[anv]

Hi,

Newbie on the forum and also newbie with Hyundai asking perhaps stupid question.

I have brand new i30 wagon with removable towing hook. When the hook is in place, car is thinking I'm going to reverse against that every time I select reverse gear. That hook is in daily use, so removing it after every use is not an option. Is there any way to tell the car not to alert for the hook? Any other suggestions to do?

Br. Antti

[Dazzler]

Welcome anv,

I found this similar thread. I know it's the previous model, but hopefully some of the comments help. I've had four i30's but none with reversing sensors and a towbar but my current car, a Camry Hybrid does allow you to temporarily disarm the sensors with the push of one button.

Tow Bar with reversing sensors

[anv]

Well, thanks, but it actually didn't help. I know that there is a button on the right side of a gear stick to disable rear sensors. But, that had to be done every single time when I select reverse. The problem for me is so severe that those sensors on the back are totally useless. Only causing headache for me.

[The Gonz]

If you have time and patience, try changing the shape of your towbar with a cover and different materials, to reduce its radar cross-section to your sensors.

[The Gonz]

Also, try experimenting with a blinker lip on the side of each sensor facing your towbar. Think of it as the blinkers horses wear to focus forward. I suggest you use a small aluminium foil ridge taped at the edge of the sensor. Report your results with pictures.

I can 3D print an attractive and unobtrusive attachment based on your results.

[mickd]

Can you reset the distance that it actives act ? 

[The Gonz]

You could, through adding a surface (lacquer or stick-on) onto the face of the sensor, attenuating it, but that may degrade its effectiveness where you most need it. You can't easily increase the detection threshold distance without getting into the electronics or software.

Hence I'm suggesting modifying each sensor's arc just enough. A picture's worth a thousand words:

[mickd]

You could, through adding a surface (lacquer or stick-on) onto the face of the sensor, attenuating it, but that may degrade its effectiveness where you most need it. You can't easily increase the detection threshold distance without getting into the electronics or software.

Hence I'm suggesting modifying each sensor's arc just enough. A picture's worth a thousand words:

Good work, 
Sensor deflectors, hooks, key rings, who knows what's next 
Retirment income 

[anv]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try that blinker lip idea as soon as the weather allows me to test. The forecast says snow storm here tomorrow. I will report results.

Br. Antti

[anv]

YES!!! Test #1 passed. I put a small piece of soft gum (sinitarra in finnish) to near of the rear sensors, see the link to the picture. Car didn't complain about blocked sensors when my wife reversed out of my driveway. Hook was not installed at this point.

Now waiting for comments from my wife if everything is still ok. I'm pretty sure that this will be the solution. Thanks for the idea! Will get back after I put the hook also in place.

Sensor.

[The Gonz]

Ah, Engineering: turning science into solutions.

[anv]

  Right.

Unfortunately next step "install hook" failed. I needed to tune that gum more and I noticed something strange. When that piece of gum blocked the view to the hook, car shutdown the rear view from the radar and was completely silent. I will do that again putting as small piece as possible to get that work.

But, even if rear radar is silent without any warning lights/messages, as it is now, the car is now usable with the hook. So, I consider to leave that solution live. Just make it look a bit more professional 

And the is still the camera viewing backwards from the car.

[The Gonz]

Just make it look a bit more professional 

The shutdown may be because your blocker is too close and causing too much reflection back into the sensor.
You are obviously tweaking the size and shape but also play with distance from the edge.
Relocating just 1 cm further from the edge of the sensor and resizing to restore the blocking may give you a better chance of having it work perfectly.

A photo taken past the tip of your tow hook in line with one of the sensors, with blocker, will help us appreciate the physics.

[anv]

I found it working perfect without modifying it anymore by accident. Visit to the local mall and was reversing towards to the other car and it started to alarm and the display also woke up. So, functional testing completed and now starting to plan "more professional" solution. Thanks for the help.

HOOK

[The Gonz]

Success!

[anv]

And here is the final solution. Works perfectly. More or less "professional", but good enough for me. Recycling caps of the coke bottle 

Rear
 

Finally today I got extra lights installed to the front of the car. Very surprised that the front radar is not complaining for them at all
front


Br. Antti

[Dazzler]

Well done on the tidy working mod and thanks for the photos and update.

As for your light mod, I'll say what I'm sure many others are thinking... why the big round lights instead of a slimline light bar?

I did see you are from Finland and so thought maybe you were channeling some of your amazing rally champions.. 

It's amazing that it hasn't affected the Radar module (that's where I thought the slimline idea would have been beneficial)

The light output of three like those would be amazing though! 

 

[anv]

As for your light mod, I'll say what I'm sure many others are thinking... why the big round lights instead of a slimline light bar?

In Finland the law says the reference count of the lights, that can be simultaneously ON, must be max 100. The original lights are about 15 each. That means I have about ref 70 to use for extra lights.

All ledbars I found are ref 40-45 with 6000-8000lm. So only one ledbar can be legally installed.

Those lights are ref 10 with 8000lm each, so three of them is legal installation. 24000lm!

Already tested last night and I can really say its like driving at daytime 

Br, Antti

[Dazzler]

Fairy nuff.