Rear Parking Sensor warning beep

[amit87]

Hi there, I am a new Audi fan after having owned BMW's and Merc's so please be nice...

Anyways I just recently got a 2005 (55 plate) Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI DSG,

The previous owner had a tow bar fitted (I am assuming from factory as the kit is int he boot beneath the carpet) but is currently removed.

I assume that they disconnected the rear parking sensors if they were towing, however when I looked, all the cables into the parking sensors are pluged in. I also get an initial long beep when I select reverse (From reading forums I beleive this is the warning tone).

I dont have a VAG-COM but before I source one, is there any initial things I can check such as a fuse (which number?!) or settings on the RNS-E (how?) etc.

Before someone says do a search, I have done many but none have really answered my questions so hoping you guys cna help a newbie.

thanks

 

[jb0o]

Need to get it on VCDS. More than likely a break in the wiring or a faulty sensor which VCDS will be able to pin-point.

 

[amit87]

VCDS a VAG-COM?! Sorry I am new to these terms, I have seen you can get some sort of kit for around £15 on ebay, I am assuming they come with standard software for a laptop. Would this be ok?

Thanks for the reply btw.

Need to get it on VCDS. More than likely a break in the wiring or a faulty sensor which VCDS will be able to pin-point.

 

[Pops848]

The cables on eBay don't come with full vcds, only vcds lite which is freeware.

It will scan the car for faults but it is very limited. Good for the low end user who doesn't need much from vcds but the full version will be needed for all tasks.
**edit**

Forgot to say, the cable is NOT genuine and offers no support from Ross tech and may not communicate with the car.
Mine works fine, but I will be upgrading to full vcds as future mods require the full coding

 

[Jay.Ing]

I may be wrong here but i thought that when the trailer electrics are plugged in the Control module knows it has a trailer and mutes the parking sensors. Im sure ive read that somewhere! Or it may just be wishfull thinking!!!!

 

[amit87]

Thanks, do you know howmuch a genuine kit is for full analysis? I will have a search around anyways. Thanks for your reply.

The cables on eBay don't come with full vcds, only vcds lite which is freeware.

It will scan the car for faults but it is very limited. Good for the low end user who doesn't need much from vcds but the full version will be needed for all tasks.
**edit**

Forgot to say, the cable is NOT genuine and offers no support from Ross tech and may not communicate with the car.
Mine works fine, but I will be upgrading to full vcds as future mods require the full coding

 

[amit87]

I was thinking this, but then why would there be a warning horn?! I am assuming that the trailer electronics are just under the car at the rear so I will have to have a proper look and see if its something I can solve on the "free" before I throw money at it. Thanks

I may be wrong here but i thought that when the trailer electrics are plugged in the Control module knows it has a trailer and mutes the parking sensors. Im sure ive read that somewhere! Or it may just be wishfull thinking!!!!

 

[fangio]

Don't the sensors work? You won't hear that beep if there's a malfunction. You haven't actually said they don't work!

Have you tried backing up to a wall?

 

[amit87]

I have tried backing upto a car to within a a few millimeters and throughout there was no beep. There was only an initial long beep where reverse is engaged and I have read that this is typical if there is a malfunction in the system. The sensors could actually be 100% working but there may be a malfunction in the way, possibly a fuse missing? or been disconnected somewhere? of the system automatically disconnected it if there is a tow bar connection present? Thats what I am trying to get to the bottom of.

Thanks for the reply

Don't the sensors work? You won't hear that beep if there's a malfunction. You haven't actually said they don't work!

Have you tried backing up to a wall?

 

[fangio]

No, the beep when you select reverse means the system has no faults - no beep, faulty system. If there was no beep, you wouldn't know it wasn't working until you crashed!
Now, I don't know if the system is clever enough to detect if the speaker part has been disconnected or not, but maybe that's what's wrong?

I'm sure someone will come along and correct me!

 

[amit87]

Ahhh thanks for clearing that up but would not the initial beep come from the speaker itself? I will have to look under the car, and follow wires to see if it is all connected. does anyone have a wiring diagram or can provide a brief explanation to how the system is connected?

Thanks

No, the beep when you select reverse means the system has no faults - no beep, faulty system. If there was no beep, you wouldn't know it wasn't working until you crashed!
Now, I don't know if the system is clever enough to detect if the speaker part has been disconnected or not, but maybe that's what's wrong?

I'm sure someone will come along and correct me!

 

[fangio]

Yes, the beep comes from the speaker, but will be from a different circuit. I'm surprised it gives the beep if there is an open circuit on the sensors.
jb0o knows more than I do!

 

[amit87]

Ok thanks, I will take jb0o's advice and get the code scanned. Thanks

Yes, the beep comes from the speaker, but will be from a different circuit. I'm surprised it gives the beep if there is an open circuit on the sensors.
jb0o knows more than I do!

 

[Jambo26]

1 continous bleep when 1st engage reveres means system fault. then it wont do it untill system is completly switched offf via key out ect. it should only beep for like 1sec the go off it system is good. beeps for like 5-10secs system fault.

hope this clears anything up

 

[fangio]

From the handbook:-

If a warning signal sounds for a few seconds after switching on the ignition, there is a fault in the system. The long beep is given just once to indicate the fault. If you try to activate the parking aid again, the system will not respond. This also applies if you switch the ignition off and then on again: the long beep will only sound the first time you try activating the parking aid. Have the fault rectified.

If there is a fault in the system there will be no confirming beep when you engage reverse gear.

 

[Chris93]

Top tip, put the car in reverse with handbrake on if its auto or get someone to sit in with the clutch in and car in reverse, go and put your ear up to each parking sensor and there will more than likely be one that isnt making a ticking sound and this will be the faulty one that needs replacing and painting, i had this same problem with my a3

Chris

 

[NHN]

I may be wrong here but i thought that when the trailer electrics are plugged in the Control module knows it has a trailer and mutes the parking sensors. Im sure ive read that somewhere! Or it may just be wishfull thinking!!!!

Yes this is correct, if its an oem system & it has been coded correctly so when the 7/13 pin connector is plugged into a trailer or rear light assembly of a bike holder, it automatically sends can signal too disable rear pdc.

Thanks, do you know howmuch a genuine kit is for full analysis? I will have a search around anyways. Thanks for your reply.

£250 for genuine kit, invaluable for the modder which I'm sure many will confirm.

A short beep on reverse confirm system is enabled & working, a long beep which is fairly obvious is system faulty, best option is a vcds scan to see which is faulty, probably sensor, but also check all 4 are plugged in or no water in connector as this happens often.

 

[amit87]

Thanks guys for all the replies, I managed to get the codes scanned by a garage for a 10ner which was good, but the guy said he would email me all the codes that came up on his VAG-COM but appears to have forgot, I will have to chase him up..

Anyways I briefly remember the code descriptions but not codes. On his system under "parking Aid" there was two errors,

1) this was the sensors itself, it didnt pin point 1, said something about voltage or something like that but suggested it refered to all

2) this was focused on the towing features of the car. I cant remember specifics but was something along them lines.

Whilst I chase the guy up, any further suggestions?

I will definitely see if I can hear clicking sounds to it later.

Thanks for all the replies.

PS just remembered, it is definitely a warning as it sounds for like 4-5seconds when I select reverse for the first time the car has been switched on.

 

[NHN]

Get the log then we can talk further

 

[amit87]

Ok FINALLY I have the log... they guy forgot to email me them but I rang today and I have them, hope its an easy fix ... but here they are:

00532 - Supply Voltage B+ Lower Limit Reached Intermittent

01517 - Control Module for Trailer/Towing Sensor (J345) No Signal/No Communication

The 2nd code makes sense as the towing has been removed but I do not understand the 1st one.

So just to print the picture:
The car before I brought it had the tow attached but removed before selling and it appears to be OEM as in the boot well, there is the tow kit. However the towing has been removed and when I looked under the car there is nothing plugged into what appears to be the socket for the trailer. Also the sensors are all plugged in from visual inspection. I checked fuse no.7 and looks fine (did not test, just looked at it) and I get that 5seconds warning beep when I engage reverse.

Hope someone can help . Thanks

 

[NHN]

You probably need to decode the towing interface on the bus & pdc, as I suspect pdc is looking for towing interface, not seeing it & thus faulting.

 

[amit87]

Thanks for the reply. I am a novice with audi's, can you tell me how? Is it possible without VAG-COM? If not, what do I do with VAG-COM? My mates garage has got one of them Universal "SNAP ON" machines that he reads codes on, can he do it on there? What should he do? (I know he is a mechanic but just so I can make sure he has done the right thing, thanks)

You probably need to decode the towing interface on the bus & pdc, as I suspect pdc is looking for towing interface, not seeing it & thus faulting.

 

[amit87]

Would audi do this for free? My mate would charge me £20 so seems expensive just to change a line of code?!

 

[NHN]

With respect, audi will charge as its not there fault you are in this situation, if your mate will do for £20 then bite his arm of if the device will allow coding, but be warned, I'm only advising on what you tell me, so the coding change may not fix it, but atm it stands to reason this is the problem.

 

[amit87]

I guess I would just bite the bullet, Might try go when his boss isnt about. are you able to give me details on the coding change? (Sorry to be a pain, you advice is MUCH appriciated!)

With respect, audi will charge as its not there fault you are in this situation, if your mate will do for £20 then bite his arm of if the device will allow coding, but be warned, I'm only advising on what you tell me, so the coding change may not fix it, but atm it stands to reason this is the problem.

 

[amit87]

Not sure if it matters, But I have RNS-E installed

 

[NHN]

I dont use the snap on device myself, so you need to ask him to look at it as layout maybe completely different to what vcds is, so would be almost useless advising where to go, but can gateway needs to be decoded for towing & pdc module to remove trailer installed.

 

[amit87]

Thats great, thanks for your help

I dont use the snap on device myself, so you need to ask him to look at it as layout maybe completely different to what vcds is, so would be almost useless advising where to go, but can gateway needs to be decoded for towing & pdc module to remove trailer installed.

 

[amit87]

Just an update in case anyone is following. I took it to another guys garage who is a VW/Audi specialist and use the VCDS software and mentioned about the below but they messed around with the VCDS for 10minutes and still did not get it to work and wasnt sure what was wrong. They are going to ring around to find out more about the code so will post again hopefully with the problem solved.

I dont use the snap on device myself, so you need to ask him to look at it as layout maybe completely different to what vcds is, so would be almost useless advising where to go, but can gateway needs to be decoded for towing & pdc module to remove trailer installed.

 

[NHN]

So they have the tool, but dont know how to use it, that was helpful of them, alas.

TBH mate you would be better of buying vcds & doing it yourself lol.

 

[amit87]

I know!! I even read out your post to them! Well they didnt charge me for scanning so nothing lost and nothing gained. Can you do it with the freeware software?

I would get VCDS just I dont plan to do much with the car. I want the parking aid sensors to work then get the car remapped, going to try get a telephone extension for the RNS-E and possibly cruise control added then leave it as it is. With only that, I am happy to pay a local fanatic from here with a VCDS a few bob to help me out with this stuff each time. From past experience the more you do to the car, the more it needs looking after lol.... and a car is the worst investment in anyone's life (no return, just losses) lol. SO I will just modify it very slightly to fit my driving pleasures .

So they have the tool, but dont know how to use it, that was helpful of them, alas.

TBH mate you would be better of buying vcds & doing it yourself lol.

 

[amit87]

Ok as an update, the VW/Audi specialist got back to me after contacting my local Audi dealership and apparently Audi told them that the control module in the rear needs replacing (about £180 I got told) and reprogramming which the garage said only audi can do.

Seems expensive just to have reverse sensors! I would rather go without. Do you think this would be the case or do audi not know what they are talking about?

Also I was wondering, as I have the RNS-E, would the display show an animation as well as "beeps" or would the RNS-E do nothing and I just hear an audible beep? If it is just a beep, surely I could wire in aftermarket system to the current sensors.

 

[amit87]

Also does anyone know where the module is located in the rear and how to get to it? ( I can check voltages with volt meter... if anything I can make sure it is plugged in, maybe they unplugged it when installing the tow bar)

 

[NHN]

Mate, with respect, get someone on it with vagcom that knows wtf they're doing as atm its like ******* in the wind tbh, replacing modules, etc is just OTT until you know if coding can resolve it, which atm its definitely possible considering your fault analysis, if I was back then I'd do it for you, albeit not for £20 as that would be half the fuel costs lol, but at least we'd get somewhere, as atm different socalled pro's are throwing ideas up in the air & sees which one falls 1st.

RNS will not display any pdc data unless you have OPS which requires front sensors aswell & much newer modules.

You could install aftermarket, but whats the point when you have a decent oem system, that just needs fixing.

 

[amit87]

Definately true, I was thinking if the module needs replacing and reprogramming (I have seen modules for like £35 on ebay, assume they would need to be programmed) I could install aftermarket but definitely need to find someone around the Milton keynes who knows what they are doing! Might need to go to the local cruise and sunday night and find the local chav who is an audi fanatic lol.

Mate, with respect, get someone on it with vagcom that knows wtf they're doing as atm its like ******* in the wind tbh, replacing modules, etc is just OTT until you know if coding can resolve it, which atm its definitely possible considering your fault analysis, if I was back then I'd do it for you, albeit not for £20 as that would be half the fuel costs lol, but at least we'd get somewhere, as atm different socalled pro's are throwing ideas up in the air & sees which one falls 1st.

RNS will not display any pdc data unless you have OPS which requires front sensors aswell & much newer modules.

You could install aftermarket, but whats the point when you have a decent oem system, that just needs fixing.

 

[amit87]

Hey guys, thought I would post an update and sale... SOLVED!! lol. As NHN said, f*cking garages dont know ****!!! A friend recently got the VCDS kit so I got hold of it and under parking aid I changed the code 0?**** from 01**** (towing installed) to 00**** and now it works PERFECTLY!

Thanks again and remember, "when in doubt, give NHN a shout" lol. Thanks to all contributors!

 

[NHN]

Glad it as resolved as advised & the fact you reported back with the fix is also good, thanks.

 

[S.]

ok, didn't want to start the new thread, because i have similar situation:

my battery died few days ago and yesterday after jump starting it it was working but rear parking sensors aren't working, i get one long single beep.
i got this code:

Address 10: Park/Steer Assist Labels: 8P0-919-475-7X1.clb
Control Module Part Number: 8P0 919 475 F HW: 8P0 919 475
Component and/or Version: PARKHILFE 4K H06 0102
Software Coding: 000003
Work Shop Code: WSC 06314 000 00000
VCID: 4182475A27D3DC14
Fault Codes have been Erased


1 Fault Found
16347 - Control Module - EEPROM Error
014 - Defective
Freeze Frame
Fault Status: 01101110
Fault Priority: 3
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 0
Mileage: 0 km
Time Indication: 0


Freeze Frame
Temperature: 0.0°C


Monday,15,October,2012,18:26:29:46862
VCDS Version: Release 10.6.0
Data version: 20100630




Address 10: Park/Steer Assist Labels: 8P0-919-475-7X1.clb
Control Module Part Number: 8P0 919 475 F HW: 8P0 919 475
Component and/or Version: PARKHILFE 4K H06 0102
Software Coding: 000003
Work Shop Code: WSC 06314 000 00000
VCID: 4182475A27D3DC14
Fault Codes have been Erased


1 Fault Found
16347 - Control Module - EEPROM Error
014 - Defective
Freeze Frame
Fault Status: 01101110
Fault Priority: 3
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 0
Mileage: 0 km
Time Indication: 0


Freeze Frame
Temperature: 0.0°C

does that mean that the control module is gone?

thanks in advance...

 

[NHN]

Is that a fake cable you're using?

 

[S.]

i guess it is, mate came down to see what's happening.