The strange case of the disappearing reversing sensors

[Yeti333]

So here's a strange one.

Middle of the week the other half is using the Yeti and notices the reversing sensors aren't working , no bings, no bongs, no warnings, no display on the screen.

Next day and as she is driving along message pops on the radio display "reversing sensors not availiable"  with OK or Cancel she leaves it so I can maybe see it later but it just goes away.

Since then driven it twice no meassage and still no parking sensors or display.

I've had a good look at it this afternoon and checked fuses and wiring, all OK, reversing light comes on so that switch is working, I don't know if that switch works the parking?

 

Any Ideas?

 

Edited 25 January, 2020 by Yeti333

[Robjon]

A failing battery can give rise to all manner of strange electrical glitches.  I would start by measuring the battery resting voltage.  Leave the car standing overnight then measure the voltage across its terminals.  A reading of 12.4V to 12.7V suggests the battery is serviceable.  Anything less than 12.4V suggests the battery is failing.

[Yeti333]

Yes good call on battery voltage, checked it this morning and it was 12.04 so not brilliant. I've had it on charge all day, didn't want to start it just to check so we will see tommorow if it works.

It's my partners first winter after retiring so the Yeti is doing nothing but short journeys now, so the battery is getting a hard life (and I dont' want to even think about what it's doing to the DPF !)

If this cures the problem I'll start using it for my trip to work every now and then.

[Llanigraham]

If you are getting a resting voltage of only 12.04 volts then your battery needs replacing. Putting it on charge will only be a very temporary fix.

[Yeti333]

2 hours ago, Llanigraham said:

If you are getting a resting voltage of only 12.04 volts then your battery needs replacing. Putting it on charge will only be a very temporary fix.

Maybe, but the car is doing very short runs at the moment 2-3 miles mostly, never more than 15  round trip once a week so maybe it just can't keep up.

Even my work is only 8 miles either way and I end up topping up the battery on my S4 a couple of times through the winter.

[weasley]

Short-tripping is the very worst kind of severe engine operation.  The engine never gets properly warm, the oil doesn't get warm - the engine spends its whole life in the dreaded 'warm-up' zone where nothing is working as it should.  I hope you are doing annual oil changes rather than long-drain?  And, as you may have found, it takes its toll on the battery too.

[Expatman]

Might be worth getting a battery conditioner/charger and connecting every couple of weeks, will keep your new battery in good condition even with the short runs you are doing. Also really important you change the oil regularly, at least every 12 months. Perhaps think of a change to a petrol Yeti?

[Cogra]

Having similar problems with my 2015 1.2. Bleeps work no visual display on radio , radio doesn't cancel no park pilot display.static voltage on battery 12.8v.this is an intermittent fault so would be difficult too rectify.This my third yeti haven't a clue what to replace it with.I think I will stick.Being 80 years old it will probably see my driving days done.

 

 

 

 

[Llanigraham]

13 hours ago, Yeti333 said:

Maybe, but the car is doing very short runs at the moment 2-3 miles mostly, never more than 15  round trip once a week so maybe it just can't keep up.

Even my work is only 8 miles either way and I end up topping up the battery on my S4 a couple of times through the winter.

 

Your battery will not "keep up" even hoping you can charge it every night. Your only cure will be to buy a new battery. By not doing so you will see various systems in the car failing to work, including the 4x4 system. Those of us who have been using Yeti's for a long time know this.

And frankly if you are using diesel cars for these types of journeys you are going to get more and more expensive problems, from failed DPF's, to clogged EGR's and knackered N0x sensors. You need to be using petrols or even hybrid/electric.

[Expatman]

2 hours ago, Llanigraham said:

 

Your battery will not "keep up" even hoping you can charge it every night. Your only cure will be to buy a new battery. By not doing so you will see various systems in the car failing to work, including the 4x4 system. Those of us who have been using Yeti's for a long time know this.

And frankly if you are using diesel cars for these types of journeys you are going to get more and more expensive problems, from failed DPF's, to clogged EGR's and knackered N0x sensors. You need to be using petrols or even hybrid/electric.

Agreed he needs a new battery, but I still think Yeti333 needs a battery charger/conditioner to keep the new battery in good condition otherwise the new battery will go the same way as the old one! 

You are right that the type of short run mileage would be ideal for an electric car, I guess it’s the cost that puts lots of us off making the leap to a PHEV.

[kenfowler3966]

But running a modern diesel with only short trips is a recipe for big bills and unreliability. It was ok a few years ago when my wife was doing a small mileage in an early Fabia, but not with current emission systems. Indeed we recently swapped a diesel Fabia for a petrol Citigroup when she stopped doing any longer trips to prevent problems occurring.

[Expatman]

That's why I suggested he swapped to a petrol Yeti, otherwise Yeti333 is likely to face big bills and unreliability as you say. 3 mile commutes are too short for any ICE really so either go the long way frequently or consider an alternative drive system - like electric.

[Llanigraham]

Don't I know it!!
Knowing that our use of the Yeti is now "wrong" we are hoping to get a Kia Niro PHEV, and then the other week I get the EML and an Adblue warning light. Local independent had the car last Thursday and I'm now looking at a bill for £600!! NOx sensor kaput!! New one being fitted this Thursday. 
That is what could easily (and quickly) happen to the OP.

[Expatman]

3 hours ago, Llanigraham said:

Don't I know it!!
Knowing that our use of the Yeti is now "wrong" we are hoping to get a Kia Niro PHEV, and then the other week I get the EML and an Adblue warning light. Local independent had the car last Thursday and I'm now looking at a bill for £600!! NOx sensor kaput!! New one being fitted this Thursday. 
That is what could easily (and quickly) happen to the OP.

If you do get, or test drive, a Niro PHEV I would welcome your views on it compared to the Yeti, ease of access, refinement etc. I have been considering a Niro PHEV to replace my Yeti when the time comes because for much of the time I do less than 30 miles per day and could recharge at home each night. For longer journeys the petrol engine would be essential to relieve me of range anxiety in the wilds of Cornwall!

[Llanigraham]

55 minutes ago, Expatman said:

If you do get, or test drive, a Niro PHEV I would welcome your views on it compared to the Yeti, ease of access, refinement etc. I have been considering a Niro PHEV to replace my Yeti when the time comes because for much of the time I do less than 30 miles per day and could recharge at home each night. For longer journeys the petrol engine would be essential to relieve me of range anxiety in the wilds of Cornwall!

 

We test drove a 2018 Niro2 a couple of weeks ago and quite liked it. Not as high as the Yeti but easy to get in and out of. Seemed to be quite quiet and ride seemed good. Even at that spec there were plenty of toys and the sat nav was better placed than the Yeti. Seats seemed comfortable. Boot is bigger but the seats only fold down. Seemed lots of legroom in the back. The petrol seemed to pick up speed reasonably well and more than adequate for me. Probably won't handle as well as the Yeti but that isn't a problem.

We looked at the self charging hybrid as we don't have a drive so can't have a charge point. Sheila uses the car to go swimming and it would do that journey just on the battery. I've joined the Niro UK Owners FB group and there don't appear to be many faults reported.

We were already to drive away with it until we checked and it wasn't Type Approved to tow! Not much use to us but the facelifted model, post 2019 is Approved so the dealer has now found us another suitable one from another garage in the group. He says he already has a buyer for the Yeti and has offered overbook even with a dented rear door.

If I could have got away with it I probably would have tried a cheaper way to keep the Yeti going but the VAG spealist said last week that it will quickly go into "safe" mode so there is nothing for it than spend a nasty lump of money; and I bought 4 new tyres for it before Christmas and got 2 punctured 2 weeks ago! 

[Yeti333]

Thanks for all the input on this,.

As I expected the problem persisted today.

I am very aware of how unsuitable the disesle engine is for the use it is getting and what it is likely to do to it!

It is my first and last diesel, I am a petrolhead always have been hence "my" car being an Audi S4, The Yeti was bought against my better judgement when we took up caravaning,

Not wanting to tow with the Audi I was trying to find a 1.4 L&K petrol Yeti, but due to their rareity it wasn't easy, then my partners car was written off and I had to buy something quickly hence the !70 Diesel.

I love the little Yeti but even with 170 BHP it's a hateful engine.

I am considering changing it for a either a !.4 L&K (if I can ever find one) or maybe a 1.5 Karoq.

 

On the subject of electric or hybrid, I wouldn't touch one even if I could afford it, far too early in their development.

I was talking to a Mitsibishi PHEV owner on a CL we were on last year and he said it was usless as a tow car, only did a few miles on the battery and because the fuel tank was smaller due to the battery pack it only had a range of 120 miles towing.

[Sad555]

What’s hateful about the 170bhp Engine ,I’ve had 2 and thought they were great to drive?

50 minutes ago, Yeti333 said:

love the little Yeti but even with 170 BHP it's a hateful engine

 

[Expatman]

10 hours ago, Llanigraham said:

 

We test drove a 2018 Niro2 a couple of weeks ago and quite liked it. Not as high as the Yeti but easy to get in and out of. Seemed to be quite quiet and ride seemed good. Even at that spec there were plenty of toys and the sat nav was better placed than the Yeti. Seats seemed comfortable. Boot is bigger but the seats only fold down. Seemed lots of legroom in the back. The petrol seemed to pick up speed reasonably well and more than adequate for me. Probably won't handle as well as the Yeti but that isn't a problem.

We looked at the self charging hybrid as we don't have a drive so can't have a charge point. Sheila uses the car to go swimming and it would do that journey just on the battery. I've joined the Niro UK Owners FB group and there don't appear to be many faults reported.

We were already to drive away with it until we checked and it wasn't Type Approved to tow! Not much use to us but the facelifted model, post 2019 is Approved so the dealer has now found us another suitable one from another garage in the group. He says he already has a buyer for the Yeti and has offered overbook even with a dented rear door.

If I could have got away with it I probably would have tried a cheaper way to keep the Yeti going but the VAG spealist said last week that it will quickly go into "safe" mode so there is nothing for it than spend a nasty lump of money; and I bought 4 new tyres for it before Christmas and got 2 punctured 2 weeks ago! 

Thanks, luckily I can charge the battery overnight so would go for the PHEV. I do like a higher driving position so will have to test drive the Niro with my wife who's back problems require an easy access vehicle.

[Yeti333]

17 hours ago, Sad555 said:

What’s hateful about the 170bhp Engine ,I’ve had 2 and thought they were great to drive?

 

I had hoped that the Yeti would convince me about diesels, having read much about the massive amount of torque they produce.

But my experience has been quite different. My Yeti does pull well initially and it has the power at the top end but it has a huge hole in the middle, typically in town driving you have to be in 3rd and 4th gear as it won't pull the higher gears, I've never driven anything in 40 years of driving that has needed this.

This also affects towing my caravan which is what it was purcased for, again trying to cruise at 50 has to be in 5th as in 6th there is no torque or power and you have to keep changing down for any incline, to be able to cruise in 6th you need to be doing 65-70 which is illegal.

Maybe this is how it is and all diesels are this way? Maybe the way they have tuned the engine to get the 170BHP out of it has prduced this flat spot.

All I know is I don't like it, combine this with the inevitable problems that go with doing low miles plus the hatred that is being thrown at diesel engines now I am certain I won't repeat the mistake.

[Sad555]

Totally different to the 2 170bhp engines I had,sounds to me that your engine has had the FIX

Edited 28 January, 2020 by Sad555

[Llanigraham]

1 hour ago, Sad555 said:

Totally different to the 2 170bhp engines I had,sounds to me that your engine has had the FIX

 

From the comments above I would say that was very likely.
Having driven a 140 and now a 150 I don't recognise those traits at all.

[Yeti333]

1 hour ago, Sad555 said:

Totally different to the 2 170bhp engines I had,sounds to me that your engine has had the FIX

Ah yes I did hear that had a bad effect on them.

[Yeti333]

Back on topic i am borowing  VCDS from a friend in the next couple of days to see what faults come up.

[idleness]

22 hours ago, Yeti333 said:

My Yeti does pull well initially and it has the power at the top end but it has a huge hole in the middle, typically in town driving you have to be in 3rd and 4th gear as it won't pull the higher gears, I've never driven anything in 40 years of driving that has needed this.

This also affects towing my caravan which is what it was purcased for, again trying to cruise at 50 has to be in 5th as in 6th there is no torque or power and you have to keep changing down for any incline, to be able to cruise in 6th you need to be doing 65-70 which is illegal.

When  my 140  is unmapped I stick to 3rd for 30mph, 4th for 40mph, 5th for 50mph, 6th for 60mph, this equates to 1750rpm . I would never expect a car to pull from lower revs or in a higher gear than that. Even with the map on I tend to stick to the same.

The speeds above are real GPS speeds so speedo is reading roughly 33,43,54,65.

The above speeds are for towing the van as well as unloaded.

If I think right the bottom end of the turbo range is 1700 so you wouldn't expect decent power if the turbo hasn't spun up fully.

 

[Yeti333]

1 hour ago, idleness said:

 I would never expect a car to pull from lower revs or in a higher gear than that.

 

 

You need to have a go in my S4  it will pull 6th from 25 to 160! 😁

Seriously. I dare say you are right. i have only had one turbo car but It was petrol and it was much more flexable than the Yeti.