Distronic currently unavailable
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9
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From: Home of the flames!
2015 GL350, 2013 Audi S4, 2009 Toyota Tundra
Distronic currently unavailable
Yesterday we were driving down the highway with the distronic cruise for about an hour and all of a sudden the cruise kicks out and I think 4 different warning display on the cluster screen. Distronic plus unavailable, pre-safe limited, blind spot assist unavailable, and at least one more error I cant remember now. The amber triangles on the mirrors stayed on steady. The car seemed to run fine still so I just drove with my foot. After about 5-10mins the system seemed to reset and allowed me to re-engage the cruise. This same error sequence happened 2 more times on a 2 hour total trip. Not a catastrophoc failure but definitely annoying.
The weather was clear, temp was only about -15C and the GL was fairly clean. After this happened my wife says to me that its happened to her a number of times over the last couple of months
I don't drive the vehicle very often.
Does anyone have any insight into this issue? I have a feeling bringing it to the dealer won't get me far since the error seems to reset itself.
The weather was clear, temp was only about -15C and the GL was fairly clean. After this happened my wife says to me that its happened to her a number of times over the last couple of months
I don't drive the vehicle very often.Does anyone have any insight into this issue? I have a feeling bringing it to the dealer won't get me far since the error seems to reset itself.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 379
Likes: 3
From: Southcoast England
CL500 216
Do not worry probably nothing wrong at all, this can happen when near some radar including near some other vehicles . I have distronic on all 3 of my cars, and it can come up sometimes.
Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 83
Likes: 3
From: Southeast PA
2014 GL350
It has happened a couple of times as well to me. The first time I pulled over and restarted the car. By restarting, everything was back to normal. The other it went away by itself. I assumed that some debris might have gotten on one of the sensors.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 640
Likes: 6
2015 GL450
I've had Distronic for about 6 years on two cars. I have had it fail no more than 3 times, all in inclement weather. In my experience, what the OP describes is unusual.
I remember someone someplace in these threads with a similar problem. It turned out to be a faulty sensor, IIRC.
ETA: FWIW, I use Distronic cruise nearly every day. The roads near me are mostly two-lane, which is ideal for it. So I have a lot of experience and still it has failed so very rarely.
I remember someone someplace in these threads with a similar problem. It turned out to be a faulty sensor, IIRC.
ETA: FWIW, I use Distronic cruise nearly every day. The roads near me are mostly two-lane, which is ideal for it. So I have a lot of experience and still it has failed so very rarely.
Last edited by ttoE550; Dec 23, 2015 at 08:58 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 379
Likes: 3
From: Southcoast England
CL500 216
I've had Distronic for about 6 years on two cars. I have had it fail no more than 3 times, all in inclement weather. In my experience, what the OP describes is unusual.
I remember someone someplace in these threads with a similar problem. It turned out to be a faulty sensor, IIRC.
ETA: FWIW, I use Distronic cruise nearly every day. The roads near me are mostly two-lane, which is ideal for it. So I have a lot of experience and still it has failed so very rarely.
I remember someone someplace in these threads with a similar problem. It turned out to be a faulty sensor, IIRC.
ETA: FWIW, I use Distronic cruise nearly every day. The roads near me are mostly two-lane, which is ideal for it. So I have a lot of experience and still it has failed so very rarely.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 356
Likes: 13
From: San Francisco, CA
'16 GL550, '12 C350
I just drove from San Francisco to British Columbia. There was torrential rain 75% of the trip and at one point last night while heading over a pass in Washington the Distronic (sensor is dirty, see owner's manual) warning triggered. The dome was fairly clean (heavy rain/speed) kept it somewhat clean. Nonetheless, everything seemed to be working after the warning and I didn't clean it. Chalked it up as a fault do to the heavy rain because it was unable to read anything for a prolonged period. BTW, the GL drove great and the trip was relaxing and much better than it ever was in my Land Rovers...
Last edited by Count Laszlo; Dec 25, 2015 at 12:27 AM.
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Super Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 640
Likes: 6
2015 GL450
Exactly. The few times I had it fail were to causes I could pinpoint. Snow caked on the sensor cover or very heavy rain. It also quits at low speeds when the car in front dissapears from the system's view, like when the car in front makes a sudden 90 degree turn. But if think that repeated random shutdowns are indicative a system fault or a bad battery as suggested above.
I've also had the ride height sensors fail in very heavy rain. That goes away when the vehicle has had time to dry.
The manual states that cruise control should not be used in snow or rain, FWIW. Also, my previous car's manual said that US cars need to turn off all radar in Canada. I complied, but YMMV.
I've also had the ride height sensors fail in very heavy rain. That goes away when the vehicle has had time to dry.
The manual states that cruise control should not be used in snow or rain, FWIW. Also, my previous car's manual said that US cars need to turn off all radar in Canada. I complied, but YMMV.
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Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Home of the flames!
2015 GL350, 2013 Audi S4, 2009 Toyota Tundra
Thanks for all the input. We took the whole family on a 4 hour road trip yesterday. 2 hours in the morning, -23C but clear and sunny. We drove a 2 lane highway most of the way with minimal traffic and the distronic worked fine the whole way. On the way home in the dark I drove the same route and the temp was similar. The system kicked out 5 times but the first 30 mins or so there were no problems. I also noticed the auto high beams were not working properly during the time either. Then for the last 45mins of the ride home everything started working perfectly??
I have a hard time believing this is normal behavior. I'm going to contact the dealer tomorrow but it seems in my case the system has more difficulty in darkness?? I believe there is likely some sort of sensor issue.
I have a hard time believing this is normal behavior. I'm going to contact the dealer tomorrow but it seems in my case the system has more difficulty in darkness?? I believe there is likely some sort of sensor issue.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 814
Likes: 9
15 GL550
I've had two X166's. A '14 450 and currently a '15 550. I've put about 25,000 miles on the two combined and both have had Distronic and the Lighting Package. Never a single problem with the adaptive lights on either. As for Distronic, on long drives I've sometimes had the failure warning for no apparent reason. The system always resets itself and is usable within seconds of the warning. It happened on both the '14 and '15 GL equally but not more than 2-3 times per 10,000 miles. It's rare, but it happens. And yes, in heavy snow or rain it can occur too.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 28
Likes: 3
From: Indianapolis, IN
2017 991.2 Turbo S, 2013 SL 550, 2014 BMW X5
I have had the same issue a few times and I just wiped the sensors clean of road dust or slight dew in the evening. Everything was fine after that. Your issues seem to be more than just that.
