My Car Sees Ghosts

[19 G70 3.3T]

When I'm sitting at a stop with the vehicle in gear, the front parking sensors start going off randomly. It's not always the same sensor, or the same distance and sometimes it's as if something is moving from side to side in front of the car. Has anyone run into this and if so, was there a fix?

 

[EdP]

When I'm sitting at a stop with the vehicle in gear, the front parking sensors start going off randomly. It's not always the same sensor, or the same distance and sometimes it's as if something is moving from side to side in front of the car. Has anyone run into this and if so, was there a fix?

Stop back further from the car in front of you. The sensors read about 1 meter, as does the sensor on the cars around you. Some are worse than others, depending on how the signals bounce. Tesla, Ford, Range Rover are some of the worst. Evidently, they use the same supplier for the system.

 

[19 G70 3.3T]

I'll give that a try, thank you. It's just strange because in one traffic stop it'll go from green on the left to red in the middle then yellow on the right, all without moving.

 

[joegr]

I'll give that a try, thank you. It's just strange because in one traffic stop it'll go from green on the left to red in the middle then yellow on the right, all without moving.

It's because of the random timing of the pulses from the other cars. Each parking sensor sends out an ultrasonic pulse and listens for the reflection back. Pulses from the other cars sensors look just like a reflection if they come in during the window that your own sensor is listening for it's reflection back.

 

[19 G70 3.3T]

It's because of the random timing of the pulses from the other cars. Each parking sensor sends out an ultrasonic pulse and listens for the reflection back. Pulses from the other cars sensors look just like a reflection if they come in during the window that your own sensor is listening for it's reflection back.

That does make sense. Thank you for the clarification!

 

[MrMegadeth]

You'll also get reflections on cold mornings when you can see the cars' exhaust clouds or on foggy days.