Park assist is among the most helpful features that many car brands have included in their vehicle models, as it provides both visual and audio signals to drivers to aid them with parking.
Still, you might notice the parking assist blocked warning after a while of use. What does park assist blocked mean?
Let’s find out the answer in this post. We will provide you with the symptoms and the causes of park assist malfunctions.
What Is Park Assist, And How Does It Work?
The park assist feature is an automatic parking assistance that helps you park the car with enhanced precision, as it comes with improved, cutting-edge guidance technology.
It detects parking spaces and obstacles using sensors on the back, front, and sides of the vehicle.
You can turn on this feature by pressing the parking button on your car dashboard while on a stop-and-go street or parking lot.
Once you’ve chosen a location and made it clear that you want to park there, the car assumes control and guides you through the move, alerting you when to brake or accelerate.
Why You Need Park Assist
This safety feature offers many benefits, making it essential for your automobile.
Enhance Safety
Enhanced safety is one of the benefits you will receive from this feature. Park assist enables you to avoid hitting anything or anyone while parking in areas that are poorly lit or at night.
Prevent Accident
The parking aid system aids in reducing the likelihood of auto accidents. It can prevent an accident if you are unfamiliar with the region or are attempting to park the car in a confined parking spot.
Quicker Parking
The parking assist sensor’s ability to save you time is another main benefit. You don’t want to spend time looking for parking and then battling to get into it when you’re in a rush.
What Does Park Assist Blocked Mean?
The majority of modern cars have a device called park assist that helps drivers park in congested areas.
Your park assist will be blocked or disabled when this feature isn’t working properly for whatever reason, according to the notification or alert you receive.
The culprits behind can be as simple as a car wash or high speeds or as complex as a faulty PCM or parking sensor. We will dive deeper into the causes later.
Thankfully, you can try a few easy fixes before taking your car to a mechanic who might help in case you aren’t able to fix them.
Symptoms Of A Malfunctioning Park Assist
Your park assist system may experience troubles over time. The following are some indicators that it may be failing.
Bad Sensor
Sensors for parking assistance are often mounted on the front and rear bumpers.
The GMC park assist blocked message on the vehicle’s dashboard appears when someone rear-ends you or when you strike your own car. This display denotes that your sensors are malfunctioning.
Inconsistent Operation
There can be a problem with the sensor or the wiring when your parking assist sensor isn’t functioning.
In case the system intermittently switches on and off, it is most likely that the parking sensor is malfunctioning or there is a loose connection.
Fail To Engage
Let’s say you push the park assist option on the dashboard, but it doesn’t turn on. This is a sign of a faulty park assist. The system module, fuse, or switch may all need to be repaired.
Causes Of Park Assist Blocked
Finding a solution will be much simpler if you know what is causing the park assistance blocked issue. Below are the most common reasons behind your problem.
Car Wash
Your car’s parking sensor may become clogged with moisture after a car wash. The sensor could corrode as a result of the dampness and eventually stop working.
To resolve the issue, give the sensor enough time to dry. A tip to speed up the drying time is to use compressed air or a clean cloth and wipe the sensor.
Battery Issue
The car battery has a significant impact on your park assist. Suppose the car’s battery is weak or dead; the feature might not function effectively or at all.
This could interfere with other vehicle safety systems and make it impossible to park the car correctly using the system.
It is imperative to examine the battery’s condition to ensure the effective operation of the vehicle’s safety measures. Here are some signs that indicate you need to replace your car battery.
Harsh Weather Conditions
One of the primary reasons for a faulty parking sensor is extreme weather conditions.
Some drivers have reported that the parking sensors have frequently ceased working when it has rained or snowed heavily.
Still, the sensor might resume regular operation once the ice and snow have melted.
Malfunction Bumper
Parking sensors are a feature of contemporary vehicle models. The car bumper is where your parking sensor is mounted. Your sensor could be relocated or harmed when the bumper is broken.
The bumper might sustain damage from either a minor problem or a catastrophic auto collision. Whether this is the case, you should visually inspect your parking sensor to see if it has any damage.
High Speed
The parking sensors may become overloaded and cease functioning when you are reversing the car quickly.
There are even some cases where the sensors refuse to operate at speeds of no more than 8 kilometers or 5 miles per hour.
The moment you begin to move, this momentary warning is supposed to disappear. If the problem continues, restart the automobile to reset your sensors.
Faulty PCM
The PCM is referred to as the vehicle’s brain. Your car’s various sensors provide information, which is processed before being sent to multiple systems.
Once it fails, it will turn on several incorrect warning indicator lights on the vehicle’s dashboard.
Malfunctioning Fuse
Parking assistance may stop working due to a blown fuse. The effect that electrical fuses have on your parking assistance system is among the most crucial electrical fuse-related variables.
A defective electrical fuse can result in false alarms, system failure, or operational issues in a specific feature if it is made or placed incorrectly.
Driving Off-Road
The car’s body panels might become heavily contaminated when you go off-road.
Your parking sensors could become heavily caked in mud and dust when you’re off-roading, making them unable to function properly.
This problem is fairly simple to handle. The warning notice can be removed by just cleaning your vehicle.
Trailer Hitches
Another cause for the illuminated park assist locked warning light is the trailer hitch. When moving a trailer, several drivers have complained that their vehicles’ park assist features are disabled.
After hauling a trailer, keep in mind that the park assist function won’t work again until your trailer hitch is removed.
Failing Parking Sensor
Parking sensors might go wrong just like any electronic parts of your vehicle.
When all of the possibilities mentioned above have been eliminated, and your park assist is not functioning, a defective sensor is the one to blame.
The malfunctioning sensor can then be replaced, restoring functionality to your parking assist.
How To Test Park Assist
Thanks to the simple testing process, the sensors may be tested in less than one hour and thirty minutes. Here is how you can perform the testing procedure.
Step 1: Remove the car’s parking sensors.
Step 2: Grab the multimeter and set the resistance to 2000k ohms.
Step 3: Determine the pins’ numbers on the terminals. The numbers 1, 2, and 3 are written on three pins.
A tip in case you can’t see them: take a picture of them with your phone to observe everything better.
Step 4: Put the black probe of the multimeter on pin number two and the red probe on pin number one.
Step 5: Write down the results.
Step 6: Adjust the switch to 20k ohms.
Step 7: Place the red-colored probe on pin number one and the black-colored probe on pin number two to test the pins once more.
Step 8: The result should be 10 or thereabouts at 20k ohms.
Suppose neither 2000k nor 20k has any numbers; this means your park assist is malfunctioning.
The sensor is suspect in case the result came out less than 9.7 on 20k and 800 to 900 on 2000k. Therefore, replace them with a brand-new sensor.
How To Reset Park Assist
You could require a reset if you’re trying to figure out how to fix park assist blocked issues with your car. To reset this feature, apply the instructions below.
Step 1: Set the vehicle’s ignition to “On”.
Step 2: Press the Park Assist option on your dashboard 10 times in 10 seconds.
Step 3: Deactivate the ignition.
Step 4: Press and hold on to the Park Assist option.
Step 5: Turn the ignition on while holding on your Park Assist button.
Step 6: Wait for about 10 to 15 seconds to see whether it works.
The buzzer in your car will sound twice to let you know if the reset process was successful. Still, suppose it doesn’t; it might imply that the corresponding lines have electrical problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Is Park Assist Sensor Located?
Park assist utilizes several ultrasonic sensors that are mounted on the front and rear bumpers.
Generally speaking, this feature on most cars, especially GMCs, will identify things 8 feet behind and 4 feet in front of the automobile.
Once you have used this assist function, you may deactivate it with the car settings menu, the steering wheel, or the dashboard button.
Is Park Assist And Parking Sensor The Same?
The parking sensor is actually a part of the park assist system.
This system uses a combination of sensors and cameras to locate and assess a parking space’s size, and it is capable of steering into it while the driver controls the pace.
How Much Does Repairing Park Assist Cost?
Repairing a park assist can be expensive, depending on the car model.
Several elements, including the type of your car, the number of faulty sensors, your location, and the fee set by the repair shop, determine the cost.
Nevertheless, based on how many damaged sensors are involved, the standard cost of correcting faulty park assist ranges from 50 to 250 dollars.
The Bottom Line
What does Park Assist blocked mean? Now you know the answer. Park assist is crucial in helping you find parking places and takes control of the steering for you.
While it fully assumes control of the steering wheel, it gives you instructions and control over the gear selector, accelerator, and brake. In case you find your car won’t go into park, we also have a solutions for you.
When you receive a Park Assist block warning, cleaning your sensors might solve the problem. If not, try resetting the park assist device using the aforementioned reset instructions.
After you have tried everything but the warning is still there, the last resort is to bring your car to a repair shop and let the professional handle the rest.