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Active Blind Spot Assist keeps braking car to one side
Hi folks,
Yesterday I took delivery of a 2019 E300 with Driver Assistance Package (DISTRONIC, Active Steering Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, etc).
I went on a 400-mile road trip and, on over 10 occasions, the Active Blind Spot Assist beeped at me and did one-sided braking to drag the car to the side of the lane. I didn't have the turn signal on -- I was just driving *within* my lane, minding my own business, but apparently it thought the cars around me were too close.
On a few occasions, a car was passing on the right on a multi-lane urban highway, and the E-Class freaked out and pulled itself to the left with one-sided braking. On another occasion, I was passing a semi truck, and Active Blind Spot Assist suddenly intervened and the car dragged itself away from the truck. Very unnerving.
On the Sepulveda Pass in Los Angeles, where there's a lot of traffic and the lanes are narrow, Active Blind Spot Assist kept intervening when passing or being passed by cars on the right, and after like 5 false alarms within a 5 minute period, I got an error message: "Blind Spot Assist Inoperative". On this particular occasion, I was using DISTRONIC and Active Steering Assist.
Anyone else have a similar problem with an overly sensitive Active Blind Spot Assist? Wonder if it's a calibration or sensor problem (only occurs when vehicles are on the right); this is a loaner vehicle with 10,000 miles on it already. The annoying part is I can't select normal Blind Spot Assist like on my old 2017 E300 -- it's either the active system, or none at all.
I have it always on, and it never intervene as you described it. Also it Never beeped when I was to near a truck or something.
I often drive about 130mph and never issues a problem.
That said, only thing you have to hardly watch out, is that your car don’t touches the lane lines. If it touches it will be automatically pull the wagon over a bit, and yes this can be dangerous.
You are confusing Active Blind Spot Assist (illuminates indicator on side view mirrors) with Active Lane Keeping Assist (vibrates steering wheel, applies brakes).
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
I have turned off Active Lane Keeping assist. In my prior Mercedes the wheel vibrates. In my ford Edge Sport the wheel vibrates and nudges the car back into the lane. On my 2019 E450 the wheel vibrates and if I do not correct the brakes are slammed on - which is dangerous when there are cars behind you.
This happens whenever I go over a lane marking - left or right.
However I do like and use Active Steering which is engaged when I use cruise control. This feature permits me to take my hands off the wheel, for up to 30 seconds, and Active Steering will keep the can in the center of the lane. Wonderful if I want to take a sip from my water bottle while driving or open a power bar to eat.
You are confusing Active Blind Spot Assist (illuminates indicator on side view mirrors) with Active Lane Keeping Assist (vibrates steering wheel, applies brakes).
It's definitely the Active Blind Spot Assist, as the blind spot graphic shows up on the screen when it happens (except it shows a car on the right):
In all of these scenarios, I'm fully within the lane. Active Lane Keep Assist is when the steering wheel vibrates when I cross into another lane without signaling.
I get the definite "tug" of braking on one side when I go over a solid line or otherwise deviate from my lane without signal on, but it is nothing that I cannot control - it can't be more than 15% braking... If it is more than that, maybe have it looked at - many sensors involved (I would guess) so perhaps something not calibrated right.
I don't get that graphic on my '18 E300 US model with progressive instrument cluster setting. All Active Blind Spot Assist does is illuminate the red triangle in the side mirror and sound a chime. I'll try a different setting to see if I can get a vehicle image in the cluster.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
I believe the red on the right is Lane Assist not Blind Spot - at least on my 2019 E450 the red indicates Lane assist.
Here is a suggestion: On your dashboard to the left you will see several buttons - one for a "steering wheel" and one for a car with lines. The steering wheel is Active Steering: the car with lines is Lane Assist.
When engaged there will be a glowing red light.
Here is my suggestion: disengaged the second button, the one with the car and lines: this is Lane Assist and see if this clears up your problem
As I posted I find Lane Assist too intrusive and I have disengaged it.
Sounds like your system is malfunctioning. Active Blind Spot Assist does indeed do single-sided braking to help bring you safely back into your lane if a car is detected in the blind spot, but it's only supposed to do it if you begin to turn and not if cars are just passing by you and you are minding your business. The single-sided braking is the difference between Active Blind Spot Assist and just Blind Spot Assist. The Active Blind Spot Assist is part of the Driver Assistance package. I'm assuming cars w/o the Driver Assistance package just have basic Blind Spot Assist that doesn't actively intervene. I have the active system in my '19 C63S, which has the latest system and it never does this. I have gotten the visual and aural warnings, but since I always heed them, the car doesn't actually have to intervene.
I’ll drive more today to test it out. This was the error that came on the instrument cluster after it freaked out (i.e., single-sided braking, blind spot graphic on screen, and alert tone) numerous times within a short period of time:
I’ll drive more today to test it out. This was the error that came on the instrument cluster after it freaked out (i.e., single-sided braking, blind spot graphic on screen, and alert tone) numerous times within a short period of time:
It went away after starting the car again.
Yeah, there is definitely something wrong. Probably a bad sensor.
I have took some research in the German forums. Some people are complaining the same error message, in on case the control unit aka control module was malfunctioned and has been changed.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Dear BW:
From your picture I note you have engaged cruise control, 65 mph, active steering, green steering wheel, and active lane assist.
With active lane assist if you venture over lane markings, left or right, you will get the red indication as per your prior pictures/post and if you do not correct, brakes will apply, bringing you to an abrupt stop.
My suggestion, again: disengage Lane Assist and see what happens.
I have took some research in the German forums. Some people are complaining the same error message, in on case the control unit aka control module was malfunctioned and has been changed.
In addition to this: some people got a malfunction in the radar sensor system, in one case it just was too dirty and in another there water inside the sensor. Check the sensors outside or your car, also check if they are wet somehow.
Sounds like lane keeping assist, the button is on the left side upper instrument panel. I always leave mine off, it's annoying as all heck, plus it does in the rear brakes a lot quicker if you have it on.
2017 E300, P3, Sport, Driver's Assist, HUD, Multibeam, Multicontour, Pano. Black on Black
I have owned my 2017 E300 (P3 with Driver's assist) for over a year now and did not even know that the Active Blind Spot would one-side brake to move the car over to avoid a collision. I just checked the owner's manual to be sure, and I have the function as you mentioned above.
I have never seen it work before. It always brakes to one side only when doing it for the active lane keep assist.
I am in the LA area also (SFV) and know the traffic conditions well here.
Seems to me that you have a malfunctioning system for sure.
I have owned my 2017 E300 (P3 with Driver's assist) for over a year now and did not even know that the Active Blind Spot would one-side brake to move the car over to avoid a collision. I just checked the owner's manual to be sure, and I have the function as you mentioned above.
I have never seen it work before. It always brakes to one side only when doing it for the active lane keep assist.
I am in the LA area also (SFV) and know the traffic conditions well here.
Seems to me that you have a malfunctioning system for sure.
Are you sure you have it activated in the Vehicle, Assistance menu? I never see these behaviors because mine is off.
Update: It's still been happening on a daily basis, even with Active Lane Keeping Assist turned off (but Active Blind Spot Assist kept on). I have a service appointment with the dealer tomorrow; hopefully they'll figure out what's wrong.
Update: It's still been happening on a daily basis, even with Active Lane Keeping Assist turned off (but Active Blind Spot Assist kept on). I have a service appointment with the dealer tomorrow; hopefully they'll figure out what's wrong.
Definitely sounds like your blind spot assistant/distronic radar system is out of calibration. It can easily be re-normalized by the service department. If it continues to give you problems, then there is a front/rear side radar operating out of normal range. Active blind spot assistant can definitely pull you to one side if equipped with driver assistance package and you're about to make contact with another car. If it's happening when it shouldn't, re-normalizing should correct the issue.
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