[AlanHo]

You may recall the saga of me having proper front parking sensors fitted to my 2012 i30.

Until a month ago they have performed faultlessly and I have got used to relying on them detecting any obstacles not visible below the bonnet line.


About a month ago I reversed the car off the drive and the front sensors started to sound off - even though there was nothing within 5 metres of the front or side of the car. As soon as I put the car into 1st gear they stopped sounding - but 5 minutes later when I came to a halt at a junction with nothing in front of me, they started sounding again.

It was a cold day and there had been frost overnight, so I pulled over and stopped the car to check whether there was ice or perhaps a leaf or something on one of the sensors - but they were all clear.

It didn't happen for the rest of the trip and although perplexed, I shrugged it off as a one-off anomaly.

Things went fine for a week or two - when it happened again during a trip in very heavy rain. I stopped to refuel the car and when I started the engine prior to driving away the sensors started sounding, then stopped after a few seconds. It continued to happen for the rest of the day - but not consistently. Another week or so was uneventful but a couple of weeks ago it happened again first thing in the morning after a frosty night. Switching the sensors off and back on again from the dashboard switch resulted in the sounder stopping and starting again.

I had to take my wife to get her i10 serviced at the dealers and had a chat with them about the problem. Needless to say it had not occurred for a couple of days and they said that I needed to bring the car in whilst the fault existed for them to have a chance of identifying the problem.

Today was the day. I went out in the car for and hour or so this morning and it was fine. I had to go out again this afternoon and as soon as I started the car the front parking sounder went off, I reversed off the drive and the noise continued, I put the car into first gear - still the same - but when I pulled away and the car reached about 15 mph the sounder stopped. When I stopped the car the sounder started off again.

It was then that I remembered that the front parking sensors are not operational when the car exceeds 15 mph in forward gear. On my way to the store each time I stopped at a junction or in traffic, the sounder went off again - and each time I pulled away it stopped. So I decided to drive straight to the dealers to demonstrate the problem - a journey of 9 miles across town.

I bet you are thinking - when he got there the problem had gone away - go on - admit it. You were weren't you?

You would have been wrong - to my relief when I stopped at the dealers the sounder started again and I left the engine running whilst I went to the service desk to report the problem. They sent one of the technicians out to try the car and he experienced the fault. They took the car into the service bay and plugged in the laptop - but no faults showed up so they were not able to identify the problem.

We agreed that they should have the car for a day after the new year so they can remove the front bumper and check the installation from A to Z.

After I left the dealers the damned things were working OK again - sods law innit!!

More anon

[Dazzler]

All I can say is bloody fault codes  (seems to be their answer for everything) Hope they sort it for you when they have it for the day  Or you might be sounding off...

[Asterix]

Hi Alan

I would expect them to read on the computer exactly which sensor is "active". Then they can swap that sensor with one another to see if the fault continues on the same sensor, or...

I think it's a faulty sensor, but it could also be a cable being squeezed, causing grounding.

Time will tell if I'm right...

[Shambles]

My guess, is that at least one sensor has fallen away from its retaining shroud behind the bumper.

[AlanHo]

Hi Alan

I would expect them to read on the computer exactly which sensor is "active". Then they can swap that sensor with one another to see if the fault continues on the same sensor, or...

I think it's a faulty sensor, but it could also be a cable being squeezed, causing grounding.

Time will tell if I'm right...

Although my car came with front parking sensors as standard they were useless because there are only two sensors (one behind each fog light)- as I detailed in earlier posts.

I therefore had the Hyundai after-market kit for the base model fitted which has four sensors across the front of the car. The original system is still working - so I have two independent systems. I doubt very much that the aftermarket system is connected to the ECU. The fact that they are disabled above 15 mph is probably because they picked up a power supply associated with the auto door lock mechanism which locks the doors at 15 mph.

This makes sense because when I park the car close to a wall with the front sensors sounding - if I open a front door - the sounder normally goes silent.

[eye30]

I doubt very much that the aftermarket system is connected to the ECU.

were they aware of this when they checked for fault codes?

probably not. 

[AlanHo]

The dealer fitted the sensors so I imagine they are aware

[AlanHo]

This is an extract from the Hyundai fitting instructions





I didn’t actually handle the sensors but they appear to be a sensor with a male thread on its periphery – which screws into a black plastic housing glued onto the inside of the bumper. The sensor is screwed into the housing according to the thickness of the bumper and the cable clipped onto the back complete with rubber shroud.

The sensors are all still flush with the bumper face – hence not detached (Unless I have misunderstood the arrangement)

[Doggie 1]

I didn’t actually handle the sensors but they appear to be a sensor with a male thread on its periphery – which screws into a black plastic housing glued onto the inside of the bumper. The sensor is screwed into the housing according to the thickness of the bumper and the cable clipped onto the back complete with rubber shroud.

I wish you wouldn't talk dirty so early in the morning, Alan.