The automotive industry keeps getting updated almost daily. Auto manufacturers kept introducing newer sensors, cameras, radars, and safety features to improve the driving experience while keeping you safe on the road.
One of the important features to improve your parking experiences is the Park Assist feature. This feature helps you to enter or back out of a parking space. It detects a parking space whenever you activate it and direct you on what to do.
The park assist takes charge of the steering wheel and directs you on when to brake and select reverse or drive gear. It is important to note that the park assist only finds a parking space and controls the wheel. You’re in charge of the brake and acceleration.
In some newer Mercedes-Benz cars, the Park assist feature will go forward and reverse on its own.
What if you want to use the Park Assist feature and see Park Assist blocked on your driver information center? This will be disappointing and unnerving. To keep yourself prepared for the unexpected hassle, you may wonder, what does it mean when park assist is blocked?
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What does Park assist blocked mean?
Park assist is a safety feature in newer cars that assists a driver in locating a parking space and safely parking the vehicle. If the Park assist malfunctions or is not working as it should, your car computer will trigger Park Assist blocked on Silverado or your respective vehicle dashboard will have a pop-up regarding this.
Depending on your vehicle model, the driver information center (DIC) may project ‘Park Assist blocked see owner’s manual.’ Visit your mechanic once this appears on your DIC. In any case, you can try some DIY fixes before consulting an experienced service technician or seeking professional help.
Why would Park Assist be blocked?
Several causes may be responsible for Park Assist blocked on Yukon and any vehicle model. To pinpoint, here are the common reasons you should watch out for.
Extreme weather
One of the common causes of Park Assist blocked warning messages on your DIC is extreme weather conditions. For example, we have heard several reports where Park Assist stopped working when driving during heavy rainfall and snowfall. If this is the culprit, the Park Assist will start working once you remove the ice or snow.
High speed
Indeed, we drive in or back out of a parking space at low speed. But if you’re a spirited driver, backing out of a parking space at high speed might cause the Park Assist to stop working. And if the Park Assist works properly at a lower speed level of around 8 kmph, you have no issues with the system but your driving habits.
Off-roading
While auto manufacturers engineered some vehicles for safe off-roading, driving on this terrain can cause several issues. For instance, dust, dirt, and debris can cover the Park Assist sensors when driving off-road. As a result, these moistures may prevent the Park Assist from working as it should.
Car washing
It is essential to wash our cars regularly. In fact, this will remove dirt and dust covering some safety systems like the forward collision warning system (FCW), adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring systems, and rear cross-traffic alert and enhance their functionalities.
However, not properly washing your cars can trap moisture in the Parking Assist and other sensors. In the case of a Park Assist, it will reduce the performance or even prevent it from working.
Damaged sensors
Park Assist sensors are typically located on the front and rear bumpers. So, if you hit your vehicle or someone hit you from behind, you’ll receive a Park Assist blocked on chevy or any vehicle model you own whenever you activate the system.
Trailer Hitches & Tow trailers
One of the common causes of a Park Assist blocked message on the instrument cluster is trailer hitches. Several drivers have complained on many automotive forums that when towing a trailer, their vehicles will disenable the Park Assist feature.
It is important to note that after towing a trailer, the Park Assist will still be disenabled until you remove the trailer hitch.
Malfunctioning PCM
The powertrain control module (PCM) is the brain of your car. It receives information, processes it, and transmits the data to various systems. If it malfunctions, it’ll trigger and display several false information.
It can display a Park Assist blocked message on your dashboard when everything is working fine. However, this is unlikely, but it does happen.
Where are Park Assist sensors located?
Park Assist uses several ultrasonic sensors located on rear and front bumpers. On most vehicles, especially GMCs, the Park Assist will detect objects 4 feet in front of the car and 8 feet behind the car. After using the Park Assist, you can turn it off via the vehicle settings menu, by pushing the button, or by turning the steering wheel.
Read Also: How to Tell If You Have Variable Assist Power Steering
How do you test a park assist sensor?
If a Parking Assist sensor is damaged, the car computer will project ‘Park Assist faulty’ on the driver information center. So in situations like this, you have a bad Park Assist sensor. But before you conclude, test the sensor and see if it is the culprit to avoid spending unnecessary money.
The testing procedure is straightforward, and you can test the sensors in less than 1hr 30 minutes. A lot of testing can be done, but from my research, pin one and two will make the difference. So, you should use that during this testing. Here are the steps to follow.
- Remove all the parking sensors
- Get your multimeter and switch it to 2000k ohms.
- Locate the numbers on the terminal pins. There are three pins that are labeled 1,2,3. If you can’t see the numbers, use your phone camera for a better view.
- Place the red multimeter probe on no.1 pin and the black probe on the no.2 pin.
- Note the results
- Return the switch to 20k ohms.
- Test the pins again by placing the red probe on no.1 and the black on the no.2 pins
- At 20k ohms, you should have around 10.
If you don’t have any numbers on both 2000k and 20k, it shows the Park Assist switch is bad. But if you have around 800-900 on 2000k settings and less than 9.7 on 20k, the sensor is questionable. So, get a new sensor and replace them.
How Do You Reset Park Assist?
If you are looking for how to fix Park Assist issues on your vehicle, you may need a reset. There may not be general guidance on how to reset Park Assist. For instance, Park Assist blocked on GMC Sierra, and Honda reset procedure differs. Therefore, you should make inquiries about your specific car model reset procedures.
In any case, we’ll explain how to reset Park Assist on Acura and Honda vehicles. You can also try it on your car model and see if it’ll work. Here are the steps to take.
- Switch the vehicle to the ON position
- Click the Park Assist button ten times within ten seconds
- Turn off the ignition
- Click and hold the Park Assist button
- Switch on the ignition while holding the button
- Wait for ten to fifteen seconds and see if it will work.
If the reset procedure is successful, the vehicle buzzer will beep twice to notify you. But if it doesn’t work. It could mean you have electrical issues on the corresponding lines.
Read Also: Service Trailer Brake System – Meaning & Error Reset
How much does it cost to fix Park assist?
The cost of fixing a Park Assist varies from vehicle to vehicle. Several factors like your vehicle type, number of bad sensors, your region, and the mechanic inflects the price. However, the average cost of fixing defective park assist is $50-$250, depending on the number of bad sensors. One Park Assist sensor costs between $15 and $75.
FAQs:
Why does my GMC say Park Assist blocked?
Just like other vehicles, if a GMC says Park Assist blocked, the ultrasonic sensor is bad or not clean. The sensor should be always clean to function properly. That’s why it’s necessary to wash your car regularly. And when washing is not an option, locate and clean the sensors on your vehicle.
How do I turn my Park Assist back on?
Different vehicles come with different setups. That said, how to turn on and off Park Assist depends on your car model. Basically, older model cars have a Park Assist button on the dashboard behind the steering wheel. On these vehicles, you can switch off and turn the Park Assist back on by pushing the button.
If you have a newer vehicle model, consult your owner’s manual for directions on how to turn on and off the Park Assist feature.
Final Words
Park Assist plays an essential role in assisting drivers in locating parking spaces and controls the wheel for the driver. While it fully takes charge of the wheel, it directs the driver on what to do and allows him to take charge of the acceleration, braking, and gear selector.
Like other system components, it can malfunction or fail and display ‘Park Assist blocked’ on the infotainment screen. So, when you see this on your screen, clean the sensors and try it again.
If it doesn’t work, reset the park assist following the reset procedures above and see if it’ll resolve the problem. Suppose the issue is still there, test and fix it with the procedures above. However, if you’re not a DIY or don’t trust your guts, contact your dealership to rectify the problem.
2020 Chevy Equinox – Internal fault on the (wiring) harness; the light and beeping will continue until its fixed. If your’e out of your bumper-to-bumper warranty (I am, about 1 yr out) then it’s on the owner. Diagnose, order the part, and total install the quote was $480. Thank you tax refund! lol