New Passat - bumper Removal - help!

[breadster50]

Hi - trying to fit a "Taurus T123-P" electromagnetic reversing sensor [instead of normal ultrasonic sensor] on my 2006 Passat Estate 2.0TDI 140. The instructions say that you need to remove bumper. I had an opportunity to use a ramp to get the underside cover from the rear of the car, but couldnt get the damn bumper off. I managed to stick the sensor strip across the rear of the inner of the bumper but it isnt perfect. I could really do with some advice wrt removing the bumper AND advice from anyone who has fitted/tried to fit one of these kits............ :aargh4: :1zhelp:

[Quatrelle]

Looking to do the same myself with a saloon, using an ultrasonic system with 4 sensors which means drilling holes, and I would rather remove the bumper beforehand. Prefer the Taurus idea though - where did you buy yours? I notice one supplier (Googled) says they can send bumper removal instructions 'if available' or contact your dealer for advice - yeah, right! Is the reversing light in the tailgate on the estate? Mine's in the bootlid, which means either putting the control unit in the lid (not a good idea) or running cable down the boot 'hinges' with VW's own (fiddly, but I can't isolate the reversing light supply in the boot). I've had a brief look under the car, but if I go down the Taurus route and discard the 4-sensor job I'll have mine up on the ramps again before spending more money. It can't (theoretically) be that difficult seeing as it would be one of the most common body parts that would be damaged. Sorry I can't be of more help, after all that!

[breadster50]

Hi Quatrelle

Having trouble with the Taurus... HOWEVER..... contacted the company directly and the aftermarket help was SUPERB. On most new cars, the electronics are "multiplexed" [as is my passat] so i had to buy [yes, i know!] the "multiplex relay kit" [another £22 delivered]. If you know anything about cars/electrics then i guess this is a simple off the shelf relay [it should be arriving tomnorrow so will post the part number on to hopefully save people cash] :biglaugh:

I bought mine from www.addacdchanger.co.uk (http://www.addacdchanger.co.uk) £76 delivered. RRP £110.

Yeah - reverse light in tailgate - ran down tailgate behind facia, through grommet [pain in the...] the down behind the rubber seal and into the base of the boot.

I didnt take off the bumper but it is flexible.... :Blush2: the sensor was stuck on and then i ran the cable into the boot well [its plastic on the estate].

If you have access to a ramp then this'll be a simple job - if u can get someone who knows how to get the bumper off then hey presto!

Will inform you of how the relay goes.......... fingers crossed!

[Quatrelle]

Hi Breadster50

Thanks for that, it's interesting, especially the relay bit. I'd already tried my 4-sensor thingy by tapping into the reverse light bulb holder, and it seemed to work ok, but this modern wiring worries me. (I tapped into what I thought was the reverse light wire in the boot - not the way to go). I think it's called the CANbus system, where two wires do the work of many, but I haven't got a clue, so the relay might be the best (safest) bet.

I looked on addachanger's website (Googled it), and it looks like they want 15GBP to deliver to France, which seems a bit strong, so I'll wait for your verdict on the relay and perhaps order both at the same time and maybe save money.

You say you contacted the company - was that Taurus or addachanger?

I found a short video on Youtube on how to fit it, but the bumper was already off the car (whatever it was), and until I see the instructions with the product it's difficult to say whether it would be of any help.

Hopefully I'll have mine up on the ramps on Thursday. I seem to remember the exhaust and its heat shield were a major obstruction.

Good luck with yours!

[Quatrelle]

ITV4, 7pm, this evening, 'Used car roadshow' supposedly contains an item ".....giving the lowdown on fitting parking sensors" - don't know if it will be of any relevance though.

[Flash2]

Passat rear bumpers are quite easy to remove. You'll need a couple of torx screw drivers (T20 & T30 I think).
Remove the rear lamps (the outer lamps on the vehicle body and be very careful if you've got an estate!). Remove the screws under the lamp units (T30s).
Remove rear wheels. (remember to take the lock nut key out of the boot before you put the car on the ramp!)
If you have mudflaps fitted remove them, if not remove the screws (T20s) around the rear of the wheel arch.
In the wheel arch where the plastic bumper joins to the vehicle body, there is a plastic rivet which does up vertically through the bumper into the body. Pry the rivet out.
Under the vehicle, there are two more T30s to remove and there is a plastic panel on the off side that you need to remove (T20s).
Now get someone to help you pull the bumper off. Grip it on at either side and pull it rearward. It fits onto guides at the sides and should slip off.

It sounds like a lot of work, but should only take about 20 - 30 mins. If you don't have the use of a ramp, you can do it without removing the wheels if you can get something to remove the screws with that will fit beween the tyre and the screw. I use a ratchet spanner with an adapter to take my torx bits if I can't get the wheels off.

If your fitting the ultrasonic type sensors, like the Cobra park master supplied by VW, you dont have to remove the bumper. Drill the holes for the sensors and feed the sensor wires between each hole using a welding rod or coat hanger. Start at the off side. put your rod through the O/S inner hole and out the O/S outer. Tape the O/S outer sensor wire onto the rod and pull it through. Now remove the O/S number plate lamp (don't remove the screws, just pry it out) and put the rod in the hole for the number plate lamp and out the O/S inner hole. Tape the O/S outer and O/S inner sensor wires to the rod and pull it through so both wires are now hanging out the hole where the number plate lamp fits. Work your way across the bumper in that fashion then when you have all the sensors fitted route the four wires to the inside of the vehicle via the large gromet behind the bumper at the N/S. And no, you don't need to remove the bumper to get at the grommet. I've got a note of where the holes should be drilled too if anybody wants to know. Regards - Jim.

[Quatrelle]

Thanks Flash2, that's fairly comprehensive!

One other thing that worries me is where to wire into? Is a relay needed (as above) or can I go into the wires at the reversing light?

Your help is much appreciated....

[Flash2]

No need for a relay. you can connect the positive wire of the parking sensor control unit directly to the reverse lamp circuit. I've never done an estate, but on the saloon version you need to remove the N/S boot side trim. Behind the trim near the boot hinge you will see a little carrier with 3 little multiplugs attached. You pick up the reverse light feed there. I think it's a blue plug but I can't remember the colour of the wire off hand. On golfs, polos, etc the reverse light wire is a black with blue tracer, but I have a feeling it's not on the 3C passat. I'll check my notes when I go back to work on Tuesday and let you know, or you could stick the car in reverse and probe the wires with a test lamp.
Glad I could help - Jim.

[Quatrelle]

Tried tapping into one of the three multiplugs - engaged reverse, disconnected one, the reverse light went out, result! or so I thought.....connected into it and, if my memory serves me, got a light on the dash telling me a bulb had a problem (I tried all this a couple of months ago and haven't had time to pursue it until now). Again, if my memory is correct, when I tapped in at the bulb holder everything seemed ok. The problem then was getting the wire back down the boot support arm to the control unit, but I found a way that I could probably do that.

Advice on exactly where to drill the holes would be useful. I was worried about hitting something behind the bumper and/or getting the wires through to the boot, which was why I contemplated ditching the sensors and getting a Taurus electromagnetic system that sticks on.

Thanks again for your time - John

[Flash2]

Hi John. I don't know why you would get a bulb failure warning when connecting at the multiplug in the boot but not when connecting at the bulb holder...it's the same wire. Did you check to see that the reverse lamp was lit when the bulb failure message was displayed?
I'm off work until Tuesday, but I'll dig through my noted and get you the measurements for drilling the holes.
Regards - Jim.

PS. What make are the sensors you fitting?

[Quatrelle]

I'm wondering just what I did connect to. It was actually January when I started looking at fitting, wiring etc. and I haven't been near it since - too busy (diy!) - so apology that it's all a bit vague. I wanted to check everything out before I started drilling holes so I tried the sensors off the car on a 12v supply and they worked ok, but the reverse, fog and number plate wiring all seem to be similar colours in the boot, and I was very wary of messing things up. I seem to recall that there wasn't a simple supply and return. I had visions of the car's computer telling me to clear off! but I definitely had something on the dash display.

I've now got time to continue, hence my interest in this thread. The sensors I've got are made by Cisbo "using Philips technology" whatever that means. They were about 20GBP delivered and were more of a 'toe in the water' on the basis that if fitting was going to be a pain I wouldn't bother.

I note you mention the Cobra sensors - are they a VW-approved accessory? I'll quite happily ditch my cheapo set for something 'safer'.

[Flash2]

John, I think you'll be OK with the Cisbo sensors. They look just like Veba ones that I've fitted before, only the vebas come with a little display unit that tells you how far you are from the thing your about to reverse into. The sounder on the Vebas are built into the display. I've not had any problems with them, but the display thing is a pain in the ar...back side to fit, trying to route the cable with it's big plug through some of the tight spaces it has to pass through. And the display is just a gimmick anyway. The only real problem with those sensors (perhaps not an issue for you) is that they can't be colour coded. They are also a little deeper than the Cobra park master sensors, but I don't think that should be a problem on your Passat. The sensor cables on the Cobra are a good bit thinner than the Veba and that makes them a bit easier to work with.
The Cobra sensors are what the VW dealer supply. They are also used by Mitsubishi, Mazda and Hyundai and probably other manufacturers too.

[alfonso]

Passat rear bumpers are quite easy to remove. You'll need a couple of torx screw drivers (T20 & T30 I think).
Remove the rear lamps (the outer lamps on the vehicle body and be very careful if you've got an estate!). Remove the screws under the lamp units (T30s).
Remove rear wheels. (remember to take the lock nut key out of the boot before you put the car on the ramp!)
If you have mudflaps fitted remove them, if not remove the screws (T20s) around the rear of the wheel arch.
In the wheel arch where the plastic bumper joins to the vehicle body, there is a plastic rivet which does up vertically through the bumper into the body. Pry the rivet out.
Under the vehicle, there are two more T30s to remove and there is a plastic panel on the off side that you need to remove (T20s).
Now get someone to help you pull the bumper off. Grip it on at either side and pull it rearward. It fits onto guides at the sides and should slip off.

It sounds like a lot of work, but should only take about 20 - 30 mins. If you don't have the use of a ramp, you can do it without removing the wheels if you can get something to remove the screws with that will fit beween the tyre and the screw. I use a ratchet spanner with an adapter to take my torx bits if I can't get the wheels off.

If your fitting the ultrasonic type sensors, like the Cobra park master supplied by VW, you dont have to remove the bumper. Drill the holes for the sensors and feed the sensor wires between each hole using a welding rod or coat hanger. Start at the off side. put your rod through the O/S inner hole and out the O/S outer. Tape the O/S outer sensor wire onto the rod and pull it through. Now remove the O/S number plate lamp (don't remove the screws, just pry it out) and put the rod in the hole for the number plate lamp and out the O/S inner hole. Tape the O/S outer and O/S inner sensor wires to the rod and pull it through so both wires are now hanging out the hole where the number plate lamp fits. Work your way across the bumper in that fashion then when you have all the sensors fitted route the four wires to the inside of the vehicle via the large gromet behind the bumper at the N/S. And no, you don't need to remove the bumper to get at the grommet. I've got a note of where the holes should be drilled too if anybody wants to know. Regards - Jim.
Sorry,
Hello,
You may have on how we image dismantle the rear bumper?
Thank you and hello

[HarryP0tter]

No need for a relay. you can connect the positive wire of the parking sensor control unit directly to the reverse lamp circuit. I've never done an estate, but on the saloon version you need to remove the N/S boot side trim. Behind the trim near the boot hinge you will see a little carrier with 3 little multiplugs attached. You pick up the reverse light feed there. I think it's a blue plug but I can't remember the colour of the wire off hand. On golfs, polos, etc the reverse light wire is a black with blue tracer, but I have a feeling it's not on the 3C passat. I'll check my notes when I go back to work on Tuesday and let you know, or you could stick the car in reverse and probe the wires with a test lamp.
Glad I could help - Jim.


Are you talking about the trim inside the boot or on the boot lid where you change the bulb?

[Flash2]

No, it's the trim inside the boot you need to remove. The one on the passenger side.
Regards - Jim.

[HarryP0tter]

No, it's the trim inside the boot you need to remove. The one on the passenger side.
Regards - Jim.

Ok, I know im a bit slow, are we talking the material trim that is held on by some plastic bolts.

If so do the bolts just pull out?

Don't know if this helps to point it out?

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_434/car_photo_217389_10.jpg

Harry

[mikecb1]

Quatrelle

I fitted a 4 sensor kit (The one sold by VW, but made by Cobra) to my car a few months back. You certainly don't need to remove the bumper. I posted a write up, including sensor positions and wiring connections, at the time.

HTH

Mike

[Quatrelle]

Quatrelle

I fitted a 4 sensor kit (The one sold by VW, but made by Cobra) to my car a few months back. You certainly don't need to remove the bumper. I posted a write up, including sensor positions and wiring connections, at the time.

HTH

MikeHi Mike - my post above was May last year, since when I've fitted Meta Targa sensors, which are simply built into a holder for the rear number plate and of course you don't need to drill the car. There are only two sensors, one on each side, and I was doubtful if they'd give good coverage, but I really can't fault the system. It also means they can be removed if you sell the car, although this is not an issue for me.

Meta Targa appears in my sig., but for some reason the sigs. have been removed on this thread. :confused: Thanks anyway.

[mikecb1]

OOps. Sorry - missed the date on your post. I thoght it was recent :Blush:

Mike

[HarryP0tter]

Hi Mike - my post above was May last year, since when I've fitted Meta Targa sensors, which are simply built into a holder for the rear number plate and of course you don't need to drill the car. There are only two sensors, one on each side, and I was doubtful if they'd give good coverage, but I really can't fault the system. It also means they can be removed if you sell the car, although this is not an issue for me.

Meta Targa appears in my sig., but for some reason the sigs. have been removed on this thread. :confused: Thanks anyway.

The Meta Targa is £50 for Halfords at the moment if you install your self, this price is on the web only, instore its twice the price.


If I can workout where to wire it in to I might grab one.

[Quatrelle]

The Meta Targa is £50 for Halfords at the moment if you install your self, this price is on the web only, instore its twice the price.

If I can workout where to wire it in to I might grab one.
I bought mine direct from the makers, and it was about 90GBP if my memory serves. My advice would be to go for it.

Re the wiring: I did post something on here, so try a search. If not, I'll try to remember :o

[stringman]

If your fitting the ultrasonic type sensors, like the Cobra park master supplied by VW, you dont have to remove the bumper. Drill the holes for the sensors and feed the sensor wires between each hole using a welding rod or coat hanger. Start at the off side. put your rod through the O/S inner hole and out the O/S outer. Tape the O/S outer sensor wire onto the rod and pull it through. Now remove the O/S number plate lamp (don't remove the screws, just pry it out) and put the rod in the hole for the number plate lamp and out the O/S inner hole. Tape the O/S outer and O/S inner sensor wires to the rod and pull it through so both wires are now hanging out the hole where the number plate lamp fits. Work your way across the bumper in that fashion then when you have all the sensors fitted route the four wires to the inside of the vehicle via the large gromet behind the bumper at the N/S. And no, you don't need to remove the bumper to get at the grommet. I've got a note of where the holes should be drilled too if anybody wants to know. Regards - Jim.[/quote]

very detailed advice- I dont suppose you have those measurments to hand at all?

[HarryP0tter]

I think i am going to go for the Halfords sensors so I can drill behind the number plate and feed the wire right through the grommet in the boot.

It's finding the right place to wire in into thats the problem, if any one has a photo it would be a big help, because I think im been a bit slow.

[Flash2]

very detailed advice- I dont suppose you have those measurments to hand at all?

Sorry guys. I've been working away from home for a bit so haven't managed to get onto the forum.

The holes for the passat saloon are : inner sensors 350mm out from the centre and 650mm for the outer two and both sets are positioned 118mm up from the join of the lower valence (the black bit).

For the estate it's 200mm for the inner two and 600mm for the outer and 80mm up from the valence.

For the CC the inner sensors are 300mm out from the center and 20mm up and the outer sensors are 600mm from the center and 30mm up.

These figures come from VW, so don't blame me if you find a chunk of metal behind any holes you drill. If in doubt, remove the bumper and check for yourself.

Regards - Jim.

[stringman]

Thanks very much for that
once i have painted my sensors I shall get the drill out!!!!

[HarryP0tter]

Done it!

I've gone and installed my Meta sr2 sensors and it was all quire easy, the hardest part was removing the boot trim and putting it back again.

[Quatrelle]

Done it!

I've gone and installed my Meta sr2 sensors and it was all quire easy, the hardest part was removing the boot trim and putting it back again.

Excellent! All you need now is a large cardboard box (or something similarly non-damaging) to try them out.

[dazzer07]

Hi - trying to fit a "Taurus T123-P" electromagnetic reversing sensor [instead of normal ultrasonic sensor] on my 2006 Passat Estate 2.0TDI 140. The instructions say that you need to remove bumper. I had an opportunity to use a ramp to get the underside cover from the rear of the car, but couldnt get the damn bumper off. I managed to stick the sensor strip across the rear of the inner of the bumper but it isnt perfect. I could really do with some advice wrt removing the bumper AND advice from anyone who has fitted/tried to fit one of these kits............ :aargh4: :1zhelp:
hope this helps

[catarad]

first post here, trying to find out if I could change the parking sensors without removing the rear bumper.

initially, I bought the sensors black and now i bought ones that are quite a color match. they are not OEM, but that ordinary ones, produced in China.

now, the question is: how do i pull them off the rear bumper? if i am not mistaken, they cling to the inside of the bumper with some metal/rubber clips.
so i guess they need to be squeezed a bit, but my hand does not fit in....:zx11:

Should i just pull them out by force? any thoughts on that?

[Flash2]

The most common parking sensors I've come across are held into the bumper by strips of rubber down the sides of the sensor casing. I can usually just lift those ones out of the bumper using my fingers.

The Cobra sensors that are supplied by the VW dealers are a little bit better secured but you can still get them off without removing the bumper. I usually try and get a finger nail under the edge of the sensor to lift it off the bumper a little. I then slot the blade of a thin flat blade screw driver under the sensor. Don't try and lever it out but grip the shaft of the driver down near the sensor and pull the shaft towards you. One side of the sensor should lift out the hole. Now repeat the process on the opposite side. I'm sure that will work with the other type of sensors too if you can't manage to lift them out with your fingers.

Regards.

Jim.

[catarad]

ok, so indeed you were right. there are some rubber strips holding the sensor on the bumper.

i removed one just to see how it goes. but now, my feeling is that if you remove it, the rubber strip will be a bit torn and when/if you put it back, it will not fit perfectly.

am i correct?

[Flash2]

I've never had a problem refitting the removed sensors. They shouldn't be that tight in the holes to tear the rubber. If anything, I think that type of sensor is a bit loose in the holes. The Cobra sensors are a much better fit but they are a bit harder to remove.

Jim.

[slimgeo]

These figures come from VW, so don't blame me if you find a chunk of metal behind any holes you drill. If in doubt, remove the bumper and check for yourself.

Regards - Jim.

Can anyone verify that there are no chunks of metal behind the dimensions listed for the saloon

Cheers

[djah]

I removed the bumper to fit mine. Its really not that much effort for the peace of mind. You can also cable tie the sensor cables out of harms way.
Just one regret for me. I fitted my dolphin sensors in the pre-marked positions that you will see if you remove the bumper. However because this section of bumper above the chrome strip is not vertical, the sensors will not detect anything below 500mm. If I was doing it again I would fit them below the chrome strip.

[Flash2]

No, no chunks behind the holes if you use those dimensions...unless VW made a mess of building your car.
You'll be fine. I've fitted loads of them and never had to get the angle grinder out once.

Cheers.

Jim.