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Front parking sensor malfunctioning

17K views 30 replies 13 participants last post by  Scooter1011 
#1 ·
On low speeds the front parking sensor sometimes malfunctioning. It can happen when some cars are crossing intersection while I am waiting on red. The cars can be from 5 to about 15 meters in front.
It can happen when I am slowly driving in a busy street.
I noticed that it happens more often when it is rainy or the next few days after rain.

Any suggestion how to fix it without taking it to dealership? I hate taking the car to dealership. Once something repaired in dealership it sometimes assembled improperly and/or other issues can be expected. Just my experience.
 
#2 ·
When you way malfunctioning, what is it doing? Is it beeping when nothing is there or not beeping when something is there. More often then not, dealerships fix it right, at least here in the states (I dont' know aobtu Canada). You can try to diagnose it yourself by replacing sensors at your cost and sweat equity, or take it in to get et it covered by the manufacturer's bumper to bumper warranty.
 
#3 · (Edited)
It is when something is there but too far to consider it a parking warning.
It doesn't bother me that much. And when it does I switch off park assist - one click :)
I will take it to dealer a few months before the warranty expire with all other small problems. Just wanted to hear if these are common problems and outcomes.

Thanks for replying!
 
#6 ·
I am talking about Front Parking Assist (FPA). It is On by default. LLninja, I feel you get upset with my posts. I am asking you not to reply. I am sure there are other members who I can have conversation with.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I am talking about Front Parking Assist (FPA). It is On by default. LLninja, I feel you get upset with my posts. I am asking you not to reply. I am sure there are other members who I can have conversation with.
one4thegipper, that is great! Were these camera related recalls for software or hardware? If you have codes for these recalls, please post.
OlegE, FPA only uses the ultrasonic sensors in the bumper (?) Does anyone know if this is correct?
 
#7 ·
OlegE, I am curious if you find anything causing this. I got my 2017 Volt 3 weeks ago and for the first week I had the same problem you had. The sensor would be set off by crossing traffic at red lights and traffic bumps in parking lots. It was irritating enough that I started turning off the FPA when it would happen (which I would rather leave on). It would only happen at slow speeds or when stopped. For some reason it stopped doing it after the first week. The only changes I know of are (1) I washed the car and (2) I put a vanity plate on the front license plate holder.
 
#11 ·
I see. You washed your car. I have this issue after/during rain or in a humid weather. It could be that some moisture accumulates between the sensor and sensor cover.
 
#17 ·
UPDATE: My car has spent this past week in the shop. I brought it in for a CEL (strange because I haven't used gas in 3 weeks) and asked them to check the sensors. Not only had the FPA stopped alerting but the self-parking feature was not working. Don't know what the technician did to fix that because I haven't gotten the car back yet but he did find a problem.

As for the CEL that got me to bring the car in, a hose in the emissions system has to be replaced. It's a 3 day job on top of the 4 days it took to get the hose shipped to the dealer. Seems a frame has to be dropped, as well as the main battery and the fuel tank. The sole Volt tech at the dealership doesn't want to start that big a project on a Friday. Hope to have the car back Thursday next week.
 
#18 ·
UPDATE: My car has spent this past week in the shop. I brought it in for a CEL (strange because I haven't used gas in 3 weeks) and asked them to check the sensors. Not only had the FPA stopped alerting but the self-parking feature was not working. Don't know what the technician did to fix that because I haven't gotten the car back yet but he did find a problem.

As for the CEL that got me to bring the car in, a hose in the emissions system has to be replaced. It's a 3 day job on top of the 4 days it took to get the hose shipped to the dealer. Seems a frame has to be dropped, as well as the main battery and the fuel tank. The sole Volt tech at the dealership doesn't want to start that big a project on a Friday. Hope to have the car back Thursday next week.
Thank you for the update, Bryan! Let us know when you get your car back.
 
#8 ·
I had my 2016 in for service (engine light) last week, and there were three recalls - two of which were related to the front camera. I told the service guy that my front alert had been going off randomly at stops, and he said that the recall should take care of it. I haven't had any issues since, so it appears he was correct.
 
#12 ·
one4thegipper, that is great! Were these camera related recalls for software or hardware? If you have codes for these recalls, please post.
 
#9 · (Edited)
The many named systems can be confusing, APA is the automatic park assist (2017 manual, page 206).

This thread is about RPA and FPA, related to the bars that show up in the display to show how close some objects are to the ultrasonic sensors in the bumpers.

RPA and FPA are also different from the Forward Collision Alert (FCA) (which indicates by the 6 red LEDs in the dash)

(2017 manual, page 208) Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System

When approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield and rapidly
beeps. FCA also lights an amber
visual alert if following another
vehicle much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 8 km/h (5 mph).
 
#10 ·
Some intersections might have traffic and/or pedestrians close enough to indicate on FPA (front parking assist, 2017, page 204).

For RPA and FPA (this thread) (from 2017 manual, page 205): Parking Assist

With RPA, and if equipped with FPA,
as the vehicle moves at speeds of
less than 8 km/h (5 mph) the
sensors on the bumpers may detect
objects up to 1.8m (6 ft) behind the
vehicle and 1.2m (4 ft) in front of the
vehicle within a zone 25 cm (10 in)
high off the ground and below
bumper level. These detection
distances may be shorter during
warmer or humid weather. Blocked
sensors will not detect objects and
can also cause false detections.
Keep the sensors clean of mud, dirt,
snow, ice, and slush; and clean
sensors after a car wash in freezing
temperatures.
 
#16 ·
That could be, that the update addresses all sensors. Or, maybe some of the false beeping really is FCA related, at least if it happened while the car was moving. While very bright at night, sometimes the six red LEDs in the dash are not so visible in direct sunlight.

I forgot to mention, I once got a rear parking "red!" indication when all could find moving was traffic out on a street, tens of feet from the rear of the car. I have no idea how the ultrasonic sensors could "see" that far.

Anyway (short of somethings that can be fixed by updates or hardware repairs, or cleaning sensor surfaces), as others have said, I suppose a false alarm once in a while is better than a missed alert.
 
#21 ·
Hi OlegE, did you ever find a resolution for this? I have had my car for about a month, and it is doing this as well. It started doing this after driving through a torrential downpour, and is now intermittent. Have you done the software updates talked about later in this thread?
 
#25 ·
Do you have a front license plate frame on your car? My sensor kept going off because of my frame around my license plate. After I removed it the sensor was fine. Just my experience.
 
#26 ·
I had one of Volts serviced Monday 7/31/17 because of the oil life and they performed the following campaign/recalls:

17197 Service Update - Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL/Check Engine Lamp) Illuminated with DTC P0442 set
2016-17 Volt(parts ordered to be installed);

17058 - Post 02 sensor (Power inverter module reprogramming);

39570 Front Camera freeze (program front camera module).

After I got the car back the front camera (KLA) was inoperable and I found the solution here on this forum: turn off the cruise control. When it is turned back on stuff resets. The check engine light was on for a few minutes while I went to the market. When I restarted the car to come home, it was off. The Lane change assist LEDs on the rear view mirrors didn't work at first either. Stuff just had to be reset.

Now the Volt is back.

The other Volt is going in for the free oil change, rotation and needed campaigns. my service adviser said that the computer system will trigger the appropriate campaigns and recalls by virtue of the vin number.

My service adviser said they hadn't done this stuff before, she should know, she has been there for 21 years, so I informed her what I had learned. She said it will help the next customer.
 
#28 ·
I think that is what I am experiencing. There is no frame around the plate, but it is only held on by 2 bolts on top, and the bottom hangs out a bit. I played around with it the other day, and the issue hasn't come back, so fingers crossed this solves it. I have vanity plates on order, and when those come in I am going to attach with 4 bolts.
 
#29 ·
I have the opposite condition. The front park sensors don't react soon enough. I pull up to the closed garage door at 1-2mph, and stop, THEN the sensors pop up saying I'm close to an object.

My car has been at the dealership for the last 3 weeks for a multitude of issues, and this is just one. They're ready to give me the car back and are telling me it operates normally. These sensors are supposed to work up to 5mph ... if I were going 5mph and relying on the ultrasonic sensor to tell me my distance to an object, I would have crashed through it because they're so slow!

Are there any TSB's, etc, related to this? I'm not finding any.
 
#30 ·
if equipped with FPA, as the vehicle moves at speeds of less than 8 km/h (5 mph) the sensors on the bumpers may detect objects up to 1.8 m (6 ft) behind the vehicle and 1.2 m (4 ft) in front of the vehicle within a zone 25 cm (10 in) high off the ground and below bumper level. These detection distances may be shorter in warmer or humid weather. (Whatever that means...:)) Blocked sensors will not detect objects and can also cause false detections.

Pg 205 of the 2017 Owners manual
https://cdn.dealereprocess.net/cdn/servicemanuals/chevrolet/2017-volt.pdf
 
#31 ·
I pull up to a solid concrete wall or my garage door, going 0-1mph according to my speedometer. I am an inch away, THEN the sensors go off full red (no yellow or orange). Car is clean, nothing blocking it. Happens in all temperature and humidity ranges in metro Detroit, Michigan.
 
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