Why parking sensors stop working or keep beeping
- Dirt, ice or snow on a sensorMud, salt, snow, ice or a thick layer of wax after a wash covers the sensor. The sensor then beeps for no reason or does not see an obstacle.
- A knock to the bumperA sensor can look fine from the outside and still be cracked or pushed into the bumper.
- Water in a sensor or the control boxWater gets into a sensor or into the box that controls the sensors. With a universal kit, the box sometimes sits in the boot, and some boxes cannot take water.
Wire, plug or fuseDamp eats into the wire from a sensor to the box, or the wire breaks. A blown fuse switches off all the sensors at once.
Worn sensor, beeper or control boxA sensor wears out over time. The beeper and the box that controls the sensors can also fail.
After a bumper repair or resprayThe sensor is not seated properly in its holder or has too much paint on it. A sensor measures distance with a sound you cannot hear, so it then sends and receives that sound less well.
Because of one faulty sensor, the car sometimes reports a fault for the whole system, so it looks as if nothing works. That is why we first find which sensor is not working.
What the sound or message from the sensors means
- A long high tone as soon as you select reverseOn some cars, this is how the system reports a fault. Along with the tone, the light on the button that switches the sensors on flashes or the screen says the parking system is not available.
- The tone is continuous, but there is nothing behind the carA continuous tone normally means you are about 20 to 30 cm from an obstacle. When there is nothing behind, a sensor is dirty or faulty.
- The sensors stay silent even close to a wallWhen no sensor works, a common cause is a blown fuse or a fault in the power going to the sensors.
- They miss obstacles on one part of the bumperThe sensor on that part is not working or is dirty.
- A warning light or message on the dashboardOn some cars, a parking sensor fault turns on a light or a message on the dashboard, and the car's computer stores the fault.
How we find which sensor is not working
With factory sensors the car's computer stores the fault and tells which sensor or wire is not working. With a universal kit, which has its own box, the power, the wiring and each sensor are checked one by one. More about diagnostics
Parking sensor repair: what gets replaced
We replace a faulty sensor with a new one. We replace only the sensor that does not work, not the whole set.
A new sensor may arrive unpainted, so we paint it in the colour of the car. On some cars, a sensor that has already been painted must not be painted again. We replace such a sensor.
Only a thin layer of paint is allowed on a sensor. That is why we watch the paint thickness even when the whole bumper is painted.
The sensor has to sit properly in its holder. When an old universal kit no longer works, a new one is fitted. More about parking sensors
The repair price depends on this
- How many sensors are not working.
- Whether the fault is in a sensor, the wiring, the box or the beeper.
- Whether the sensors are factory-fitted or a universal kit.
- Whether a new sensor is painted in the colour of the car.
- Whether we can reach the sensor only once we take the bumper off.
We'll tell you the repair price after the diagnostics, before any work starts.
Sensors work sometimes and sometimes not
Working sensors sometimes do not work properly or beep for no reason:
- In heavy rain, fog or snow, and when water splashes on the sensors.
- When the car has stood out in heat or cold.
- On grass, a bumpy road or a hill.
- Next to another car with sensors.
- When a bike rack is on the back of the car.
If sensors work sometimes and sometimes not, even when it is dry and level, the cause may be a wire or a sensor that has come loose. We find this kind of fault with diagnostics.
How to keep sensors working longer
- Wipe the sensors with a soft cloth, warm water and a mild car shampoo.
- In winter, clear snow and ice off the sensors before driving.
- After a knock to the bumper, check that the sensors work, even when the bumper looks fine.
At the car wash, do not aim the pressure jet straight at a sensor.
What sensors do not see even when they work
Sensors do not always see a thin pole, a low kerb, a bush or what is right under the bumper. Snow, sponge and other soft things that absorb the sensor sound are also harder for them to see. So, even with sensors, look around the car before you park.
Sensors tell you with sound how close you are, and a reversing camera shows what is behind the car. We also fit it together with sensors. More about the reversing camera
