Now that I have been using the car, albeit not a great deal, I realise the Parking Aid is defective. After researching the forum I understand that the second long tone, after selecting reverse for the first time, means the system is defective. Probably one or more defective sensors. I may get round to getting something done about it but as I have only done 30 miles since buying the car before Christmas I am reluctant to splash out in case the car turns out to be a polished turd.

I have never had rear parking sensors (well I have, but I always referred to them as the bumpers) so I won't miss them.

You need first to be looking at them and seeing what crud or corrosion there is behind the bumper,

if that means the bumper coming off then maybe best wait for better weather.

It would be interesting to know the cost of a replacement sensor - genuine or AliExpress. My car, and my daughters previous Polo, are/were fitted with an aftermarket set from London Colour? on Ebay for about £15 for the complete set-up - 4 sensors, control unit and buzzer, just needing a connection to the reversing light at the rear of the car and drilling of the bumper without removal being required.

Autodoc uk are advertising 4 Hella sensors for £38.

21 minutes ago, Jocko said:

Autodoc uk are advertising 4 Hella sensors for £38.

 

They're not in the UK, Autodoc are a German company, the stuff will arrive eventually I'm sure.

If it a factory fit with a dance radio or better and you do not have any diagnostic gear, listen close to each sensor. You will hear a fine clicking noise from the ones that are working. The quiet one is broken.

I got a replacement off amazon a while back. You can paint them if you have a touch up. Behind the bumper it is fiddly.

1 hour ago, sepulchrave said:

 

They're not in the UK, Autodoc are a German company, the stuff will arrive eventually I'm sure.

Yes I appreciate that. I have used them before for a coil pack for my Jazz. I only used them as an example of price for KeithCheetham.

Why I said UK is the address I looked up was Autodoc.co.uk but I know everything comes from Germany. The coil packs took 10 days.

If I decide to repair it I will stick it into Car Tech Solutions in Loanhead.

27 minutes ago, 26DIPP said:

If it a factory fit with a dance radio or better and you do not have any diagnostic gear, listen close to each sensor. You will hear a fine clicking noise from the ones that are working. The quiet one is broken.

I got a replacement off amazon a while back. You can paint them if you have a touch up. Behind the bumper it is fiddly.

They are factory fitted with the Dance radio. I will have a listen.

If they are factory fitted and you really want them working............., go to a VAG specialist or similar, or find someone on here close with VCDS, plug in and it will tell you whats faulty (most likely a sensor)

 

On the flip side you could take a punt, by a sensor and check / plug it in each location and see if that works.

 

I think it's far better to fix the factory system than retrofit something else, just my opinion though.

 

 

I have tried listening to hear slight clicks from factory fitted parking sensors and I've failed to hear anything, plus my hearing is okay.  I even bought a mechanics stethoscope that came with a rubber cup on the end, still 100% disappointed on a 2011 Audi S4, 2015 VW Polo, 2018 VW T-Roc and a 2019 SEAT Leon - none of these cars had faulty parking sensors, so I was more than a bit disappointed as I had hoped to have learned something useful!

 

I've always stuck with buying genuine "correct for that car/end" parking sensors, picking them up as NOS or stock being disposed of when dealerships closed, but then I was just collecting parts together to retro fit to a bumper without sensors. Basically for this age of cars, there are 2 versions of parking sensors, ones with "straight" connector and ones with right angled connectors it will be easier for you if you buy the correct version as the space and cabling will be quite tight. 

This thread here will tie into the diagnosis with VCDS and wiring diagrams to see how the loom is running out to the sensors.

Read my log, and if you scan and get the same, odds are a wire will have gone crusty.

 

 

2 hours ago, UrbanPanzer said:

If they are factory fitted and you really want them working............., go to a VAG specialist or similar, or find someone on here close with VCDS, plug in and it will tell you whats faulty (most likely a sensor)

 

On the flip side you could take a punt, by a sensor and check / plug it in each location and see if that works.

 

I think it's far better to fix the factory system than retrofit something else, just my opinion though.

 

 

I have no intention of retro fitting a 3rd party system. If I do repair them I will get an auto electrician to do the job. I am not able to do it myself, not through lack of ability but I am 74 years old and disabled. Getting down on the ground is near impossible, and getting back up is. As I said at the beginning, I may not bother repairing them. Most of my parking is supermarket car parks or my drive. Seldom need to parallel park.