Reversing Sensors

[awhitham]

Have a 2011 Octavia and (when it rains!) it insists I am hitting something when I reverse (one of middle sensors says itt has zero distance to object). When it is dry then it appears fine. Is this a fault anyone else has had and what was the dealer solution?

thanks

Adam

[alkip]

Yes I have the issue too and only when it's wet.

My offside front sensor and a couple of my back ones do the same. Got my car in late Jan and it went in for the same thing a few months later but was returned without anything being done, I was told that sometimes there's a microscopic bit of muck so it's always worth wiping the sensors over - yeah right.

Mine goes in on Monday to be looked at, same dealer but a different branch and when I spoke to the after sales gent on the phone he mentioned, after doing a search, that there were no known parking sensor issues so, if I had an issue it was specific to my car, I'll post the outcome of Monday here.

[rustyGT]

I have after market sensors fitted.. and it does say in the instructions they can be affected by rain. Maybe.the case with all types of sensor?

[Budgie]

I have after market sensors fitted.. and it does say in the instructions they can be affected by rain. Maybe.the case with all types of sensor?

Never had a problem with mine, even after a jet wash!

[SBirch]

It's not specific to VAG. I remember BMW's having it. Water gets into the sensors after a few years and they act-up. I had one on my 7YO 325 and water was getting under the paint on the sensor head. As BMW sensors were £50 each! I just let it dry out and stripped the paint off and respryed (using Can of Spray paint )and resealed it. Worked fine after that until I sold it and matched the others fine.

Hopefuly VAG sensors are cheaper.

Simon

[alkip]

It's not specific to VAG. I remember BMW's having it. Water gets into the sensors after a few years and they act-up. I had one on my 7YO 325 and water was getting under the paint on the sensor head. As BMW sensors were £50 each! I just let it dry out and stripped the paint off and respryed (using Can of Spray paint )and resealed it. Worked fine after that until I sold it and matched the others fine.

Hopefuly VAG sensors are cheaper.

Simon

Thanks for that

Hopefully it's not something I'll be sorting out myself as mine's only 8 months old.

[Splooter]

Rarely had an issue with rear sensors on mine, but the front ones occasionally give false readings when wet. I suppose they are more prone to dirt and water ingress. A quick wipe usually clears the problem but sometimes a more intensive clean is necessary.

[foo]

I'm not sure there is much that can be done if there is water on the sensors.

Mine does it when wet, after a wash or sometime if there is ice on them.

[D@z]

mines is a March 11 car and Ive noticed it do this at least twice now!

[BOBW]

Have a 2011 Octavia and (when it rains!) it insists I am hitting something when I reverse (one of middle sensors says itt has zero distance to object). When it is dry then it appears fine. Is this a fault anyone else has had and what was the dealer solution?

thanks

Adam

[BOBW]

I had the same problem last year, and I used a vac to suck out any water in the problem sensor.I then smeared it with vasaline, and I have had no problems since.You can also use silicon spray .

[alkip]

I had the same problem last year, and I used a vac to suck out any water in the problem sensor.I then smeared it with vasaline, and I have had no problems since.You can also use silicon spray .

Good call, thanks

I had thought about doing something along these lines and may now cancel the dealer trip and try this, if I've no joy I can re-book at the dealers

[meta55]

one of the vans at my work says theres somthing there after rain or washing, but this was caused by a fellow worker blasted the sensors with the big karcher hot water power washer, once the faulty one has dried its fine.

[awhitham]

one of the vans at my work says theres somthing there after rain or washing, but this was caused by a fellow worker blasted the sensors with the big karcher hot water power washer, once the faulty one has dried its fine.

The cars being looked at this afternoon. I dried the sensors fully with a tissue which had not effect at the time. A few hours in the dry stopped it. They're going to Jet Wash the Car (Free car wash!!) and see if they can replicate it.

Adam

[andyvee]

Mine used to do this and eventually the sensor failed last winter when it was -15 at night. Basically, the moisture in there froze and killed the sensor.

It sounds like you have some form of water ingress - get them dried out properly then seal them with a smear of vaseline or silicone spray as mentioned earlier.

[alkip]

Mine went in yesterday, result, not a lot.

Apparently the rears tested fine, great. The fronts however, may be being affected by my Briski number plate surround which doesn't sit tight to the bumper at the corners, they've included a copy of an advice note from Skoda about this but I'm interested to know (a) why it only happens during or after wet conditions and why the sensor nearest the number plate doesn't pick it up it's the one / s on the corner / s :wonder:

They did say ask that I rectify the surround problem and then, if I still have the issue book it in again and they'll gladly look at it (probably to tell me everything is fine).

Anyway, I think rather than wasting time and getting nowhere I'll dry them out and vaseline them sometime but for now I have reduced the audio level and will observe the screen when necessary which is what I do anyhow.

[awhitham]

Mine went in yesterday, result, not a lot.

Apparently the rears tested fine, great. The fronts however, may be being affected by my Briski number plate surround which doesn't sit tight to the bumper at the corners, they've included a copy of an advice note from Skoda about this but I'm interested to know (a) why it only happens during or after wet conditions and why the sensor nearest the number plate doesn't pick it up it's the one / s on the corner / s :wonder:

They did say ask that I rectify the surround problem and then, if I still have the issue book it in again and they'll gladly look at it (probably to tell me everything is fine).

Anyway, I think rather than wasting time and getting nowhere I'll dry them out and vaseline them sometime but for now I have reduced the audio level and will observe the screen when necessary which is what I do anyhow.

Mine was tested and all sensors testing okay when it wasn't raining. They did give them a good jetwashing first as well to see if they could get any water into them. Dealer was very polite and helpful (as they always are!), but unable to do anything unless they can take a measurement showing sensor is faulty.

[VRS DSG]

When you guys talk about spraying with silicon or using vaseline are you just applying this to the outside of the sensors? My car has just started to play around since a whole day of rain which then righted itself until I washed the car.

I often use a hose on the car, dry it off & it is fine but not today.

[alkip]

When you guys talk about spraying with silicon or using vaseline are you just applying this to the outside of the sensors? My car has just started to play around since a whole day of rain which then righted itself until I washed the car.

I often use a hose on the car, dry it off & it is fine but not today.

I haven't done anything with mine because it's been so dry but then yesterday during and after the rain they were playing up, I've resigned myself to just looking at the display with the audio set fairly low as I find it really distracting when one is beeping away constantly for no real reason, it's really not good enough as a factory fit option on a new car