W203 Parking Sensors

[Teabag]

Morning all,

Just joined and now is time for my first post.. Ive enjoyed reading through certain threads, very informative - thank you.

Ill start by letting you know that recently I took the plunge and bought myself my first Merc. W203 I think is the technical term for the style I have bought. Its an Automatic 2005 (05) C180K Avant SE.

I must say its a pleasure to look at and drive. Well it was until the snow in the south east ruined that for me, anyway it'll still be there when the snow aint .

Anyway, I was looking through the paperwork I got with the car and came accross the original MB invoice. As shown below it has an entry for Parking Sensors - £299.

Can someone tell me what they are? I expected that to be the audible warming beeps as I get close to something, only it doesnt work. The only audible sound is when I select reverse gear 1 very short beep is heard. After that nothing.

I have seen pictures of the dashboard button to turn it off and the distance led indicators and I dont have anything in that hole on the dash just a blanking plate and no led things on the dash or rear shelf. I have also read that its called "Parktronic" and should be more expensive than £299!

Any Ideas what my "Parking Sensors" should do?

Thanks in advance

Mr T.

 

[Rory]

They must be a dealer fit thing - "proper" Parktronic was a £600 option.

 

[jonathanc]

Hi

Do you have the actual sensors in the bumpers - there should be 6 at the front and 4 at the back? I wonder if for some reason you could have the sensors without the rest of the gubbins - a bit daft but clearly someone paid for something!

Regards

 

[kwakdonut]

Any pics of the install?

 

[Teabag]

As requested chaps, here are a couple of pictures of possible sensors on the rear bumper?

There are 4 of these along the rear bumper - none on the front...

 

[350_Coupe]

don't look the same style as those fitted to my CL203 coupe, merc ones have a small recess in them, similar to this......

Also, my factory fitted ones don't make much noise either until i am virtually on top of something, the little bars change as i get closer, but it doesn't beep until i am really close

 

[Teabag]

^^ They are the type I would have expected to see, but I dont even have the the inside distance indicator bars.. All very strange considering the cost.

Does anyone think 5 1/2 years down the line is a bit too much to ring the original supplying dealers and ask?

 

[Rory]

They're an aftermarket fit thing, but they could be a recognised MB accessory - not sure.

I was offered them on my car which was 5mths old when I bought it, for about the same price.

Certainly no harm in giving the original dealer a call. I wouldn't be too hopeful, but you never know.

 

[350_Coupe]

Yeah, if it was a main MB dealer then i would suspect their records are quite good, and they should be able to help you

Genuine (factory) mercedes ones have the display mounted in the rear above the seats

Nice "special allowance" they got ..... LOL@ the 12 months tax costs, mine costs almost that for 6 months now !!

 

[npuk]

Parktronic is the factory fit front and rear parking system with display. It has the button to turn it off on the dash.

The genuine retrofit parking kit is Mercedes Benz Quick Park which is a rear only system (costs alot more than £255 though). I have it on my car and the sensors dont look like yours (they are not the same as the Parktronic ones either) so yours seems to be an aftermarket kit. Mercedes dealers usually use Laserline or Steelmate kits for aftermarket installations but your sensors aslo dont look like either of them manufacturers sensors.

As you get the beep when you select reverse the system seems to be functioning. Have you tried reversing close to an object? Have a look at the rear right clusters. The rear only kits are normally connected to the reverse light feed so if you can see the cable connected to one of the rear clusters wiring you should be able to find the control box.

 

[Teabag]

Parktronic is the factory fit front and rear parking system with display. It has the button to turn it off on the dash.

The genuine retrofit parking kit is Mercedes Benz Quick Park which is a rear only system. I have it and the sensors dont look like yours (they are not the same as the Parktronic ones either) so yours seems to be an aftermarket kit. Mercedes dealers usually use Laserline or Steelmate kits for aftermarket installations but your sensors aslo dont look like either of them manufacturers sensors.

As you get the beep when you select reverse the system seems to be functioning. Have you tried reversing close to an object? Have a look at the rear right clusters. The rear only kits are normally connected to the reverse light feed so if you can see the cable connected to one of the rear clusters wiring you should be able to find the control box.

Thanks for all the comments so far, I only managed to get 1 evening out of driving it before it was snowed in. I did reverse park once towards a wall and while thinking I was quite close it turned out I was about a yard away. Guess that's what 10 years of driving a hatchback does for you!

Now its front facing the wall with 2 hopes of reversing out till we thaw out, so in the meantime I just got to figure everything out without the practical but i can still have a look at the wiring cluster.

Glad to hear the 1 beep means something is there though, do the sensors ever need replacing on these systems?

 

[Teabag]

yeah, if it was a main mb dealer then i would suspect their records are quite good, and they should be able to help you

genuine (factory) mercedes ones have the display mounted in the rear above the seats

nice "special allowance" they got ..... Lol@ the 12 months tax costs, mine costs almost that for 6 months now !!

+vat..

 

[350_Coupe]

you can always try putting it into reverse with the ignition on and getting someone to walk about near the back, that should trigger it at some point, and will give you an idea how close it is when i beeps etc

+vat..

yeah, i just noticed that too lol

 

[RandS]

I don't know much about these but the cost looks about right for MB's QuickPark W211 system, follow the link!

QUICKPARK W211 - E Class 2002 - On Accessories Saloon Upgrades - Mercedes-Benz Parts, Inchcape

Steve

 

[350_Coupe]

yikes ..... Price: £255.60

 

[Privatedoc]

They are the same as the ebay ones i FITTED TO AN OLD CAR OF MY PARENTS...£17 FOR A Set of 4 and worked brilliantly (connected to reversing light for +ve feed) no display just beeps.

if someone paid £300 they were ripped off big-time.....the merc parktronic is way better and not what you have.

 

[roswaldo]

Those are an aftermarket dealer supplied option. This version has no visual indicators, just an audible one as you apporach an obstacle. The single bleep on engaging reverse is the system telling you it's switched on.

The factory fit system only makes a noise about 6inches from an obstacle, not sure if the aftermarket one is the same.

Hope this helps.

 

[350_Coupe]

yeah my factory fitted parktronic doesn't make a sound until you are alarmingly close !