Front Parking Sensors

[No longer with us]

Well at least that means that yours go on every time you start the car
Do you have your seatbelts fastened already when you start it up? Because that seems to have to have an influence as well... just trying to figure out what else....

like on Friday, I went shopping and parked in reverse (just as I do at home and at work). When I came back to the car, I fastened my seatbelts and started it up - but the sensors were not on. I really don't get what's the difference to when I park at work or at home...

 

[MerlintheMad]

There's something in the manual that says c. 11 MPH is when the sensors activate. But I never noticed anything like that. What I did notice is that I had the "P" OFF; so the approaching carport wall would not set off the sensors until I put it in "R" first, then the front sensors would be ON after that. I just leave my parking sensors ON at all times and have never turned them off again since figuring this out in the first couple of weeks.

 

[No longer with us]

There's something in the manual that says c. 11 MPH is when the sensors activate. But I never noticed anything like that. What I did notice is that I had the "P" OFF; so the approaching carport wall would not set off the sensors until I put it in "R" first, then the front sensors would be ON after that. I just leave my parking sensors ON at all times and have never turned them off again since figuring this out in the first couple of weeks.

Well, there is no possibility for me to "leave my parking sensonrs ON all the times". They turn off (as you say) as soon as you drive faster than 20 km/h (as per my observation, don't have the manual on me right now). And unless I switch into R (which activates all sensors and cameras of course) or manually push the button to switch the front sensors ON, the front sensors will not come on again.

 

[MerlintheMad]

They turn off (as you say) as soon as you drive faster than 20 km/h (as per my observation, don't have the manual on me right now).

But I have never observed this in my car. This could be a case of "broken" being a good thing: because, as I said, I've never touched the "P" sensor button this whole time. I remember experimenting with how to turn the front sensors ON without putting the trans into "R" first (super annoying, that!). I approached my carport wall and stopped and pushed the "P" button, and voila! the sensors sang out as I approached the wall. And so it has been ever since, without me having to touch a thing.

 

[No longer with us]

It's just a little frustrating to not know when they will come on or not. At least of today I can confirm that the seat belts have nothing to do with it
Started up this morning and sure as hell, the front sensors came on immediately, even though the car was still in park.

Yet, when I was shopping yesterday nothing happened.

 

[CKeeler]

Interesting. Mine are on at slow speeds, reverse or forward. They turn off as soon as I put the car in Park. They automatically come on every time I start the car. I have noticed that if I manually turn them off with the button they do not automatically turn back on like the auto start/stop

 

[treston_cal]

That would be a good idea, however, my sensors are very sensitive and come on just sitting at a red light with no one around me so that would be equally annoying, I keep them off so they are only on in reverse or when I turn them on.

I've had this happen in multiple cars. A lot of times I notice the car in front of me has sensors too and wondered if they are just saying "Hi!" - like dogs sniffing each other's butts.

 

[No longer with us]

Interesting. Mine are on at slow speeds, reverse or forward. They turn off as soon as I put the car in Park. They automatically come on every time I start the car. I have noticed that if I manually turn them off with the button they do not automatically turn back on like the auto start/stop

Definitely not like this with my car They only seem to come on at start when the car was parked for longer (during work, over night). And they never come on during a drive, no matter how slow I go. Only when I put my car in Reverse (or manually switch them on).

I just fear that asking my dealer won‘t be of much help either.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Definitely not like this with my car They only seem to come on at start when the car was parked for longer (during work, over night). And they never come on during a drive, no matter how slow I go. Only when I put my car in Reverse (or manually switch them on).

I just fear that asking my dealer won‘t be of much help either.

So, just get used to manually switching "P" sensors ON, then; I am completely programmed to turn ISG OFF as the very first thing I do after starting up. I'd do the exact same thing with the "P" sensor button if they needed turning ON each time: ISG OFF, "P" ON. As long as they work, that's the only essential thing.

 

[No longer with us]

So, just get used to manually switching "P" sensors ON, then...

I would agree with you, this is the simple solution to my "problem". It's not a real problem, it just confuses me and I'd like to know what the programmers behind it thought, because I don't think they were like "ha - let's make some fun and turn them on only every second start or so..."

I totally agree with you on ISG, but that is mandatory due to the regulations, whereas the parking sensors is totally "at KIA's will".

Fun observation from today though: I stopped at the gas station (pulled in forward, so no cameras/sensors were on). Just before switching OFF the car, I turned the P sensors on. When I came back to my car and fired it up, the P sensors were on again. Yet just two days ago, when I parked in reverse and the P sensors were on when I shut my car off, they did not come back on 15 minutes later.

Just trying to get behind KIA's logic here
All in all, it's a minor "discomfort" thing, because that's about the only thing that bothers me about my car, since everything else is so damn fine about it

 

[turboAWD]

I've had this happen in multiple cars. A lot of times I notice the car in front of me has sensors too and wondered if they are just saying "Hi!" - like dogs sniffing each other's butts.

So far, I've found that when other cars trigger my sensors, it's most often a BMW. Sometimes a Benz.

 

[eflyguy]

Paid closer attention and mine work as you'd expect when pulling forward to park, as well as when in reverse.

 

[No longer with us]

Paid closer attention and mine work as you'd expect when pulling forward to park, as well as when in reverse.

So you mean when you stop your car - let's say at the gas station and you did not back up before, as soon as you start it up, the sensors are always on? How come?

 

[eflyguy]

No idea. They just are.

Like ISG, a "default"

 

[TomS]

So I’m new to my 2018 GT2 and am trying to figure out my parking sensors. Unfortunately after reading this thread I am a bit more confused.

Last week when parking in my driveway, the front sensors would trigger as I pulled in close to a wall. This week, nothing. Then, after starting my car again and putting it in reverse, the front sensors are triggered (but still no longer work in drive).

Based on this thread, it sounds like the P button next to the shifter is partially responsible for activating/deactivating the sensors. I have been using that button to place the vehicle in park on occasion (as when pressed, that is what happens).

I guess I will have some more trial and error ahead of me. Definitely unnecessarily confusing, but I don’t really mind as the car is awesome.

 

[crg]

I'm thinking this might have to do with whether you have the shift by wire transmission or not too. In AUS we only get shift by wire, not manual gate, so if we go directly to D from P you don't get parking sensors, only if you reverse (at least that is what mine does).

 

[Gargamel]

So I’m new to my 2018 GT2 and am trying to figure out my parking sensors. Unfortunately after reading this thread I am a bit more confused.

Last week when parking in my driveway, the front sensors would trigger as I pulled in close to a wall. This week, nothing. Then, after starting my car again and putting it in reverse, the front sensors are triggered (but still no longer work in drive).

Based on this thread, it sounds like the P button next to the shifter is partially responsible for activating/deactivating the sensors. I have been using that button to place the vehicle in park on occasion (as when pressed, that is what happens).

I guess I will have some more trial and error ahead of me. Definitely unnecessarily confusing, but I don’t really mind as the car is awesome.

If you only pull in straight into the parking, you will not hear beeps.
But if you first reverse and then go forward (at low speed) then it will beep.
If you need to enable beeping for forward parking, you need to press the P button to activate it.
This is how it worked on my last 6 cars i've had since 2012.

 

[No longer with us]

Well based on what I've read so far in this thread, I take it that for some guys it definitely works that they pull in straight into a parking spot without reversing or manually activating the front sensors and they will beep.

For me - after now nearly 1.5 months of Stinger ownership I could find out the following:

• whenever I shift to R, both sensors front and back + camera are activated
• when I drive forward (without shifting to R before, without activating sensors via the button before) they NEVER come on
• when I start my car after parking (while still being in Park) the front sensors are sometimes on, sometimes not. I definitely could not find any pattern that would probably describe that behavior.

@Gargamel I know a bunch of "german" cars like VW, Mercedes, BMW,... that have their front sensors always on - even in slow traffic (which can be annoying sometimes) but that also means the front sensors are always on when you pull forward into a parking spot, which is a good solution.

 

[Gargamel]

@Gargamel I know a bunch of "german" cars like VW, Mercedes, BMW,... that have their front sensors always on - even in slow traffic (which can be annoying sometimes) but that also means the front sensors are always on when you pull forward into a parking spot, which is a good solution.

Yeah, i think i have noticed that, not sure since it was a couple years ago i had a VAG car.

 

[5tinger]

This must be a Kia issue not only the stinger. Even the Forte/Cerato has same issue with the front park sensors. They never activate automatically even when the button is pressed. But they will turn off once speed is reached and won’t turn on again automatically when below speed.

The other day I almost hit wall because I was creeping slowly & waiting for the beep beep– however after looking at the button the light was off which means they front sensors are off!

I was in my friends Lexus and the sensors are nice. Once they start beeping the 360cam also comes on.