E46 PDC Fault - Fixed it-self??

[Mr Ben]

Good morning,

My trusty E46 coupe last week developed a fault with PDC. For the 1st time in nearly 3 years of ownership I started the car, put it into reverse, and was met by a 5 second continuous beep/bong.

The tone would only repeat it-self the 1st time you selected reverse after the car was started. At all other times, nothing.

At no point between the fault starting approx 7 days ago and this morning, have the sensors worked whilst nearing an object.

Cue several days of panicked forum searching, listening for 'clicking' sensors (of which they all were) and planning a reset of the PDC control unit at the weekend.

Then, this morning whilst sitting in the car waiting for it to defrost, I select reverse and no bong/beep. I turn the car off and on several times to make sure it's not a fluke... I get to work and reverse park up against the wall, beep beep beep!

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? And is likely that the fault is likely to manifest it-self again?!?!

Many thanks,

Ben

[giw12]

If it's like mine, you'll get the problem intermittently, but with increasing frequency.

Then it'll give up the ghost.

Start watching them on eBay!

[Mr Ben]

Thought as much..

Oh well, we'll see how long this turns out to be.

Thanks.

[LC23]

My old 330Ci did this. Sorted itself out after a while and never happened again. I think water may have got in mine with a bit of overzealous jet washing.

[Nedz]

My E46 m3 has done this twice and ive owned the car nearly four years now.Both times it happened as soon as i selected reverse from start up but was ok next time i tried reverse.

Not sure what caused it but unless it starts happening on a regular basis i wouldn't worry about it.

[MarkwG]

If today was the first icey day for you, I'd go with water in the sensor. If it reoccurs once the warmer weather arrives, the sensor's probably gone.

[Chan6192]

im assuming PDC is the parking sensors? general dirt, rain, ice, and debris build up can set them off, its no big problem mate, ive had mine sprayed over to color-code em with the rest of my car and they work fine, ive notice occasionally in heavly rain and snow they set off when im in reverse, its no biggy