Chris goodgame
Registered User
Mrs struggling without parking sensors all the added extras on my a3 and no parking sensors is a bit mad. Is there a aftermarket kit to diy has anyone had much luck ? Thanks
Parking sensors
- Thread starter Chris goodgame
- Start date
Now I know you can buy an aftermarket kit for the back or you can buy OEM , as for the Fronts that's a different matter as I am lead to believe these are a helluva lot harder to do . Might be worth sending a PM to one off the retrofitted within the site depending on where you stay @Ash187, @NHN @DJAlix
mine didnt come with them either, so added sensors and a reverse camera.
theres mainly 2 styles of aftermarket parking sensor, flush fit, and the ones that fit slightly proud of the bumper. some look like warts on the bumper. i went with flush fit.
my kit was
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/13m...571.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4ddzGdE5
in silver, the colour match is good. cost under £20 and works well tbh.
another option, and what a lot of parking sensor retrofitters seem to use, is the cobra/vodafone r0394.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Colour-C...h=item3d6bafb746:g:mF4AAOSwTfFbP4l5:rk:4:pf:0
comes painted from that seller, but they arent sold like that by cobra.
theres mainly 2 styles of aftermarket parking sensor, flush fit, and the ones that fit slightly proud of the bumper. some look like warts on the bumper. i went with flush fit.
my kit was
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/13m...571.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4ddzGdE5
in silver, the colour match is good. cost under £20 and works well tbh.
another option, and what a lot of parking sensor retrofitters seem to use, is the cobra/vodafone r0394.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Colour-C...h=item3d6bafb746:g:mF4AAOSwTfFbP4l5:rk:4:pf:0
comes painted from that seller, but they arent sold like that by cobra.
Chris goodgame
Registered User
Plate surround camera is longer to fit than an a3 specific boot handle or numberplate light camera.
Boot handle camera needs no drilling, plate light camera needs a hole drilling behind light, but the plate surround camera needs the wire to go from the outside to the inside.
Then you need a monitor in the cabin. If you have an aftermarket headunit you're sorted, if you have an rns-e you need an interface box, if you have a factory cd player unit you need one of the former.
Can get a standalone monitor just for the reverse camera but that's rubbish.
Boot handle camera needs no drilling, plate light camera needs a hole drilling behind light, but the plate surround camera needs the wire to go from the outside to the inside.
Then you need a monitor in the cabin. If you have an aftermarket headunit you're sorted, if you have an rns-e you need an interface box, if you have a factory cd player unit you need one of the former.
Can get a standalone monitor just for the reverse camera but that's rubbish.
Chris goodgame
Registered User
I found drilling the bumper is the easy part in hindsight, but the thought of it is worrying.
If you're comfortable taking the rear bumper off that's the hardest part done imo.
Measure where you want them to go, masking tape over the area, the cheap kit comes with the hole saw, drill the pilot hole and go for it, takes a couple seconds to make the hole.
If you're comfortable taking the rear bumper off that's the hardest part done imo.
Measure where you want them to go, masking tape over the area, the cheap kit comes with the hole saw, drill the pilot hole and go for it, takes a couple seconds to make the hole.
Chris goodgame
Registered User
Chris goodgame
Registered User
Reckon the gloss black would match my black a3 or woul I still need them sprayed ?
Yeah the black would match well. Black silver and white match well on the cheap prepainted sensors. Colours like grey, blue etc not so much.
Here's a couple photos of a cheap black set me and a mate fitted to his metallic black polo. Also notice how these differ from the flush fit,as they are fitted from the front of the bumper and sit proud, whereas the 2 sets linked above fit behind the bumper and sit flush. Can fit these without removing the bumper, but we still removed it.
Here's a couple photos of a cheap black set me and a mate fitted to his metallic black polo. Also notice how these differ from the flush fit,as they are fitted from the front of the bumper and sit proud, whereas the 2 sets linked above fit behind the bumper and sit flush. Can fit these without removing the bumper, but we still removed it.
Chris goodgame
Registered User
Think I'm gonna go for the parking sensors don't fancy a ugly side LCD for a camera! Cheers for all this appreciate it my man !
On the inside of both the front and rear bumpers there is location markers for sensors, indicating where you need to drill.
Drill a hold in the centre then with something like this https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/263930683257, you’ll be able to press the right size hole.
Aftermarket press-in sensors look ugly in my opinion but still function the same. I think cobra do a flush mount kit which is still cheaper than genuine Audi.
If you have the RNSE head unit you’ll need both front and rear sensors to see the distance monitor appear on the screen.
Drill a hold in the centre then with something like this https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/263930683257, you’ll be able to press the right size hole.
Aftermarket press-in sensors look ugly in my opinion but still function the same. I think cobra do a flush mount kit which is still cheaper than genuine Audi.
If you have the RNSE head unit you’ll need both front and rear sensors to see the distance monitor appear on the screen.
Chris goodgame
Registered User
I hope that the case on my bumper the holes being marked already! Should be easy enough then.
If you need to cut holes, Sealey make a bumper punch in different sizes to leave a smoother finish
OEM requires a parking module wired into the canbus and power and a few other bits. You can have rear only or front and rear
Aftermarket usually only requires power and a feed from a reversing light
OEM requires a parking module wired into the canbus and power and a few other bits. You can have rear only or front and rear
Aftermarket usually only requires power and a feed from a reversing light
Chris goodgame
Registered User
I used a set of Dolphin flush-fit sensors - about £50 on Amazon. As mentioned, the hardest part was getting the bumper off, but once you do there are markers showing you where to make the holes, so no measuring required. The kit comes with what is essentially a hole-punch. The only drilling necessary is a small guide hole, then the hole-punch makes a nice neat hole.
The kit has been working flawlessly all year, and IMO look totally OEM, for a fraction of the cost.
The kit has been working flawlessly all year, and IMO look totally OEM, for a fraction of the cost.
Turkster
W.Bro.Paul 2.0d Q5 Quattro
Does anyone have a link or part numbers for fitting front parking sensors and a rear camera? I have 59 plate S3 that has rear sensors, and the rnse satnav unit, cheers
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've fitted front sensors to my TT 8J which uses the same electric parts as the A3 8P https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1837385
