Parking sensors playing up

bigshurv

Senior member
 Northampton
Today when I went to parallel park, when I selected reverse,i got a continous beep as I was next to the car I wanted to park behind.It stopped when I reversed into the space but the parking sensors didn't activate properly when getting very close to the car behind.Anyone had this same problem?
 
I only just picked up my Z4 coupe yesterday and the rear parking sensors don't seem to be behaving like my previous BMWs. It gives a long beep straight away, and then seems to 'beep beep beep' a lot, even when I'm nowhere near anything.

The manual mentions something about an audio indication that PDC is on, could that be it? What does that sound like?

If it might be something wrong with the PDC, is there a good way of testing it? Its an auto car so it'll creep unless I have my foot on the brake - can I get someone to walk towards each sensor? Pretty important for me to have working PDC while I work out where the back end is, otherwise I'll either bang the back end, or park miles away from things.
 
I had this problem. It means (or it did on mine) that one of the sensors has failed. The long beep happens on the first time you select reverse to warn you that the system has failed and the remaining sensors have been disabled.
 
Medium Dave, you are a genius :D I'll have to try to find which one has packed up next..........
 
you need to put your ear close to each sensor in turn with the system activated, the faulty one will make a noise IIRC.

Do a search on here,, it's been talked about before.
 
I think some vehicles have also been coded so that they beep initially when you select R.. so if it beeps like that it's not guaranteed faulty.

Wonder why they'd make a noise..
 
They're defo faulty Andy, as the noise has only just started to occur.I get the continuous beep for a few seconds when I select reverse then it goes off.I'll have a look at it over the weekend.
 
Did you sort this out bigshurv?? Mine has just started doing this... Need to get Ediabas/BMW scanner on the job!
 
Road salt causes this. worht a check to make sure they are clean. Had it on my current Zed and the TT
 
This is almost definitely a faulty sensor. Mine does this and as said before, select reverse with ignition on and listen to each one with hand over sensor. The one that's not working or erratic is your problem.

Sometimes they'll work, sometimes not. Have heard you can sometimes dry the back of the sensor out to help but more often than not its new sensor time.
 
Ed

The continuous beep when you engage reverse is the system telling you it's not functioning correctly. Like a warning not to rely on it when you reverse.

Listening for the clicking sometimes works, but not guaranteed. For sure Carsoft can identify it down to the exact sensor that's not working, so your kit shoudl find it easy enough.
 
Mines been doing the same did a battery reset last week to cure another fault and it stopped but started again today have to have a better look.
 
It can be erratic. One day it will work fine, the next you'll get the continual beep. Happened to me on both the Zed and my previous 330i. Easiest way is by fat using the hand over the sensor technique to find the culprit.
Good luck!
 
is it a warranty fix? I've had mine sometimes work on/off since I bought it. But my warranty expires in March so if its covered I'll get it looked at.
 
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