Does anyone know how to fully activate the parking warning?

I smacked my new-to-me XF into a large granite block last night when maneuvering to back into a parking space. When I pulled forward to correct my path I hit the block and smashed the leading edge of the front fascia below the license plate.

My S-Type with the parking assist always on and would have warned me, but the XF doesn't seem to keep the parking assist active unless, while driving, I push the button in the over head console.

I seem to have to do that each time I start the car, but I'm not sure if it really says on for the entire time I'm driving. If I push the button while pulling into the garage at work it will immediately warn me of being close to the wall in the front, however, I'm not sure that if I drove around for a while that it would still be active when I pulled in again.

I've looked in the Owner's Manual but don't believe I found instructions for setting it permanently. I also stepped through the set-up menu in the info-center and don't believe I found a way to set it on.

I'm bummed since the repair will either be incomplete or really expensive. The entire fascia would have to be replaced... $$$ and I don't want to make an insurance claim. So I figure that I'll have my local body shop clean the cracks and scratches as best they can and then have them respray the entire opening below the license plate to, at least, match the color. Shouldn't look too bad since you'd have to stare way down to notice the lines of cracks.

Guess I've marked the car as mine, now...
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Jaguar: Grace, Pace, and Space - Sir William Lyons
Current: '15 XF (X250) Portfolio AWD 3.0
Past B: '08 S-Type 4.2 "Satin Edition" (250.06 whp / 259.67 torque)
Past A: '05 X-Type 3.0/auto Jaguar Racing Green

 

if your car is fitted with front and rear parking sensors, the button is located over your head near the sunroof switch.....its got a P on the button.

unfortunately, unlike the way it worked in the past, it ONLY turns on when you put the car in reverse...and then it stays on for a few seconds when you go from R to D. Other than that the system is off unless you manually turn it on. As far as i know there's no way to keep it on.

I'm pretty annoyed with it too, i loved how it just activated itself at low speeds on the older models

 

There is no way to set it "always on." Some models have only rear sensors, others (usually those that also have the rear camera) have both front and rear sensors. The parking assist system on the "front and rear" models is always on anytime the car is in reverse and will remain on after that in forward driving until a certain (fairly low) speed is reached, then it is off. If you need the system on for low speed forward driving when the car will not first be in reverse you can turn it on with the overhead button. This button will also turn it off before reaching the cut-off speed if you no longer need it or find it annoying.

 

I got bit too!

Came from a 2005 STR with normal park sensors and then got my 2014 XJR and promptly tagged a parking barrier like you did. Lucky it was very slow and not to high of a barrier. I plan to repair/repaint the two bottom sections of the front bumper since the XJR has a two removable sections right at the bottom of the bumper cover.

These here;



They had some clear coat damage when I bought the car. After installing the updated LED headlights I took the bumper cover off and saw these two bottom sections can be taken off separately.
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>There is no way to set it "always on.

Well, that stinks...
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My karma just ran over your dogma
Current Hers: '13 Lexus ES350
Current Mine: '15 Jaguar XF

 

Would you really want it "always on"?
What about peak hour stop/go traffic?
The constant beeps and warnings would drive me nuts, and possibly it would get to the point of "the boy who cried wolf" such that you started to ignore all the carry on, which would defeat the purpose of the system.
I turn mine off as soon as I put it in reverse to back out of the garage, as the constant "beeping at nothing" annoys the hell out of me, then I turn it on with the button if and when I'm nosing up to something to park.

 

to each their own. i enjoyed having it always on at low speeds. I lived in an area where everything was tight, so it really helped. plus it didnt beep that often, or at least often enough to drive me crazy, especially in traffic