Lebowski

Finally I managed to install the camera.
First I fabricated a license plate light with the camera (I don't want to drill holes, just in case):


Then I passed the cable, roughly using the guide for the oem camera (roughly because the guide is wrong in places and I didn't want to dismantle the whole car). This is where the cable ends:

And this is the camera installed.

The other end of the cable goes behind the glove box:
1) cable from the camera
2) cable to the gps (power supply and video)
3) 5v power supply, the grey cable is for the gps/camera, the black one is for the tmc receiver/bluetooth module.
4) dc-dc converter scavenged from an old network card (to isolate grounds, otherwise the video was bad)
5) switch for the camera (provisional, I don't want to make any modification to the car, just in case Fiat would use that as an excuse not to fix the radio)
6) partially covered here's a tmc receiver with a bluetooth to serial converter

And this is what the camera shows

Next steps: install a microswitch in the gear lever (so that I can detect reverse independently from the main circuit, but I don't know how to remove the knob without breaking it), install a front parking camera, install a microcontroller to control the cameras.

http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Articles/Dodge-Journey-Common-Problems-Repair-Maintenance-Guides.htm

@Timon, you can lock the doors when you leave the car even with then engine running.

@Timon, you can lock the doors when you leave the car even with then engine running.

Both my previous cars (so going back 10 years), one Renault and one Citroen, had a rain sensor and both worked very well, in fact I was annoyed by the fact that the Journey/Freemont didn't have it.
However, it didn't turn on the wipers automatically, it just controlled the speed.

So, where's the github repository?

sure haven't. I may do that down the road though.

So, where's the github repository?

ALPHA 0.1.0 released! Hardware requirements can be found on our page, www.Auto-Mated.com
So i'm in the process of sniffing all the ODB calls for most, if not all of the features in my journey. My hope is to create a webservice for remotely starting my car, viewing travel information, as well as logging any vehicle troubles. I'm also taking it a step further in automating things (Think, Jarvis from Ironman), but i'm sure that most of you won't be interested in that.

In either case, I successfully sniffed the remote start/stop as well as the lock, unlock calls for my journey last night, and was able to replicate them all with my laptop/cellphone. Now that I have the basic uconnect features locked down (all other odb calls such as errors and metrics are simple), i'm going to build the raspberry pi image and test it out. I'm going to use this forum post to keep folks up to date on things and take suggestions for additional features.

I'm a developer by trade, so i'll probably end up making a community site like uconnect access, that allows you to login and remotely start your car, track oil changes, travel summaries and all other data we can yank from the vehicle. I expect that I will provide more information and control of your journey, than the stock Uconnect Access provides..

Stand by for updates!

Oh, btw. I plan on making the service opensource, but with a very very small fee to cover server costs, outside what it would cost you to get a wireless access dongle from a reputible cellular carrier.
AMAZON ITEM LIST:
http://amzn.com/w/3O0EQA5K1PQAF

Wouldn't that confirm that the original brakes weren't big enough?

Go to the link below. On the left is should say "Equipment Listing". Click that and enter your VIN. It will generate a PDF file with all your options.
http://www.dodge.com/webselfservice/dodge/index.html?screenName=newVehicle&country=us&emailUrl=goToEmailForm%2528%2527R%2527%2529

The omission of the LMK sales code is what I have been trying to figure out all along, and no one at Chrysler has yet to provide me with a factual answer. From a mechanical and engineering standpoint, the Journey for 2014 is identical to its 2013 brethren. The only changes are in color/trim availability, the addition of the Crossroad model (just a trim package) and a name change on one model from Crew to Limited - nothing more than a badge. I have run the VIN on several 2014 models trying to add LMK to the build sheet so that when the vehicle is reconfigured, the code is picked up and would then allow the DRL to be enabled via the touchscreen. The process involves logging into a vehicle options update section on Chrysler's TechConnect site. In this area, you type in the VIN and a drop-down menu appears with all the available add-on sales codes for that particular VIN. For 2014, LMK is simply not there. I ran a VIN for a Canadian 2014 and sure enough, LMK is present in the standard features section of his build sheet - logically so, as we all know that DRL are mandated in Canada. I simply do not know what happened to LMK for US 2014s.
When you open a window in TechConnect to factory order a 2014, you are asked to select options that you want. DRL appears as optional for a nominal fee. So, my guess is that LMK has become proprietary to Chrysler at the point of ordering and is no longer allowed to be added at the dealer end. It is the only thing that I can rationally surmise, since LMK is still used to enable DRL in Canada. I would like to run a VIN on a US model 2014 that has DRL enabled to add credibility to my theory. Interestingly enough, as I mentioned in my previous post, I could have selected DRL as an extra-cost option when I ordered my 2013 Crew. My guess is that they (Chrysler) figured at the time that either they would charge for it up front or the dealer would charge the customer to enable it. Perhaps they've now figured that they could better profit by simply charging for it when the car is ordered and built rather than have someone like myself adding sales codes for our Journey-owning friends all over the country for free!

There are models that replace one of the license plate lights and they're virtually invisible. When I bough mine there were none available yet, so I fabricated a replacement light myself:

There are models that replace one of the license plate lights and they're virtually invisible. When I bough mine there were none available yet, so I fabricated a replacement light myself:

There are models that replace one of the license plate lights and they're virtually invisible. When I bough mine there were none available yet, so I fabricated a replacement light myself:

Thank you for checking.
I'd say the diesel engine gives you a very good, smooth, ride, though I've been driving diesels for the past 15 years so I'm used to them. Diesel engines are quite good nowadays and FIAT ones are the best in class.
I have the 140Hp engine, some say that the 170Hp one (same volume, different software) is the minimum necessary to move this car, but I find 140 are more than enough for my driving style.
There have been complaints about the clutch pedal being too hard, but I don't find it to be the case (and I come from a robotized 6 speed gearbox, so I was not used to using a clutch anymore).
All in all I'm satisfied with both the engine and the gearbox. Now, the software......

Make it 4, the 4th being a mix of the first two, like me: happy about the engine, spaciousness, sturdiness, driving position, comfort, etc., but totally pissed off with the software. Absolutely hate it, all of it .

FWIW, I had to replace the OEM tires at around 28000km (17398 miles). The brakes are still good after 40000km (crossing fingers), so I don't think it's my driving style.

Finally I managed to install the camera.
First I fabricated a license plate light with the camera (I don't want to drill holes, just in case):


Then I passed the cable, roughly using the guide for the oem camera (roughly because the guide is wrong in places and I didn't want to dismantle the whole car). This is where the cable ends:

And this is the camera installed.

The other end of the cable goes behind the glove box:
1) cable from the camera
2) cable to the gps (power supply and video)
3) 5v power supply, the grey cable is for the gps/camera, the black one is for the tmc receiver/bluetooth module.
4) dc-dc converter scavenged from an old network card (to isolate grounds, otherwise the video was bad)
5) switch for the camera (provisional, I don't want to make any modification to the car, just in case Fiat would use that as an excuse not to fix the radio)
6) partially covered here's a tmc receiver with a bluetooth to serial converter

And this is what the camera shows

Next steps: install a microswitch in the gear lever (so that I can detect reverse independently from the main circuit, but I don't know how to remove the knob without breaking it), install a front parking camera, install a microcontroller to control the cameras.

Well, it's not that complicated, mostly because I didn't want to do any permanent modification (especially to the electrical system of the car) and I want to install a front camera later on. You have seen nothing yet, wait for me to find a way to install a couple of microswitches to sense reverse and 1st gear and a microcontroller to rule them all
The problem was interference, most probably a ground loop, so with the dc-dc isolated converter I got rid of it. Another solution would have been to use a transformer, but I didn't have one available, video grade transformers are quite expensive and the dc-dc converter cost me 0€. Not the most efficient solution (there are 3 conversions involved, from 12V to 5V to 9V to 3.3V, the latter regulator is inside the camera) but it works.
When I turn on the camera I get the image in 1 or 2 seconds, no static screen.

That's better. Lebowski has actually contributed some great how to's for the forum. He's right about not mincing words. I originally found his comments to be irritating but after a while I realized it was because of frustration. Everyone has their own style. You can see he's contributed to this forum for a long time. The one's that i don't care for are the trolls who make outrageous comments one or two times and never come back. Ah, ain't peace wonderful!

I don't mince words, but it's not my intention to be offensive.

Not really, let's call it a lively discussion.

Thank you.

I don't mince words, but it's not my intention to be offensive.

Not really, let's call it a lively discussion.

Thank you.

I don't mince words, but it's not my intention to be offensive.

Not really, let's call it a lively discussion.

Thank you.

If you consider me a troll because I'm stating a problem with my vehicle and it's relevant forum, that's a problem. If it upsets you that much to hear the Journey isn't a perfect vehicle, that's a bigger problem. The section I posted in is owner's impressions. Ok, I may not be an "owner" but it's my only vehicle and I drive more than 90% of the world I'm sure. Regardless of who is paying for it shouldn't make a difference. So, with that said. It says owners impressions. It doesn't say positive impressions. It just says impressions. These were my impressions. It doesn't make me wrong. I almost started to miss automotive forums for a minute. Thank you for showing me again why this was a waste of my time.