Installing parking sensors

[TarekElsakka]

Hey there

I am contemplating whether or not I should fit parking sensors. Unfortunately the way the Leon is designed, I can't really see the pavements well when I am reversing and also because the pavements in Egypt (for the most part) are not done correctly, some parts of it are high and some parts of it are low so the wing mirrors don't really help much either. I have a lot of scratches on the rear of my car now and something is actually hanging from the back which I'll need to re-attach or something. lol

Anyway, I've always faced problems with the CAN-BUS system when it came to fitting HIDs and such, so I have become very wary of it and I always do research or ask on the forum before installing anything aftermarket now.

The parking sensors I want are pretty good for aftermarket ones and I have seen them in a couple of cars before and they seem to work brilliantly. They have this small screen which displays the distance left between you and the obstacle, beeps, and there's this bar which increases from light green all the way to dark red which means you're going to hit the obstacle.

I have been reading and I found that CAN-BUS does cause issues with sensors installations, mainly because you have to take power from the reverse light's wire, which is a live, CAN-BUS wire or something like that which the car keeps sending pulses and checking if everything is okay every few minutes.. and when it does that, the sensors start beeping even if you're driving and not parking.

Here are some of the links I found in case someone would like to read and explain since I don't understand most of the technical stuff that's mentioned:

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2776528&postcount=4

http://www.soundlabsgroup.com.au/p/CANBUS-CBPI/CANBUS+Parking+Sensor+Interface

http://www.celsusice.co.uk/shopdisp_5682.php

Thanks!

 

[Masterkm]

My sensors are wired to my reverse light. No major problem but sometimes the beep is out of sync, hard to explain lol but no lights on dash etc

 

[TarekElsakka]

But does it constantly beep when you're reversing even though you're still far from the obstacle? I mean I don't want to install sensors if they're going to be inaccurate.. there must be a calibration method to fix that right?

By the way, the ones I am looking at are identical to this:

http://www.parkingsensors.co.uk/dolphin_display_reversing_sensors.asp

I am not sure if it's by Dolphin or not, though.

 

[Masterkm]

They should work fine. Most sensors look the same its just the extras that are different. It doesnt constantly beep no, the frequency increases till you get closer and then its just beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep to tell you to stop which is about a foot away i would guess from the obstacle.

Saying that, I have a full kit lying around the house but without the control unit.. They are green though lol

 

[TarekElsakka]

Alright that's great to know. I am hopefully having them fitted today. If they give me errors on the dashboards or beep while I am driving, it'll be a horrible day since I'll have already made holes in the bumper, lol.

Sorry for the many questions, by the way, but do you power-wash the car and everything still works fine?

Thanks a lot, mate.

 

[Masterkm]

One way would be dont drill yet, install the stuff into the car and just attach the sensors on the bumper through the boot, like place them there or something that way you can test before drilling. Sorry if it sounds dumb though lol

No probs about questions I wash the car every couple of weeks with a pressure washer, wax etc with no problems. Been about 8months since I had them wired up and around a year fitted int the bumper

 

[TarekElsakka]

Ahh okay.. yeah that's a great idea, I believe I am going to have to test it before I drill the bumper like you said just to make sure things work fine. There's also this other parking sensors system which is like a tape you apply to the rear of the bumper (not visible) and it works the same way, although the seller himself told me it's not as accurate.

 

[Masterkm]

I have seen that also and it goes on the underside of the bumper, not sure about accuracy too but I would stick to traditional style to be fair

 

[andyccr]

No need to test anything!!! The reverse light feed found behind the rear quarter panel section is proper 12volts. Fitted loads to Mk5 golf, Leon's, sciroccos. Never came across a car where you can't fit parking sensors !

I personally fit Cobra rear sensors. There I even a new kit in the range which can be flush fitted to look perfectly OEM fitted.
Cobra is even used by the VAG groups at dealer level when they want to add parking sensors, same wi Suzuki, Mitsubishi are a couple of brands I can't remember !