It's been one week since I installed the Vehicle-In-Motion (VIM) module and everything seems OK. However, when I was installing it, I pulled the wrong plug triggering a few warning messages. I plugged it back in and eventually chose the correct plug a few moments later. After the install, it took one, maybe two, starting cycles to eliminate any leftover error messages. For a week no sign of any problems occurred until tonight. Whether or not this has anything to do with VIM install is questionable. I went out to visit my sister and I had to come to a complete stop on the main road going through her town while still in Drive, when all of a sudden every warning tone you could dream up suddenly sounded in full quadrophonic stereo, the parktronic lights were all lit up and the message in red letters popped up on the front screen "Parktronic Assistance is Inoperative. See manual". The sounds and the message only lasted about 4 -5 seconds and then turned off all by themselves with no residual stored messages in the "message" option of the steering wheel buttons. In fact, it all happened so fast that I'm not absolutely sure is said parktronic error but I'm about 95% sure.
This all occured while sitting still on a small town highway waiting on another driver to pull out of a side street so that I could fit into the turn. (Two cars can't fit going into this street due to a narrow bridge so most everyone politely waits for the car to come out of the side street first). This means that cars were approaching me from behind. It was while the car behind me approached me that the alarms went off. I just wonder if this was just a leftover fault code that had not been tested since my VIM install and it had to go through a reset while in action???
Regardless, I tested it thoroughly after my visit with my sister and brother-in-law, went through several start/stop cycles, etc, etc, and could find absolutely no problems with distronic or parktronic.
The reason I bring this all up is because it raised a question in my mind.
Could someone explain to me where are the rear parktronic sensors in a distronic equipped car??? Is their something that I could check on before taking this to the dealer if it happens again?
Honestly, I think, and I hope, that this is just a fluke.

 

Trumpet, wouldn't be too concerned....

Similar Parktronic warning/inoperable nonsense has happened to me randomly once w/each of my various '07-'08 S/CLs, w/self-resolution within secs/mins....and no further events....(and no fault codes post-episode detected at dealer on a CL that I soon thereafter took in for the usual 1-3K mi chk)....

Apparently, all kinds of electronic signals in one's environment can randomly trigger these events....

My understanding is Parktronic radars are buried under bumpers on cars w/DistPlus....

 

You're probably correct on that. Hearing your prior experience with random events like this takes away some of my concerns.
Thanks once again

 

Parktronic radar sensors are behind the bumper. I have not had any random warnings so far. Perhaps this was from some interference at the radar operating frequency, from another car or from some other source at that place?

Only once I have had a Distronic plus off warning and that was from a lot of slush covering the grill and the main distronic radar.

 

I doubt it's the VIM module that caused this. I receive the warning mostly at toll booths but have had it upon occasion elsewhere even before I installed the VIM.

The manual states -

!High-frequency sources such as toll stations, speed measuring systems, etc. can cause the Park Assist system to malfunction.

Sometimes when I enter the toll both it goes off, and sometimes it doesn't. I go through the same tollbooth everyday. Haven't figured out why, but it clears itself. One time I suspected it was caused by a vehicle that made it go off every time I got close to it. You might have been in a speed trap.

 

Seriously - YOU installed it?

Are you a MB mechanic? If so, then I stand corrected.

If not, then uummm, yeah, you shouldn't be too surprised. I wouldn't mess with a car as complicated as this, let alone, the computerized aspects of parkatronic!

 

I think you're dead on right about this. The town is a speed trap and besides that, the situation was kinda strange where I was at with approaching vehicles from behind (possibly fast enough that the system got quite spooked).

 

Back to business, I think Austinguy was just admiring the electronics engineering skills of those who have installed the VIM module (no need to tell how complex it actually is).

There is a document about radar sensors SW too, you might want to read error codes, a couple ones may appear concerning these control units.

 

Diesel, clarify what SW means in your above post. I think I know, but not sure. Are you referring to software?

Thanks

 

Yes , I did it. It's not a big deal at all. If you can wire up a desktop computer right out of the box, then this is just as easy , if not easier.

 

Okay, what is VIM (I know what it stands for... but)?

 

Oh yeas, the parktronic radar sensors' control units software can be updated with star diagnosis. There was a case where the feature came non-operational at least for short periods. I'm not sure at all if this could be related to what you experienced. I could check this again and post you the info if you are interested.

 

Vehicle In Motion is a small aftermarket device that allows for the DVD video to be diplayed while driving.. Its a DIY install.. IF you are going to get into the Benz life. you need to adopt some DIY wayz otherwise you are going to be stuck with whatever they sell you.

I Live in Austin too ( Cedar Creek ).. All of my cars have been modded crazy!!

I actually had one of those VIM devices shipped to me but it ws damaged so I sent it back.

Austin guy what are you driving now??

 

Sorry for the confusion. I just noticed I made a mistake in my OP of this thread where I wrote VIM stands for Vehicle in motion. I meant to write VIDEO IN MOTION !

Sorry for the error

 

Thanks for the quick run down! So, why would anyone want to watch video while in motion? I would think it would be a major hazard.

I am only now entering into the "Benz way of life" (if there is such a thing)... Been a BMW fanatic all my life and never thought I'd go Benz, but I guess things change.
2003 750iL (it's on my profile - to your left )

So, are there any MB car clubs in Austin or any gatherings of MB enthusiasts here? Where is Cedar creek - along Hwy. 21 near Bastrop? Where did you buy your CLK from? MB of Austin was not willing to deal much......

 

We've had the same thing happen to us several times. One time the Beep did not stop and it was very annoying. I had to pull over and it stopped when I put the car in park. We also had a guest in the car so it was kind of embarrassing!

 

Good. So I'm not the only one. Just one of those electronic glitches I guess.

 

It could be a software issue with the radar sensors, according to a very recent info. My understanding is that this concerns "806" cars. Errors codes should exist and a flashing a new software should fix it. Perhaps the SW could be checked at next service.