Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Time Required: 5 Minutes | Tools Required: None | Related Parts, Products, Services or Technology: None
If your vehicle has this available feature, Automatic Parking Assist can automatically steer to place your vehicle into a detected parallel or perpendicular parking space while you brake and shift gears. You must always be prepared to override the feature and take control.
How Automatic Parking Assist works
1. Automatic Parking Assist, if equipped, uses ultrasonic sensors located at the vehicle’s front, rear and sides to detect a parking spot. The system is designed to help you park alongside a detected vehicle or vehicles. The system then automatically steers your vehicle into a detected spot while moving at idle speed. It uses automatic steering while you select FORWARD and REVERSE gears and remove your hands from the steering wheel as instructed, and brake and accelerate as needed.
2. You must remain in the vehicle when the feature is active, and always be prepared to brake or take over steering as needed.
3. To turn Automatic Parking Assist on, either press the button on the dash (that looks like the letter P with lines facing two squares) or activate it through your infotainment system. How you turn the feature on will depend on your vehicle.
4. To use Automatic Parking Assist to search for a parking space on the right of the vehicle, push the AUTOMATIC PARKING ASSIST button. The system will search for a parking space that is large enough. To use it for a space on the left, use the left turn signal or select the left side from the infotainment screen.
5. You’ll hear a beep to let you know the system has detected a large enough parking space. Instructions will appear on the instrument panel or infotainment screen telling you when to stop and shift to REVERSE. Your steering wheel may also vibrate to let you know you can remove your hands from the wheel.
6. During automatic parking, the vehicle will move at idle speed and steer into the detected space.
7. Continue watching the instrument panel or infotainment screen for step-by-step instructions on when to brake, shift gears and remove your hands from the steering wheel. You’ll hear beeps as new instructions appear. A progress arrow displays the status of the parking maneuver.
8. Automatic Parking Assist will beep and display a PARKING COMPLETE message when it’s done. At this time, you should apply the brakes and place the vehicle in PARK.
9. If you want to cancel the maneuver, either press the AUTOMATIC PARKING ASSIST button or take control of the steering wheel.
Things to remember when using Automatic Parking Assist
- Remember, Automatic Parking Assist does not respond to changes in the parking space, such as the movement of a nearby vehicle or a person or object entering the parking space. Automatic Parking Assist does not detect or avoid traffic that is behind or next to your vehicle. Always be prepared to stop the vehicle during parking maneuvers.
- Always be prepared to shift gears, accelerate or brake, as needed.
- The feature will remain active if you press the brake pedal, unless the brake pedal is pressed and held for an extended period of time.
- You’ll still receive Parking Assist alerts and Safety Alert Seat pulses (if your vehicle is equipped with Safety Alert Seat) during the Automatic Parking Assist maneuver to keep you aware of detected objects around your vehicle.
- Keep the Automatic Parking Assist sensors clean to ensure the system works effectively. There are 12 sensors located on the front and rear bumpers. For more information on the system’s sensors, see the Automatic Parking Assist Troubleshooting article.
Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. The driver should remain attentive to traffic, surroundings and road conditions at all times. Visibility, weather, and road conditions may affect feature performance. Read the vehicle Owner’s Manual for more important feature limitations and information.
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To find out if your vehicle has this feature, contact your dealer or refer to your vehicle’s equipment list. Please check your Owner’s Manual for more information about features.