Additional front parking sensor?

[Djs]

Hi,

Did a search but couldn't find an answer.... basically what I am interested in doing is installing an additional parking sensor in the centre of the bumper somewhere... possibly through the number plate or just below so it can pick up curb height concrete barriers and the like in carparks.

I have a TRD Aurion and the bottom grey section of the front bumper as all TRD aurion owners would be aware is low and sticks out the furthest. My wife has already nudged it a few times now and it had some nice cracks in the centre! The car is in a spray shop as we speak who are plastic welding the cracks from underneath and filling/sanding and re-spraying the bottom section.

Now I don't want this to happen again so my question is... can I just add another sensor and hook it up to the existing sensors in series/parallel or however they are connected or is it more complicated then that?

Dan.

[jaysonn341]

I also want to know any sensors available to protect nice rims from gutter rash? :/ Probably not, it may just come down to knowing where your car boundaries are..

[DJKOR]

Due to the way the sensors work, wiring another on in parallel with an existing with throw the readings out and essentially make the system useless. You will need to either set up additional parking sensors with an add-on kit and external LCD/buzzer, or sacrifice one of your existing.

[Djs]

Due to the way the sensors work, wiring another on in parallel with an existing with throw the readings out and essentially make the system useless. You will need to either set up additional parking sensors with an add-on kit and external LCD/buzzer, or sacrifice one of your existing.

Thanks Daryl. Thought this may be the case... guess it will be best to just go with an aftermarket sensor kit. Probably going to be tricky to get it to detect a low concrete barrier and not the ground but I will see how it goes!

Dan.

[tekkyy]

yeah I've always wondered why only two corner sensors in the front

for the shape of the Aurion its not ideal

can you think of some sort of circuit to give the closer of the two sensor readings to the system?

it'll be neat to make use of the factory parking sensor display

[Beep Beep]

Due to the way the sensors work, wiring another on in parallel with an existing with throw the readings out and essentially make the system useless. You will need to either set up additional parking sensors with an add-on kit and external LCD/buzzer, or sacrifice one of your existing.

Thanks Daryl. Thought this may be the case... guess it will be best to just go with an aftermarket sensor kit. Probably going to be tricky to get it to detect a low concrete barrier and not the ground but I will see how it goes!

Dan.

How bout low intensity laser (like the ones used for electronic distance measurers) mounted just inside the bumper, calibrated to set off a buzzer/beeper/HUD display when it detects an obstacle too close to the rims? You'll probably need 4 to cover all 4 corners of the vehicle. And make them active when speed drops below 10km/h ?

Surely it can't be THAT hard to program/wire up?

[ToyotaFreak]

The Malaysian-spec Camry have the port-installed front sensors nearby the front grille.

You could probably do something like that but lower (Refer to red dot.), or make some sort of bracket that is angled slightly downwards to the ground and mount the sensors to them (Yellow dot in attached photo.).

[Beep Beep]

If you had the funds, why not fit a front bumper cam? The display can be mounted somewhere convenient, like on the A pillar. The activation switch can be fitted to any spare spot on your dash, I suppose.

I'd imagine mounting the camera would be the easiest part because you can hide it within the front grill somewhere.

If this is too complicated or expensive, there's always the old school option i.e. get someone to guide you to as close to the barrier as you feel comfortable with, and once parked, stay behind the wheel and visually reference any markers to fixed points of the car.

For me, I visually reference the kerb to the bottom of my wing mirrors. From my driving position, if I sight the bottom of the kerb just as it appears below the driver's wing mirror and this same bottom kerb goes through the middle of the left wing mirror, then the bottom of my bumper is approximately 10cm to the kerb.

Note that everyone will be different due to height, seating position etc.

So far I haven't crunched the front bottom end on kerbs etc as yet. TOUCH WOOD!!!

Cheers,

BB

Edited August 29, 2011 by Beep Beep

[andrey]

I also want to know any sensors available to protect nice rims from gutter rash? :/ Probably not, it may just come down to knowing where your car boundaries are..

[/quot

just install a 8 sensor,front 4,back 4

[u54mot]

A different question:

With the exception of the Presara, other Aurions with reverse parking sensors installed have four sensors in the rear.

The Presara has two reverse parking sensors on the corners of the vehicle. Is there any way to attach the two missing sensors and for them to work the same way as they would on the other Aurions with four sensor?

Thanks.

[KenChen]

A different question:

With the exception of the Presara, other Aurions with reverse parking sensors installed have four sensors in the rear.

The Presara has two reverse parking sensors on the corners of the vehicle. Is there any way to attach the two missing sensors and for them to work the same way as they would on the other Aurions with four sensor?

Thanks.

That's what I was wondering too.

It would be great to have 4 rear sensors.

[SATORI893]

I have always wondered why my Touring model only has sensors on the corners, I would like to put some in the center front and rear even though it has a camera, the side ones are a good idea for parking and rim protecting, could just put them in each end of the sideskirt, I am about to put a bodykit on my car and I would like sensors so I do hit concrete barriers or gutters in parking lots with the front lip. Looks like after market is the go but will have to find one that has 2 for the side skirt, 4 for the front spoiler/lip and 2 for the rear bumper middle would be nice. So thats 8 sensors, wonder if I can get a kit designed with 4 for the front and 4 for the back and just place them where I want them. I have noticed genuine kits on ebay that have only 4 sensors but have seen Aurions with 4 sensors on each bumper, well the back one. I will never understood why they didn't put centre ones in on the Touring just cause it has a rear camera, the sensors would still help and front center would be great for parking against a wall or with another car or something in front. Is it only facelift Aurions or just the Touring model that has no center sensors or do other models only have corner ones?

[SATORI893]

Actually I didn't think to look behind the rear bumper to see if there were plugs for extra sensors when I had it off to put in the rear reflector lights, how does the dash display look with 4 rear sensors and do any Aurions have 4 front sensors? If anyone knows that I could add the extra sensors if the harness has the connection would it work with the dash display in my car, can someone post a pic of the center sensors on the dash display to show me what they look like? Much appreciated.

[SATORI893]

So no-one can tell me if my harness has the plugs to add the two middle sensors, may have to pull the bumper off again and have a look.

[Boondy]

So no-one can tell me if my harness has the plugs to add the two middle sensors, may have to pull the bumper off again and have a look.

[Boondy]

So no-one can tell me if my harness has the plugs to add the two middle sensors, may have to pull the bumper off again and have a look.

No, it does not have extra plugs or sockets to add more sensors.

Sadly i have not got an aurion to photo and show but i do remember being asked this question when i was working for Toyota.

Intresting topic tho guys :)

[SATORI893]

Thanks Boondy

[SATORI893]

Had a look at an aftermarket parking sensor kit for my front spoiler which should arrive tomorrow or Tuesday, had a theory that it would avoid breaking it on concrete barriers and such but it would be too low and would pick up the road/ground all the time, someone mentioned a reversing camera mounted on the front, I know it would be possible to mount a camera on the front and use a switch went parking to view distances when parkiing nose 1st and for driveways, gutters etc, my car has a rear camera, what is the connection like into the back of the head unit? I was thinking of a switch that you leave for reversing on all the time, no active just so it comes on in reverse, then use the switch to swap the input to the front camera when parking nose first. Ebay has cameras for $60 buy it now, http://www.ebay.com....=item3362bc7441 by Aytotunez, full colour night view with distance marks, are these cameras and good, they have a genuined one listed for $200 buy it now but would the cheaper one be ok to for the job and is there a thread on how to install the 2 cameras or would I have to talk to someone at Jaycar or somewhere like that about a input swtich? Is the input plug a 4 pin DIN or RCA?

Edited April 29, 2012 by SATORI893

[SATORI893]

ok, in this diagram, I take it that the 6v + & - are output voltage to power the camera, I am testing a camera to put on the front bumber under the number plate to see if It can show all or mostly the important parts of the front spoiler for when parking etc, at the flick of a switch or push of a button I am going to wire the image from this front camera into the reversing camera input so I wont damage the spoiler, the camera I have is 12v so I take it if I am only running the image into the head unit then the voltage difference wont matter. Do the other wires activate the screen for when reversing, for warranty reasons I will have the last wiring bit done by an autoelectrican but if I turn on the front camera and the input wires receive the signal will the screen come on automatically or am I missing something, maybe to to with the reverse switch. or power to the other two wires? Can anyone help me on that

.

Edited April 30, 2012 by SATORI893

[SATORI893]

Took front camera to auto electrcian today, still have to test the camera on the car with a small tv to see if it will do the job for parking with the front spoiler, they told me 3 hours at $90 per hour just to wire it in, I am mounting it and running the cable to the back of the unit and supplying the switch, they said it can be done, but 3 hours mininum.

[SATORI893]

Camera no go, got an aftermarket sensor kit, says it's for kurb protection, I think the sensors are adjustable (the sensor range) I want to put them in the front spoiler to avoid damaging it, will it work or too close to the ground and will go off all the time but if adjustable and claims to be for kurb protection or protection from hitting the kurb/kerb?? it should work in theory, have bought the kit and will test it on the car and if it does not do the job I'll just return it. Unless anyone can tell me for sure that it wont work or will I just have to try it to find out?

[SirNed]

Do you have aftermarket headunit or Toyota one? The idea with the camera works but as you have mentioned it would need a switch and you would also need to provide it some power to work. The rear one uses the reversing lights so cant see a problem providing from a 12v source from somewhere that activates when you flick the switch. Aside from that find another auto elec if he has a minimum of 3 hours to do the job for you. Or they auto elecs are so busy they can afford to be choosy. What area do you live in?

[SATORI893]

Yes SirNed, I have the Toyota head unit with reversing camera, the problem with the front camera I tried from Jaycar was mounting it in a decent position, it doesn't really give you a good view out to the sides for nose in angle parking. Just couldn't find a good spot for it to view the whole front spoiler or enough to keep me from hitting anthing low (gutters, driveways, concrete barrier, speed bumps etc). The lip kit I got is actually lower/fatter towards the outside and is thing in the middle underneath.

[ToyotaFreak]

Yes SirNed, I have the Toyota head unit with reversing camera, the problem with the front camera I tried from Jaycar was mounting it in a decent position, it doesn't really give you a good view out to the sides for nose in angle parking. Just couldn't find a good spot for it to view the whole front spoiler or enough to keep me from hitting anthing low (gutters, driveways, concrete barrier, speed bumps etc). The lip kit I got is actually lower/fatter towards the outside and is thing in the middle underneath.

Back in my home country, there's a company selling a replica of the JDM Toyota first-gen front camera as a universal fit item (it's a two-way type, similar to the Fujitsu-ten Eclipse front cam.), connected to a control box that supports two or four cameras (Front, rear & sides.). This mod is popular on JDM Toyota minivans back home that have the original navi sytem, but didn't have the factory option front cam.

After a little more Googling, looks like it's replaced with a wide view front cam though (Looks like a re-purposed rear cam.). This might be useful,as it has an adjustable bracket.

[SATORI893]

Neat little unit ToyotaFreak, would be great with a split screen covering all the areas you wanted to see when parking or even a dirt road that may have some washed out areas as we get in touristy spots where I am from. Have been playing around with a Steel Mate Automotive 8 sensor kit I got from Jaycar, have enough sensors to put 2 in the rear middle so not just relying on the camera, 4 on the spoiler and I think with enough testing and getting the hole angle right it will work for the spoiler for low stuff like gutters and concrete barriers in carparks, as for the 2 spare from the front, I am looking at placing them at each end of the side skirt for wheel/reverse parking kerb detection so I don;t do any more damage to my rims. The rear sensors can be adjusted for tow bars and spare tires on 4WDs but this would work for the rear side skirt sensor for the kerb. Still studying the manual and working out the best setup and placing for each sensor, definately the 2 in the middle of the rear, even with the camera they will still be handy. May just put 2 in the front spoiler and use the outside ones for the front of the sideskirts so I have them on both sides. Still in the R & D stage to see what I will do. Fitting the bodykit tomorrow and over the weekend before it goes off to the paint shop, will test the front spoiler and side skirt sensors on it then.

Edited May 3, 2012 by SATORI893