Reverse parking sensors

For the sake of argument, say that I wanted to install aftermarket reverse
parking sensors to an entry level new 3 or 5 series model. How would it be
wired?
A 'normal' car would be easy. Just scotchlock a cable into the reverse light
feed and fix the other cable to an earth. It's not that simple for a BMW is
it? So how do you do it?

Answers on a postcard please, here to alt.autos.bmw. That is, if anyone
knows :-)

Huw

You could just look in the morrors.

I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal from the
back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the load is of the
stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that fired when you shift
into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up lights), and the relay
then supplies the voltage and current you need.

Then again, you could just look in the mirrors.

If you wanted to install an aftermarket backup sensor on a Ford F350 or
equivelent from anybody else, then it would make sense because there is lots
of real estate behind those things that can'b bee found in the mirrors. But,
in your hypothetical 3 or 5 Series, it makes no sense at all to me. Even if
you could (and there is no reason that you couldn't) hook the system up, you
would have to screw up the bumper to mount the sensors. I would just look in
my mirrors.




"Huw" > wrote in message
...
> For the sake of argument, say that I wanted to install aftermarket reverse
> parking sensors to an entry level new 3 or 5 series model. How would it be
> wired?
> A 'normal' car would be easy. Just scotchlock a cable into the reverse
light
> feed and fix the other cable to an earth. It's not that simple for a BMW
is
> it? So how do you do it?
>
> Answers on a postcard please, here to alt.autos.bmw. That is, if anyone
> knows :-)
>
> Huw
>
>

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
> You could just look in the morrors.

What are they? ;-)

>
> I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal from
> the
> back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the load is of the
> stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that fired when you shift
> into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up lights), and the relay
> then supplies the voltage and current you need.

I don't know what the issue is but it may be some fancy wiring circuit that
is roumoured to be installed in these modern cars. My installer has had some
issues which has caused a delay in delivery.



>
> Then again, you could just look in the mirrors.
>
> If you wanted to install an aftermarket backup sensor on a Ford F350 or
> equivelent from anybody else, then it would make sense because there is
> lots
> of real estate behind those things that can'b bee found in the mirrors.
> But,
> in your hypothetical 3 or 5 Series, it makes no sense at all to me.

My hypothetical BMW is in fact a very real Range Rover which share most of
its systems with the X5.
I suspect you are American and paralell parking bays built for Toyota
Corolla's and mostly occupied by SUV's is not a particular problem where you
are.





Even if
> you could (and there is no reason that you couldn't) hook the system up,
> you
> would have to screw up the bumper to mount the sensors. I would just look
> in
> my mirrors.
>

The four sensors are now flush mounted and colour coded, so look like the
factory installed items. The problem seemed to be that they would still take
a live current from the reverse light live feed even when the vehicle was in
a forward gear. This meant that the sensors were permanently active, which
is not acceptable. In any ordinary vehicle, this would not be the case, so
there must be something fundamentally different in BMW and Range Rover
circuitry.

Huw

Prick!

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
> You could just look in the morrors.
>
> I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal from
> the
> back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the load is of the
> stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that fired when you shift
> into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up lights), and the relay
> then supplies the voltage and current you need.
>
> Then again, you could just look in the mirrors.
>
> If you wanted to install an aftermarket backup sensor on a Ford F350 or
> equivelent from anybody else, then it would make sense because there is
> lots
> of real estate behind those things that can'b bee found in the mirrors.
> But,
> in your hypothetical 3 or 5 Series, it makes no sense at all to me. Even
> if
> you could (and there is no reason that you couldn't) hook the system up,
> you
> would have to screw up the bumper to mount the sensors. I would just look
> in
> my mirrors.
>
>
>
>
> "Huw" > wrote in message
> ...
>> For the sake of argument, say that I wanted to install aftermarket
>> reverse
>> parking sensors to an entry level new 3 or 5 series model. How would it
>> be
>> wired?
>> A 'normal' car would be easy. Just scotchlock a cable into the reverse
> light
>> feed and fix the other cable to an earth. It's not that simple for a BMW
> is
>> it? So how do you do it?
>>
>> Answers on a postcard please, here to alt.autos.bmw. That is, if anyone
>> knows :-)
>>
>> Huw
>>
>>
>
>

In article >,
Huw > wrote:
> > I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal
> > from the back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the
> > load is of the stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that
> > fired when you shift into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up
> > lights), and the relay then supplies the voltage and current you need.

> I don't know what the issue is but it may be some fancy wiring circuit
> that is roumoured to be installed in these modern cars. My installer
> has had some issues which has caused a delay in delivery.

It might interfere with the bulb failure warning unit. If so, use a
transistor driven relay to switch another power source to the device. That
will take as near as dammit no current from the reverse light circuit.
The aftermarket one I have on my 'other' car takes very little current, so
something like a 2 amp relay will do.

If this sounds complicated, it's not. Contact me off list and I'll sort
out the part numbers from the likes of Maplin and draw you out a diagram.

Apologies if you are already familiar with this sort of thing.

--
*When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article >,
Jeff Strickland > wrote:
> You could just look in the morrors.

You've not got PDC, then? I didn't see the need for it until this car came
equipped with it. Now my other car is so fitted too...

> I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal from
> the back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the load is
> of the stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that fired when
> you shift into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up lights), and
> the relay then supplies the voltage and current you need.

Knowing the sensitivity of the BMW bulb failure device, I'd be inclined to
use a transistor to drive the relay. That will present near zero load to
the circuit.

> Then again, you could just look in the mirrors.

Think your needle has stuck.

> If you wanted to install an aftermarket backup sensor on a Ford F350 or
> equivelent from anybody else, then it would make sense because there is
> lots of real estate behind those things that can'b bee found in the
> mirrors. But, in your hypothetical 3 or 5 Series, it makes no sense at
> all to me. Even if you could (and there is no reason that you couldn't)
> hook the system up, you would have to screw up the bumper to mount the
> sensors. I would just look in my mirrors.

How easy a vehicle is to judge when reversing has little to do with its
size. It's more to do with having a reference close to the back and in
your view. Many cars just don't have this.

--
*Remember not to forget that which you do not need to know.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> Huw > wrote:
>> > I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal
>> > from the back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the
>> > load is of the stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that
>> > fired when you shift into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up
>> > lights), and the relay then supplies the voltage and current you need.
>
>> I don't know what the issue is but it may be some fancy wiring circuit
>> that is roumoured to be installed in these modern cars. My installer
>> has had some issues which has caused a delay in delivery.
>
> It might interfere with the bulb failure warning unit. If so, use a
> transistor driven relay to switch another power source to the device. That
> will take as near as dammit no current from the reverse light circuit.
> The aftermarket one I have on my 'other' car takes very little current, so
> something like a 2 amp relay will do.
>
> If this sounds complicated, it's not. Contact me off list and I'll sort
> out the part numbers from the likes of Maplin and draw you out a diagram.
>
> Apologies if you are already familiar with this sort of thing.
>

Thanks and no, I'm not familiar with this sort of thing and, apparently,
neither are the main agents [surprise surprise].

I'll know more tomorrow, as it seems that they have sorted it with some
official technical assistance.

Huw

In article >,
Huw > wrote:
> Thanks and no, I'm not familiar with this sort of thing and, apparently,
> neither are the main agents [surprise surprise].

Of course not. If it can't be done by plugging in a new part from stores,
it can't be done.

> I'll know more tomorrow, as it seems that they have sorted it with some
> official technical assistance.

I'd assume the genuine BMW unit will already use some form of sensing off
the reverse light circuit rather than direct connection. So saying, I only
think the bulb warning covers the reversing lights - I've not had one blow.

The unit I fitted to the Rover was a Magic Watch, and it's been fine.
There is certainly room inside the controller for a suitable relay. Its
bleeper is also rather louder than the BMW factory one, which I find
rather too quiet if the stereo's on loud. It's also got LEDs which tell
which sensor is 'working' - but that's of little use in practice.

--
*Learn from your parents' mistakes - use birth control

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

That helps people alot. Thanks for chiming in. And, don't forget to use
those mirrors.



"Oldun" > wrote in message
...
> Prick!
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
>> You could just look in the morrors.
>>
>> I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal from
>> the
>> back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the load is of
>> the
>> stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that fired when you
>> shift
>> into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up lights), and the relay
>> then supplies the voltage and current you need.
>>
>> Then again, you could just look in the mirrors.
>>
>> If you wanted to install an aftermarket backup sensor on a Ford F350 or
>> equivelent from anybody else, then it would make sense because there is
>> lots
>> of real estate behind those things that can'b bee found in the mirrors.
>> But,
>> in your hypothetical 3 or 5 Series, it makes no sense at all to me. Even
>> if
>> you could (and there is no reason that you couldn't) hook the system up,
>> you
>> would have to screw up the bumper to mount the sensors. I would just look
>> in
>> my mirrors.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Huw" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> For the sake of argument, say that I wanted to install aftermarket
>>> reverse
>>> parking sensors to an entry level new 3 or 5 series model. How would it
>>> be
>>> wired?
>>> A 'normal' car would be easy. Just scotchlock a cable into the reverse
>> light
>>> feed and fix the other cable to an earth. It's not that simple for a BMW
>> is
>>> it? So how do you do it?
>>>
>>> Answers on a postcard please, here to alt.autos.bmw. That is, if anyone
>>> knows :-)
>>>
>>> Huw
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Reverse parking sensors are an aid to manoeuvring in confined spaces. They
indicate how close the car is to an object which may be out of sight to your
mirrors.

A small child has run behind you car and is bending down to retrieve its
ball. The child is out of range of you mirrors and you do not know it's
there. The sensors would alert you to the danger and possibly save a life.
Fathers have run over their child in exactly those circumstances.

Still think they are a load of balls?

Oldun.
"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
> That helps people alot. Thanks for chiming in. And, don't forget to use
> those mirrors.
>
>
>
> "Oldun" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Prick!
>>
>> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> You could just look in the morrors.
>>>
>>> I don't understand what the issues are. You pick up the hot signal from
>>> the
>>> back up lights. Not difficult at all. I don't know what the load is of
>>> the
>>> stuff you want to add, so I would put in a relay that fired when you
>>> shift
>>> into Reverse (the relay is powered by the back up lights), and the relay
>>> then supplies the voltage and current you need.
>>>
>>> Then again, you could just look in the mirrors.
>>>
>>> If you wanted to install an aftermarket backup sensor on a Ford F350 or
>>> equivelent from anybody else, then it would make sense because there is
>>> lots
>>> of real estate behind those things that can'b bee found in the mirrors.
>>> But,
>>> in your hypothetical 3 or 5 Series, it makes no sense at all to me. Even
>>> if
>>> you could (and there is no reason that you couldn't) hook the system up,
>>> you
>>> would have to screw up the bumper to mount the sensors. I would just
>>> look in
>>> my mirrors.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Huw" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> For the sake of argument, say that I wanted to install aftermarket
>>>> reverse
>>>> parking sensors to an entry level new 3 or 5 series model. How would it
>>>> be
>>>> wired?
>>>> A 'normal' car would be easy. Just scotchlock a cable into the reverse
>>> light
>>>> feed and fix the other cable to an earth. It's not that simple for a
>>>> BMW
>>> is
>>>> it? So how do you do it?
>>>>
>>>> Answers on a postcard please, here to alt.autos.bmw. That is, if anyone
>>>> knows :-)
>>>>
>>>> Huw
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>