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ParkSense Unavailable

5K views 39 replies 7 participants last post by  AKG86 
#1 ·
My 2019 Stelvio Ti Sport has a “ParkSense Unavailable” warning. It was just in the shop for a four wheel alignment. I changed the f49 fuse just in case that was the issue but the warning is still on. The fuse did appeared to be blown.

I also attempted to have the four black boxes that were installed by Sigma Automotive for the EU type taillights before I knew about MultiECUScan removed and now I have this issue.

I need a competent automotive electrician to remove those boxes. Sigma is now out of business. I am in the Peterborough UK area.

Anyway, first thing is I need some help troubleshooting the ParkSense issue.

Much appreciate any advise,
Mike

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#3 ·
Guessing here, but since the fuse you changed was blown...

At some point, somehow, something to do with the installation or attempted(?) deinstallation of those boxes caused a legitimate problem. Probably a power surge that damaged a component.

You need an electrician. Wish there was more I could help with.


If you have MES scanning for error is a good idea, but likely you will find ones that will require real diagnosis and repairs, sorry to say.

Basing this off the blown fuse... Chances are it didn't "just blow" but "was blown". Might check the new fuse and see if it got blown too.
 
#4 ·
My 2019 Stelvio Ti Sport has a “ParkSense Unavailable” warning. It was just in the shop for a four wheel alignment. I changed the f49 fuse just in case that was the issue but the warning is still on. The fuse did appeared to be blown.

I also attempted to have the four black boxes that were installed by Sigma Automotive for the EU type taillights before I knew about MultiECUScan removed and now I have this issue.

I need a competent automotive electrician to remove those boxes. Sigma is now out of business. I am in the Peterborough UK area.

Anyway, first thing is I need some help troubleshooting the ParkSense issue.

Much appreciate any advise,
Mike
Regarding the "ParkSense Unavailable" warning, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:
  1. Check the sensors: Ensure that there is no dirt, debris, or obstructions covering the parking sensors. Clean them gently with a soft cloth if necessary.
  2. Inspect the wiring: Examine the wiring connected to the parking sensors for any signs of damage or disconnection. Ensure that all connections are secure.
  3. Check the fuse again: Although you mentioned changing the F49 fuse, it's worth double-checking that the new fuse is not blown. If it is, replace it with a new fuse of the correct amperage.
  4. Perform a reset: Try performing a system reset by disconnecting the car battery for a few minutes and then reconnecting it. This can sometimes resolve electronic glitches.
 
#5 ·
19267,
Thank you for the breakdown advice. I will place the Stelvio on a lift this Saturday and will check everything you mentioned. I am sure it is probably a fuse somewhere or a relay. Strange to think that I have the Stelvio in the shop for a 4 wheel balance and alignment the same day this issue cropped up. I know that it is probably coincidence.

Update... My friend and I took the black boxes out. They were nothing more than resistors glued to a heat fin. The same resistors that stop your turn signals from hyper-blinking when you install LEDs on an older automobile. Really crap... and grounded. Once we took those out we went down the rabbit hole and we dug into the wiring harness. We noticed that Sigma Automotive cut wires and rewired to other wires in the harness. So, we desoldered and re-soldered with heat shrink all the wires into their correct spots. Everything works perfectly now. I have more lights in the tails lights than before. Taking out that poorly done wiring job fix most of the issues I have had.

Of course, I used MES to reprogram the tail lights to EU lights. Worked perfectly.

Oh, how do I use MES to scan for errors? I could not figure that out. I checked Park Sense and it was on and no issues reported there. But how do I perform a complete scan?

As always, much appreciated,
Mike
 
#8 ·
I will do that today!!! I don’t remember seeing “scan DTC” but I am sure I will find it.
Mike
 
#9 ·
Okay, I was able to get some time to look into the Park Sense issue. Here are the results. The scan does state;
Other / PAM/NSP (Parking Sensors Module)
Parking control Bosch
ISO Code: 00 18 50 87 15
FAILED
Errors found:
C1003-29

Among other errors.
Let me know what you think.
Mike
 

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#10 · (Edited)
Given the description I would start testing relays and checking fuses.

This warning is a clue:

"Value of signal protection calculation incorrect".

Something in the protection circuits isn't right, that means a fuse or relay generally.

Looking at the relay diagrams, I can't find the ones for the power steering system or the park sense. However, from my experiment with pulling BOTH fuses - front and rear - for the brake system and how it killed the power steering too (only when both fuses were pulled)... Might just replace those and see what happens. Fuses are cheap.

I have replaced my fuses since then, if you remember the thread my brake fuse was heat scored. It possible there might be enough scoring/oxidation/heat wear the fuse isn't reporting right anymore. Outside chance but I would look.

Will add when I scanned everything for this recent relay replacement I did, I found several codes - which showed in MES but did not trigger a dash light - relating to the transmission and brake system that were similar. None have returned since replacing the relay.

Check them.
 
#11 ·
ALFAOFFROAD,
Thank you… I will do that tomorrow at the shop. I will look at the wiring manual tonight and see which ones to replace. I never thought to look at the rear fuses.
Relays, I haven’t found them, yet, either. I will continue to look at the manual. They have to be somewhere in there.
Been a very difficult week for me with very little sleep. Hopefully, I will get some good sleep tonight and figure this out in the morning.
Much appreciated,
Mike
 
#12 ·
C1003-29 - Front right internal sensor - Signal invalid - most likely bad sensor. you should be able to swap left/right sensors in grille without removing anything. see if error follows sensor or stays in same place:
  • if error follows with sensor it's faulty sensor;
  • if error stays in place, bad wiring.

rest of the errors not relevant. delete those and see if they re-appear.
 
#13 ·
Today, I attempted what ALFAOFFROAD recommended to find out that the Tech Authority picture was upside down. I just replaced all the small fuses, 7.5 to 20 amp.
Now, the lift gate doesn’t automatically lift. I had to take out a relay to get to one of the fuses but I reinstalled it back perfectly.
I checked the fuses under the dash and all is fine with those.
This issue seems to get worse the more I touch it. I might just schedule and appointment with the dealer that took advantage of me.
Hopefully, these two issues will be resolved soon.
Now, parksense and automatic lift gate don’t work.
Mike
 
#14 · (Edited)
Which fuses? The ones in the rear box behind the panel on the passenger side? Only fuses less then 20amp were changed, so none of the 25amp or higher ones were touched?

Did you disconnect the battery before pulling the fuses?

I'm going to try and figure this out if I can let me know which boxes you changed out fuses in and which fuses specifically. I have the suspicion though .... Wiring is goobered up (modified) somewhere in a way that is screwing things up in a unique way.

.... Technically the lift gate should be like the fuses to the power supply for the power windows and seats, and should be a 25amp or higher fuse. It shouldn't have been effected, but this system could be different.


When working on the car.... Double check everything and look for a second source to verify. Never start taking things off till you verified the instructions are correct. (Learned this the hard way myself with all that stupid brake crap, also when I took apart my fender liner to find relays the turned out to be in a different location then the giulia - haven't mentioned it but I broke the black plastic fender arch where the clips attach to hold it in place and ordered new arches. $400 because the Giulia forum's instructions were wrong for the Stelvio, and no one else had the right ones.🤦 Oh well serves me right for not doing the research myself, and for not thinking the plastic could have become massively brittle after 5 years parked outside in the desert.)

Literally everytime I look at something on this car what I find does not 100% agree with the materials provided by Mitchell-on-Demand, All-Data or especially the supossed "official" Alfa Romeo Documents posted to various forums most of which I strongly believe are preproduction documents and not applicable often. Look at the documents/photos, look at what's on the car.... Then hope your basic understanding of how this all works applies enough to sort out the discrepancies.
 
#15 ·
ALFAOFFROAD,
I changed all the 20amp and lower fuses in the back on the passenger side compartment. Maybe I stuck one in an empty slot. Been a heck of a day. I will check later.
I finally saw that the Tech Authority pic was upside down and then was able to find the correct fuses.
I did keep the battery connected while I did this. Maybe, a relay popped??? I did have to take one out to get to one of the fuses.
The wiring is now perfect. My friend and I actually re-soldered the wires correctly back into their original locations. That took a while but we did it. So that shouldn’t be an issue.
I will reconnect MES and clear the codes and see what else pops back up.
This has to be something simple that I missed.
I will get some good sleep to night and hopefully will figure this out tomorrow.
So frustrated with myself right now.
However, I feel confident with all the help here I will get this.
Thanks and I really do appreciate all you questions and recommendations.

Mike
 
#16 · (Edited)
I know this won't help but ...

I went out and pulled every fuse in that box 20amp and below, 1 by 1 and hit the power lift gate button... It always worked. None of those fuses should effect the function.

.. ugh. Might make 100% sure you didn't replace a higher amp with a lower though. Easy to do.

Wanted to add, at least in my box the only places there are connectors for the fuses are where there are fuses. One inserted elsewhere won't feel right when putting it in and will be loose.
 
#17 ·
ALFAOFFROAD,
Would you be able to take a pic of you fuse panel?
I have a 2019 Ti Sport. I think something is a miss.
Also, would you know what SCR1 and SCR2 fuses are for?
I will label all the fuses on the pic and post it here to the forum. In Tech Authority, they only show you the fuse you look at and not the panel as a whole. So hunt and peck sort of speak.
I believe you might be correct on the fuses. The pic was upside down and I possibly put in a wrong fuse somewhere. That would make sense as to why some stopped working all of a sudden.
Mike
 
#18 ·


Definitely strange.

Also strange, that little 5 amp fuse at the bottom right. Little brown fuse in the spot labelled as F90 on the lid..... I can't find a single diagram that says what it is for. The diagrams I find show some fuses I don't have while also not showing fuses I do. Good times......

Pretty sure part of the problem is different markets and translations. Willing to bet Alfa does everything in Italian and translates instruction diagrams from Italian into whatever language they need maybe through multiple steps, IE: Italian to Spanish..then to English. My guess is the people doing the translating from one language to another neither know anything about cars, nor do they speak both languages fluently. Who knows they might just be using Google translate.... And it's filled with bad translations and resulting mis-information. People don't realize, that's what the Japanese do so well that set Honda, Toyota and the rest up for success. They have phenominal translators so their diagrams and instructions are good, translation is viewed as an art form not a worthless expense to minimize.. Alfa.... Not so much.
 
#19 ·
ALFAOFFROAD,
Perfect… the 5 amp fuse is labeled IBS. There were a lot of systems that also had it listed when I went through all the systems.
Hope that this helps.
Mike
I will PM you my a pic of my labeled fuses.
 
#20 ·
 
#21 ·
Going to guess that's IBS, intelligent battery sensor, not IBS Intelligent Braking system. :ROFLMAO:

Hmm.. now I'm wondering if that fuse blows it would mean the battery doesn't charge or charges at a very low rate no matter what, and if that may have bearing on a few of the people who consistently have battery problems and just keep the car on a tender.
 
#22 ·
ALFAOFFROAD,
Sounds like another thread if you ask me.
Make sense but they are Italian so anything is possible, as I found out.
In the morning, I will send you a pic of the IBS schematics. That could assist in clarifying some things. It will show all the connection paths and fuses and relays.
I hope I can do that without breaking the rules from Tech Authority??? They were very specific not to reproduce anything from it when I ordered the usb sticks from them.
Mike
 
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#24 ·
ALFAOFFROAD,
Your fuse panel did it. There was one fuse out of place… a 40 amp.
Also, miraculously as of this morning the tailgate started to work. Possibly something need to be reset internally… recruit don’t know. It works though.
Now, I have two errors other than original ParkSense error.
I need to get it on a lift and check out the right front internal sensor. Haven’t been able to do that.
I will have the MES report once it makes its way to iCloud. Takes about a year for that to happen…lol

Mike
 
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#25 ·
Finally, the report made its way over the cloud.
I posted the full report PDF. There are three remaining errors. One is the ParkSense. The others, ABS & Electric Steering are left over. I will drive the Stelvio tomorrow and see what happens.
CLEARING STORED FAULT CODES...
SUCCESS 5/29/2023 11:17:22 AM

Electric Steering / EPS (Electric Steering Module)
ZF Electric Steering
ISO Code: 00 02 40 5F 14 FAILED
Errors found:
C1002-54

Other / AFLS/NFA (Self-adaptive Headlamps Module)
Automotive Lighting adaptive headlights ISO Code: 00 1D 50 C7 14 FAILED
Errors found:
U0428-86

Other / PAM/NSP (Parking Sensors Module)
Parking control Bosch ISO Code:
FAILED
Errors found: C1003-29
00 18 50 87 15


Almost there but I need to get it up on a lift to see what is going on.

Mike
 

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#27 ·
I ordered two OEM front sensors and will install the internal right problem child when I receive them. Got two because if there is an issue with one sensor the other might get jealous.

Question, the service manual states to disconnect the battery prior to touching the sensor. Do I need to actually do that?
Also, would I need to perform another proxy scan once it is installed to reprogram the module or will the module pick it up automatically?

Then, I can see and disconnect the sensor through the front facia. There are two clips that hold it in. Is there an easy way to take the sensor out without a total dismantle of the front end or breaking the two clips (or facia)? The clips will need to be re-utilized according to the service manual.

Much appreciated,
Mike
 

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#28 ·
no need to disconnect battery. simply replace sensor. you can remove it without removing front bumper just don't break tabs holding it. prior to removal I'd just disconnect connector and connect new one to see if error disappears.


and forget about proxi - it's for fidling with car configuration and you aren't changing any. most what you'll need is to delete DTC in PDC module.
 
#29 ·
council,
You had me at “no need to disconnect the battery”…lol.
Easy Peasy but my luck has not been the greatest lately. I have a tool someone made for me to take off the coil pack connectors that might be perfect for this.
Thanks…
Oh, I received the connectors today, yeah!!! I ordered two. I feel the left side sensor might get jealous.
Thanks.
Mike
Rectangle Automotive design Automotive tire Gadget Automotive lighting
 
#30 ·
Finally, had some time to replace the faulty park sensor today. Very hot in the U.K, 27.4C (81F).
This was extremely simple… unplug the sensor with two fingers and plug the new sensor in.
Funny, the old sensor has a different part number than the new OEM version. Hum…
Anyway, the error went away upon start.
There are two clips, one on the top of the sponsor and one on the bottom. I unclipped the top first (hurt the tip of my finger quit a bit). Then gently unclipped the bottom clip. The sensor just popped right out:
The new sensor popped right in.
Then, installed the SGW Bypass, plugged in the grey cable and launched MES. Started DTC scan and cleared all the codes.
Works perfectly now.
Much appreciate the support and mentorship. I am not a master mechanic but I learn quickly.
Mike
Tire Automotive parking light Wheel Land vehicle Car
 
#33 ·
Finally, had some time to replace the faulty park sensor today. Very hot in the U.K, 27.4C (81F).
This was extremely simple… unplug the sensor with two fingers and plug the new sensor in.
Funny, the old sensor has a different part number than the new OEM version. Hum…
Anyway, the error went away upon start.
There are two clips, one on the top of the sponsor and one on the bottom. I unclipped the top first (hurt the tip of my finger quit a bit). Then gently unclipped the bottom clip. The sensor just popped right out:
The new sensor popped right in.
Then, installed the SGW Bypass, plugged in the grey cable and launched MES. Started DTC scan and cleared all the codes.
Works perfectly now.
Much appreciate the support and mentorship. I am not a master mechanic but I learn quickly.
Mike
I'm about to do this same repair, but don't have MES. You said that the error went away upon start, is that after you cleared codes? I am hoping that after replacing the sensor I'll be good to go...
 
#32 ·
Alfie,
I got the sensors at the eBay UK site. I got them for £24.95. They are now £30.00 each.
I purchased two. I might purchase one more just to have two spares for the future.

Mike
Product Camera accessory Camera lens Font Camera
 
#37 ·
AKG86,
Have you tested the battery? One year ago my 2019 Stelvio Ti Sport would do the ghost park sense alerts, even at a stop sign with no one in front of me. The false alerts went away with a battery change. The Vertas battery wasn’t up to the job and would go bad after only two to three years. Normally, the dealer would change it out for a Bertas AGM under warranty. The original battery was very under powered from the factory.
I swapped mine out for an AGM Bosch battery (I was in the UK at the time) and that issue among others went away.
My park sense issue was that it completely shut off park sense due to a faulty sensor.
I think your issue is something else since park sense is still sort of working.
Either a dealer subsystem update or a battery.
Hope all this makes sense… (pun intended ;)).
Mike (Back to Florida Mike)
 
#38 ·
AKG86,
Have you tested the battery? One year ago my 2019 Stelvio Ti Sport would do the ghost park sense alerts, even at a stop sign with no one in front of me. The false alerts went away with a battery change. The Vertas battery wasn’t up to the job and would go bad after only two to three years. Normally, the dealer would change it out for a Bertas AGM under warranty. The original battery was very under powered from the factory.
I swapped mine out for an AGM Bosch battery (I was in the UK at the time) and that issue among others went away.
My park sense issue was that it completely shut off park sense due to a faulty sensor.
I think your issue is something else since park sense is still sort of working.
Either a dealer subsystem update or a battery.
Hope all this makes sense… (pun intended ).
Mike (Back to Florida Mike)
New battery was fitted to the car before I bought it (beginning of October this year), probably not as powerful as it could be, but it is the right one at least so I think that can be ruled out.

Car is going to the local dealer (100 mile ls away!) next month for another fix, so hopefully they can sort that out too, just hope whatever it is is covered under warranty! It's be nice if MES could just scan and tell you which (if any) of the sensors are faulty!
 
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