Front And Rear Park Assist

A Front and Rear Park Assist (FRPA) system is an optional factory-installed electronic parking aid. During parking and other similar vehicle maneuvers this system alerts the vehicle operator to the approximate relative distance of obstacles located in the paths immediately behind and ahead of the vehicle which, due to the surrounding vehicle structures, might be otherwise difficult to perceive. When an obstacle is detected, the system uses graphics and chimes to provide the vehicle operator with visual and audible indications of the presence and proximity of such objects.

The FRPA system includes the following major components, which are described in further detail elsewhere in this service information:

• Body Control Module  - The Body Control Module (BCM) (also known as the Common Body Controller/CBC) serves as the gateway between the Controller Area Network (CAN) C and the CAN Interior High Speed (IHS) data bus networks used to communicate between the Park Assist Module (PAM), the Antilock Brake Module (ABM), the Instrument Cluster (IC) (also known as the Common Instrument Cluster/CIC) and the Radio Receiver Module (RRM) (also known as the radio or the head unit). The BCM is also a Local Interface Network (LIN) bus master node, which allows it to communicate with the park assist Off switch in the instrument panel switch pod, which is a LIN bus slave node. Refer to MODULE, BODY CONTROL, DESCRIPTION .
• Instrument Cluster  - In vehicles equipped with the optional FRPA system, the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) within the IC displays a vehicle graphic and up to four arc sections in two zones that illustrate the approximate location and distance of obstacles within the front or rear paths of the vehicle. The EVIC also displays textual warnings and error messages along with issuing audible alerts related to the current operating status of the FRPA system. In addition, the EVIC provides the interface that allows the vehicle operator to manually disable or enable certain features of the FRPA system using the customer programmable features option. Refer to DESCRIPTION .
• Park Assist Module  - Vehicles equipped with the park assist system include a 10 channel Park Assist Module (PAM) (also known as the ParkTronic System/PTS module), which is secured through integral mounting tabs and a push-in type fastener to the left cowl side inner panel below the instrument panel where it is concealed by the cowl side trim (kick) panel within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
• Park Assist Off Switches  - The optional FRPA system can be manually disabled or enabled using individual front and rear park assist Off switches. The park assist Off switches are integral to the instrument panel switch pod (also known as the Accessory Switch Bank Module/ASBM) in the instrument panel center stack below the heater and air conditioner controls. These switches allow the operator to manually turn Off or back On either the front, the rear or both the front and rear park assist features.
• Park Assist Sensors  - Vehicles equipped with the FRPA system have ten ultrasonic park assist sensors. Four are concealed behind the rear bumper and six are concealed behind the front bumper. Only the sensor membrane is visible on the outer surface of the bumper. Each sensor is snapped into an individual molded plastic mounting bracket located at horizontal intervals along the inside surfaces of the front and rear bumper.
• Radio Receiver Module  - In vehicles equipped with the FRPA system, the PAM sends electronic message requests to the Radio Receiver Module (RRM) to generate audible signals indicating the approximate distance of obstacles from the front and rear paths of the vehicle. The RRM is capable of generating repetitive single chime tones at several varying frequencies or continuous tones through the front or rear audio system speakers. If the audio system speakers are already in use, the RRM will mute that output during chime tone generation. In addition, the RRM provides an interface that allows the vehicle operator to manually disable or enable the FRPA system using the customer programmable features option. Refer to RADIO, DESCRIPTION .