How, because of what, parking sensors break, and what to do about it

Parktronic, which is an indispensable option for beginners and a very pleasant bonus for experienced drivers, is a complex system that can fail at any time. How to determine which link in the “chain” is dead, and - most importantly - how to quickly solve the problem, find out the AvtoVzglyad portal.

If motorists with an impressive driving experience react calmly to the breakdown of the parking sensors, they say, he died and okay, then the recruits, having identified a defect in the system, panic. It is not difficult to understand that the parking radar is “tired”: either the corresponding indicator “pops up” on the dashboard, or the computer, having gone crazy, starts to warn of non-existent obstacles or, on the contrary, will be offendedly silent.

It is much more difficult to determine which mechanism has failed. Of course, you can, saving time, but not money, take the car to the diagnosticians, who in a matter of minutes - or, in extreme cases, hours - will find the “buried dog”. But what about those whose finances sing romances, for whom an unscheduled visit to the service is an unaffordable luxury? Let's figure it out.

CONTROL BLOCK

The main component of the system is the control unit, which, in fact, is responsible for the operation of the "parking" mechanisms. To make sure that the problem is not in the “head”, you need to remove it and check it with an ohmmeter. Zeros on the display? Congratulations, you have found the cause of the breakdown of the parking sensors. We add that it is better not to experiment with warranty cars - they, in order to avoid further incidents, must be immediately transferred to dealers.

And since we started with the control unit, we’ll immediately say that the increased sensitivity of parking sensors - that is, alerts about non-existent obstacles - as well as the reverse situation, when radars do not see fences, walls and other cars, may also indicate a malfunction of the “head” . Or rather, not even about a malfunction, but about the downed settings. If you are sure that the sensors are not dirty and not "stuck", for sure, the problem is in the parameters.

SENSORS

In addition to the control unit, the sensors themselves or metallized plates are subject to breakdowns - the very external devices that detect the distance to objects. The reason for their frequent "diseases" lies in the operating conditions: they are located on the bumpers - dirt, snow and water fly on them all the time. And add here a high-pressure washer, temperature changes ...

How to check the functionality of the sensors? Start the engine, turn on the reverse gear (in order not to force the transmission with a “handbrake”, it is better to take an assistant with you) and touch the device with your finger. The worker, making a barely audible crack, vibrates slightly. "Tired", respectively, will be silent as partisans. Try to remove the defective sensor, clean and dry. If this does not help, then the membrane probably “surrendered”.

WIRING

Of course, the "parking" system includes wiring, which can also be damaged. Problems with it will be indicated by “floating” symptoms - radars, depending on the mood, work either correctly, or “finger in the sky”. Try to catch the moment when they fail. If this happens after washing, for example, then moisture gets into the connections.

MONITOR AND SOUND SYSTEM

The monitor and the sound alert system are the least likely to fail. It is not difficult to guess why: being in the car, they are the least affected by the negative effects of the environment. You will immediately know about the breakdown of any of these devices: either the picture will disappear (which, among other things, may indicate a malfunction of the rear view camera), or the musical accompaniment will disappear.