Front Parking Sensors

[Moonlander]

Hi all,
Can someone please tell me the correct name of the Obstacle Avoidance Sensor?

I've had my new to me 2016 car a couple of months and noticed this warning (pic below) keeps beeping in stationary traffic even though the car in front is approx 1-2 meters away. It happens on approx half the occasions the car's driven

Does it sound like a faulty sensor? Or dirt on the sensor? Is the sensor behind the front bumper? (I know roughly where the sensor's located but can't physically see it), can it be seen from the top (when bonnet is lifted) or from underneath the car?

Thanks
Naz

View attachment Avoidance warning lo.jpg

 

[Moonlander]

I've done a bit of research and I think the sensors are triggered by any obstacles in the vicinity of the parking sensors - Is this correct?

In which case maybe all 4 front parking sensors might be faulty. Is this a known problem and does anyone else have similar symptoms?

The pic above only shows the front right sensor is being triggered by something, but on others occasion all front sensors are being triggered by a phantom obstacle.

Quick vid:
https://youtu.be/Imnwt3tDUds

 

[Nibbo]

Cant help with a solution but the sensors should be clearly visible.
I am guessing yours is the newer model (chrome either side of the grill)? They are directly below the headlamp washers.

Maybe posting a picture of the front of your car would help others understand which vehicle and spec we are looking at.

 

[Moonlander]

Hi Nibbo,
Apologies but I managed to mix up Parking Sensors (Sonar) with the Forward Collision Mitigation System (FCM). The FCM is the sensor behind the front bumper. But I think the issue with my car is due to the parking sensors (?) which are clearly visible - Thanks anyway, and for Ref mine is the 5HS 2016 model (with chrome either side of the grille)

I've been reading here and elsewhere that parking sensors seem to be an issue and people just live with it or turn off the Sonar button. I am wondering if changing the sensors will fix the issue? (maybe previous owner jet washed to close to them etc)

Or can dirt somehow confuse the sensors?

 

[littlescrote]

Mine are occasionally set off by loud exhausts, but nothing else - certainly not dirt.

 

[roxyboy]

I have the same model (5HS 2016 with chrome either side of the grille) and exactly the same problem.
May I please how you solved yours?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Am786]

My guess is the car was jet washed and the sensors have been misaligned or pushed in.

I'm guessing they are detecting the bumper itself.

I fixed mine by reaching undereneath behind the bumper and pushing the sensors slightly forward, not too much you don't want them popping out - just enough to move them around

Then get a cotton bud or something to clean the ring area of the sensor

 

[SS2115]

I've read, but do not know as fact, that touching the sensors can affect them - body oil stuff. They should be cleaned with the usual warm soapy water and dried without touching them. Pushing them all the way forward from the back wouldn't hurt but its usually obvious if they are out of position.

That all said, I can be sitting at the traffic lights for more than a minute without any other cars moving and one of the front corners will just go off a few times on its own without seemingly any reason.

I've also had the Accident Mitigation System (from the windscreen sensor I believe, not the parking sensors) warn me with its big yellow BRAKE warning always on one particular corner coming down a familiar hill if a car is coming the other way. It even once hit the brake but then released it. Quite a scare actually.
Not fond of it at all.

Have the Lane Change Warning permanently off also.

 

[DaveL59]

Had the odd alert sat in traffic, usually when a bike or motorbike squeezes past the stationary cars, occasionally when a person crosses. Also going down a steep slope with a level road crossing when you reach the junction I get the BRAKE warning flash up with its accompanying beeping. Might try turning off the sonar as I usually forget that when setting off. Mine's a 2019 4HS for reference.

 

[AndyInOz]

Re the Brake! warning...

There are two modes, 'city' and 'country' AKA near or far.

When I received my car it was in country mode, and this caused a number of false alarms like those reported above.