Replacing dented rear bumper with park sensor --do I need to recalibrate?

[Hot Rod Hiram]

Some nice person in our neighborhood banged into our parked Mav and didn't bother to leave a note. I got an estimate from a local body shop--$4k!! (I am in the SF bay area where millionaires are "middle class"). So I am thinking of replacing the plastic bumper myself and just doing a little touch-up on the scratched and dented fender. I am pretty sure the bumper replacement isn't that difficult but I wonder about the park distance sensor. Will it need to be recalibrated? (The body shop included that in its estimate (along with recalibrating the blindspot radar for $600 a pop.) I am doubtful about needing the blindspot radar recalibrated--I think that wasn't damaged-- but anyone ever done that as well?

If it wasn't for the sensor I would just leave it as is and save the money and trouble. It gives it character

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[Chops]

I backed into a parked car - although I left my insurance etc info on their wiper.

Estimate from my body shop was $1,300 - parts, painted Lobo blue, and install labor.

With a $1,000 deductible, I did not make a claim. Not sure if the other car made a claim as they were parked illegally & had expired registration.

Anyway, to answer your question - that sensor pops our & can be popped back in after you repair per my body shop. My sensor still works even though it is a little off kilter. No calibration needed. Although it threw a code after the crash that still shows up on my dash.

If you plan to remove your bumper to make repair easier - there is a YouTube video. Also, here is a picture of the backside of my spare Lobo bumper. Top circle is sensor & bottom circle is the female end of “master” harness that you will need to disconnect to remove bumper. It connects to both (all?) sensors & the license plate light.

 

[MaverickDragon]

...but I wonder about the park distance sensor. Will it need to be recalibrated?
If it wasn't for the sensor I would just leave it as is and save the money and trouble. It gives it character

As it is, you would be warned about aircraft coming in from above and behind you..
There have been a lot of aircraft landing on streets in Arizona lately.
Perhaps the start of a national trend...

Regardless, soon the sky will be filled with pizza pies flying through the air being delivered by drones...

 

[Hot Rod Hiram]

I backed into a parked car - although I left my insurance etc info on their wiper.

Estimate from my body shop was $1,300 - parts, painted Lobo blue, and install labor.

With a $1,000 deductible, I did not make a claim. Not sure if the other car made a claim as they were parked illegally & had expired registration.

Anyway, to answer your question - that sensor pops our & can be popped back in after you repair per my body shop. My sensor still works even though it is a little off kilter. No calibration needed. Although it threw a code after the crash that still shows up on my dash.

If you plan to remove your bumper to make repair easier - there is a YouTube video. Also, here is a picture of the backside of my spare Lobo bumper. Top circle is sensor & bottom circle is the female end of “master” harness that you will need to disconnect to remove bumper. It connects to both (all?) sensors & the license plate light.

Thanks those are helpful photos. The sensor isn't throwing an error for now.

 

[Chops]

Thanks those are helpful photos. The sensor isn't throwing an error for now.

It is a cross traffic alert. Mine still beeped properly even after fender bender. Make sure yours still beeps properly before depending on it. Edit: MD beat me to the joke & was funnier too

 

[olderthanyourdirt]

Pop the sensor out, use a heat gun on the bumper and some pressure and it will probably come back to original shape, reinstall sensor

 

[Cancunbadlands]

If you're using the same sensor, there's no need to recalibrate

 

[Fcnrwy]

Pop the sensor out, use a heat gun on the bumper and some pressure and it will probably come back to original shape, reinstall sensor

I second the Heat Gun, fix..
You have a little tear, but the rest should pop back out with a little coaxing..

Jerry

 

[Hot Rod Hiram]

If you're using the same sensor, there's no need to recalibrate

Excellent

 

[Hot Rod Hiram]

Pop the sensor out, use a heat gun on the bumper and some pressure and it will probably come back to original shape, reinstall sensor

Sounds worth a try.

 

[notfast]

I second the Heat Gun, fix..
You have a little tear, but the rest should pop back out with a little coaxing..

Jerry

As for the tear, you could try plastic welding it. But yeah, I'd just heat the backside with a heat gun and push the dent out.

 

[Tblast503]

Someone backed into my bumper like that. I heated the black plastic with a hair dryer for about 5 minutes and then I was able to push it back in place from under the truck. Looks like it never happened.

 

[Hot Rod Hiram]

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. I got it back into shape pretty easily--under an hour of work. It is not perfect, but then it also didn't cost $4k. I actually used my heat gun which is you are not careful, I found out, will melt the plastic pretty quickly. So I simply melted around the hole and filled it in. Not pretty but no hole.

 

[Quest]

No calibration needed, sensors are plug & play

 

[MarcoG]

As it is, you would be warned about aircraft coming in from above and behind you..
There have been a lot of aircraft landing on streets in Arizona lately.
Perhaps the start of a national trend...

Regardless, soon the sky will be filled with pizza pies flying through the air being delivered by drones...

Heat gun will fix that perfectly and sensor should work fine.

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