Defender's Dead Parking Sensors Signal Electrical Woes

Had the same problem with my '16 Discovery TD6 last month. The symptoms were identical, parking sensors died completely and dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. Turned out the main wiring harness connector under the driver's side was corroded and had some loose pins. My trusted mechanic found it during diagnostic testing, it was actually not as serious as it seemed. The fix involved cleaning the connector, reseating some pins, and applying dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion. The job took about 2 hours total. Since these are common issues with the electrical systems on Land Rovers, I'd suggest finding a specialist who really knows these vehicles. The cable connection problem can spread to other systems if left unchecked. Mine was caught early enough. Just make sure they do proper diagnostic testing before replacing any sensors, could save you from unnecessary parts replacement.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful as it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. It's good to know it might just be a connector issue rather than having to replace the whole sensor system. Do you remember roughly what the repair cost was? And has everything been working fine since they fixed it, or have you noticed any other electrical gremlins popping up?

Hey again! Happy to give you an update. Since my first reply, I can confirm everything has been working perfectly with my Discovery TD6. The parking sensors are functioning flawlessly now, no more unusual warnings or dashboard light shows! The total repair came to 170€, which included the diagnostic work and fixing that dodgy cable connection. Actually, it was a pretty straightforward fix once they identified the problem. The mechanic cleaned up the corroded connector, secured the loose connections, and added some protective grease to prevent future issues. Money well spent if you ask me, especially since I was worried it might've been something more serious. Haven't had a single electrical gremlin show up since then. The parking aid is working just as it should, beeping away reliably whenever I'm backing up near obstacles. Really glad I got it sorted before it could cause any other issues. If your problem is similar to what I had, you should be back in business without breaking the bank!

Thanks so much for all the info! Just wanted to update you on what happened with my Defender. Took your advice and found a mechanic who specializes in Land Rovers. You were spot on, it turned out to be almost identical to your issue. The wiring connector was corroded and had a couple of loose pins. The repair cost me about 200 bucks and took around 3 hours. They did a thorough diagnostic test, cleaned everything up, and added that protective grease you mentioned. Been driving for a week now and everything's working perfectly! The parking sensors are responding like new, and my dashboard is finally back to normal, no more unusual warning lights. Really glad I asked here before jumping to conclusions about needing a whole new sensor system. Saved myself a bunch of money and headache. Thanks again for steering me in the right direction with this!