E-Class (W214) 2024 -

Potholes

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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 05:41 PM
  #1  
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From: Harrison, ME
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Potholes

Potholes are a factor of life here in Maine. After owning the car for over 6 months, for the first time, last week, approaching a T-intersection, the car blurted out: Caution, Pothole. It totally ignored the dozen or so I drove through the previous half mile (driving 30 mph). Anyone know what parameters the system uses to detect them?
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 05:53 PM
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It woks better in the populated areas where there are lots of newer model MBs to send the messages. I get them all the time in Boston and the suburbs. Soon, they'll be implementing system that would work with other car manufacturers.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 06:07 PM
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It's called Car-to-X Communication. Basically when one MB car detects an issue such as a pot hole, it will send that info to a central server. When another car with that ability approaches the same location, it will give a warning.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 06:12 PM
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Living in a metropolitan city full of potholes, I get about 2-3 pothole warnings on my way to work every morning. This works better in highly dense areas with high traffic. If I am not mistaken, it is communicated between MB vehicles with the Car-to-X system. When activated, it means a MB with Car to X hit that pothole before, and the system actually registered it as a pothole due to the impact.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 06:14 PM
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There’s a similar discussion here:

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...errerid=543050
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 06:27 PM
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The warning might just be randomly timed. In the U.S., this would make it accurate at least 50% of the time.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by streborx
The warning might just be randomly timed. In the U.S., this would make it accurate at least 50% of the time.
It’s been accurate 100% of the time in my case.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 08:32 PM
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I live in the country and therefore, I don't get many warnings. I do get them and I've noticed they expire after awhile. There is a bump that the car will sometimes warn me about and sometimes not. The bump has been there for months. My car may be the source of some of the warnings but I typically go slow in that spot so it may not always register. I've gotten other warnings for bumps and potholes though. I've even got warnings of sharp curves. If I go to Nashville, I get plenty of pothole warnings. Potholes are inevitable no mater where you drive. Some in the Nashville area are large enough to severely damage your car. I use waze as well and it will warn me more often and for more things.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 09:49 PM
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I drove all over Germany not a single potholes, so I asked around, there aren't any as they use different construction material. Perhaps we should charge a pothole tariff (if they don't buy our asphalt .....)
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Dima
I drove all over Germany not a single potholes, so I asked around, there aren't any as they use different construction material. Perhaps we should charge a pothole tariff (if they don't buy our asphalt .....)
That would be nice to not have potholes. Here in the US, we don't spend much on roads once they have been initially built. Even when they do, the potholes are often not patched correctly and become worse in just a short while. There was an area near Nashville where there were long strips of missing pavement resulting in deep holes going across the road. They patched them and turned them from holes to bumps. I don't know which was worse.

Last edited by L1Wolf; Mar 30, 2025 at 11:15 PM.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 10:46 PM
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There are tens of, if not hundreds of, potholes on the highway I commute on, and countless on local roads (do Long Island/NYC have the worst roads in the country?). But so far I only heard one warning on the highway which is accurate and now I usually switch to the right-most lane and slow down, and another on the way to my son's school but I was never able to find it.
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Old Mar 30, 2025 | 11:27 PM
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Originally Posted by streborx
The warning might just be randomly timed. In the U.S., this would make it accurate at least 50% of the time.
In the Northeast, 90% of the time.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 12:20 PM
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The first time, about a month ago, that I was warned about a pothole, I almost jumped out of my seat. It is 100% accurate. The only issue is when dark and has been raining, when the warning comes, you cannot see that pothole until you do hit it. Happened twice at night. LOL. So accurate.
Roadrunner.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 02:23 PM
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Has anyone developed an avoidance technique,once they hear the pothole warning? Immediate lane change? Come to a complete stop? Swerve onto the shoulder?
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 04:35 PM
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Originally Posted by RoadrunnerHerm
The first time, about a month ago, that I was warned about a pothole, I almost jumped out of my seat. It is 100% accurate. The only issue is when dark and has been raining, when the warning comes, you cannot see that pothole until you do hit it. Happened twice at night. LOL. So accurate.
Roadrunner.
If you read the other thread, other vehicles report the occurrence after they actually encountered the pot hole to your vehicle from car to x so as long as a compatible vehicle first went through one, daylight wouldn't affect the accuracy of the warnings of these pothole.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by MB2timer
Has anyone developed an avoidance technique,once they hear the pothole warning? Immediate lane change? Come to a complete stop? Swerve onto the shoulder?
I typically avoid most potholes, but not necessarily due to the warnings. I know where most are on the roads I typically drive each day. When venturing out on unfamiliar or less frequently traveled roads, I keep my distance from the vehicle ahead and look for them to hit one or swerve to inform me of what I need to lookout for. I try to not hit anything that could cause damage or premature wear. I manage to avoid 99%, but will still occasionally hit one I would have otherwise avoided had I seen it in time. Usually as a result of me not paying as much attention as I should, but it's rare. The warnings give you enough of a heads up to be on the lookout and at least slow down to reduce the impact and increase reaction time to avoid it if possible. I see other drivers hitting potholes all the time without any attempt to avoid them. Some in my area you can see for hundreds of feet and no reason to hit them other than just not caring or being oblivious to the road conditions ahead.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 05:17 PM
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I got curious, does SUVs make it easier to see potholes than sedans? Although I am a sedan person.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
I got curious, does SUVs make it easier to see potholes than sedans? Although I am a sedan person.
In theory it should. I believe I can see the road immediately ahead of me better in my GL than my E
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Hicksra
In theory it should. I believe I can see the road immediately ahead of me better in my GL than my E
I see thanks for confirming.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 06:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Hicksra
In theory it should. I believe I can see the road immediately ahead of me better in my GL than my E
It definitely does, but not so much so that you can't see them in a sedan. It also depends on you seat position. I like to stay somewhat upright without a lot of lean in the back of the seat. I've seem some nearly laying down while driving and I can't imagine you see very well in that position even if in a truck or SUV.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by L1Wolf
It definitely does, but not so much so that you can't see them in a sedan. It also depends on you seat position. I like to stay somewhat upright without a lot of lean in the back of the seat. I've seem some nearly laying down while driving and I can't imagine you see very well in that position even if in a truck or SUV.
Hmmm what is the point of buying a tall car yet sitting beneath the steering wheel? Only bought it for clearance and practicality reasons?
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 10:43 PM
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Hmmm what is the point of buying a tall car yet sitting beneath the steering wheel? Only bought it for clearance and practicality reasons?
To look cool I guess. Never understood it myself.
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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 10:51 PM
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Originally Posted by L1Wolf
To look cool I guess. Never understood it myself.
Hmmm but you can barely see the driver, no?
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Old Apr 1, 2025 | 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by MB2timer
Has anyone developed an avoidance technique,once they hear the pothole warning? Immediate lane change? Come to a complete stop? Swerve onto the shoulder?
With or without the warning, I avoid puddles. Lord knows what the water is shielding. And I tend to hug the right side of the road. That creates issues with the lane keeping assist but it does help me avoid surface issues in the right tire travel lane.
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Old Apr 1, 2025 | 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by MB2timer
Has anyone developed an avoidance technique,once they hear the pothole warning? Immediate lane change? Come to a complete stop? Swerve onto the shoulder?
Bite down on your dentures and white knuckle the steering wheel (lol).
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