[redontheline]

I finally got scared into ordering mine Sunday. A little unhappy that it JUST shipped this morning, but it says estimated delivery is 2 days. I'll report back how PO'd the sensors get at me.

[xantdieselx]

Originally Posted by redontheline

I finally got scared into ordering mine Sunday. A little unhappy that it JUST shipped this morning, but it says estimated delivery is 2 days. I'll report back how PO'd the sensors get at me.

I think it's worth it at the end of the day. This is my first car that didn't have a front license plate bracket drilled into the bumper.

[MBimmer]

I just ordered the lightened + quick release version and will see how it works out with the PDC.

[redontheline]

Mine is sitting at my house but I've been stuck at work since 5:30. It's killing me that I probably won't get home with much daylight.

I went without QR as many people couldn't swing it w PDC and I don't see myself using it much.

[redontheline]

So like some of you guys, after a week I've had pretty consistently inconsistent results. It will be silent 90% of the time then set off the inner sensor for a second or two on and off. I found it often sets it off when I'm rolling backwards down my mildly sloped driveway. The sensors have no concept of auto leveling, correct?

It hasn't bothered me enough to try adjusting the plate yet and I tend to drive forward most times.

[Madmatt]

I installed the lightened non quick detach version today. I ended up having to mount it upside down and went one row in from the outermost right hand edge. So far, I am not triggering the sensors but this did mean the mount is lower than I had wanted. I was hoping I could install it higher up so that the plate did not cover any of the side vent at all but when I did that I was getting false sensor alerts. This position seems to do the trick and the key was to mount it upside down.



Madmatt

[Cyberdemon]

One thought I've had that I have yet to try and actually do anything about is to try and "soundproof" the back of the bracket with something like a sheet of adhesive foam.

Since the PDC sensors are ultrasonic, the reverb from bouncing off the back of the mount is the problem. It's possible that by coating the back of the bracket with something soft it may absorb enough of the signal to reduce the signal.

Will see if I can Amazon prime some cheap foam sheet and report back.

[slider86]

I've had the lightened regular plate for about a year now. I've only ever caught one or two random alerts from the inner sensor. Not sure why ya'll are having so much trouble with it. I positioned mine as close to the bumper as possible, so the plate is at an angle where the bumper starts angling off to the side for the lights. I haven't had a problem doing that. Also, I only run the plate so no frame or anything.

[Poboy]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

One thought I've had that I have yet to try and actually do anything about is to try and "soundproof" the back of the bracket with something like a sheet of adhesive foam.

Since the PDC sensors are ultrasonic, the reverb from bouncing off the back of the mount is the problem. It's possible that by coating the back of the bracket with something soft it may absorb enough of the signal to reduce the signal.

Will see if I can Amazon prime some cheap foam sheet and report back.

This works, I have already done this to mine. I can post some pictures and details when I am back home this weekend.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by Poboy

This works, I have already done this to mine. I can post some pictures and details when I am back home this weekend.

Please do. I went on Amazon and ordered a sheet of 1/2" black Poron foam to give that a shot.

[Poboy]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

Please do. I went on Amazon and ordered a sheet of 1/2" black Poron foam to give that a shot.

That will most likely work. I used this.

https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-2...absorbing+foam

[xantdieselx]

Thanks for the suggestion about the foam I may give that a shot.

[Joaco135]

Originally Posted by Poboy

This works, I have already done this to mine. I can post some pictures and details when I am back home this weekend.

Can you post pics??

[redontheline]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

Please do. I went on Amazon and ordered a sheet of 1/2" black Poron foam to give that a shot.

I used the foam strips that came with the OEM front mount in the two locations it could possibly touch the bumper and still have aforementioned random triggers, but good luck. After my repairs, I'll be mounting from scratch again so maybe better luck this time.



I dare anyone saying they don't understand the issues to go out and remount

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by redontheline

I used the foam strips that came with the OEM front mount in the two locations it could possibly touch the bumper and still have aforementioned random triggers, but good luck. After my repairs, I'll be mounting from scratch again so maybe better luck this time.



I dare anyone saying they don't understand the issues to go out and remount

I did that too, but that isn't where the PDC sensors are. I am going to try and cover the entire rear of the bracket in foam so that when the sensors broadcast, it dampens the signal back.

Was tied up all weekend but got the foam in so will try it and report back with some pics.

[redontheline]

I should have read rather than skimmed. Let us know!

[Poboy]

Here is my setup with the previously linked foam. I did a lot of attempted research on this, found the sensors operate somewhere in the 40+ kHz range, which is useless info since sound dampening items all only list the human hearing range 20Hz - 20kHz.

I bought this foam, worse case I can use it on my PC as it is intended.
Sound Dampening Foam

I originally looked into dynamat and other similar items but realized they are more for low frequency vibrations and rattles.

The foam is adhesive backed, and originally I went overboard and covered the entire back of the plate mount. I have since cut a lot of that extra out, and kudos to US Millworks as I have gone to town scraping the old adhesive off and the finish looks nearly brand new still. Here is how it currently looks, and a lot more of the foam could be removed. If you plan on doing this you only need a 1-2" strip on the bottom left and the top right, where the PDC sensors are.



Here are pictures from the top and front, it looks like it is touching the bumper, but the foam I removed from the middle allows a small gap.





Here is the result of the sensors as it currently sits, the even green indicating the front wall of my garage.



Overall I would say it helps, I went from the sensors setting of 1 in 10 times, to having it go off maybe 3-4 times total in the 3+ months I have the foam on there, and those may have been other objects setting it off. It is not a 100% guarantee, it won't turn your BMW into knight rider. I did test it by placing an upright 2x4 in front of the car and then placing foam around it, and it did reduce the sensor feedback in car.

[Cyberdemon]

I did this yesterday, and so far it's working. I just took a single rectangle of material and cut it down using the edge of the bracket as a template. Then I cut a square out where the bracket needed to go (so the entire rear of the bracket is covered, vs local strips).

Put it back on, spent only a few seconds fiddling with it and no alerts. Drove around last night, hit some bumps with it, and so far not even a chirp. Will check back in a few days but looks like it did the trick.

Here is the foam I bought, enough to get 2 plates worth.

https://amzn.com/B003VYAXW2

[BMWZ4]

Just out of curiosity, is yiur AUTO-PDC checked or unchecked in idrive?

[DF]

Originally Posted by BMWZ4

Just out of curiosity, is yiur AUTO-PDC checked or unchecked in idrive?

I don't think i've seen the option in I drive so I assume it's checked

[BMWZ4]

Originally Posted by DF

I don't think i've seen the option in I drive so I assume it's checked

You might want to uncheck it. I think it's checked by default. Damn thing was going off every time I pulled up close to any object. Unchecked it and now rarely beeps if at all. Maybe pulling into a tight parking spot bit beyond that, never.

[redontheline]

Originally Posted by Madmatt

I installed the lightened non quick detach version today. I ended up having to mount it upside down and went one row in from the outermost right hand edge. So far, I am not triggering the sensors but this did mean the mount is lower than I had wanted. I was hoping I could install it higher up so that the plate did not cover any of the side vent at all but when I did that I was getting false sensor alerts. This position seems to do the trick and the key was to mount it upside down.



Madmatt

I'm wondering if we have different plate hardware. I finally got around to reinstalling today and remembered and tried exactly what you said - upsidedown and one row in. With this, even visually I could tell it wouldn't work. Got it tightened and checked and I had 100% chirp from the inner right sensor. It was too high, about 2 inches from the bumper and nearly in front of the sensor.

Went back to my original setup, mounting rightside up to the top right mounting holes. I'm at a slightly different angle from last time against the car to try to get tighter to the bumper near the inner sensor. So far so good. Not a single beep today after trying to shake it around with some drives. In this position, I'm covering a little bit of the intake and it looks almost in the same position as your picture.