[jukemark]

Hi, My new 430d has parking sensors all round but the front ones only activate if I turn them on from the button by the gear selector. Is this correct or a fault?
All my previous cars came on automatically.
Just asking before calling the dealer.
Also, is there any way of having the instrument illumination on all the time the ignition is on?
Thanks in advance.

[Steces]

Pretty sure mine come on if I select reverse and also if I hit the button by the gear selector

Cheers

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by jukemark

Hi, My new 430d has parking sensors all round but the front ones only activate if I turn them on from the button by the gear selector. Is this correct or a fault?
All my previous cars came on automatically.
Just asking before calling the dealer.
Also, is there any way of having the instrument illumination on all the time the ignition is on?
Thanks in advance.

The front sensors should activate when reverse is selected or by pressing the button under a certain speed. The won’t automatically activate if your driving into a space.

The instrument illumination adjusts to the ambient light even when the lights are on in daylight. You can probably code it so they are lit all the time, but how effective that would be I’m not sure.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by jukemark

Hi, My new 430d has parking sensors all round but the front ones only activate if I turn them on from the button by the gear selector. Is this correct or a fault?
All my previous cars came on automatically.
Just asking before calling the dealer.
Also, is there any way of having the instrument illumination on all the time the ignition is on?
Thanks in advance.

So they don’t come on when you select reverse?

[jukemark]

Thanks guys, not a fault then!
Cheers.

[jukemark]

Originally Posted by teaston

So they don’t come on when you select reverse?

Yes, but only the rears...but in all my other cars if I drove onto my drive the front sensors would beep as I was getting close to my garage door. Not the 430, I have to manually switch them on, I am now assuming this is correct?

[teaston]

Originally Posted by jukemark

Yes, but only the rears...but in all my other cars if I drove onto my drive the front sensors would beep as I was getting close to my garage door. Not the 430, I have to manually switch them on, I am now assuming this is correct?

When you put the car into reverse all the parking sensors should come on, and will stay on until you either turn the car off, drive at over about 10mph or turn them off manually with the button.

[MarkG_M5Comp]

The front sensors only activate automatically at low speeds on the 5 series/X5 and above.

I found his really handy on the X5 but you soon get used to the lower class version again.

Crazy cost saving or just saving the special things for people who join the class above?

[Dave-ncl]

Originally Posted by jukemark

Hi, My new 430d has parking sensors all round but the front ones only activate if I turn them on from the button by the gear selector. Is this correct or a fault?
All my previous cars came on automatically.
Just asking before calling the dealer.
Also, is there any way of having the instrument illumination on all the time the ignition is on?
Thanks in advance.

My 12 plate f30 front sensors are hyper sensitive. Even if I drive down a street with cars either side the green or amber warning indicators will show on idrive and beep.

Occasional I have manually activated the sensor to check distances but this is very infrequent and automatic activation is the norm.

Not sure if a wipe with a suitable cleaner will help or whether there is a sensitivity setting somewhere.

[SkyJawa]

Yeah front you have to turn on, wonder if you can code it?

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Yeah front you have to turn on, wonder if you can code it?

Originally Posted by Dave-ncl

My 12 plate f30 front sensors are hyper sensitive. Even if I drive down a street with cars either side the green or amber warning indicators will show on idrive and beep.

They are not on all the time as they would alert all the time driving down the road as @dave-ncl noted above.

[aquazi]

My audi tts used to activate at slow speed automatically... that along with the right foot rest is what i miss the most changing to the f32.

[Nobby Clark]

My front sensors come on automatically if you approach an object at low speed (2015 model)

[aloo6]

Originally Posted by Nobby Clark

My front sensors come on automatically if you approach an object at low speed (2015 model)

I had a loaner 2016 (I think) x4, that did that.

Liked it but almost shit myself when it started beeping for the first time.

[xenon]

I thought generally they only came on when selecting reverse (as you're obviously manoevering) or if you switch them on manually if you're manoevering into a stop forwards without having reversed before. Otherwise they would sit there beeping constantly all the time you were in queuing traffic, sat at traffic lights behind another car etc which would drive you insane. No cars I've had with front sensors, including the current A6, come on unless you tell them to or you've reversed first.

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by ukbeemerboy

The front sensors activate when reverse is selected or by pressing the button. The won’t automatically activate if your driving into a space.

That's how they work on my car

[Nobby Clark]

Originally Posted by xenon

I thought generally they only came on when selecting reverse (as you're obviously manoevering) or if you switch them on manually if you're manoevering into a stop forwards without having reversed before. Otherwise they would sit there beeping constantly all the time you were in queuing traffic, sat at traffic lights behind another car etc which would drive you insane. No cars I've had with front sensors, including the current A6, come on unless you tell them to or you've reversed first.

Dunno how they know but they definitely come on if you drive slow up to a wall and don't activate in traffic. Mind you, I'm never right up the cuff of another vehicle to find out.

[SkyJawa]

Originally Posted by xenon

I thought generally they only came on when selecting reverse (as you're obviously manoevering) or if you switch them on manually if you're manoevering into a stop forwards without having reversed before. Otherwise they would sit there beeping constantly all the time you were in queuing traffic, sat at traffic lights behind another car etc which would drive you insane. No cars I've had with front sensors, including the current A6, come on unless you tell them to or you've reversed first.

On our Octavia they automatically activate. In traffic they don't though, gawd knows how! It works fine 99% of the time, sometime down narrow (one track) roads they come on when meeting oncoming traffic but even then its useful to get past the other car.

I actually much prefer how they work on the Octavia versus my BM.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Nobby Clark

Dunno how they know but they definitely come on if you drive slow up to a wall and don't activate in traffic. Mind you, I'm never right up the cuff of another vehicle to find out.

Very bizarre I have never been in a BMW that does that!!

[xenon]

Yeah perhaps it is a distance thing - pulling up behind a car at traffic lights I guess you leave a couple of feet at least without even thinking about it. If you're parking up against a wall you'll get closer. I guess for the ones that do come automatically it would come on in traffic too if you drove right up to another waiting car.

[Junebug85]

Originally Posted by aloo6

Liked it but almost shit myself when it started beeping for the first time.

[djcowlin]

My Golf also activated the front PDC when driving up to a car or object at slow speed. Looks like all VAG cars do it. Useful and not obtrusive at all. Hey ho...