Parking sensors - out of the dark ages?

Palexr · Sep 28, 2012

So, we've had the XF for a couple of weeks now and in general it is great. Tow things detract from all round greatness.

1 MPG - 31 mpg? Pretty poor. But it is creeping up, so we'll wait and see on that score.

2 Parking sensors. Taking the car out for its first real drive into town I thought the front parking sensors had failed. No matter how close I got to an obstacle in front - nothing. The reversing camera and sensors worked fine. However, I noticed that if I put the car into reverse and then back into Drive the front sensors came on. Weird. However, the car was going in for its yearly service today (the last dealer failed to service it before delivery so they are paying

) I thought I'd mention and they could fix it.

But no. Apparently this is as per design.....

Really? You have to put the car into reverse and back into D to activate the front sensors? This is so that they don't go off when too close to someone in front whilst driving....

Apparently.

A couple of points spring to mind. How close do Jag think I am going to be to the person in front that the parking sensors will be going off intempestuously? This is a Jag, not a BMW or an Audi, I don't drive like an imbecile (anymore some might say, but that is by the by). How is that all other manufacturers that I know of have managed to get round this? A switch to turn the sensors off. The sensors only coming on below a certain (v low) speed. A combination thereof. But no, we have to change gear.

Is this true? I'm thinking of getting cheap sensors off fleabay and putting them in myself. At least they would work.

JS 62 XFS · Sep 28, 2012

There is a button on the light cluster, if you push it as your parking, it turns the front sensors on, without having to go In to reverse.

bsomerton · Sep 28, 2012

I am not sure what model you have and I am afraid that i do not have the rear camera / front sensors fitted but looking at the user manual I found the following - does this help?

Bruce

"When both front and rear parking aids are fitted, a switch is located in the overhead console. Pressing the switch turns both the front and rear parking aids on or off. The switch warning indicator will come on when the system is turned on. A switch is not provided when only a rear parking aid is fitted.

Note: The front parking aid will also operate when reverse gear is selected.

The front parking aid provides an audible proximity warning when driving forwards or reversing. The front and rear sensors only operate within a fixed speed range in forward gears and are not effective when moving forwards above 15 km/h (9 mph)."

MyBlackCat · Sep 28, 2012

Hi Palexr, there is a parking sensor button on the roof console which you press when you want to park front in to something. As I dont have a sunroof, my switch is wider than the diagram. It was a bit confusing for me at first, but I guess it makes sense or it would be activited in traffic queues etc.

Palexr · Sep 28, 2012

Ahhhh. Thank you chaps. Faith restored. Not in the Jaguar technician who knows nothing of the above mind.

terrymac · Sep 28, 2012

Hi. I can vouch for the information above (and if you don't have a rear electric sunblind the Parking button is twice as wide

).

And to be fair to JLR, on every other car I've had (including the BMW) that had front parking sensors they all had to be manually switched on if you hadn't just come out of Reverse.

Otherwise they would drive you insane in slow moving traffic.

And you're not alone, it has caught a few colleagues unwares who were new to front parking sensors and in all innocence clipped an obstruction when waiting for the beeps

Enjoy the XF.

Palexr · Sep 28, 2012

It wasn't so much the thought of the sensors coming on and off but the fact that the Jag technician told me I had to put the car into reverse then into Drive to activate them which got me...

A button is fine.

BHPenfold · Sep 28, 2012

Palexr, what model do you have? Just wondered about your fuel consumption. I've done 700miles in a week driving to, around and from Wales (I live in Hampshire) - the car was delivered a week today. I made very good progress on the run home from wales

and I've just checked my MPG which is 38.6 mpg (based on actual fuel consumed (tanks topped up etc). Trip computer says 39.4. 31 MPG seems low (unless it is an XFR I suppose?)

Parking sensors - out of the dark ages?

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