaped.

That is a picture of your rear windscreen washer jet, the camera is lower down under the Toyota Emblem where the boot release handle/button is.

Ahhh! No wonder it wasn't getting clean. I was dousing the wrong bit!

I think I must be going senile.

Thanks guys. Thankfully it turned out to be something simple in the end - even if it was me!

[dervdave]

What a gem, I had a good laugh !

Easy done :)

[Speed_Chaser]

Lollo had to like that post :D What a laugh! I imagine how you're installing washer jet aimed at your washer jet. And still not getting clean lens lol xD

[Red Yaris 54]

Such is the power of the Toyota Owners Club Forum :)

[Hoof Hearted]

Thought I'd let you know that the upshot of all this was that I have discovered that nothing more than a piece of kitchen towel or a paper hanky will do the job of cleaning the rear view camera admirably. Doesn't even have to be damp.

Now all I need to do is to work out how to clean the camera lens when I need to most, when the road has been wet and I'm about to reverse into a parking space, rather than at the earliest opportunity afterwards. I'm sure someone out there will know what I mean.