Parking sensors

womble12345

I have just bought a large Ford Mondeo and its a pig to park, I want to buy some rear parking sensors to fit myself, I am sure these are easy to fit as it is just a case of finding the reverse light cable and routing some wires.

I find the front of this car harder to judge though (or maybe I am more cautious of harming my shiny new car) so am also considering front parking sensors. I would be fitting these myself as well but I guess they are harder to fit....
Has anyone ever fitted front parking sensors? Was it hard? How were they triggered? Any tips?

Thanks

Richard53

The only difficulty with fitting aftermarket parking sensors is getting neat holes so that it looks factory and not bodged. As you say, the wiring is simply finding the reversing light supply and an earth.


I have never fitted front sensors, but I can't see why they should be any different from rear sensors. You would need to find a switched live feed in the front end, and they would be active as long as the car was running. I would agree that the Mondy has a long nose which is hard to judge, but then again the number plate is the first thing to make contact, and these are easily replaced, if you are gentle. I have had mine for nearly 8 years now, and I still nudge the front into things if I am not careful and the space is tight. I'm talking walls and fences here, not other cars, just to be clear.

womble12345

I find it is more the front corners when swinging into spaces in tight car parks.
Some front sensor kits say that you need to find a feed from the brake lights which hints that it is the brake lights that trigger them, seems a bit odd to me, unless they are on for say 30 seconds after you press the brake? Would be interested to hear from anyone who has fitted or used a car with these aftermarket front parking sensors in.
Thanks,

tykesi

It's best practice to reverse into parking spaces, saves you clipping other cars when reversing out and it's tons safer to drive out forward anyway. Maybe try this until you get the sensors fitted (or just do it from now on). I certainly wouldn't want you trying to swing this 'large' Mondeo in next to my car!

daveyjp

I have a car with fronts and they are more complicated than the rears.

They activate as soon as the car is started, whether in gear or not, but once 10mph or so is reached they are deactivated.

JethroUK

Got front and rear sensors on my shiny new merc and Lovin it

EssexExile

They're called bumpers for a reason.

LandyAndy

womble12345 wrote: »

I have just bought a large Ford Mondeo and its a pig to park

Why didn't you buy a normal sized Mondeo?

womble12345

Thanks for all the comments, I agree with reversing into spaces however that makes accessing the boot tricky and considering I often have a pushchair to get out it isn't really practical.
It is a normal sized Mondeo, it is just normal size for a money is massive.

knightstyle

I bought a kit on Ebay and fitted rear sensors it was very easy on our Juke. Kit came with a cutter and the sensors were colour coded so look same as factory fitted ones. Needed to connect to reversing light feed so not a problem at the back.
Kit was about £15.
Fitted as DW preferred them to the camera which came as standard.

Strider590

Parking sensors don't always work, many a parking ding has been caused by people relying on them.

Park further from the shop, in a nice remote space, the walk won't do you any harm.