Mountkeen

I had my new GLC delivered a few days ago and I'm gradually getting to know the car and working my way through the voluminous tome that is the Owner's Manual. But I have a question for which I've so far not found an answer.

There is a curved black plastic object in the headlining of my GLC immediately above the rear passenger headrests. I assume that this is a motion sensor or similar and is part of the anti-theft technology?

TheSpooky

Yes, it is to indicate the proximity of objects in the back when backing. As is true of front sensors, it's good to avoid hitting only in really very very slow motion...I think the red warning lights/beep comes on when you are within 12-18 inches of an object of sufficient height. Display can be observed in the rear view mirror.

Mountkeen

Thanks........that seems a bit counter-intuitive if you're using the image from the rear camera on the big screen to maneuver, you're not necessarily going to use the rear-view mirror.

Oh well, mystery solved.

decorily

Well of course technically you should be using both camera and mirror along with a bit of old fashioned head turning!
I find that the sensor lights that you refer to are poorly positioned and hard to view if the mirror is properly positioned framing the rear window.

Also note that an icon appears on the rear view monitor which warns of proximity to an obstacle.

dejongj

I used the combination; camera's are no replacement of one's own awareness of the area. I love the positioning of the lights, it is perfect to see the reversing display, and glance in the rear view mirror and spot the dots, and have the side mirrors, and audible indications.

It worked in great harmony on the GLS for me, and even easier on the relatively very small GLC...

Mountkeen

Agree that using the mirror is essential but having just moved from a Mazda CX5 where rearward view was pretty bad I got used to using the door mirrors and camera much more than the main rear view mirror.

Haven't actually used the car in the hours of darkness yet so just didn't realise there were warning lights there!!

decorily

They should be visible in daylight also!
Maybe you don't actually have them and what you are seeing is a blank cover.

As I recall a light should come on in this once you engage reverse.

Philamg

Not certain but think the lights both front and rear only come on as you approach objects.

Mountkeen

Yes I do have them. Just tried reversing the car on the drive and there they were. I needed to adjust the rearview mirror a bit to actually see though. I'm quite tall and my normal seating position meant they didn't appear in my field of view.

decorily

When reverse is selected 2 Small lights come on near the centre of the display and as you approach an obstacle more lights come on.

DESAL

i have same problem. PLUS the beep when it finally comes on I find is not loud enough. Heard this complaint from others. Just filled out a survey and mention that the front facing sensors are much better in size location and sound. I have the 360 camera and on the 180 view you can push the control button up and change the view to see the rear end as it gets within view of an object.

Philamg

Od to me that we get a reversing camera in the fascia but the sensors for reversing are above the back seats, means you have to look in 2 different places. Also the front sensors are between the instrument dials.
Why didn't they put them both in the reversing camera screen, one at top and one at bottom, had this in Discovery sport and works well.

Mountkeen

They are actually there Phil. Just very, very small on the graphic of the car in the bottom right corner of the screen. Not a great design really.

dejongj

I don't like how the front ones have been place in the instrument cluster. On the GLS the front ones were just like the rear ones; in the field of view at the front. Just underneath the windscreen. That works for me much better.

Philamg

Thanks Mountkeen shows what you can see when you actually look, slightly different on 360 camera.

If in 360 view it shows a small car on the bottom right of screen with yellow bars on each corner, when the first bar comes on in the front or rear these bars go a darker yellow and when the first red bar comes on they go red.
It is the same when you have the camera in 180 view except it is a bigger car on the left of the screen.

I just wish you would get an ascending beep with each bar rather than nothing until the first red bar comes on when you are very close to an object.