Front Camera Not Available?

Today I was driving to town using the adaptive cruise. Suddenly, the cruise shut off, and I got a "Front Camera Not Available See Owners Manual" message on the MID. The PCS Off warning light also came on the dash.

It was sunny and 67 degrees outside. No precipitation. My truck was relatively clean. I pulled over to confirm there wasn't a leaf or piece of trash blocking the camera. So the problem wasn't due to weather or an obstructed camera.

Eventually, the warning message and light went away, and everything was normal for the rest of my drive. This problem is a bit concerning because we will be driving from Colorado to Florida in a week. Lack of cruise control would be kinda inconvenient.

Anyone have any ideas what may have caused this temporary malfunction?

 

You would still have traditional cruise control, just not adaptive cruise...

 

Good point. I could live with that. But the constant warning message would be bothersome. When it happened, I could exit the warning message by pushing the back button on the steering wheel, but it would reappear after about 30 seconds.

Has anyone else experienced a similar temporary malfunction of the front camera? Any ideas why it happened? Could something as common as a big bug splatter obstruct the camera and cause the warning message? I'm assuming it's the camera right behind the rearview mirror. Correct?

 

I have had bugs, dew and ice all cause this. Normally it will correct itself with either cleaning the spot, defrosting the ice or whatever. I doubt you had any real issue. Yep it is in the top middle glass behind rear view mirror. Mine has almost always been early in the morning or late evening when dew is on windshield. if PCS then clean sensor under grill.

 

Thank you! Sounds like another minor annoyance of nanny features that I’ll have to get used to, sadly.

 

Wow that is wild! I had the same exact thing happen yesterday as well. In about 15 minutes the warning went away and no further issues. It has never happened before. I also thought something had covered up the camera. I have not had further issues.

 

Did your PCS Off warning light come on, as well? Apparently the front camera and PCS sensor are somehow linked. As soon as the "Front Camera Unavailable" message went away, so did the PCS Off light.

Did you ever confirm what caused your temporary front camera malfunction? I haven't. Initially I thought it was caused by a bug splatter, but I still got the warning message after cleaning the windshield off. Then the message suddenly went away and hasn't returned since.

I hope this isn't indicative of more glitchy behavior to come.

 

Yep PCS comes on and usually is gone pretty quickly.

 

Yes my PCS warning light also came on but went off also when the "Front Camera Unavailable" went away. I am sure the two are linked as part of the cruise control system. I have not figured out what cause it. I did not see any bug splatter after I stopped. My message was only on for a few minutes and I did not even get a chance to stop and look before it went off. I am thinking it was some sort of anomaly caused by a combination of circumstances.

 

Yeh on both my 2022 and my 2023 I have had it happen maybe 5 times in a year of ownership. I am skipping the 2024 but I am sure it will happen on my 2025 lol. I am not sure if something gets on the radar sensor or the camera up top that either can't trigger the other or not. It is an advanced system but nothing is wrong with your truck (I wouldn't think).

 

Thanks, but I have to disagree with "nothing is wrong with your truck". If the PCS and adaptive cruise randomly malfunction for no apparent reason, there is definitely something wrong with the truck.

It's disturbing enough that things as common as dew, ice, sleet, snow, bug splatters, etc...can disable those systems, but it's completely unacceptable for it to happen with no apparent cause.

Just my opinion.

 

Update:

Well, unfortunately this wasn't just a random glitch. The "Front Camera Unavailable" message came on again yesterday. As before, it wasn't weather related and there was nothing obstructing the camera. Also as before, it went away after about 30 minutes, but came back on later in the day.

I did test the Constant Speed Cruise Control, and it does work when the front camera is malfunctioning, so at least there's that.

 

I had to replace the parking assist ECU wonder if yours went out also. It was covered underwarranty.

 

UPDATE #2

On the road from Colorado to Florida right now, and the problem has gotten worse Now I’m getting repeating RSA and Collision Control system malfunction warnings, along with the “Front camera unavailable” warning. And both the adaptive and constant speed cruise controls don’t work. This has become a major PITA.