faulty front parking sensors

[vegas602]

I have an 07 s type diesel SE, which I bought secondhand. It has front and rear parking sensors fitted. Since I have had the car, the rear sensors, which are Jaguar items, have worked faultlessly, whereas the front sensors have never worked. I am not sure if the front sensors are factory fitted originals as, unlike a friend who has a slightly older s type, I can find no trace of a switch inside the car to turn them off. With that in mind (and my lack of electrical knowledge, I took the car into a local trustworthy garage.
They have been unable to trace the fault location. The rear sensors are working fine and it appears that the front sensors share the same control box, but absolutely no signal is being detected at the front sensors or the box. They can find no trace of a broken wire and have said it may be that one of the sensors has failed, which has disabled the whole front? On a lot of parking sensors, they can be heard 'clicking' if listened to carefully, but they cannot hear a thing. The garage do not have full main dealer diagnostics, so any help would be much appreciated please. Phil

[raysearles]

You may need to get them checked out at a local dealer - to see what the fault is, but from your description it sounds like at least one sensor has gone, not uncommon on an S Type of that age.

From a dealer expect to pay around £160 plus VAT, and another £100 if you are made enough to let them paint it; alternatively contact Eurojag and they will sell you a working recovered sensor for about £20 ... you would need to have them diagnosed by the dealer or an independent with the right diagnostic equipment to know which one has failed; depending on where you are there is probably a good one nearby

[Montana5]

As far as I'm aware there is a switch in the overhead console that allows them to be switched off, if you have a handbook you could check in there, perhaps the front have been disabled due to a problem or just because they annoyed the previous owner in certain parking conditions. Other things to check for are blistered paint on the sensor, or dirt trapped in between the gap around the inner ring of the sensor.
Sensors can be bought on e-bay for about £20.00, might be a case of trying a new sensor in each position until the faulty one is found.

Doug.

[vegas602]

Thanks Guys. There is no switch where you would normally find it (ie on the overhead console) which is why I assumed the front parking sensors are retrofitted. However, the wiring from them seems to go into the Jaguar control box that the OE rear sensors are plugged into, so a little confusing.

[Blueborin]

I had a similar problem with my 2007 2.7 diesel automatic. The front parking sensors were factory fitted (switch on inside roof console). A warning buzzer sounded when I reversed indicating a fault (jag handbook). It turned out that one of the front bumper sensors was faulty (not clicking when ignition is switched on).
It happened when they got really wet on a long motorway journey. After about a week it cleared and I was told that it was probably due to the wet/damp conditions etc. etc. Its not happened since, although I do make sure all grit etc. is washed regularly around the unit. I also sprayed it with WD 40!!

[jeff1954]

Hi vegas602
Are you shure that you have got front parking sensors and not looking at the headlamp washing mechanism that is situated in the front bumper
It seems strange that you don't have the on/off swich on the overhead console.

Jeff

[vegas602]

Ahh, further digging around revealed a separate box in the footwell, tucked well up out of the way! And whilst upside down in the footwell, spotted a very well hidden discreet switch inside the small ' loose change' cubby hole under and to the right of the steering wheel. Aftermarket kit on the front after all (STILL DONT WORK THOUGH). Thanks for your help chaps