1st Gen rear Parking Sensors

[amartz]

Anybody ever replace the rear parking sensors in the bumper? My dashboard is starting to nag me it doesn't like one of mine. I went thru this before with the fronts, but it was warranty-covered then. At 70K+, I'm assuming there is no warranty coverage any more. Do you know if the rear bumper has to come off, or are they a little easier to get to?

 

[amartz]

Odd, today no complaining about the sensors. Everything seems fine today. Guess I'll have to watch them.....

 

[Sluh]

I would check connections first before replacing. But to get to them, as well as to replace sensors, you still need to remove the bumper.

 

[amartz]

Thanks! If I was in NC, with my garage and most of my tools, maybe. But for now, that's a dealer fix item. Fortunately (knock on wood), the sensors are behaving themselves. Makes me wonder about your "check the connector" advice. If it ever comes to it....

 

[daviderle]

Thanks! If I was in NC, with my garage and most of my tools, maybe. But for now, that's a dealer fix item. Fortunately (knock on wood), the sensors are behaving themselves. Makes me wonder about your "check the connector" advice. If it ever comes to it....

Yup it happens from time to on the Mrs. 2009 4.6, btw if it is the passenger rear sensor, I find I can put my hand behind the bumper and 'jiggle' the sensor connector and that fixes it most of the time, also I find waxing the bumper seem to cause the same issue, at which point I use a thin piece of paper dipped in a wax remover, to go around the sensor grove couple of times. I find between these two procedures I seem to get away trouble free, for at lease 3+ months without an issue, as I never been able to recreate the issue in front of the dealer, even when it gets bad, and goes on the 'blink' couple of times a week...

 

[amartz]

btw if it is the passenger rear sensor, I find I can put my hand behind the bumper and 'jiggle' the sensor connector and that fixes it most of the time,

Yep, that's the one that was complaining. I'll have to remember that!! Next time, maybe stick a cell phone up there and take a picture......

 

[amartz]

Yup it happens from time to on the Mrs. 2009 4.6, btw if it is the passenger rear sensor, I find I can put my hand behind the bumper and 'jiggle' the sensor connector and that fixes it most of the time, also I find waxing the bumper seem to cause the same issue, at which point I use a thin piece of paper dipped in a wax remover, to go around the sensor grove couple of times. I find between these two procedures I seem to get away trouble free, for at lease 3+ months without an issue, as I never been able to recreate the issue in front of the dealer, even when it gets bad, and goes on the 'blink' couple of times a week...

Did you go thru the trunk, or underneath the rear bumper?

 

[kw88keys]

Same here on a 2014 RSpec sedan. Passenger side corner sensor used to be an intermittent problem. It was a loose connection. I could reach my arm up to the sensor, push the connection together better and problem has not returned for approximately a year.

 

[daviderle]

Did you go thru the trunk, or underneath the rear bumper?

Underneath the rear bumper.

 

[amartz]

I just wondered, because inside the trunk, there is what looks like a trim panel, just inside the lip of the trunk, and right about where the sensors would be. I was wondering if taking off that trim panel would provide access to the sensors and the connectors?

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[daviderle]

I just wondered, because inside the trunk, there is what looks like a trim panel, just inside the lip of the trunk, and right about where the sensors would be. I was wondering if taking off that trim panel would provide access to the sensors and the connectors?

Maybe, I never tried to remove it, although I doubt it as that would mean that access panel could be exposed to the external elements...

Now I am Curious about that panel, so please do share your findings if you decide to go down that path.

 

[amartz]

I did get a little time to pry open part of that panel. It only gets you to the inside of the trunk tub, so no help there. I tried looking under the rear bumper, and there is no way to get to the sensors there. It looks to me like you'd have to pull the whole bumper off. Mine is a 2012. What year was yours?

 

[kw88keys]

Mine is a 2014. Not sure of the difference in the access to the connector from year to year but I am able to reach my arm up from underneath the car and manipulate the connection. I did use an endoscopic flashlight connected to my iPhone to find it first.