Park assist sensors-FIXED!

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OR VietVet

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A friend of mine at the American Legion has a 2011 Tahoe LT and he says he gets an error message for his park assist sensors and then he just turns it/them off and uses his back up camera. I saw 3 nickel sized round spots across the back lift gate at the bottom. Are those the sensors he is speaking of and what is the typical problem? All bad or one? Are they the sensor(s) I am looking for? Located elsewhere? Thanks in advance.

Is it or are the 4 spots part of the backup camera system? Please help with part numbers too.
 
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Parking sensors are the nickle sized round spots along the top of the rear bumper cover. They're not on the liftgate

You can see the two left ones in the pic just under the chrome strip

20230213_220707.jpg
 
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OR VietVet

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Sorry, I did view them but forgot by the time I got home, the location on the rig. Thanks for the clarification and there were 4 of them. So, knowing that, have you or anyone seen or had problems with them and was it narrowed down to one sensor being bad, all 4 causing problems like I described or something else. He did say that when he turns that system off and shuts down the vehicle, the next time he starts the vehicle, they are default activated again.
 

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Sorry, I did view them but forgot by the time I got home, the location on the rig. Thanks for the clarification and there were 4 of them. So, knowing that, have you or anyone seen or had problems with them and was it narrowed down to one sensor being bad, all 4 causing problems like I described or something else. He did say that when he turns that system off and shuts down the vehicle, the next time he starts the vehicle, they are default activated again.
you can test them individually, just get a person that doesn't want to kill you for a helper, be parked somewhere with nothing behind you for at least 10-15 feet, put the key on run or start it up and then put it in reverse, then go to the back and wave your hand over each sensor one at a time so you will have to stand directly to the side and wave over the 2 you can reach and then go to the other side and wave over those 2 (make sure you are not covering one while waving over another one or you will get a false reading, which ever one does not make a tone/beep happen is your culprit. it could be other things but that is a place to start (basic functionality test) it might only fail when the message comes up not sure on that. I don't know if the error message makes them all shut down or if they still work with just the defect as I have never had a problem with mine. there is a module for the system also but testing that i am sure takes the tech2, if you have a tech2 and scan the system you might find a historical code for the backup sensor system which theoretically would point to the problem. i.e. sensor #2 fault, etc
you can visually check the sensors also if one has a dent or ding in the center or is not seated properly or is even very dirty that would create a problem as well
 
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When you say, "wave over the two on each side" are you treating the pair of two, on each side" as a unit of two or can I wave over each one individually at each side? This gut has lots of money so, I am betting that he will say just replace the complete set of 4 of them.

Plus, sorry for the confusion I might have caused by saying, "mounted in the lift gate". I should have remembered that when I was looking at them, I reached in behind the bumper to feel for access. Is the access restricted and have to disassemble covers for access or are they easily accessible? I did not get down on ground to look in there, YET.
 
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I just watched a couple you tube videos and they set in reverse with KOEO and used the recorder on their cell phones and there was a constant pulse noise on the good sensors when the microphone was held right up to the sensor face and no pulse on the bad one(s).
 

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When you say, "wave over the two on each side" are you treating the pair of two, on each side" as a unit of two or can I wave over each one individually at each side? This gut has lots of money so, I am betting that he will say just replace the complete set of 4 of them.

Plus, sorry for the confusion I might have caused by saying, "mounted in the lift gate". I should have remembered that when I was looking at them, I reached in behind the bumper to feel for access. Is the access restricted and have to disassemble covers for access or are they easily accessible? I did not get down on ground to look in there, YET.
there are 4 sensors so test 1 at a time. unless you are stretch armstrong you will only be able to reach 2 from each side
the phone mic trick really does not work well at least it did not with my phone
 

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there are 4 sensors so test 1 at a time. unless you are stretch armstrong you will only be able to reach 2 from each side
the phone mic trick really does not work well at least it did not with my phone
Very true. Luckily, my bad sensor was an outside one.
 
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Yea, the you tube showed the outer sensors as easy to get to but the inner two required some covers removal to access.
 

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