Member Since: 18 Jul 2008
Location: Rugby
Posts: 473
Reversing Sensor problems
Hi All. Happy New Year to you all! I wondered if any of you could offer some advice on my latest problem! My rear parking sensors have started behaving intermittently. They started by bleeping intermittently as if I was near an obstacle, even though I wasn't. Now they more often than not stay on continuous bleep when I engage reverse. The other day I got a higher pitched noise, and the red light on the Dash switch turned to Yellow, as though it were registering a fault. I have tried cleaning the sensors, and I have tried to power wash round the back of the bumper in case there was a build up of mud or something, but nothing so far has solved the problem. Car is not under warranty, so I have to deal with this myself.
Does anyone know if the sensors can be removed without removing the bumper? Also if one of the sensors will need replacing, how will I know which one to replace? Assuming that it is not obvious when I remove them! Thanks in advanceD3 TDV6 HSE 2008 Buckingham Blue (current)
D3 TDV6 HSE 2009 Zermatt Silver (previous)
D3 TDV6 HSE 2005 Maya Gold (previous)
D2 TD5 ES 1999 (previous)
Defender TD5 swb hard top 2005 (previous)
Defender 300tdi swb hard top 1994 (previous)
1st Jan 2009 7:56 pm
Landylad
Member Since: 23 Dec 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 366
For what it's worth... I have a similar problem. I was getting a continuous tone as soon as I put it in reverse, but it seems to have resolved itself to an intermittent problem now (ie, sometimes it works, sometimes it don't!!).If in doot, flat oot!!
same as, waiting for stealer to get their act together and sort it out
2nd Jan 2009 2:06 am
GLYNNE
Member Since: 06 Oct 2006
Location: KENT
Posts: 4697
Happy new year Steve, trouble sleeping
2nd Jan 2009 2:17 am
Rencolyn
Member Since: 26 Feb 2008
Location: Knysna
Posts: 212
Regret you have to remove the bumper to remove the PDC sensors. See my gallery. I would first test the actual sensors by closing them all with Prestik. If it is a faulty sensor you should not have any beeps or warnings with them sealed up. Remove the Prestik one sensor at a time to find the faulty sensor.
Removing the sensor (after bumper removal) is tricky. There are 3 clips that HAVE to be depressed before pushing the sensor outwards. If the inner part of the sensor is loose then the sensor has to be replaced.
Great care must be taken when fitting the bumper back on again. The plugs & wiring of the two outer sensors tend to push up against the metalwork & will get damaged if the bumper is just forcefully pushed on.
A continuous beep when engaging reverse indicates a PDC fault, usually a sensor. A higher pitch is the alarm from the front PDC sensors.
Have Fun Ren Colyn
TDV6 HSE
2nd Jan 2009 3:04 am
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20869
You can replace the 2 centre sensors without removing the bumper
Need to get the faults read first, see what sensors have stored codes
2nd Jan 2009 10:48 am
MacLeod 313
Member Since: 18 Apr 2008
Location: away
Posts: 10723
You will probably find the sensors need a good clean, Road Salt drying causes faults, water causes faults, Jet washing them causes faults.
Give them a good clean, and get them dry somehow and see what happens, if it persists then you need to disconnect them in turn and test in turn till the faulty one is found then replaced.
I think the fault code reader will only find the fault in the rear PDC system, not the faulty sensor. SO its trial n error I am afraid.
To be honest somebody may have bumped you in a car park, mine was done by a careless dustman with a wheely bin, easy to do but annoying. Try cleaning and drying then inspect for visable scrapes 1st mate
HI Glynne a Happy New Year to you, no trouble sleeping, just back from toe rag patrol in bandit country!
2nd Jan 2009 2:47 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23876
I had a similar fault. It was caused by a some very slight damage to a cable, which shorted out when it got wet.
2nd Jan 2009 3:10 pm
Rencolyn
Member Since: 26 Feb 2008
Location: Knysna
Posts: 212
Here follows the procedure to remove the rear bumper (from the forum)
If you have a close look at the PDC it has an angled spacer on the bumper, around the PDC. One has to be able to manipulate the angle. Off with the bumper to inspect. This is not an easy operation:
1. Remove the wheel trim on the back wheels (behind it is 1 screw and a clip holding the bumper)
2. Remove the tail lights (behind each light is a screw)
3. Remove the 4 clips that you can see if you open the bottom tail gate half way
4. Remove the 4 screws under the bumper
5. Unplug the PDC master plug
6. You might find a single cable that has no plug (remove carefully from where it is wedged between the bumper and sponge in the bumper, I think it is the car remote or Tracker antenna)
Unplug the PDC and push the 2 clips holding the PDC open and push the PDC cylinder back (from the outside of the bumper, there are 3 clips inside the spacer that angles the PDC, release them and push the spacer out. Note the spacer is keyed with 2 slots into the bumper. The PDC is also keyed into the spacer but that you just leave as is. Cut new key slots in the bumper so that the PDC is slightly angled away from the center. This is a trial and error process, too little and it still sees the tow hook, too much and you have a “dead†spot in the center close to the tow bar. I found that you cut one new key slot and put the one key in the old slot. All done and all working. PDC is operational and has stopped bitching and the tow bar is still on.
Have funRen Colyn
TDV6 HSE
3rd Jan 2009 10:47 am
redjelly5000
Member Since: 18 Jul 2008
Location: Rugby
Posts: 473
Thanks for all the abundant advice. I will try some of these things and see how I get on. I am hopeful that the sensors just need drying out or something, as they do still work intermittently, but those occasions are few and far between.
The high pitched noise came again yesterday, and it is definately coming from the rear. The front PDC are working fine. When the high pitched (constant) noise comes, the red light on the PDC swith also turns amber. I can only imagine that it is a fault status.D3 TDV6 HSE 2008 Buckingham Blue (current)
D3 TDV6 HSE 2009 Zermatt Silver (previous)
D3 TDV6 HSE 2005 Maya Gold (previous)
D2 TD5 ES 1999 (previous)
Defender TD5 swb hard top 2005 (previous)
Defender 300tdi swb hard top 1994 (previous)
3rd Jan 2009 11:25 am
andychelt
Member Since: 24 Mar 2008
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 344
mine do it whenever the back of the car gets dirty, or sometimes when its covered with rain.
Sometimes a rub clean will help but to really sort it out you need a pressure washer a couple of inches over each sensor. Once done it usually all works fine.
The Disco3 shape/design seems to suck dirt up of the road and mine always seems to have a filthy backside
3rd Jan 2009 1:02 pm
redjelly5000
Member Since: 18 Jul 2008
Location: Rugby
Posts: 473
I've tried that I'm afraid. It looks like I will need to take them off to investigate further. I know what you mean about the mucky rear end!D3 TDV6 HSE 2008 Buckingham Blue (current)
D3 TDV6 HSE 2009 Zermatt Silver (previous)
D3 TDV6 HSE 2005 Maya Gold (previous)
D2 TD5 ES 1999 (previous)
Defender TD5 swb hard top 2005 (previous)
Defender 300tdi swb hard top 1994 (previous)
try all above and looks like the bumper is coming off mine too javascript:emoticon('' 54plate hse just out of warranty too) found any quick fixes to solve this problem yet ???????????always up to somert usualy no good acording to swmbo
28th Jan 2009 10:03 pm
Shrinky
Member Since: 05 Jul 2007
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 2515
Good luck. Mine was in the dealer all day today to try and fix the sensors. They still can't fix them and needs to go back for 2 days for further investigation Global Warming.... I'm luvvin it
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Happy new year Steve, trouble sleeping 
javascript:emoticon('
' 54plate hse just out of warranty too) found any quick fixes to solve this problem yet ???????????
