Mike O

I keep suffering from an apparent intermittent failure of my PDC, i.e. almost very other time I use the car I get the failure warning chime and a big '!' mark on the dashboard. Most times the PDC is clearly working despite the warning and the fault nearly always clears itself when I restart the car.

Anyone else suffered the problem or even know what the cause is. I know that if I take the car to my dealer it will work perfectly and I won't be able to replicate the fault!!

narvselius

Have you checked the sensors so that they are absolutely clean? But my guess is that it's sensor that's failing.

Mike O

Good idea, I'll check that all the sensors are clear of debris or dirt and see if that makes a difference. However, I suspect that you are right and it's only one of the sensors that is failing, hence why I keep on getting the failure message but still get the proximity warning bleeps and screen.

I'm asking my dealer if they can set up an MP3 retrofit for me so I'll ask them to check out the sensors at the same time.

george44

Any joy with the pdc issue?

I'm getting exactly the same, very intermittant, but clears itself next time the sensors are activated and it detects some object. Restarting the car alone doesn't clear the message.

Simon.

Mike O

No, I thought it got sorted when I had the software updated but now it's back and as bad as it was before. It always clears itself and sometimes I can see that the sensors are working even when the warning message is being displayed. As with your car, a restart on its own isn't enough to clear the warning.

jbeene

I had the same issue. Required replacement of one of the sensors. Dealer quickly diagnosed the problem but it took a long time to get the parts because they are pre-painted and had to be ordered from Germany.

Now completely trouble free.

Mike O

Thanks for the heads-up on the dealer having to get pre-painted parts from Germany, at least I now know the reasons for any delays in getting replacement parts fitted. I'll have the dealer look at my car when it next goes in for a service but I think you've identified the problem and solution.

sumu

I have had this recently on my '05 E61. Started with intermittent PDC failure warnings at start and then progressed over a couple of months to issuing the warning every time. It turned out to be three sensors and was I believe due to the paint coming away from part of the sensor surface. You could just see paint chips around the edge of all three if you looked closely.

To confirm what others have said the sensors do need to be ordered; my experience was that it took 3 weeks for them to arrive at the dealer. Mine were replaced under warrantee no problem.

Mike O

Your note seems to confirm what the issue is - it definitely looks as though I've at least one failing sensor. My problem at the moment is that I can't always replicate the fault, e.g. it hasn't for a couple of weeks, so I'm hoping the dealer will be able to check the sensors' operation even without a 'PDC Failure' warning showing on the screen.

sumu

Though I'm no expert, it is my understanding that faults are logged along with a code allowing the dealer to see whether faults have occured and what they were.