Towing and Parking Sensors

[Kevin]

Good morning all

Does any one tow a trailer or caravan with factory fit parking sensors?

Everytime I hitch up the trailer or caravan, the park assist will turn off. I know this should happen if you have the proper wiring and programmed in to the car, but being a mean scotty, I just have normal cheap electrics fitted.

Does anyone elses do this? And if so, how does it know your towing?? Kinda weird how it knows. The minute I remove the trailer, all is back to normal!

Cheers

[Rusty2009]

Not sure mate as I only have the parking senors (Not park assist).

Is it a factory fitted towbar?

I can look on TIS to see what it says about the system and how it works.

[Kevin]

When I say park assist, just mean normal factory front and rear sensors. I'm glad they do switch off, just don't know why.

Do yours switch off?

[Rusty2009]

I've towed anything yet only got the towbar fitted to protect my end I'll check TIS and see what it says.

[Rusty2009]

PARK ASSIST OFF


The PARK ASSIST OFF message is displayed in the driver information centre when the parking assist system is disabled due to conditions that disable or inhibit the system. The parking assist control module requests the driver information centre display PARK ASSIST OFF when it detects one of the following conditions:


• The parking assist system is manually disabled using the parking assist switch.


• An object is attached to the rear of the vehicle, such as a trailer, bicycle rack, trailer hitch receiver, or tow bar. Also, an object extending beyond a lowered tailgate will disable the system.


• The parking assist sensors are covered by snow, mud, dirt, slush, or ice.


• The vehicle bumper is damaged.


• Excessive paint thickness on a replacement parking assist sensor.


• The parking assist sensors are disrupted by vibrations, like those caused by a large nearby vehicle or from heavy equipment such as a jackhammer.

[Kevin]

Interesting, amazing how it knows it has something attached. If I have the tow ball on, it works fine, trailer or caravan, it disables itself.

Even if i keep towball on, then reverse upto the trailer or caravan it wont disable, only when its coupled up.

My car has magic powers!

[Rusty2009]

Must once it's plugged into the system I know when I had my aftermarket tow bar fitted I had two options one that taps into the lights or when that hooks into the system and would tell me if I had a bulb out (on what I was towing).