A few weeks ago I asked for help in locating the control box for the parking sensors on my A4.
Clever lot that you are no-one replied and that, believe it or not, was the right answer as it saved me a lot of aggro chasing a non-existent electrical gremlin.
The sensors were behaving very strangely. On starting the car and then reversing they didn?t work but were always working on arrival at a destination. Leaving the destination, again they didn?t work but were okay on arrival home.
Usually, that is. Occasionally they didn?t work at all. But when the car was in for a service and I asked for them to be checked they decided to work perfectly. Bit like going to the doctor ? you start to feel better as soon as you have made the appointment. The inconsistency just never ?felt? like an intermittent connection.
I started by thinking it might be battery voltage on the 6 year old battery but measurement disproved that.
From previous experience I am aware that a covering of road grime can cause them to play up and always kept them clean.
However, one sensor has a small paint chip about 3mm diameter. I filled and painted the chip and this cured the problem.
For anyone who thinks parking sensors are a sissy accessory they might be right, but I love them. If you have a largish car and find turning to look behind you getting increasingly difficult you will love them too.
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"If you have a largish car and find turning to look behind you getting increasingly difficult you will love them too."
Am I alone thinking that comment is worrying? Using mirrors + sensors alone is surely not enough to be sure you are not about to reverse into something or SOMEONE.
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i looked at his profile after reading his thread fred and i dont think he has a problem, after being in the front end of marshaling,probably he just worded his words wrongly like i dut sumetymes
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Thanks, Bell boy. I haven't hit anything on the road, forwards or backwards, since 1969, but I did a nasty on the marbles at the Snetterton haipin (you have to be of a certain age to rember that Snetterton did once have a haipin) in my Elan in 1972.
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rtj70. I didn't say that I didn't turn round. It is a question of how many degrees can you turn through. It gets fewer as you get older and means that you are using peripheral vision more when rear distance judgement then becomes a little more difficult.
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Aretas, I apologise then. :-) Sorry
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No problem, rtj70.
My wording was not of the best. Isn't that the case with all emails? Often wish I had stored something for a couple of hours and then re-read it before sending.
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but I did a nasty on the marbles at the Snetterton haipin (you have to be of a certain age to rember that Snetterton did once have a haipin) in my Elan in 1972.
If you were racing an Elan in '72........do you remember a silver series 3 V12 E Type FHC being raced in Modsports about that time, certainly '73 onwards? The Elans used to generally see it off, because they were a lot more nimble, but anywhere with a decent straight and it was off like a scalded cat
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Westpig - most of my competition work was sprints. I did very few races and the 1972 incident ended my motorsport competitions. Our first baby was on the way (and she had twins of her own 3 days ago) and my Elan was my road car. It was not too diffcult then to mod a road car for competition use. Prams don't fit into the boot of an Elan. Sorry, can't specifically remember this E Type.
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i looked at his profile after reading his thread fred ...........
Who's fred? ;-)
--
L\'escargot.
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I have always had no difficulty turning round either way to look when reversing. But I have always understood that the correct way is to become properly competent at using the mirrors. That is after all what van and lorry drivers have to do, and their test requires them to be able to position the vehicle to within a few inches.
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I miss the sensors I had on my last car.
On more than one occasion I have looked both ways when reversing off my drive, put it in reverse and the bleepers sounded so I haven't proceeded. On one occasion it was a small child walking well in front of his mum who I just didn't see as he was so small. Second time it was the neighbours dog.
On another occasion, I returned to my car in a car park. Chatted in car for a while and then after a cursory glance round, stuck the car in reverse and started to move. The bleepers sounded and so I stuck on the anchors. A delivery van had pulled into a space behind in my blind spot and I would certainly have revered right into him. It would have been my fault entirely for not thoroughly re-checking but the fact is the bleepers prevented an embarrasing bump!
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If you live in an area with narrow lanes/high rocky hedges and have to reverse in the dark, they
are worth there weight in gold. If someone could invent one that detects ditches as well they would be even more invaluable.
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