Just got my Mini R52 from the dealer yesterday, 8/14/12, to do an oil change, replace an O2 sensor, and replace a seized power steering fan. Now from the information that I found on this great forum, I know that the power steering fan and the rear parking sensors are on the same fuse. When I got home I changed the blown fuse,5A, don't know why the dealer didn't change it, and tried backing up to a wall. The parking sensors were not working at all. Before I call the dealer, any ideas or suggestions on what the problem could be? Thank you All in advance.

 

Do you actually need those parking sensors? All my cars I've every owned had fail safe parking sensors, you keep going till you hear a crunch. I've never needed them

 

Brother, once you go RPS, you'll never want that "crunch" again

 

Do the back up lights work? Park assist only works when reverse is selected as do backup lights. That would be a clue.
I agree, fuse should have been replaced. I guess they didn't test the fan after replacement.

 

I just looked at the rear lights and the left side bottom light bulb popped out of its housing. Not sure if it has anything to do with the park assist not working.

I love it, they charged me an arm and a leg to install a new fan and didn't even check to see if it works. Put a call into the dealer and waiting to hear back.

 

Seriously? Park assist is that great? I've never crunched a bumper. Actually only on my first car (parents mini van), cus there was a concrete flower planter that was 2 feet high. I was mad... maybe park assist would have helped. But it my older days I'm always more aware. back then I'd throw it in reverse and floor it, slam the brake and put it in D while I was still sliding backward, and then floor it again - Park assist, ABS, CEL none of those driving aids were of any use to me back then, only driving aid that worked was my dad in the passenger seat lol.

But these day's i don't think I would ever need park assist, especially in an R50. DSC has made me lazy and less of a man, ABS might be a necessity.

 

To each his own my brother

 

I'm interested in hearing what the solution is. Every since I got my R52 the rear sensors haven't ever worked. never made a noise. could it be that it is just turned off?

 

Check the fuse for the rear sensor and power steering fan. That could be your problem.

 

The power steering pump fan and backup sensor share the same fuse...
So i bet grit and sand got into the bearings in the ps pump fan, jammed it, and blew the fuse. Post 2005 production cars are wired this way, so ALL R52'S ans some r50/53's do.
Edit..read the op...amazing the person replacing the fan did not do the fuse too!!

 

Mine had a blown fuse and thus a simple fix so far. I saw these comments on mini2/forum that were helpful:

• Backup sensor and the reverse lights function with the ignition on but the engine stopped: thus easy to test by walking behind the parked car while off rather than backing to a wall.
• Silence could be issue with speaker which is buried behind back seats.
• If there is constant beep for 10 sec when put in reverse, then this indicates a fault; To ID faulty sensor: go to the rear sensors, bend down and put your ear to the sensors, you will hear a clicking sound, this means that there is power down to the sensor, the one that does not make the clicking sound is at fault; check your connections in the back of the sensor, if ok, 9 times out of 10 its the sensor thats at fault!