Where is the reverse wire located in a Mazda RX-7 FD for a double DIN backup camera?

Difficulty: Moderate

Safety Warning: When running long power or signal wires hidden under interior trim or carpet, always add a suitable, low-amperage fuse near the power source. A rubbed-through or shorted wire can result in an interior fire ¹.

For a double DIN backup camera installation in your FD RX-7, there are several locations where you can tap the reverse wire for a +12V signal. The power circuit for the backup lights starts as a yellow wire with a red stripe at the transmission, transitions to a red wire at the dash harness, and continues as a red wire into the rear harness ¹.

You can tap the reverse signal at any of the following locations depending on where you want to route your wiring:

Option 1: In the Cabin (Dash Area)

• Connector X-14: Located inside the cabin on the far right, against the front firewall ¹.
• Connector X-19: This is a white connector located near the top of the fuse box by the driver's left foot. The reverse signal is the red wire passing through this connector ¹.

Option 2: Rear Passenger Spare Tire Well There is a 4-pin connector for the reverse lights located in the spare tire well on the passenger side. Tapping the red wire here will give you +12V when the vehicle is in reverse ¹.

Option 3: Directly at the Rear Bumper Lights You can tap directly into the positive (red) wire at the passenger-side reverse light bulb harness in the rear bumper. If you need to route camera wires from the bumper into the cabin without drilling new holes, locate the rubber grommet that the license plate wires pass through. You can snake the camera wiring directly up through this grommet into the hatch floor area ¹.

Optional Power Routing: If your double DIN unit allows you to view the backup camera at any time (not just in reverse), you have the option to wire the camera's power directly to a 12V switched (accessory) source rather than relying solely on the reverse light circuit. This ensures the camera is always powered and ready with no lag when switching inputs ¹.