When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I keep driving my front spoiler into the curb when parking. Sometimes it’s a full curb, at other times it’s a concrete parking bumper curb that’s just an inch too high.
I have a 2016 so they didn’t have the 360 camera yet so I can’t see the front.
Is there a WiFi camera? Or a sensor that’s easy to retrofit? Any suggestions?
Last edited by superstarR; May 25, 2020 at 09:32 PM.
Don't pull in so far? Use the sight-line of the sideview mirror and the curb to figure out when you should stop. I stop when I see the top of the curb line up with the bottom of my mirror, but of course this depends on seating position.
Don't pull in so far? Use the sight-line of the sideview mirror and the curb to figure out when you should stop. I stop when I see the top of the curb line up with the bottom of my mirror, but of course this depends on seating position.
Thanks everyone Super helpful. I’ve tried the aligning my side mirrors with the car next to me and also looking at the reflection in the storefront etc, but I think I’m just a bad driver.
I’ll take a look at the camera option in more detail.
Thanks everyone Super helpful. I’ve tried the aligning my side mirrors with the car next to me and also looking at the reflection in the storefront etc, but I think I’m just a bad driver.
I’ll take a look at the camera option in more detail.
If you know you don't have an eye for judging how long your car is...just opt on the safe side and don't park as close as possible....generations of drivers before you and before front camera's came out did just that for "centuries".
If you know you don't have an eye for judging how long your car is...just opt on the safe side and don't park as close as possible....generations of drivers before you and before front camera's came out did just that for "centuries".
The problem with that is, usually you will end up having the back stick out too much. And where I live, if you park like that, people will for sure ding/scratch up your car on purpose. The safest way without a camera is what was suggested and reverse it in.
The problem with that is, usually you will end up having the back stick out too much. And where I live, if you park like that, people will for sure ding/scratch up your car on purpose. The safest way without a camera is what was suggested and reverse it in.
Sure, whatever works - pretty funny we discuss how to park a car w/o camera and not curb rashing it.
I'm curious, does the 2016 not have front parking sensors, either? This car is the first car I've personally owned with 360/front camera. I certainly love it, but till now I made due w/o it. My previous car had front parking sensors, though, which did a great job at detecting the curbs. Occasionally I pulled in too far despite them, but for the most part they were a great help. All my prior cars didn't have sensors in the front, only the rear. If you don't have front sensor, perhaps consider some aftermarket front parking sensors. They do exist.
I'm curious, does the 2016 not have front parking sensors, either? This car is the first car I've personally owned with 360/front camera. I certainly love it, but till now I made due w/o it. My previous car had front parking sensors, though, which did a great job at detecting the curbs. Occasionally I pulled in too far despite them, but for the most part they were a great help. All my prior cars didn't have sensors in the front, only the rear. If you don't have front sensor, perhaps consider some aftermarket front parking sensors. They do exist.
No, our parking sensors don't detect curbs (too low). At least my sedan doesn't. If you lowered your car and have the rear higher than front slightly then perhaps?
No, our parking sensors don't detect curbs (too low). At least my sedan doesn't. If you lowered your car and have the rear higher than front slightly then perhaps?
Interesting. Mine in conjunction with the parking assist package do detect curbs. Not just in the front, but all around the car. They have to, because they are used to measure up the parking spot and for the parking assist to park the car on its own, so it has to see the curbs front, rear and side in order to park the car properly. I do know the parking sensors work quite differently with the parking assistance package, in particular they also work on the side of the car and not just front and rear. The later MYs of the PFL were available with the parking assist package as well, so they must have improved the sensors later in the lifecycle, or maybe just specifically in conjunction with the parking assist.
Last edited by superswiss; May 26, 2020 at 04:51 PM.
Interesting. Mine in conjunction with the parking assist package do detect curbs. Not just in the front, but all around the car. They have to, because they are used to measure up the parking spot and for the parking assist to park the car on its own, so it has to see the curbs front, rear and side in order to park the car properly. I do know the parking sensors work quite differently with the parking assistance package, in particular they also work on the side of the car and not just front and rear. The later MYs of the PFL were available with the parking assist package as well, so they must have improved the sensors later in the lifecycle, or maybe just specifically in conjunction with the parking assist.
So you're saying if you're slowly creeping up to a parking stop/curb your parking sensors will alert you? I am not talking about auto park, but when you manually drive up to a spot. This is the first I've heard parking sensors would pick up curbs.
So you're saying if you're slowly creeping up to a parking stop/curb your parking sensors will alert you? I am not talking about auto park, but when you manually drive up to a spot. This is the first I've heard parking sensors would pick up curbs.
Yes, that's what I'm saying. But, I don't pay much attention to it, because I'm focusing on the camera to pull up as close as possible. In my previous car, an Audi RS5, I was a 100% relying on the front parking sensors to tell me how far away I am from the curb due to the lack of a front camera. IMHO, the front parking sensors are pretty useless if they don't alert you of a curb that you are about to hit with the lower part of the car. Maybe yours are in need of a re-calibration?
Last edited by superswiss; May 26, 2020 at 07:34 PM.
Yes, that's what I'm saying. But, I don't pay much attention to it, because I'm focusing on the camera to pull up as close as possible. In my previous car, an Audi RS5, I was a 100% relying on the front parking sensors to tell me how far away I am from the curb due to the lack of a front camera. IMHO, the front parking sensors are pretty useless if they don't alert you of a curb that you are about to hit with the lower part of the car. Maybe yours are in need of a re-calibration?
Are you sure there aren't also a wall in addition to the curb/stopper? Mine picks up walls just fine.
Are you sure there aren't also a wall in addition to the curb/stopper? Mine picks up walls just fine.
Yes, pretty sure. I'm obviously not analyzing every situation, but based on my observations it picks up any and all obstacles including curbs and stoppers if they are tall enough to make contact with the body. There is also no mention in the owner's manual that it doesn't see curbs, while it explicitly mentions other things like pedestrians. I also regularly get alerts from the passive side impact protection if I take turns a bit too tight for it's liking and I'm coming too close to the curb. This was actually a bit unnerving at first, but I've gotten used to it. Now just to be clear, this is all from the perspective of a 2019. I would expect that the older sensors are perhaps not as rich in functionality and their detection range maybe restricted, but they are supposed to pick up obstacles in the path of the car and a curb is an obstacle.
Last edited by superswiss; May 26, 2020 at 08:25 PM.
Yes, pretty sure. I'm obviously not analyzing every situation, but based on my observations it picks up any and all obstacles including curbs and stoppers if they are tall enough to make contact with the body. There is also no mention in the owner's manual that it doesn't see curbs, while it explicitly mentions other things like pedestrians. I also regularly get alerts from the passive side impact protection if I take turns a bit too tight for it's liking and I'm coming too close to the curb. This was actually a bit unnerving at first, but I've gotten used to it. Now just to be clear, this is all from the perspective of a 2019. I would expect that the older sensors are perhaps not as rich in functionality and their detection range maybe restricted, but they are supposed to pick up obstacles in the path of the car and a curb is an obstacle.
You must have some shin high curbs! LOL...I am talking about curbs just high enough to scrap the bottom of the front bumper lip where the under guard is. Some parking stoppers have these re-bar sticking out like an inch which gets caught on the front bumper lip and it will pull your bumper off. Happened to me before when I didn't have the front camera.
You must have some shin high curbs! LOL...I am talking about curbs just high enough to scrap the bottom of the front bumper lip where the under guard is. Some parking stoppers have these re-bar sticking out like an inch which gets caught on the front bumper lip and it will pull your bumper off. Happened to me before when I didn't have the front camera.
Yeah, if they are low enough and especially if they have something sticking up, that's a different story. This does remind me of a situation in Germany, though, in a parking structure that had a curb at the front high enough that it just barely wouldn't fit under the aero front splitter. I was inching in slowly, because those parking spots in Germany are tiny compared to here and I wanted to make sure the back wasn't sticking out too far. From what I remember the sensors were on full alert and despite the camera I ended up touching the curb. It was out of range even for the camera. All the sudden I heard a bang that sounded like I just broke off the splitter, but luckily it just seemed to clip it and bounce off, so no damage. I don't necessarily trust it, because I'm not sure they factored in the slightly lower bumper with the aero package on the coupe, so I definitely mostly rely on the camera.
Yeah, if they are low enough and especially if they have something sticking up, that's a different story. This does remind me of a situation in Germany, though, in a parking structure that had a curb at the front high enough that it just barely wouldn't fit under the aero front splitter. I was inching in slowly, because those parking spots in Germany are tiny compared to here and I wanted to make sure the back wasn't sticking out too far. From what I remember the sensors were on full alert and despite the camera I ended up touching the curb. It was out of range even for the camera. All the sudden I heard a bang that sounded like I just broke off the splitter, but luckily it just seemed to clip it and bounce off, so no damage. I don't necessarily trust it, because I'm not sure they factored in the slightly lower bumper with the aero package on the coupe, so I definitely mostly rely on the camera.
This is really interesting. It must mean that the 2019 sensors have a different angle that maybe points down towards the curb.
Also, do you know if the Parktronic system works for perpendicular parking and not just parallel parking?
Also, do you know if the Parktronic system works for perpendicular parking and not just parallel parking?
Yep, both. In case of perpendicular you can tell it if you want to back in or park forward. It will turn the car around accordingly. It also displays the recognized parking spots and their orientation in the COMAND display along with the vehicle path and you can select the actual spot you want it to park in. When you wanna leave it can also maneuver the car back out of the spot. If parked perpendicular you can tell which way. It's all pretty cool and definitely much improved from the PFL, but I don't use it very much. It's kinda handy in the dark if I can't see the curbs very well.
Yep, both. In case of perpendicular you can tell it if you want to back in or park forward. It will turn the car around accordingly. It also displays the recognized parking spots and their orientation in the COMAND display along with the vehicle path and you can select the actual spot you want it to park in. When you wanna leave it can also maneuver the car back out of the spot. If parked perpendicular you can tell which way. It's all pretty cool and definitely much improved from the PFL, but I don't use it very much. It's kinda handy in the dark if I can't see the curbs very well.
That's pretty cool. I think it's only on the newer models. My 2016 Parktronic seems to be limited since I can't find those settings.
That's pretty cool. I think it's only on the newer models. My 2016 Parktronic seems to be limited since I can't find those settings.
Yes, only 2019 and newer. They got the latest systems from the S Class etc. In the earlier model years the system was pretty basic and hard to use. It only scanned one side of the street for example unless you used the indicator to signal that it should scan the other side. The new system always scans left and right and parks fully autonomously. It changes between D and R automatically whereas I believe with the old system you had to change the gears and follow its instructions. With the new system once you have selected the spot, you just need to take the foot off the brake and it will completely park on its own including turning on the indicators automatically. All you have to do is be prepared to step on the brakes if something goes wrong or you wanna slow it down. It does the parking job quite briskly, so the first few times I had to slow it down a bit using the brakes to be comfortable enough that it doesn't crash into something.
Thanks everyone Super helpful. I’ve tried the aligning my side mirrors with the car next to me and also looking at the reflection in the storefront etc, but I think I’m just a bad driver.
I’ll take a look at the camera option in more detail.
I try not to go all the way as to align my mirrors with the car next to me, but stop much earlier than that. The reason being I see most cars (especially SUVs or pickups) have high ground clearance to clear the curb or some people just always pull up on top of the curb. I have been driving my other car since 2011 and it doesn't have any sensors or cameras, and the best way I have found is to judge by making much conservative stops first few times. The first few times, try getting down after stopping, check the distance and adjust. If you do it a few times you get a better sense of the relative distance from the curb.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
