RX450h front parking sensors

[Ian2015]

The front sensors on my 3rd gen RX450h have performed well until a recent incident. Whilst parking I came nose to nose within a "fag paper" thickness of a rather expensive looking Jaguar XK something. Not a beep or a beep beep!! Thankfully, I gave up waiting for a warning signal and stopped before contact. The Jag owner was not impressed. It occurs to me that as Lexus call them something like "corner sensors" they are not truly front parking sensors. OK to protect wings when maneuvering or parking up to a brick wall but not a low central bollard, or the low pointy nose of an XK! Has anyone had a similar experience of this or know if it is possible to add 2 additional sensors and how these could be integrated to give dead ahead warning. Most cars with front sensors have 4 not just 2 as on the RX. 

[SLACKBLADDER]

Why not fit a front facing camera, because I wouldn't trust the front censors I've got them on the rxus and they go off for no reason  so maybe I might invest in a camera 

[lockeyboy]

I was told at a dealers that they are there for guidance only, and won't pick up things that are too far above or below them;  a few times I've wondered what they're doing as they're certainly not picking up road furniture.

and yet due to the size of the car I'd say sensors are essential 

[rayaans]

1 hour ago, SLACKBLADDER said:

Why not fit a front facing camera, because I wouldn't trust the front censors I've got them on the rxus and they go off for no reason  so maybe I might invest in a camera 

The RX300 did not have parking sensors fitted from the factory. Therefore, they must be dealer fitted and unrepresentative of factory fitted RX450h front sensors.

 

1 hour ago, Ian2015 said:

The front sensors on my 3rd gen RX450h have performed well until a recent incident. Whilst parking I came nose to nose within a "fag paper" thickness of a rather expensive looking Jaguar XK something. Not a beep or a beep beep!! Thankfully, I gave up waiting for a warning signal and stopped before contact. The Jag owner was not impressed. It occurs to me that as Lexus call them something like "corner sensors" they are not truly front parking sensors. OK to protect wings when maneuvering or parking up to a brick wall but not a low central bollard, or the low pointy nose of an XK! Has anyone had a similar experience of this or know if it is possible to add 2 additional sensors and how these could be integrated to give dead ahead warning. Most cars with front sensors have 4 not just 2 as on the RX. 

I presume you have a pre-facelift RX450h? They only seem to have 2 sensors, one on each corner which won't pick up things in the middle. 

They changed this for 2012 whereby they now come with 4 sensors at the front and therefore, I can say that mine have been very good at picking many things up. 

Make sure the distance is set to "long"

 

39 minutes ago, lockeyboy said:

I was told at a dealers that they are there for guidance only, and won't pick up things that are too far above or below them;  a few times I've wondered what they're doing as they're certainly not picking up road furniture.

and yet due to the size of the car I'd say sensors are essential 

Mine have been very good. 

They will not pick up certain things like very thin poles or low walls, however, they should pick up most things.

Personally the first thing I would check is the parking sensor distance - if this is set to "short" turn it to "Long" and it seems to work much much better.

[Ian2015]

Thanks for the suggestion Slackbladder I'll give that a thought. Thanks Rayann & Lockeyboy, I'll check the setting tomorrow.

[Ian2015]

Unless I have missed something the only adjustment for the front sensors is either on or off. There does appear to be a choice of near or far for the REAR sensors. I think I'll have to adopt the principal of care over technology!

[Normski]

The sensor setting in her F Sport is in one of the vehicle menus. I had to adjust this as I found I had to get awfully close before they were beeping!

[Ian2015]

Thanks Norman but I think this adjustment may not be available on my SE-l

[DanD]

It is not available on pre-facelift cars. As mentionned above, these only have two front sensors in the corners.

[DanD]

20 hours ago, SLACKBLADDER said:

Why not fit a front facing camera, because I wouldn't trust the front censors I've got them on the rxus and they go off for no reason  so maybe I might invest in a camera 

You might want to read this thread...

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/104826-parking-sensors-having-a-hissy-fit/#comment-934471

[Ian2015]

Is there a techno that could advise on the feasibility of this: If I fit additional 2 forward facing sensors, link the right/front sensor to the right/corner sensor wiring and the left/forward sensor to the left/corner sensor wiring would this provide the desired front coverage?  Obviously the visual display would highlight left or right if a front one triggered but that would be ok. The audible warning should also activate. Would the control box be ok with the juice the 2 extra sensors need? Would this work? Any advice?

[katabrontes]

Hi Ian2015  This is exactly the question I asked in a main agent yesterday when looking at a 2010 RX450 which had only the two corner sensors at the front.  They said they hadn't been told of any problems with parking (typical main agent reply in my experience) but since Lexus has now fitted 4 at the front there clearly was.

I also thought it should be quite easy to add another two linking them as suggested above by just jumping them onto the lead to the nearest corner sensor.

Has anyone done this or knows any reason why it wouldn't work?