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[lukie]

HI there, I have decided to fit a reverse sensor to my car, but I need a little help...

does anyone know what colour the posative wire is for the revers lights ? I'm guessing I can take a feed from inside the boot above where the spare wheel lives ? also dose the onboard computer take a reading of resistance from a lighting curcuit or does it just see that the curcuits has been closed ?

I'm going to fit a towbar to it aswell (don't worrk it's a removeable one so won't ruin it's looks ) can I just cut into the wires and add the sockect for lights or will this cuase problems with the onboard computer's breaklight check ect...

[Andy B]

......
I'm going to fit a towbar to it aswell (don't worrk it's a removeable one so won't ruin it's looks ) can I just cut into the wires and add the sockect for lights or will this cuase problems with the onboard computer's breaklight check ect...

If you remove the hard plastic trim just on the inside of the boot, over to the driver's side of the car you'll find a plug and socket that will provide (almost) all the feeds you'll need. There's a blue/black loop of wire on the socket that's maintaing a supply to the car's rear fog lights - this is the socket you need.
When I say almost all the feeds, the supply you will also need is the brake light feed (black/yellow?). If you were to have a proper GM tow bar loom fitted then you'll need a trailer brake light check 'relay' which lives above the driver's feet, or as I have done, just bridge the 'relay' base so that it feeds the socket in the boot.

[Taxi_Driver]

HI there, I have decided to fit a reverse sensor to my car, but I need a little help...

does anyone know what colour the posative wire is for the revers lights ? I'm guessing I can take a feed from inside the boot above where the spare wheel lives ?

Im fairly certain its white with a black stripe......but double check with a meter with the ign on and in reverse  

And yes you can just T into it

[Paul M]

From memory white with black stripe is correct, I have written a how-to on this which I think is on this site (it was done before the conception of this site so was originally posted on the "dark side" ).

[Paul M]

Just looked and it doesn't appear to be on this side, here's the link from the dark side:

How to fit aftermarket rear parking sensors

If anyone wants to copy it over to this site's maintenance guides section feel free (I don't have the required permissions).

[Marks DTM Calib]

Consider it done....photos would be better in 640/480 though....

[lukie]

If you remove the hard plastic trim just on the inside of the boot OK done, that bit all fine over to the driver's side of the car you'll find a plug and socket that will provide (almost) all the feeds you'll need. There's a blue/black loop of wire on the socket that's maintaing a supply to the car's rear fog lights - this is the socket you need.
When I say almost all the feeds, the supply you will also need is the brake light feed (black/yellow?) I have a black / yellow feed on that plug that I have wired up. If you were to have a proper GM tow bar loom fitted then you'll need a trailer brake light check 'relay' am I able to get one of these relays from somewhere ?which lives above the driver's feet, or as I have done, just bridge the 'relay' or can you tell me how to bridge the relay ? base so that it feeds the socket in the boot.

I have used the plastic plug to get all my wireing, all checked only 2 wires left after wireing one was black / yellow which is same as going to the brake lights, and the black / white wire which I found out was reverse light curcuit (will need this in a few days when reverse sonsor kit arrives)

[Andy B]

If you remove the hard plastic trim just on the inside of the boot OK done, that bit all fine over to the driver's side of the car you'll find a plug and socket that will provide (almost) all the feeds you'll need. There's a blue/black loop of wire on the socket that's maintaing a supply to the car's rear fog lights - this is the socket you need.
When I say almost all the feeds, the supply you will also need is the brake light feed (black/yellow?) I have a black / yellow feed on that plug that I have wired up. If you were to have a proper GM tow bar loom fitted then you'll need a trailer brake light check 'relay' am I able to get one of these relays from somewhere ?which lives above the driver's feet, or as I have done, just bridge the 'relay' or can you tell me how to bridge the relay ? base so that it feeds the socket in the boot.

I have used the plastic plug to get all my wireing, all checked only 2 wires left after wireing one was black / yellow which is same as going to the brake lights, and the black / white wire which I found out was reverse light curcuit (will need this in a few days when reverse sonsor kit arrives)

Black/yellow brake light as you say can be taken straight from the brake lights themselves, it's just that if you were to use the 'proper' 8 wire (it switches off the car's rear fog lights when the 12N plug is plugged in) GM trailer loom then the brakes wouldn't work unless you used the trailer brake light check 'relay' or bridged the connections.
Reverse lights are fed to the trailer/caravan via a 12S socket.
Trailer brake light check 'relay' - I'm pretty sure it'll be a dealer only part ..... providing the parts dept understands what you want.
I bridged the relay base with a short wire with a male spade connector on each end - a temporary fix that has been installed for the last 18/24 months  

[lukie]

I bridged the relay base with a short wire with a male spade connector on each end - a temporary fix that has been installed for the last 18/24 months  

is there only 2 connectors where the relay would live ? not had a real good look at it yet, but did drop the fuse box cover to see a relay missing on the bottom row, don't mind bridging the gap as I won't be using the towbar often just want it all to work if I do want it....

[Hillper]

When you have fitted the sensors, make sure you don't test their effectiveness on a gate post.

You may find they are not that good at seeing it, resulting in possible rear bumper damage.   [smiley=embarassed.gif]

[Andy B]

I bridged the relay base with a short wire with a male spade connector on each end - a temporary fix that has been installed for the last 18/24 months  

is there only 2 connectors where the relay would live ? not had a real good look at it yet, but did drop the fuse box cover to see a relay missing on the bottom row, don't mind bridging the gap as I won't be using the towbar often just want it all to work if I do want it....

There's 4 connections - (using Mr Haynes diags) the other 2 are brown & black/grey (sw/gr). P39 trailer bulb failure sensor, tracks 834/6. I don't use my trailer very often either which is why I just bridged the connections.

[Taxi_Driver]

When you have fitted the sensors, make sure you don't test their effectiveness on a gate post.

You may find they are not that good at seeing it, resulting in possible rear bumper damage.   [smiley=embarassed.gif]

Wasnt it twice?  

[Hillper]

Well remembered TD!  

Which brings me on to my second tip.

Don't press too hard on the control box if using sticky pads to attach it.  l broke the box after I pressed too hard on it.  The control board must have flexed too much.  I had to remake some solder connections.

Been fine since.

[TheBoy]

Well remembered TD!  

Oh, believe me, we all remembered - I couldn't stop laughing for days