Front Parking Sensors

[Graham]

Despite bad publicity here I opted for the Portbury fit FPS, Oh what a mistake! Anything 45 degrees left or right of the front bumper sets them off. Anything in front of the bumper, basically between the headlamps, is not seen!

Has anyone managed to "adjust" or modify the standard front parking sensors to work properly?

 

[jaapv]

No they are just rubbish.

 

[user 258]

No they are just rubbish.

Hi,
Disagree, they are "slightly" better than rubbish ...
Kind regards,
Mark

 

[Goldie]

No they are just rubbish.

Hi,
Disagree, they are "slightly" better than rubbish ...
Kind regards,
Mark

I agree with the disagree! While not perfect, the front sensors allow you to nudge up to that wall/object when parking. I upgraded from a PRIUS to the OUTLANDER and both my wife and I needed a guide to the front of the vehicle.
Could they be better? Yes with 1 or 2 closer to the center of the front bumper, but was told that would interfere with the radar for ACC.
Would a camera be better? Yes but I spent enough getting the PHEV as it is.
I have a push button on the dash to turn the beeping off. I use it a lot.

 

[jaapv]

I had parking sensors on a couple of previous cars and they were a magnitude better. The problem with these is that there can be an obstacle in the middle and they will never see it, so you can hit it without one beep. A towing bracket on the car in front is enough to create this situation. The excuse that they would interfere with the radar sensor is simply not true. Quite a few owners have fitted four aftermarket ones and they work perfectly.

 

[Gabe]

I wouldn't have fitted them if I knew they were a nuisance! Stopping at traffic lights often sets them off.

A solution I found to this issue, is crawling the car forward may be a couple of cms (an inch or so).

 

[maddogsetc]

I've posted before on this subject - I'm in the 'almost rubbish' camp. The argument about the ACC sensor doesn't wash with me as the vast majority of cars sold (in the UK at least) don't have ACC so that's no reason to deprive most of us of the requisite 4 sensors.

But it's not just the number of sensors that's a problem- the system itself isn't very 'intelligent' ie. doesn't seem to have variable frequency beeps or to be aware of the direction of movement. It's like a not very sophisticated burglar alarm - everybody ignores it because it's always giving false alarms.

 

[user 258]

But it's not just the number of sensors that's a problem- the system itself isn't very 'intelligent' ie. doesn't seem to have variable frequency beeps or to be aware of the direction of movement. It's like a not very sophisticated burglar alarm - everybody ignores it because it's always giving false alarms.

Mine is a factory fit front system and it does increase the frequency of the bleeps as you approach a wall (for example) until you are about 30cm (very roughly) away when the warning changes to a continuous tone.

I've only had them bleep once while driving which was when stopped at a roundabout, When I looked to the right a van had got a bit closer than I would have liked and it was useful to have this warning so as to take more care when I set off.

They could certainly be better, and other's have pointed out their failings, but I'm glad to have them especially since this car is quite massive when compared to my previous one.

Kind regards,
Mark