PDC sensor painting - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

JohnnyP420 · 19th March 2010, 23:39

I recently had the pleaseure of having one of my PDC sensors fail. With my luck, it is one of the painted ones that failed...

I plan on purchasing one on e-bay to save some scratch. Do you think I can buy a plain black one (like one that goes in the black bumper moldings) and use touch up paint to match it up to the bumper? Do you think that will affect the PDC to give false readings? Do you think it will look jerri-rigged when all said and done??

Any help, suggestions, assistance is greatly appreciated!!

CarbonCopy · 19th March 2010, 23:48

I always find the touch up paint to go on thick but be somewhat translucent. Optimumly you'd want the reverse. I don't know what color you're specifying so perhaps your results will look good. I don't think the paint will effect the sensors. The tip of the sensor has to be buried at least 2 mm under the plastic covering so a few 100 microns of touch-up shouldn't change the sensitivity (although I haven't experimented with this). I say go for it.

blackxs · 19th March 2010, 23:50

I would just get it painted. Maybe have a shop repaint your front bumper and do that PDC sensor too. Otherwise it wouldnt be cost effective to just do the sensor

nightkrawler · 20th March 2010, 13:21

you absolutely cannot paint pdc sensors, they will not work.

gregh86 · 20th March 2010, 17:26

You can order from the dealer the sensors painted part no 66200309540 or just black 66206989069.

There is a seller on ebay that sells new sensors in primer ready for painting made by Valeo I think.

I have painted a fair few sensors over the years with spray cans using a few light coats and have never had any problems including some secondhand sensors which I had to rub down the old paint and paint to the correct colour.

Some people say that the sensors are coloured when manufactured but all the secondhand ones I have used were painted and the new ones either primed or black

jclyman · 20th March 2010, 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightkrawler

you absolutely cannot paint pdc sensors, they will not work.

humm ... Are you sure? My bumper was repainted, and I believe the sensors were painted as well (although, I am not 100% sure), and they work fine.

nightkrawler · 21st March 2010, 14:52

maybe the 10yr old e39 sensors are different than the current ones. current pdc sensors have a special coating on them.

gregh86 · 21st March 2010, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightkrawler

maybe the 10yr old e39 sensors are different than the current ones. current pdc sensors have a special coating on them.

I have seen an early sensor that has what looks like a square in the centre of the sensor. I've never had this type on my cars so these could be the ones you mean that can't be painted.

blackxs · 21st March 2010, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightkrawler

you absolutely cannot paint pdc sensors, they will not work.

Yes you can. People do it all the time.

pimposh · 21st March 2010, 22:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregh86

I have seen an early sensor that has what looks like a square in the centre of the sensor. I've never had this type on my cars so these could be the ones you mean that can't be painted.

They can be painted as well as latter one with all-round shape. Rear/2 center eg. came painted with the car and works.