Big Red Sensor Error

[stim]

I occasionally get this error on my dashboard while driving accompanied by a longish beep. I have yet to figure out under what circumstances it happens. Does anyone know what it means? Nothing is logged in the notifications and it disappears after maybe 5 seconds. I assume it is something to do with the proximity sensors (parking and/or front cruise control sensor). I do NOT have lane assist or the thing that detects a car in the bling spot.

 

[Stu@rt]

I occasionally get this error on my dashboard while driving accompanied by a longish beep. I have yet to figure out under what circumstances it happens. Does anyone know what it means? Nothing is logged in the notifications and it disappears after maybe 5 seconds. I assume it is something to do with the proximity sensors (parking and/or front cruise control sensor). I do NOT have lane assist or the thing that detects a car in the bling spot.

View attachment 98847

Front Assist maybe? Just a suggestion.......

Emergency brake assist if some sort.

Driving today I’ve had some sort of brake assist kick in, but not sure what it was. We were doing about 45mph with cruise control turned off in a straight line & the van slammed on the brakes down to about 10mph - there was a red warning sign lit up in the whole centre panel of the digital dash...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[stim]

I actually just answered my own question: https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/owners-and-drivers/my-car/warning-light/front-assist.html

Yes front assist, however, I have had this message even when not in a front assist situation. I guess I need to get the garage to check it then. At least now I know what it is associated with!

 

[kurienp]

The situations that trigger the alarm are when the vehicle senses an obstruction and feels that it cannot stop in time to avoid. I have had that a few times, but in expected situations where there were obstructions and I was driving with ACC switched ON.

If this warning is coming even when assist is not engaged, then it may be time for a re-calibration - a visit to the dealers I suspect.

... but do try and recollect if ACC or other assist mechanisms were indeed ON and what may have caused the warnings. No point in taking a perfectly fine van into the dealers and them introducing new problems

 

[stim]

The situations that trigger the alarm are when the vehicle senses an obstruction and feels that it cannot stop in time to avoid. I have had that a few times, but in expected situations where there were obstructions and I was driving with ACC switched ON.

If this warning is coming even when assist is not engaged, then it may be time for a re-calibration - a visit to the dealers I suspect.

... but do try and recollect if ACC or other assist mechanisms were indeed ON and what may have caused the warnings. No point in taking a perfectly fine van into the dealers and them introducing new problems

When you say "but in expected situations where there were obstructions and I was driving with ACC switched ON" do you mean that the front assist activated and slowed down or stopped the car? Because I have had this error (I think when using ACC on the highway) but no brakes were applied. Front assist in the town (no ACC) came on the other day and the error did show, but this seems to be normal. It does not seem normal to get the error but not have any braking happen, which I think is what you are describing.

I have to take the van in anyway so I will just add it to the list!

 

[kurienp]

do you mean that the front assist activated and slowed down or stopped the car?

no, both times in 40mph zones, I would have been at 40 ish. it just sounded the warning and did nothing.

One of the areas is where a road splits into two (see image below). I usually turn left and keep to the right so that I can see around the left corner. If a car that has to take the lane to the right comes close to me, ACC throws the warning. I have noticed the error only when I have been using ACC

 

[Ch1pbutty]

no, both times in 40mph zones, I would have been at 40 ish. it just sounded the warning and did nothing.

One of the areas is where a road splits into two (see image below). I usually turn left and keep to the right so that I can see around the left corner. If a car that has to take the lane to the right comes close to me, ACC throws the warning. I have noticed the error only when I have been using ACC

View attachment 98849

System might think you are trying to undertake the car in right hand lane, so throws warning. ACC in our EV does not like undertaking so assuming Cali would be the same,

 

[kurienp]

It does not seem normal to get the error but not have any braking happen, which I think is what you are describing.

my thought is - "we" would like it to brake, but it may be better if it does not, as a rash act such as braking, can cause more issues (such as people behind you not anticipating and so rear-ending you). All VW systems are classified as "assist" and not intelligent. It has warned you of possibly impending disaster and will rely on you to take action.

I think it only applies brakes if travelling below 10 or 20 mph - which I have never encountered or tried.

 

[kurienp]

System might think you are trying to undertake the car in right hand lane, so throws warning. ACC in our EV does not like undertaking so assuming Cali would be the same,

In case of "undertaking", ACC waits for a touch on the accelerator pedal to confirm it is OK to do so and continues. Does not throw a warning.

In this case, it is where two vehicles are travelling in a line that will intersect ... and ACC identifies that and throws the warning/error. ACC does not know that the two vehicles will soon change directions and go their own ways - one to the left and the other to the right.

 

[stim]

my thought is - "we" would like it to brake, but it may be better if it does not, as a rash act such as braking, can cause more issues (such as people behind you not anticipating and so rear-ending you). All VW systems are classified as "assist" and not intelligent. It has warned you of possibly impending disaster and will rely on you to take action.

I think it only applies brakes if travelling below 10 or 20 mph - which I have never encountered or tried.

It's a bit ironic that the beep and the huge red warning make you take your eyes off the road and look at the dashboard!

Another couple of interesting things I have observed which are somewhat related but a bit off topic:

1. If you're driving in a blizzard and snow sticks to the sensor at the front, the ACC will stop working (seems logical) but what is annoying is that it won't allow you to have regular non assisted crusie control as an alternative! This seems like a big oversight from VW, surely just software programming.
2. My van is LH drive and in the setup menu, there is no longer any option to change functionality for driving on the LH side of the road. I think there used to be but it disappeared in a recent software update and now the system is supposed to identify where you are and adjust accordingly. On a recent trip back to the UK, my van seemed to be lost for the first 30 minutes of leaving the Chunnel and the ACC was completely confused by overtaking on a UK motorway, constantly braking and presumably assuming I was trying to undertake.

 

[Perfectos]

The warning light is different to a T6, however I have found that the system can detect “danger” when driving normally.
when a car in front is turning left, sometimes throwing up a false alarm. Instances such as at roundabouts or the car In front simply taking to a round about slip road Etc. As I approach.
This seems to only occur at speeds under 40mph
i.e. car in front slows and changes direction, whilst my vehicle speed is closing on the vehicle in front, the sensor sees it as a risk

I get one audible beep, for about a second, a large picture of a car is displayed in the middle of the clocks. When the offending car has moved out of the range of the sensor it simply resets.

Edit: when the alarm / light is illuminated the brakes (abs pump) are pre primmed so when you break you will break harder than normal, it is an intended safety feature when it’s works as it should.
if it’s false triggering you need to get the system looked and and recalibrate, noting not all dealer have the equipment to recalibrate the ADAS system .

 

[Perfectos]

for info :

What Is ADAS?

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are electronic systems in a vehicle that use advanced technologies to assist the driver.

www.aptiv.com

Volkswagens Needlessly Brake on Their Own Due to Defects in the Front Assist Technology

VW's collision avoidance technology is detecting objects that don't exist. When that happens it slams on the brakes and ends up putting unsuspecting occupants in harm's way. A lawsuit wants the automaker to do more than simply suggest that owners turn the premium feature off.

www.vwproblems.com

https://cdn.euroncap.com/media/2096/2012-volkswagen-front-assist.pdf

 

[Stu@rt]

"...........................warning you when you get too close and even applying the brakes to help avoid a collision"

So suggests that in some situations you get a warning and in others it applies the brakes

 

[kurienp]

It's a bit ironic that the beep and the huge red warning make you take your eyes off the road and look at the dashboard!

Another couple of interesting things I have observed which are somewhat related but a bit off topic:

1. If you're driving in a blizzard and snow sticks to the sensor at the front, the ACC will stop working (seems logical) but what is annoying is that it won't allow you to have regular non assisted crusie control as an alternative! This seems like a big oversight from VW, surely just software programming.
2. My van is LH drive and in the setup menu, there is no longer any option to change functionality for driving on the LH side of the road. I think there used to be but it disappeared in a recent software update and now the system is supposed to identify where you are and adjust accordingly. On a recent trip back to the UK, my van seemed to be lost for the first 30 minutes of leaving the Chunnel and the ACC was completely confused by overtaking on a UK motorway, constantly braking and presumably assuming I was trying to undertake.

Well, VW was and is not known for software ....

I test drove a Ford about 7 years ago, and even at that time they had an option in their software menu to switch between ACC and Cruise. AFAIK, both Ford and VW use (or used to) the Bosch sensors.

With a new software head for VW appointed a few years ago, there was hope that things might change, but I suspect his time has gone more on solving the issues facing their ID brand ... and the other software is being ignored.

I have lost hope on VW software (rather on all automotive software). ...

 

[kurienp]

"...........................warning you when you get too close and even applying the brakes to help avoid a collision"

So suggests that in some situations you get a warning and in others it applies the brakes

View attachment 98852

I think - In a pedestrian zone - below 20 mph (or is it 10) is where it will apply brakes. In any faster situations ... it just warns.

Time for me to put a pedestrian in front of my van and test. Any volunteers?

 

[California_Ocean]

Mine regularly freaks out and shows this warning, when it is approaching a point in the town where I live, a building sticks out into the road and the road kinks left to avoid it. My BMW does this too.

I have to drive at the building if there is oncoming traffic and it thinks I'm going to crash. Does the same at roadworks .... but most of the time it is fine. I drive with all assist functions on, but this does not need ACC active to trigger.

It seems to occur when its trajectory calculations have the van driving into an obstruction or it just gets confused by the sensor data ... don't worry about it and if it is reproducible in a certain place or situation then at least you know it is coming - it's a bit like a nervous passenger covering their eyes or hanging onto the door handle - but it won't actually do anything other than beep at you.

Not worth a visit to the dealer IMO.