Hi all, 

I have installed a Kenwood DMX8019DABS radio in my Focus MK3 2014 using the Connects2 kit. I have welded the reverse, speed sensor and parking sensor wires from the Connects2 loom to the unit wires. 

Everything seems working good, steering wheel controls and android auto wireless working great but I don't have rear sensors anymore! The picture of my car appears in the old small sync screen but it doesn't beep and all the reverse options (beep, distance display, etc) in the unit are not available (they are grey and I can't select them) 

Any ideas? 

Thanks! 

The Ford PAM (Parking Assistance Module) uses the CANbus network to communicate with the ACM (Audio Control Module) and FCDIM (Front Control Display Interface Module). Depending on the production date and audio system the park sensor beeps are displayed by the ACM (SYNC 2 / SYNC 3) or the IPC (Instrument Panel Cluster). If the parking sensor beeps are displayed by the instrument cluster the ACM acts as a gateway between the PAM and the IPC.

If the ACM is removed from the car the gateway between the PAM and the IPC is missing. This basically means that the parking sensor beeps are no longer working. To solve this problem the Connects2 wiring harness contains a basic CANbus decoder and an additional small speaker.

 

The basic CANbus decoder is needed to monitor the vehicles CANbus communication and converts the digital CANbus signal into an analog signal. For example:

* The digital PAM communication is converted into an analog (pulsed) power signal that outputs the parking sensor beeps through the additional speaker.
* The digital speed signal communication is converted into an analog speed pulse signal.
* The digital parking brake position signal is converted into an analog ground signal.
* The analog Ford steering wheel control resistance signal is converted into a suitable analog signal for an aftermarket radio.

The fact that the parking sensor beeps are no longer working suggests that the Connects2 CANbus decoder is not working properly. For some reason the CANbus decoder does not decode the digital PAM communication is converted into an analog (pulsed) power signal that outputs the parking sensor beeps through the additional speaker.

The aftermarket Kenwood DMX8019DABS radio is capable to display information of the original parking sensor system. This however requires an advanced Kenwood specific CANbus interface. Without a suitable CANbus interface the parking sensor settings/functionality will be greyed out. These settings/functionality will only be unlocked if a suitable CANbus interface is detected. Suitable Kenwood specific CANbus interfaces are available for many recent VAG vehicles but to be honest I have never seen such an interface for Ford vehicles. The market for such an anvanced CANbus interface for Ford vehicles is simply too small to justify the development costs. 

Being pretty basic the Connects2 CANbus decoder does not support this functionality.