auto electrics

some twonk has bumped my daughters car(dacia duster on a car park) there is very little damage slight deflection on bumper at reversing sensor two inch scratch in the center of bumper.
having taken it to the insurance approved repairer who failed to notice the deflection and impact area failed to get on his knees to look behind the bumper to check the mounts wasnt bent though it was requested and said they look ok coz the boot opens his recomendation on the reversing sensors was to take it back to dealers under warranty.

i took it to an independent repairer who spotted the deflection straight away and the point of impact and suggested that i need to take it to an auto electrician for the sensor as they cost upto 125 pounds. ive phoned the auto electrician who wants 40 pound for looking which i dont want to pay and cant afford to pay unless the third party is paying.

so my burning question is how do i test the sensors( at a guess dmm set to hms)

thank you IMI auto electrics l2 trained

terry

If you put your ear to the sensor with the car in reverse you can often hear them clicking. Your daughter might hear it easier than you can. That is only a very basic test though.
The repairer would link it up to a diagnostic system which would check and see if it was getting a response from each sensor and this is what they are charging for.

I don't know that make of car but you can often get third party tools which will do the diagnostics although they are normally still more than the diagnostic cost (the cheap ones only do the standard basic engine faults)

Do you have the third party's name and address?
These sensors can't really be fixed - if its a dealer part then they may be available singly, and each one has wires to its control unit. If it's an 'add on' they are readily available as a kit on ebay.
John

hi burner man my daughter took pictures of the car in contact with her dacia duster, the sensors was fitted at mfr as an optional extra. does a faulty reversing sensor show up on a obd11 scanner. i agree with you that the full pack might be needed as i think they are wired in series like a christmas set of lights. do you know where i can find the obd socket on a 16 plate dacia duster laurette 1.6 diesel

If the Dacia follows typical Renault tradition, the diagnostic port is either behind a flap in the glove box or visible in the fuse box area, knees area or end of the dashboard with the doors open.
I doubt if a small code reader would help here, for something like this a dealer or other specialist is the way to go.
Are you going to follow this up regarding the assaulting vehicle?
John

hi john weve notified my daughters insurance company with photos and details so we hope for it to proceed through insurance dependent on quotation from a repair centre. my daughters excess is 250.00 so it depends on how much it will cost to repair small deflection on bumper, dinge to lip of tailgate repair paintwork to bumper tcut or flat with 1500s to laquer coat only and the parking sensors. the quoting compay will send cost to insurer who will inform us of the cost as we wish to get admited liability first rather than lose bonuses.

Sounds like that will exceed the excess with VAT added in. I paid £75 for one Citroen parking sensor once and they've come down in price since. Euro Car Parts do them now.

Please be careful if her insurers try to pass your claim over to a third party claims management company. That's to their benefit but not hers.