C5 II parking sensor supplier

[kenhall1202]

Based on my experience with a 2005 C4, fitted with only rear parking sensors, I am coming to the conclusion that the ECU may have an intermittent fault.
Problems started with short term intermittent failure to operate which eventually became more or less permanent. Lexia diagnosis has consistently shown a failure of the far offside sensor despite replacing it with a new one and juggling all four of the sensor positions. A continuity check on all four sets of sensor wiring to the boot mounted ECU did not show any problem. There were no signs of water ingress to the ECU.
During last summers short spell of warm/hot dry weather the sensors started working again! but returned to the failed state once the weather returned to cooler changeable conditions. Coincidence?? - don't know, but I am tempted to take out the ECU and warm it up on a radiator to check if there is a temperature related fault on it.

[tco_tm]

Bad news: I just replaced the universal 0 263 013 622 (965) Bosch sensor - as I blamed it for causing problems - with original PSA 96 496 141 77 / 0 263 003 246 (965), but nothing changed. It is very likely, that syndrome of "the farthest front segment" is effect of damaged AAS control unit or its program. I will try to diagnose it later, when I will come into possession of another one. :(

Good news: Universal Bosch 0 263 013 622 (965) sensor is cheap and working replacement of original 6590.A5 sensors. :)

[tco_tm]

Well... I bought used sensors control module, connected it to my car and something happened. There were some errors at the beginning, but after a while navigation display started to highlight front segments in different ranges, showing – as I believe – proper distance and position of obstacles. My happiness not lasted too long... Everything returned to broken state after few minutes, when I connected Lexia (I wanted to check if used module is configured for automatic transmission). Now, I can switch between my and this used module, but nothing happens - I mean no errors or any other symptoms of initialization of different unit. System is working, but visual and audible information is incorrect. I also tried to investigate problem by replacing front bumper harness, but it has no effect on this strange behavior.

I have a suspicion, that software in my RT3 unit went crazy (is it possible to flash its software responsible for visualization of obstacles?) or maybe there is some kind of short circuit in harness and/or other elements what causes damage of control module... Strange it all happened after sensor replacement (which for sure was bad), exactly like in triumphtoledo's case.

My next step will be putting my modules to properly working car (I hope that swapping module from Break with RT3 to Berline with RD4 makes sense).

[tco_tm]

Finally, there is an answer for secondary problem described in this thread (which for me became primary three months ago). Mystery of wrong readings and signaling is solved. As I wrote before, I had exactly the same strange behavior of front parking sensors as described by triumphtoledo and few other people on other forums, whose unanswered posts I came across during desperate searches for an explanation. I thought and I was sure, that cause of the problem was in the car - in its sensors, wiring harness, parking aid unit, RT3 telemetry unit and/or BSI module. I was replacing them one by one, making software updates, but nothing helped. The turning point, which I missed, was connection of parking assistance module (placed in a spare wheel bay) from another car, which cured all system for a few minutes – until connection of Lexia and another AAS module telecoding...

To not to keep longer in suspense – strange readings from front parking sensors are caused by a software bug in Diagbox/Lexia provided with "Chinese" VCI. Use of this Diagbox (7.13 in my case) always results in incorrect data written into parking aid module during its configuration. The most misleading is fact, that from perspective of this diagnostic tool, data is updated and retrieved properly – front sensors and/or gearbox type options are shown as set up by user. Currently, the only known to me way of "repairing" such a damaged module, is to reprogram it by an official dealer/service or... by using Peugeot Planet 2000 (21.xx-22.xx – don't bother installing it on system other than Windows XP and don't ask my how i know it). The procedure is to change configuration of parking aid module (e.g. turn off front sensors or change gearbox type), save it, change to proper values and save once more. AAS module from Citroen C5 can be configured with PP2000 by selecting Peugeot 407. After that operation system is 100% operational again. Voila!

So... what's next?

[sparksie]

Brilliant.
Excellent detective work.
Well done.
I'm sure lots of folk on here will be delighted with that, though many won't be pleased at having to use Peugeot Planet after every time they use their Lexia!!!
I was considering asking SWMBO for a Lexia "Easter Egg" this year, but now I think I'll wait a while and hope Cit continues to behave herself.
I realise I'll have no problem on my Xantia, but I don't want to corrupt anybody's C5, if/when I eventually get my hands on one!

[Hell Razor5543]

There are several different suppliers of Lexia clones. Some people will swear by certain suppliers, others will swear AT the same suppliers. I got mine from Easy Diagnostics. It wasn't the cheapest (but if you mention that you are a member of this forum they knock the shipping cost down; well, certainly for within the UK, not sure about ROI), but they appear to be knowledgeable. They don't just take your order, they ask relevant questions. Their unit can also go up to (at least) Diagbox 7.15 (some Chinese clones can only go up to 5.29), as mine has done so. However, according to their website they currently have sold out of the Lexia clone.

[tco_tm]

sparksie, I think I wasn't clear with my description. AAS/AIDE (parking aid module) configuration gets corrupted not with every use of "ill" Lexia/Diagbox, but only after programming this specific unit.

Hell, do not confuse VCI interface with a Lexia. Lexia is a piece of PC software, and so called "clone" is an electrical diagnostic hardware which connects car with a personal computer. It consists mainly of relays and is used as an active switch between different communication lines of various car modules - that's all, it has no "logic" in it. Described problem does not apply to VCI clone, but software. I don't know if the bug concerns "pirated" version or some specific edition (e.g. 7.13), but you can always replace this software. Despite of that, I think there is no difference between clone suppliers (all of them imports hardware from China and download software from internet). Some of them just created legends to justify prices and/or get more customers .

[hrvoje.marin]

thank you mr Pawel for sharing your findings, my case is based on latest version that old clones can, db 5.29, all symptoms were the same.

resolution easy because of your instructions and PP included in DB 5.29 did just fine.

Cheers,
Marin

[maximus2]

Just replaced rear sensor on C5 estate, 2007. Sensor was 9663649977xt. Got one off ebay £19.50. As of 1/2 hr ago all was working.
.