S600 Distronic randomly disengages
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 21
Likes: 3
S600
S600 Distronic randomly disengages
Well, when I use distronic, it has a habit of simply disengaging when following a car and beginning to brake. As you can imagine, this is the scariest time for the car to suddenly stop braking, I have to react fast every time to avoid a crash!
I tested it for about 30 minutes when driving behind my Lexus GS which is a large car, and it had no problem. But it seems to have trouble with other cars? One time, it lost sight of the car in front of me when going around a slight bend when doing ~45mph on a 60mph freeway and just started accelerating toward the car in front of me!
Driving this car with distronic is like being in 'Final destination'
Any clues? I noticed the sensor has directional adjustment via the 3 screws, is it particularly sensitive to being perfectly calibrated? If so, how is it done??
Though I suspect my fault must be far more serious than this.
The vehicle does not throw any fault codes at all. Distronic can be re-engaged immediately after it self-disengages. In fact the disengagement seems quite a lot like what you get when you tap the brake pedal. Makes me wonder if the brake pedal switch is dicky.... But I see no evidence of it (flickering brake lights)... unless it is one of those two circuit switches and just the cruise circuit is faulty, but the light one is ok?
I tested it for about 30 minutes when driving behind my Lexus GS which is a large car, and it had no problem. But it seems to have trouble with other cars? One time, it lost sight of the car in front of me when going around a slight bend when doing ~45mph on a 60mph freeway and just started accelerating toward the car in front of me!
Driving this car with distronic is like being in 'Final destination'
Any clues? I noticed the sensor has directional adjustment via the 3 screws, is it particularly sensitive to being perfectly calibrated? If so, how is it done??
Though I suspect my fault must be far more serious than this.
The vehicle does not throw any fault codes at all. Distronic can be re-engaged immediately after it self-disengages. In fact the disengagement seems quite a lot like what you get when you tap the brake pedal. Makes me wonder if the brake pedal switch is dicky.... But I see no evidence of it (flickering brake lights)... unless it is one of those two circuit switches and just the cruise circuit is faulty, but the light one is ok?
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 690
Likes: 76
From: Montreal, Quebec
2009 E350 4M Avantgarde;mistress 2002 S600; wife 2014 C300 4M
What year car? If you search my nick (here and there) I have reported on this problem most likely the new surround surveillance systems of recent car models causing interference.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 21
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S600
What can cause the radar thingo to detect false positives?
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 282
Likes: 66
From: Virginia Beach
2005 S600 2005 SL600
Q: What can cause the radar thingo to detect false positives?
A: Radar jamming from other radar transmitters, which have proliferated with blind spot monitors and other autonomous braking systems.
Is this true on your car? Time to hook it up to SDS and see if you've got an intermittent radar "thingo" or, if it's good, you're getting jammed.
A: Radar jamming from other radar transmitters, which have proliferated with blind spot monitors and other autonomous braking systems.
Is this true on your car? Time to hook it up to SDS and see if you've got an intermittent radar "thingo" or, if it's good, you're getting jammed.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 21
Likes: 3
S600
Q: What can cause the radar thingo to detect false positives?
A: Radar jamming from other radar transmitters, which have proliferated with blind spot monitors and other autonomous braking systems.
Is this true on your car? Time to hook it up to SDS and see if you've got an intermittent radar "thingo" or, if it's good, you're getting jammed.
A: Radar jamming from other radar transmitters, which have proliferated with blind spot monitors and other autonomous braking systems.
Is this true on your car? Time to hook it up to SDS and see if you've got an intermittent radar "thingo" or, if it's good, you're getting jammed.
Got a buddy looking out for a panasonic toughbook.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 690
Likes: 76
From: Montreal, Quebec
2009 E350 4M Avantgarde;mistress 2002 S600; wife 2014 C300 4M
On my car most of the times it is displayed as "DISTRONIC EXTERNAL FAILURE" (or something similar), i.e. not a system failure.
Of course only on the highway. Distronic in city driving seems ok, as speed control is normally not active.
Of course only on the highway. Distronic in city driving seems ok, as speed control is normally not active.
