Guide To Fitting Rear Parking Sensors Focus Mk2.5

[Preee]

The sensors I had , had foam strips in about three places that when pushed in. Held the sensor in place I would not glue them incase they needed replacing

[GSM]

Mine had 3/4 rubber wedges embedded around the circumference of each sensor - so providing the hole you drill is snug, they will keep them in place indefinitely.

No need to glue them.

[jeebowhite]

Thanks guys just double checked my sensors and they seem to have four foamy rubbery strips at 12,3,6 and 9 o clock position so hopefully this should just wedge in. Now the hard part begins of where to drill the holes... Can anyone confirm green and yellow is the correct wire on a cmax?

I just ordered a solder kit and heat wrap as I keep reading horrible things about Scotch locks...

[GSM]

Thanks guys just double checked my sensors and they seem to have four foamy rubbery strips at 12,3,6 and 9 o clock position so hopefully this should just wedge in. Now the hard part begins of where to drill the holes... Can anyone confirm green and yellow is the correct wire on a cmax?

I just ordered a solder kit and heat wrap as I keep reading horrible things about Scotch locks...

Trace the wire and see if it heads to your reverse bulb, only way to be sure without ripping the wire open and testing it.

As I said a few posts ago, I would actually recommend using crimp connectors and a crimping tool as opposed to soldering or scotch locks. Unless you're a soldering efficianado which you're probably not if you've only just bought yourself a soldering kit. Soldering can be tricky, especially having to do it in the boot of a car instead of on a nice working bench, and it takes a bit of practice and skill to get any good and making strong, robust, reliable connections that you won't have to re-do in 6 weeks.

Crimp connectors are easy as pie, safer and more reliable than scotch locks, but requiring nowhere near the skill level of soldering for a good robust connection.

[jeebowhite]

Thanks again for the reply, are you able to provide any appropriate links to what would be th correct kit that I need?

I have some previous experience of soldering but not has my own kit. Also once the cable goes into the connector, how would I identify that it's then heading to the reverse lights? I suppose I would need a multimeter?

[Stoney871]

I use a kit just like this, inexpensive and easy to use.

Crimper, wire stripper/cutter, plenty of various sized crimps/bayonet connectors/ bullet connectors and easy to top up from your local DIY store when needed.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/48PC-CRIMPING-CABLE-STRIPPING-AUTO-PLIER-SET-/111001872679?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item19d83a2927

[Preee]

If your going to be soldering on a vehicle , your best using a Gas soldering gun , mine is an Iroda brought from maplins , it is fantastic , i also have 2x electric and a large soldering gun for the big jobs.

But for me gas all the way :)

[jeebowhite]

Cheers guys, will have to see how it goes... Still need to find a way to confirm the wire is definately reverse, preferably without stripping it on the offchance and connecting it up, but might just have to do that anyway!

[alkyz89]

just a quick one has anyone bought the cheaper £8 sets in silver... just wondering if its a good match?? dont realy want to have to paint them myself but at the same time i dont fancy paying £40 odd quid for a definate colour match if they are the same as the cheaper sets

[johnson293]

Found my way to this forum via a Google search about fitting rear parking sensors to my new Focus, and found this brilliant guide.

Subsequently, I've just ordered a silver rear sensor kit from amazon for £15.

Just bought my Focus Titanium, and it has most of the 'toys' except for the rear sensors. Didn't realise it was a relatively straight forward job to fit them, and its given me the confidence to sort it.

Cheers Preee. :)

[Preee]

Found my way to this forum via a Google search about fitting rear parking sensors to my new Focus, and found this brilliant guide.

Subsequently, I've just ordered a silver rear sensor kit from Amazon for £15.

Just bought my Focus Titanium, and it has most of the 'toys' except for the rear sensors. Didn't realise it was a relatively straight forward job to fit them, and its given me the confidence to sort it.

Cheers Preee. :)

Your welcome Marc , and welcome to the forums

[jeebowhite]

I forgot to update this thread...

When I did my reverse sensors, I snipped the Orange / Green cable and then took a heatshrink butt connector, and just wired the positive into this feed, and then crushed them together, then loosened the earth nut, and placed the negative cable into there and locked it back up.

Was a very easy job to do, and only cost me £16.00

[johnson293]

Had my sensors fitted today, by my dad as he had the time to do it, while I was at work. ;)

The kit I ordered was from amazon for £12.99 + £2 delivery, but they are now down to £9.99 + delivery.

Its just a beeper kit, without any display, as that's all I wanted. The colour of the sensors was also a very good match for the Moondust Silver.

The beeper unit isn't as loud as I though to would be, even on the 'Hi' setting, but its currently behind the carpet trim in the boot, so I may relocate it so it can be heard better.

But anyone thinking of getting one of these kits, I'd recommend it, and check out the guide by Preee on the first page, which shows how straight forward the install job is.

MJ B)

[alkyz89]

finally fitted my sensors yesterday...

Managed to find genuine ford moondust silver, for £35

very pleased!!!

[Preee]

Great Job Aaron

[alkyz89]

cheers paul, great guide might i add!! i kinda knew what i was doing as ive done the twin reverse light mod, so didnt realy use the guide but browsed through it before and its very informative.

[theduke]

Thanks for the guide done mine tonight took about 1/2 hr :)

Colours not quite right but will look better when its clean i hope

[jeebowhite]

Hi James

A good job there! I like you got a "near match" and to be honest they arent too bad, but as you say, with a bit of polish on the car, you shouldn't really notice!

[sonic113]

Hi I'm new to this ford forum so I apologise before hand for any mistakes lol! This guide is really good and looks really helpful. I'm going to get a set of parking sensors for my mk 2.5 focus of eBay and install them using this guide as a help. I was wondering as I have saw different sets with 4,6 and 8 sensors, does anybody have front sensors on their mk2.5 focus? And if not are they really needed or are the back ones enough? I can park OK but just want to add p sensors as a small mod as my father in law has them on his new cmax and also I like the displays that come with them. Also will help the wife when parking so a winner all round. Lol!

Thanks.

[minnis]

Hi I'm new to this ford forum so I apologise before hand for any mistakes lol! This guide is really good and looks really helpful. I'm going to get a set of parking sensors for my mk 2.5 focus of eBay and install them using this guide as a help. I was wondering as I have saw different sets with 4,6 and 8 sensors, does anybody have front sensors on their mk2.5 focus? And if not are they really needed or are the back ones enough? I can park OK but just want to add p sensors as a small mod as my father in law has them on his new cmax and also I like the displays that come with them. Also will help the wife when parking so a winner all round. Lol!

Thanks.

The rear's will be easy to fit. The fronts would come in very handy for parking, but not as necessary as rear's IMO. I'm currently fitting sensors to my girlfriends Honda Jazz. The rears were easy, but I'm having a major problem with the fronts. With the back, there was no need to take the bumper off, however access to behind the front bumper is non-existent so I will have to take the front bumper off. Also, routing the wires from the sensors to the control box at the rear of the car will be a big job too. Since you can park alright anyway, I would recommend just going for the rear sensors TBH.

[sonic113]

Thanks for reply. I though adding fronts would be a lot harder and since the rear is the most blind spot I think I will just install rear ones. I'm looking at getting ones from eBay the same kit preee used in his guide. Has any used these and what's reliability like. They seem to get decent enough reviews so hopefully should be grand.

[Preee]

Thanks for reply. I though adding fronts would be a lot harder and since the rear is the most blind spot I think I will just install rear ones. I'm looking at getting ones from eBay the same kit preee used in his guide. Has any used these and what's reliability like. They seem to get decent enough reviews so hopefully should be grand.

The set always worked first time and every time , they were very reliable.

[sonic113]

Thank for replies. I'm ordering them tonight and Going to fit this week. I will post pictures to let you all see how I get on. Also Paul if I was to add a switch for the front how could I get one to fit in a spare space beside the front and rear window heater switches. As it would be tricky to run sensors from front to rear control box I might get a set with display and install using Paul's guide then later down the line get another set with just buzzer for front and install switch for that one so reverse activates rears and switch activities fronts. Maybe a bit excessive but any ideas how to get the one set to activate in reverse but keep a separate switch for front ones?

Thanks

[Preee]

You could add a switch for the front easily enough , all it would have to do is control the power , as you would not want them going off if you were in slow moving traffic as it would drive you mad.You could fit a switch into one of the existing blanks or a switch in the chubby by the OBD port if you wanted it out of the way.

[sonic113]

Do you think then I would be better of installing rear set that's activated with reverse as I like the reverse switch idea. Then later on add another set for front with buzzer and connect to a constant 12v live but add a switch on the power line. I like the idea when reversing the rear sensors start with display automatically and switch off when out of reverse gear. As I said before the rear wud be more important as its more blinded at the back when reversing. The front I don't really need but sometimes the wife (OK I admit myself as well rarely though lol!) Would park front ways and think I'm closer to wall than I am only to look and see I need to move slightly forward again lol! As I said rarely this happens so it might be make more sense to just stick with the rear sensors. Has any one with a mk 2.5 focus installed front as well here? Also I know the mk3 has front but I think this is to assist with self park or maybe I'm wrong. Not quite sure.