Hi all,

 

My recently purchased 2008 Skoda Fabia estate has parking sensors fitted. The seller advised me that they didn't work when I bought it, so this isn't a new issue.

 

I've watched a couple of videos saying to listen out for a very quiet clicking sound, but none of the four are making this sound. I've shot WD40 at them to try and purge any moisture, this hasn't worked either. It seems like none of them are getting a current. When I put the car into reverse the radio display flashes up as a little car and there's a long beep.

 

Does anyone know what I could do next? Is there some sort of control box for them somewhere?

Ideally plugging into diagnostics to see where the fault is.

 

Most "likely" is a sensor gone down, but you need to know which.

had it on diagnostics for an engine fault the other day but it didn't show up. Would it have needed to be in reverse? 

It could be the case that just your engine was scammed as that was all the mechanic was concerned with. Worth asking them if they did a full scan or just one of the engine. 

I should clarify; it was me and my friend looking at his little scanning tool in the car park at work. We'll try again with the car in reverse. 

 

does anyone have any parking sensor-specific knowledge? given that they're hidden right up inside the bumper they're not easy to get to, is it a bumper off job?

 

OIC. Some generic scan tools are poo and don’t read many systems. What were you using and are you’re sure it’s capable of scanning the reverse sensors?

3 hours ago, jars said:

OIC. Some generic scan tools are poo and don’t read many systems. What were you using and are you’re sure it’s capable of scanning the reverse sensors?

 

Exactly, you need someone that has a proper fully VW Group compliant scan tool that can connect to all the car's smart controllers to check if there are fault codes stored in the parking module - and what these faults codes say the problem is that caused these fault codes to get logged.

I think it was called Carista.

 

So if and when the scan tool tells me there's an improper connection from one of the sonars, what's my move? What I'm asking is, does anyone have experience actually accessing them, since you can't reach from below?  

Have you not checked to see if you can reach them by just removing any lower rear bumper cover screws, depending on how much pain you are willing to live with and/or the size and strength of your grip, that might work.

 

The best plan must always be to remove the bumper cover completely making sure that you can rest/support it at the correct height until you have been able to remove all the sensor connectors and any cable support clips or cable ties.

 

Edit:- Carista should have been able to talk to the rear parking system - if it was a factory fit option or retro fitted using same as factory fit wiring, controller and sensors etc. There will be a few fault code options, if you are lucky it will identify a single faulty sensor or its wiring, or maybe none working due to a common 0V or +12V wiring issue or - - - - .

Edited 13 October, 20205 yr by rum4mo

Carista's site suggests very limited functionality on the Mk2 from 2009.

 

https://caristaapp.com/vehicles/skoda/fabia/5j/2009/eu

Oh, I did not consider that, so game over for getting Carista to help you, time to locate someone that has VCDS.

 

To begin with, why not ask your local Skoda dealership parts dept to provide you with a printout of "CAR DATA" for your car, that will let you know what options that car had when it left the factory - though if you got your car scanned by a fully compliant, for that age of car, scan tool, it would also let you know if parking system was fitted and what the stored fault codes were if any. The first action you can take care off maybe quicker that you can get that car scanned.

ok thanks folks, well in that case I'm going to stop bothering with it, it's not that big of a problem anyway

8 minutes ago, hebdenwill said:

ok thanks folks, well in that case I'm going to stop bothering with it, it's not that big of a problem anyway

 

Is it a factory fitted parking system?

I don't know, it looks kosher enough but I wouldn't know how to tell 

2 minutes ago, hebdenwill said:

I don't know, it looks kosher enough but I wouldn't know how to tell 

 

If you have a factory head unit, when you put it in reverse does it display on the head unit?

Ah, yeah it does! Briefly, then it makes the long beep and disappears