Ford Kuga

 Service Manual

Parking Aid » Parking Aid (System Operation and Component Description)
System Operation

Parking Aid

WARNING: It is the driver's responsibility to stay alert during reversing procedures.

The system may fail to detect small children or animals.

CAUTION: The driver is responsible for detecting obstacles and judging the distance between these and the vehicle.

The system may fail to detect some hanging objects, barriers, narrow obstacles or painted surfaces, which could damage the vehicle. Always pay attention when parking.

The parking aid provides an audible warning to the driver if there are any obstacles in front of or behind the vehicle during reverse parking maneuvers.

At low speeds, the parking aid module uses the parking aid sensors to monitor the area around the vehicle. If an object is detected within a monitored area, the parking aid module emits a warning tone using the respective parking aid speaker.

The rear parking aid is switched on with the ignition. However, it is only enabled when reverse gear is selected.

The front and rear parking aid is always switched off when the ignition is switched on. It is switched on when reverse gear is selected or if the parking aid switch in the center console is actuated up to a speed of 16 km/h.

The parking aid is switched off when the vehicle is travelling forwards at more than 16 km/h or if the parking aid switch in the center console is actuated again.

When the parking aid module activates the system, the parking aid switch LED is illuminated. If the vehicle is only fitted with the rear parking aid, there is no switch.

The parking aid sensors emit a series of ultrasonic impulses and switch to receiver mode to receive the echo reflected by an obstacle within the detection range. The received echo signals are amplified and converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the sensor. The digital signal is passed to the parking aid module and compared with pre-programmed data stored in an EEPROM within the module. The module calculates the distance to the obstacle by measuring the time taken between the emitted and received impulses.

If no objects are detected there are no further warning tones. If an object is detected, repeated audible tones are emitted from either parking aid speaker(s) as appropriate. The time delay between the tones decreases as the distance between the object and the vehicle decreases, until at approximately 250 mm (10 inches), the audible tone becomes continuous.

If the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle does not decrease, the warning tone remains constant if the object has been detected by an internal parking aid sensor. If the obstacle was detected by an external sensor and the distance remains unchanged, the warning tone stops after 3 seconds.

The parking aid module continues to monitor the distance and will resume the warning tones if a decrease in distance is detected.

If a trailer is connected to the vehicle, a signal is sent to the GEM (generic electronic module) via the trailer relay. This signal is sent to the parking aid module via the MS CAN bus. When the parking aid module detects that a trailer is connected to the vehicle, the rear parking aid sensors are disabled to prevent constant warnings due to the close proximity of the trailer.

Parking Aid Camera

For vehicles with a DVD navigation system with a touch screen, the parking aid camera is supplied as standard. For vehicles with a standard navigation system, the camera can be ordered as an optional extra. The system essentially consists of a camera with a wide angle lens, a control unit and a wiring harness which is not integrated in the vehicle wiring harness.

On the navigation display screen, the drivers sees a video image of the area behind the vehicle.

Guides integrated in the camera images by the parking aid camera module and displayed on the screen help the driver to find out about the steering angle, vehicle width, cornering and driving straight ahead. The system generates these guides using:

• Vehicle parameters (length, width)
• Steering Angle
• Vehicle position during the parking maneuver

If the vehicle is also fitted with a rear parking aid, the distances to the obstacle are displayed as a 3D illustration.

The area behind the vehicle is shown on the navigation display screen when the ignition is switched on and reverse gear is engaged (1). The rear view is always given priority, regardless of what is currently being shown on the display.

The camera view is automatically disabled 10 seconds after disengaging reverse gear (2).

If the blue button is pressed during operation of the reversing camera, the camera view disappears from the screen. When reverse gear is engaged again, the system returns to the camera view. Exception: For incoming telephone calls, the screen shows the corresponding menu and then automatically returns to the camera view.

The green buttons can be pressed during operation of the reversing camera, and the screen retains the camera view.

System Operation

Component Description