So this is something I've been wondering since I bought my car: My car has the security package with the rear bumper sensors built in, but I don't have the reverse sensing package. Is there a way to activate the reverse sensing alarm? It seems kind of pointless having a bumper with 4 dark spots on it that don't do anything. I'm not interested in the expense for a camera system, I would just like to put the factory bumper to use somehow. Any thoughts?

 

If your car has the sensors and security package then your car does have rear sensing.

It is turned on and off in the controls under the headlight switch.

 

Check your owner's manual. On my Taurus I can turn off 'rear parking assist' (I think that's what it's called) in the setup, but it comes back on automatically by default (I guess) when the car is restarted. Maybe they 'fixed' it in later years so you can actually turn it off and someone has done that with yours. Maybe.

 

If you scroll through the options using the button under the headlight switch you will come to an option of rear sensors <on> <off>. Select on and they should stay on. It's nice to have the option to turn them off especially when it is snowy or icy.