Axon Fleet Camera Troubleshooting – Axon Help Center

The following is a list of possible Axon Fleet camera issues with links to possible solutions.

If these actions do not resolve the issue, contact Axon Technical Support for additional support.

Rear camera stuck in Off state
Front camera rebooting
Front Camera fails to power on
Camera does not stop recording
Camera controller/mount adhesion issues
Problems with the front camera switch
Fleet camera will not power on in mount
Fleet cameras are not connecting to View XL (displaying searching)
Camera is not available over Wi-Fi
Camera is in a constant reboot cycle
Fleet camera Wi-Fi connectivity indicators

Rear camera stuck in Off state

Symptoms:

Blinking yellow light on controller
Solid red light on controller
Rear camera off upon boot up

Actions to Resolve:

Ensure that the USB-C cable from the rear camera controller to the rear camera is in good condition and cable route is inspected to ensure no pinching, damage, or interference with the cable
Check that the wiring harness from the rear camera controller to the Axon Fleet Power Unit is properly routed and secured (Note: To check the connection to the rear camera controller you may need to remove the controller from the mount by pushing in on the controller, sliding it upward to align the tabs, and then pulling out)
Ensure nothing appears out of place with the hardware (see the installation manual for more information)
Verify you are using the most recent version of the Axon Fleet camera firmware
Consider installing ferrite clamps to reduce Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)

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Front camera rebooting

Symptoms:

Front camera reboots every 52 seconds
Recorded videos are in 24 second segments or have 38 second gaps

Actions to Resolve:

Ensure that the Axon Fleet Power Unit is on and the LED is on with a faint flicker (also referred to as a heartbeat)
Ensure there are no installation-related issues (see the installation manual for more information)
Verify you are using the most recent version of the Axon Fleet camera firmware
Consider installing ferrite clamps to reduce Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) (see installation manual for more information)

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Front Camera fails to power on

Symptom:

Axon Fleet Power unit LED blinking 3 times every 39 seconds

Actions to Resolve:

Try to reset the camera disconnecting the cable from the Axon Fleet Power Unit to the camera and then reconnecting.
Reset the Axon Fleet Power Unit
Full instructions for how to reset the Axon Fleet Power Unit can be found in the Axon Fleet Power Unit in error state troubleshooting below.
Verify you are using the most recent version of the Axon Fleet camera firmware

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Camera does not stop recording

Symptom:

Stopping a recording results in another recording starting immediately

Actions to Resolve:

Try to reboot the camera to see if the condition clears
Check the Axon Signal Vehicle unit to ensure it is not constantly sending activation notifications
Contact Axon Technical Support, in some situations you may be asked to initiate a Returns process for the camera

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Camera controller/mount adhesion issues

Symptom:

Axon Fleet camera mounts detach from mounting surface

Potential Cause:

Contamination on the mounting surface due to improper cleaning and surface preparation can lead to mount detachment at a lower impact or over time

Actions to Resolve:

Re-install new mount or use new adhesion
Follow proper instructions for cleaning and surface preparation
- Remove any remaining adhesive from the camera mounting surface using a commercially available adhesive cleaner, such as Goof Off or Goo Gone.
- Clean the camera mounting surface before installing the new mount or new adhesion

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Problems with the front camera switch

Symptom:

Camera does not respond to camera switch toggling

Actions to Resolve:

Initiate a Returns process to return and replace the camera with new hardware

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Fleet camera will not power on in mount

Potential Causes:

Depleted Battery in Axon Fleet Power Unit
Camera in error state
Disconnected Wiring between Axon Fleet Power Unit and mount (terminals A or E)
Disconnected power, ignition, or ground at Axon Fleet Power Unit

Steps to Resolve:

Ensure vehicle ignition in ON and has been for at least 10 minutes.
By design, the Axon Fleet Power Unit will drain to 25% capacity with the ignition off if the camera is in buffering or event mode. If the Axon Fleet Power Unit has been depleted (below 25%), then some time is needed to recharge the battery. The Axon Fleet Power Unit will only charge while the vehicle ignition is on (in typical installations).
While the camera is in the mount, slide the power switch off, wait 15 seconds, and then slide the power switch on. (If there is no change, go to the next step)
While camera is in the mount, slide power switch to off and remove from mount. Wait 15 seconds and replace camera in mount with power switch remaining off. Once mounted securely in the mount, slide power switch on. (If there is no change, go to the next step)
If available, move the camera to another known working mount. Does the camera power on?
- Yes, go to step 7.
- No, go to the next step.
Dock the camera in an Axon dock. Does the camera illuminate when docked?
- Yes, wait for solid green status light and then return the camera to car mount and try again. Go to next step.
- No, advanced troubleshooting is necessary. Please contact Axon Technical Support.
With power switch in the off position, secure the camera in the mount and slide the power switch on. Does the unit power on?
- Yes, issue resolved.
- No, try using the camera in a known working mount.
If available, use a known working camera in the mount failing to power on the current camera. Does the alternate camera power on in the mount?
- Yes, advanced troubleshooting is necessary. Please contact Axon Technical Support.
- No, go to the next step.
Check the status LED of the Axon Fleet Power Unit (location of the power unit varies per installation, but they are typically located behind the front passenger seat against the prisoner partition). While the ignition is on, is the status LED of the Axon Fleet Power Unit solid red?
- Yes, ensure there are not obvious wire disconnects at the power unit and camera mount.
- No, with the camera removed from the mount, remove the GPIO terminal plug from the power unit, wait 10 seconds, insert the plug in the terminal, and then go to the next step.
When the GPIO plug is replaced and the vehicle ignition is on, does the Axon Fleet Power Unit status LED illuminate and come to a solid red?
- Yes, remount camera and go to the next step.
- No, check the inline fuses on the power (red) and ignition (orange) wires (the listed colors are typical for the Axon-supplied wiring harness). If the fuses are good, advanced troubleshooting is necessary. Please contact Axon Technical Support.
Place the camera in the mount, slide the power switch to on. Does the camera power on?
- Yes.
- No, go to the next step.
Remove the cover from the top side of the mount to expose the green GPIO terminal. Ensure all wire connections are correct as shown in the Axon Fleet Installation Manual. Are the connections correct?
- Yes, advanced troubleshooting is necessary. Please contact Axon Technical Support.
- No, correct the wiring to be consistent with guidelines in the Axon Fleet Installation Manual and test again. if the problem persists, advanced troubleshooting is necessary. Please contact Axon Technical Support.

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Fleet cameras are not connecting to View XL (displaying searching)

Potential Causes:

Cameras are not powered on
For Body Worn Cameras, the camera has not been correctly paired with View XL
The incorrect vehicle ID was selected
The vehicle is not correctly configured in Evidence.com
- Incorrect Mount ID (Axon Fleet Power Unit Serial Number) entered in Evidence.com
The cameras are already connected to another in-range computer.

Steps to Resolve:

Ensure camera is powered on and is in buffering mode (LED blinking green). If the camera is not powered on or staying on, see Fleet Camera will not Power On in Mount.
For Body Worn Cameras, the camera must be assigned to the user logged into View XL and properly paired. See View XL and Axon Body Worn Cameras for information on pairing.
Ensure the Vehicle has been configured with the correct Mount ID (Axon Fleet Power Unit Serial Number).
- View XL lists the expected power unit serial numbers under Cameras in the View XL settings tab. This reflects the serial number that has been entered into Evidence.com for the Vehicle ID. Power unit serial numbers begin with X85.
- The power unit serial number must match the serial number printed on each power unit label.
- Confirm the proper serial number has been entered. Do not to enter the letter O in place of the number 0.
- If any alterations are made to the vehicle configuration, the View XL user should sign out and back in to View XL to update the program configuration.
  Note: Configuration updates are automatically applied at pre-determined intervals, but the quickest way to ensure the most recent configuration is applied is to reauthenticate (sign out/in) with View XL.
Ensure no other computer is currently connected to the cameras.
- View XL software runs a system service, which remains active after users have logged out of the View XL application and/or Windows. This service keeps an active connection to the cameras when in range. Ensure no other computer is already connected to the cameras, since that will prevent them from connecting to a new computer.
- Shutting down the other computer or removing the required Axon Bluetooth dongle will release the connection.
A full system reboot may be required to resolve some issues.
- Once you’ve ensured the proper configuration and operation of the cameras, a reboot may be necessary.
- Sign out of View XL and reboot the computer using the Windows Restart option.
- Power off each camera for 15 seconds and then power on.
- If, after a full reboot, problems persist, advanced troubleshooting is required. Please contact Axon Technical Support.

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Camera is not available over Wi-Fi

Symptoms:

No Live View
Recorded videos do not appear in the Review or Upload Tab
WiFi indicator on the Camera Control Screen is orange or dark
Camera indicates WiFi Error message in the settings screen

Potential Causes:

If the WiFi indicator is orange:
- MDT not on the same network as the camera
- Firewall or Antivirus Blocking Network Communications between the camera and MDT
- VPN Software not configured for local network traffic
If the WiFi indicator is dark, the camera is not connected to WiFi:
- Router is not broadcasting a WiFi network
- SSID or password for the in-car WiFi network are mismatched between the router and Evidence.com

Steps to Resolve:

Orange WiFi Indicator

Ensure the camera is connected to a network with access to the camera's network
- In a typical configuration, the cameras and MDT are connected to the same in-car router and subnet. The cameras can only connect via WiFi, but the MDT may be connected via WiFi, Ethernet, or both. Ensure the MDT is successfully connected to the in-car router:
  - Check the connection of the Ethernet cable from the in-car router to the MDT. If the cable is run to the MDT dock, ensure the MDT is properly docked and the dock is properly powered.
  - In vehicles using WiFi only, ensure the MDT is connected to the in-car WiFi of the same router as the cameras.
Temporarily Disable any VPN software running on the MDT
- Using common VPN products may produce the same symptom as not being connected to the in-car network even while the MDT is properly connected. An active VPN product may redirect all local network traffic to an alternate network, which is by design. If temporarily disabling the VPN software resolves the connectivity issue, your VPN software must be reconfigured. Please consult your VPN application vendor for best practices to exclude Axon View XL’s required communications from the VPN. See the Axon Fleet Network Information and Configuration Guide for details on required communication between Axon View XL and camera.

Temporarily Disable any third-party antivirus software
- Some antivirus programs may detect the local network traffic between the cameras and MDT as a threat and block the communications. If disabling your antivirus software resolves the connectivity issue, you must reconfigure your antivirus. Please consult your antivirus application vendor for best practices to exclude Axon View XL’s required communications from threat detection. See the Axon Fleet Network Information and Configuration Guide for details on required communication between Axon View XL and camera.

Temporarily Disable any third-party firewall
- The View XL installer will automatically configure Windows Firewall with the appropriate exceptions. However, third party applications will need to be independently configured. If disabling your firewall resolves the connectivity issue, you must reconfigure your firewall. Please consult your firewall application vendor for best practices to exclude Axon View XL’s required communications from threat detection. See the Axon Fleet Network Information and Configuration Guide for details on required communication between Axon View XL and camera.

Dark WiFi Indicator

Ensure the camera is connected to WiFi
- The camera itself will display a solid magenta LED on the top center of the camera when properly connected to the assigned WiFi network. You must view this LED from the front of the camera, as the mount blocks the view from the rear.
- A blinking magenta LED or no LED means the camera is not connected to WiFi and an error message should appear in the View XL settings screen (example shown below)
  - SSID Not Found – This indicates the SSID programmed into the vehicle configuration in Evidence.com is not available to the camera.
    - Ensure the programmed SSID in Evidence.com matches the in-car router’s SSID.
    - Ensure the in-car router has an active WiFi network. If the SSID is not hidden, you can search for the network on a WiFi device to ensure the SSID is available.
  - Wrong WiFi Password – This indicates the proper SSID is available, but the password for the network is mismatched between the in-car router and Evidence.com.
  - Ping Failed – This indicates there is a network issue between the camera and View XL, but the camera is successfully connected to a WiFi network. See troubleshooting steps for Orange WiFi Indicator.
  - wifi_error_dhcp – This error indicates the proper SSID and password have been set, but the router is not leasing an IP address to the camera. Ensure the DHCP Server is enabled for the cameras. Cameras require DHCP for WiFi connectivity.
  - Other errors – If any other error messages are displayed and do not resolve after rebooting the camera, advanced troubleshooting is necessary. Please contact Axon Technical Support.

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Camera is in a constant reboot cycle

Potential Cause:

Camera Overheated
Axon Fleet Power Unit in error state
Wiring error

Actions to Resolve:

Overheating - Temperature over 100 degrees C (camera beeps once every 15 seconds)

Slide the camera power switch to off and remove from mount.
Place in a cool area and allow camera to cool.
- Prolonged exposure to sunlight or elevated internal vehicle temperatures will cause the camera to become inoperable due to exceeding the operational temperature limit. The camera, when powered on and overheated, will perform a reboot and temperature check every 4 seconds until it’s back within temperature range.
Once cool, remount camera and switch on.

Axon Fleet Power Unit in error state (reboots approximately every minute)

Each Axon Fleet camera is powered by its own Axon Fleet Power Unit. There are a significant amount of data exchanged between the power unit and camera for the more efficient operation. On some occasions, it may be necessary to reset the power unit to resolve a malfunctioning camera. Most commonly, the camera will be observed to be stuck in a reboot cycle, powering on and off every minute or so.

To reset the power unit:

Turn the vehicle ignition off.
Remove the camera from the affected mount.
Locate the appropriate power unit. (White base, clear top)
Check to see if the power unit status light is off. If on, continue to step 5. If off, go to step 6.

Note: If it is easier than locating fuses, you may unplug the male side of the black GPIO connector. The connector is held to the power unit by a retention screw on either side of the plug, perpendicular to the power unit body. Do not remove the individual wires. Unplug for 15 seconds, plug back in and skip to step 10.
Locate the inline fuse on the ignition (orange) wire and remove it. The power unit status light should be off.
Locate the inline fuse on the power (red) wire and remove it.
Wait 30 seconds.
Replace the fuse on the power (red) wire. The power unit status light should blink three (3) times.
If applicable, replace the fuse in the ignition (orange) wire. The power unit status light may be solid red.
Turn on vehicle ignition. The power unit status light should be solid red.
Place camera back into the affected mount.
Switch on, if not already. The camera should boot and operate as normal.

Error in Wiring

Due to the significant amount of data exchanged between the power unit and the camera, errors in wiring will cause camera malfunctions, including repeated reboots.

Ensure the wiring is connected properly at the power unit and the camera mount as shown in the Axon Fleet Installation Guide.
Wiring harnesses that were not supplied by Axon must adhere to the specifications in the installation guide. Alternate sizes and greater lengths of wire may induce failure modes.
If all connection appear proper and appropriate harnesses are in use, advanced troubleshooting is necessary. Please contact Axon Technical Support.

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Fleet camera Wi-Fi connectivity indicators

Axon View XL indicates camera’s Wi-Fi connectivity state using different colored Wi-Fi icons. A dark icon indicates there is no Wi-Fi connection. An orange icon to indicates the camera is reporting it is connected to the specified Wi-Fi access point, but Axon View XL is unable to reach the camera on the network. An illuminated icon, indicating the camera is connected,

The orange indicator can help when troubleshooting connectivity issues. Some common causes for the orange connectivity state are: the MDT running Axon View XL and the camera are connected to different networks, or there is a network configuration issue with NetMotion, or a proxy service is preventing direct network communication.

Example showing a camera that is not connected to Wi-Fi (dark indicator)

Example showing a camera that is connected to Wi-Fi, but Axon View XL is unable to reach the camera (orange indicator)

Example showing a camera that is connected to Wi-Fi and Axon View XL (illuminated indicator)

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