Berlingo Parking Assistance Mystery?

[Argos69]

Hi folks,
Any and all help welcomed here, as I've run out of ideas!

I replaced the head unit in my 2012 Berlingo Enterprise Van a couple of years ago. I fitted a double DIN Pioneer unit, which has a much better performance and far better radio reception than the original. However, the real story begins...

The new non-original unit meant I lost the use of the steering controls to alter the date & time & other Citroen menu items, so I fitted a CTSCT003.2 unit from Connects2, which restored all these functions - but still left me with no reversing bleeps - just the visual graphics as originally supplied.

Recently, fed up with the lack of bleeps, I bought the CTRCT001 unit from the same company, which is supposed to restore the missing bleeps. However, all I get now is the initial bleep on selecting reverse gear, but no further bleeps!

I contacted their support service and received the following reply...

"For the parking sensors with Citroen and Peugeot vehicles there are 2 types of parking sensors that can be fitted to the vehicle. The first type of parking sensors our interface will work with and you will get parking sensor audio. The second type is a rare type of parking sensor, this type will beep just once when the vehicle is put into reverse but then will no further parking tones. Unfortunately at present we do not have solution for the second type of parking system the system is rare and there is no model difference to identify the type of parking sensor system in the vehicle. Unfortunately it appears that your vehicle has the second type of parking sensors on your vehicle."

The big question I have, is that does anyone know of these differences and is it down to swapping the Parking Assistance ECU or does it go beyond that?

Thanks for reading this far! As I said, any ideas are welcomed, as I'm truly stumped....

[GiveMeABreak]

Your main issue is the after market Head Unit - as you've gathered these are not just radios, they also interface with the vehicles systems and can act as the interface for configuring some of the functions.

Apart from that, depending on the original system fitted, they can also display the visual parking assistance info. There are in fact quite a few parking assistance ECUs - and these are for the rear only, front & rear, and further for models with a reversing camera. On top of this, they are different units based on the build date of the vehicle and on the type of electrical architecture employed on the vehicle. Even the multiplexed CAN systems are available in several architectures, which means the equipment and their ECUs have to be compatible.

But as for your beeping issue, for telematic systems, these usually handle both the parking assistance visual screen / camera and also the audio beeps. The beeps on my car with front and rear parking assistance adjust from front to rear and from left to right, depending on the location of the detected object. If the parking assistance ECU can't communicate properly with your Head Unit then it isn't going to work regardless of whatever aftermarket cable is fitted. Everything has to be able to talk to each other and using the same language. So that's probably why you are not getting any beeps - as your head unit is not 100% compatible with the BSI or the parking assistance ECU.

Incidentally, when you first engage reverse gear the initial audio beep you hear is from the control module located in the steering wheel which just means the system is initialised and is not generated from the Head Unit.

[Argos69]

Hi Marc & as ever, thank you.

I'll go away and digest your information. I've contacted Connects2 again and am asking them for any details of what they actually do know. Yes, the initial bleep was absent before the additional harness was added and does, as you've said, appear to be from the steering wheel area.

The parking assist graphics are still on the normal orange screen, which is fine. Everything but the bleeps works fine too.

Do we know any part numbers for the parking assistance ecu. I've just found 6590EP in my search. There seem to be 2 versions known to citroen. One which comes "coded" and the other "to be coded". However, after looking in Diagbox, the "coding" seems to only be to tell the unit whether the car/van is manual or automatic. I can do that bit easily myself. No other versions seem to be available to the 2012 Berlingo enterprise without rear camera. So maybe this "difference" is purely an internal component change, which doesn't suit the Connects2 add-on? The 6590EPs for sale around and about only seem to differ in Software and Hardware versions. I think I may remove some ply lining and examine the one I have.

The plan "Z" is to possibly abandon the factory bleepers, disable them in Diagbox and fit an aftermarket kit in the same place. I have fitted a completely independent camera some time ago, but miss those bleeps, as did the MOT tester, who nearly planted the van into a wall whilst reversing out of the testing bay! Then I can remove the 5 miles of extra wiring harnesses and plastic boxes that came from from Connects2.

Thanks again!

[GiveMeABreak]

You'll need to pop your VIN up for the Berlingo for me - I only have the one for your X7.

In my last post - just to clarify, they may only have several types of parking assistance ECUs, but there are actually many variants of each - not just pre-configured to options - but also from specific build dates - and that is the bit I was referring to regarding type of electrical architecture employed on the vehicle.

So it may just be that your new head unit is unable to deal with the audio side of it.

The issue you may have is if you replace your original parking assistance ECU with the wrong part then it may not work at all. Anyway, once I have your VIN I can check for you.

In the interim, have a look at this post from The Ace:

viewtopic.php?t=52248

He wanted a reverse camera solution that looked as OEM as possible and chose this option. Having the rear camera display in the rear view mirror is very tidy and the camera replaces one of the rear number plate light fittings.

[Argos69]

Hi Marc and thank you.
Vin for the van is VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
Yes, I'm not really into swapping parts willy nilly, but if it was only a version of the ecu or something daft, I'd give it a go.

[GiveMeABreak]

Right

Part 6590EP (configured) or 6590EN (to be configured) are the only 2 compatible parts for your Berlingo built on 21st March 2012.

There are another 6 part numbers for Parking Assistance ECUs, but these are not compatible with your Berlingo and some of these are only for vehicles built from 2015 to 2016 and another set for vehicles from 2016 on. So no point in going into any of those as they won't be suitable as they will be completely different.

[Argos69]

Hi & thanks,
Is there a wiring diagram you know of showing the connections from the ecu? The reason I ask is that the tech from Connects2 suggested that the bleeps may be transmitted on the rear speak inputs to the radio connector and that I might as well try a speaker on these connections. I've had a bit of a search but haven't found anything on the net.
Clutching at straws? yes, very probably!

[GiveMeABreak]

These guys don't really know the systems.

The connections from the parking assistance ECU are all CAN connections to the BSI. The BSI then interfaces with the factory Head unit and other systems to do its magic. As you don't have this now, it isn't going to play nice with your aftermarket unit me thinks. There are no connections from the Parking ECU to the Speakers.

[Argos69]

Hi Marc,
I borrowed a parking ECU from a 2016 Enterprise van, just to try to see if my 2012 had been fitted with the "last of a batch" of different (and possibly incompatible) ECUs and the Connects2 lead would work.... Nope! Just the same - "Bleepless". I've looked up the actual wiring to the ECU and, as you've said, there are only 2 wires to think about on the multiplug and they both go back to the BSI with CAN info. So that's that I'm afraid.

Based on my experience, if any Berlingo owner was considering the Connects2 leads to restore parking bleeps, I'd recommend buying from somewhere with an easy return policy, as there are clearly a number of Berlingos that this setup wouldn't work on.

So I'm not too glum. I've learned some new stuff and that's always a bonus when delving into the workings of modern vehicles.

[GiveMeABreak]

Thanks for the update - sorry it's not the news you wanted to hear, but at least it will be of benefit to others.

[Argos69]

By way of (further) closure.....Solved!
I asked in "another place" (not The House of Lords!) and a knowledgeable Lexia fan suggested it was possible to reroute the bleeps to a small alert speaker which lives near the steering wheel and normally provides warning sounds.
Good grief, he was right. Somewhere under "comfort" or whatever in Diagbox, I found the option to redirect these very bleeps!!!!
So, not only is it fixed and I'm bleeping again. It means I can send the Connects2 wiring harness add-on to the wheelie bin.
Good old Citroen - they think of everything

[Martin3590]

Hi mate I have the same problem..Great to hear u had a solution. So u were able to wire to a speaker near the steering wheel. Can u help me out with it please. Hope to hear a reply

[Martin3590]

If any one can help me out it be great need my reverse sensors set back up as set up new radio all works except the sensors just not sure how user name argos69 connect them to a warning speaker?

[GiveMeABreak]

He didn't wire in a speaker. The vehicles can be configured to output the parking assistance beeps to a dedicated speaker already on the vehicle in the dash or more normally through the car's speakers via the vehicle's Head Unit (Radio or Telematics system) - the benefit being that the sounds are usually directional based on the obstacle location.

[Martin3590]

Hi thank you for ur reply so quickly I just read it again an seen that ye he redirected the output to the warning alert speaker at the dash. Do you have any idea how to do that?.