Rear parking sensors and towbars

[Simon_374553792]

Hi has anyone got experience of towbars and rear parking sensors? We have been recommended a detachable towbar has anyone any views or comments on these?

 

[busman1]

simon

I have had numerous cars with both fixed nd detatchable tow balls and reversing sensors. the sensors can be set so they do not sense the tow ball. One clever? car sales man asked if it was not annoying to have the bleeper going all the time when the caravan was attached my reply was that I usually travelled in forward gears and only reversed occasionally

 

[ed1]

hello simon

we have a detachable on a discovery 3 and rear parking sensors, its never been a problem, and we dont detach the tow bar either, so in my opinion, its not an issue,

 

[JohnnyV]

This will sound silly but it all depends where the sensors are in comparison to the ball - if you have a 4 x 4 the odds are the sensors are higher up and probably wouldn't be affected (mine aren't) but if you have a saloon they are probably at the same level ???

 

[Glenn_5132962]

All depends on the car. I have a detachable on my X-type & if I leave it on the sensors detect it. However its no problem towing the van as the Jag towing electrics disable the sensors when a trailer is attached.

 

[BillD.]

Assmuming your rear sensors are original spec (can't speak for a diy add on) the towbar wiring should disconnect sensors once you are plugged in to your van.

Bill D.

 

[Robert_374373903]

We have SKODA Elegance and the reversing sensor drives us potty, I have tried severalm ways but to no avail. Wish i had gone for the detachable bracket.

 

[Chris_374550766]

I'd fit the detachable. With a fixed bar, if you are lucky and the sensors don't pick up on it you'd need to remember that the bar is there when reversing as the effective length of your car is increased. I'm having a detachable towbar fitted to my car this week. Costing a lot more but think its worth it overall.

 

[Dave_374330759]

The S-Max parking sensors react to a fixed towbar, you can turn them off but it does sort of defeat the object of having them

 

[Dave_374330759]

I've got an S-max with a detachable ball and it doesn't detect the ball when it's left on. I reckon the problem is with the bolt on type which is very bulky - you might be ok with a swan-neck type

 

[Garfield]

Which moron in the design dept of motor manufacturers decided that parking sensors come on automatically when first / reverse gears are selected!!!, the front and rear sensors on our S-max dont react to the fixed swan neck towbar but they react to everything else, long grass, speed humps etc etc, 99.99% of the time that they come on I do not actually want or need them, I'm sick of having to hit the off (which is actually marked on) button every time I select 1st or reverse. it would be a wonderful improvement if that button on the dash turned the sensors on ONLY when they are wanted.

 

[Mikey1]

Sensors will only detect something in the way be it grass speed hump or wall,i remember a guy in the garage complaining about a small garden wall he hit ,it was too low for the sensors to pick up cant have it all ways?

 

[DerekBrad]

When I bought my CRV (06) it was recommended that I have a detachable swan neck hitch as the car was fitted with reverse4 sensors. The sensors do not pick up the towball when in situ.

 

[SBS]

We had an '07 CRV and you switch the sensors off.

Mike

 

[bazzywum]

We have a kia sedona fitted with reverse sensors. We had a tow bar fitted by the dealer, and when we get the car home I fitted the ALKO tow ball. The sensors picked up on the tow ball. We returned to the dealer to discuss the problem. We found that a normal tow ball did not activate the reverse sensors, but the ALKO tow ball (which is slightly longer) did. They are very sensative. I said shoud I have a detchable tow bar fitted that would have cost a lot more money. They said no, and fitted two wedge shaped washers (they are a proper fitment) to the two centre sensors (

 

[Rob_5130652]

Hello there,

The sensors on our Ssangyong Rodius ignore the fixed towbar that we have fitted, but they are so pessimistic that they tell you you are about to hit an object when you are at least 8 inches from it, which means we do not have to worry about the towbar sticking out and it hitting anything.

Apparently, when the tow hitch was fitted the fitter put the car in reverse and the sensors beeped for 10 seconds or so, then after that they "know" it is there and compensate, I don't know if this is true but I tested it by standing right behind the car and towbar with the car in reverse and it beeped at me, so it still works....and they also pick up the caravan when it is attached....

Rob