BMW - Park Distance Control (PDC)

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brucemillar

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My wife's (new to her) E53 4.8is BMW X5 has a fault with the Park Distance Control = PDC.

The car had 4 sensors front & four sensors rear with a controller module mounted in the boot.

We have the stock BMW error: Engage reverse > Light on button illuminates > Continuous Beep for 10 seconds > Then fast beeping for 5 seconds > All goes quiet and light goes out.

Google tells me that this indicates a fault with "one" or more of the sensors. It also tells me that if a single sensor fails? Then the system fails

* The front sensors require removal of the front bumper to replace or even access (it is a 4.8is)

* The rears can be got at by lying under the car.

How to nail it down to which sensor(s) is failing?

I see on Google that an Autel 508 scanner can detect the sensors and the PDC. I have an Autel but it does not pick up either (dratt)

I am told that the sensors (with reverse engaged) should issue a rapid audible ticking sound (like a bat). I cannot hear any ticking from any sensors?

If I have a single sensor failing would that stop the others ticking?

Is it possible, I could unplug the front, then rear, sensor looms at the controller (it has three plugs). This would maybe narrow down the fault to at least, front or rear?

Taking it BMW is not an option at this point. Their diagnosis rates are for issues like this are very high (more than eight new sensors).

I could simply buy eight new sensors, then discover it is the controller.

Anybody have any thoughts please. It is not a big issue as the car works fine. Just no PDC.
 
Try like this. Let your Mrs sit in a car and engage reverse and you can approach each sensor, if one when approached doesn't beep that's the culprit. If all work then it's controller.
Brakes on of course.
 
You have to get really close to the sensors to hear them click, almost ear touching on the things. The clicking noise is very, very faint.
Ignition on, engine off, car in reverse for the rears, D for the fronts then crawl around the car on your hands and knees. Ignore the neighbours, they most probably think you're mad already.
One duff sensor will stop the whole system front and rear, for the same reason unplugging either end won't work.
Have a look at the icarsoft range of OBD scanners, not too expensive and mine works quite well on the MINI.
I have read tales of people having revived their sensors with a well aimed blast of WD40 or similar. Worth a try but I never had any success with it.
Once you get it working, keep well away from the sensors with your pressure washer, they really don't like it up them...
 
A bit more of an inspection this morning. It is now apparent that somebody (not us) has at some point PAINTED the front sensors when they have sprayed the front bumper - FAIL.

They have a done a very nice job. No runs, no bubbles and a perfect colour match. I just would rather that they had not done so.


I am thinking it is> Bumper Off > Four new Front Sensors, then test.

I tried removing the paint from the faces, but it has made no difference. I suspect that the paint is now well coated all round the edges of the sensors.

Thank you for the tip(s) regards the ticking. Yes my neighbours think I am mad. SO me rolling around under the car will be unlikely to alarm them.
 
You need a laptop but the bundled software much better than the one size fits all handheld scanners.

The software is pa soft BMW scanner 1.4. You can download a demo from their site if you want to have a look. The lead above includes the full program
 
A bit more of an inspection this morning. It is now apparent that somebody (not us) has at some point PAINTED the front sensors when they have sprayed the front bumper - FAIL.

Why? Colour coding sensors is routine and won't affect the operation, especially if the job has been done as well as you describe. When I had to have one replaced on the 211, Olly painted it before installation to match the rest which were coloured from the factory.
 

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