Collisions with other vehicles or objects are common road traffic accidents. That is why manufacturers want to improve this warning system to reduce the risk. However, they do not always work well.
So why is front assist not available? Scroll down and get the answer.
What Is Front Assist?
The front assist system (or Forward Collision Warning) is an ultra-sophisticated, state-of-the-art safety feature to help maintain a safe distance between vehicles and to prevent and reduce crashes from ahead and associated trauma.
This active safety feature warns the driver in the event of an impending frontal collision.
It uses many devices to detect potential collisions, such as radar systems, laser systems, and cameras, to determine the speed of movement and the distance to other objects.
When a vehicle equipped with this system comes too close and does not ensure a safe distance from the obstacles ahead, signals will appear to warn the driver of the situation, including:
- Audible alert: chime and alarm sound
- Visual warnings: lights on the dashboard and simulated brake lights on the windshield
- Tactile sign: seat belts tighten to the body, pre-charge the airbag, and the vehicle jerks when decelerating
Some newer models also split into different levels of brake assist.
If the system senses you’re not responding to a collision warning, it applies light braking to slow the vehicle; It can even apply strong braking force if the driver is still unresponsive.
Why Is Front Assist Not Available?
The front assist system is a relatively new safety feature and requires a lot of modern techniques, so it will sometimes have certain limitations. What does front assist unavailable mean?
Some systems do not warn of danger from pedestrians or large animals on the way; reduced performance or inactivity in extreme conditions such as heavy rain, dense fog, low light; or when traveling on sharp curves or steep hills, etc.
These VW front assist problems can come from many different causes; here are a few of the most common:
The Radar Sensor Is Dirty
The car radar sensor is an effective “cruise assistant” for drivers. It is the most reliable technology for detecting an object’s distance, velocity, and direction in almost any condition.
It is a small device consisting of a transmitter and a receiver. While in operation, it will continuously emit radio waves at extremely fast speeds.
When encountering an obstacle, the radar wave immediately returns to the sensor.
Based on the time the wave travels and then reacts, the car’s central processor will calculate the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle per the speed and direction of the driver.
This device can measure objects from 300m – 500m away.
However, a dirty sensor is the main cause of the front radar misbehaving or not working. The accumulation of dirt, rocks, sand, debris, moisture, or other agents will dent the sensor layer.
As the condition becomes more severe, you may see a few small dents.
This makes the front assist system unable to accurately determine when the signal from the obstacle returns, so it cannot accurately calculate the distance between the two objects.
Sensor Is Broken
The reason why Volkswagen front assist is not available can also be due to a malfunction of the front sensor.
This problem usually occurs when it collides with debris on the road or because the repair staff applies too much force when repairing or cleaning.
To assess the extent of damage, you need to find traces of these impact forces, such as cracks and burns on the plastic shell or where the paint is worn.
Watch out for signs that your car’s front sensor is having problems. False warning signals from lane-keeping assist or cruise control can tell you something is amiss.
You can take the car to the repair center to get more accurate judgments.
Here, the staff has enough specialized tools to check for any error codes in the memory and any broken or shorted or broken connection wires.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Is Not Available
Adaptive cruise control is a system that helps the vehicle to monitor the speed of the car in front and automatically adjust the appropriate pace to maintain a safe distance.
This is an important cruise control system, so when it fails, it will cause many difficulties for the driver in sudden handling situations, creating stress and fatigue on long journeys.
This system failure can be due to one of the following reasons:
- Brake light switch stuck
- The brake light burned out
- Faulty spiral cable, open circuit
- Fuse or relay faulty
- Error due to control switch
- Vacuum leak
- Engine or transmission problems.
- Vehicle speed sensor error
Low Battery
The battery shortage is also a cause of the VW front assist not available problem.
To judge their quality, we can rely on symptoms, and visual signs such as corrosion at the terminals, whether the battery is bulging, or whether the case is leaking.
Battery missing screw, low charge level, 12V insufficient voltage, posts and connectors making poor contact, loose connection, and broken wires will also directly affect how much current the front assist system needs to operate.
Bad Weather
On days with possible bad weather, the Activity Info screen may play an alert with something like “Front Assist not available”.
This is a major drawback of these technologies as they cannot function properly during heavy rain, sleet, or dense fog.
This tool can rarely help you maintain a safe distance from the obstacles ahead in winter.
The Camera Is Not Working
Another reason why this system is not available is the quality of the camera degraded. Debris or dirt can blur the camera, clog the camera sensor, and make it impossible to focus correctly.
Additional Accessories
The transmitters and multipliers at the front of the vehicle need space to work correctly. Adding decorations and other equipment to the hood blurs the camera or radar device.
How To Fix VW Front Assist Problems?
After a long period of operation, the deterioration of parts is inevitable. To ensure safety whenever your vehicle rolls on the road, some of the following measures can help you.
When the cause is dirty radar sensors, quickly clean them with soap and water.
Because this part is quite sensitive, please pay attention to using a soft cloth to wipe it; do not use metal cleaning objects to avoid scratching its surface.
Don’t forget to clean the windshield. Do this gently and with due process to not damage these important parts.
You can also use a handheld blower to blow the dust off the AF sensor for added peace of mind. Then carefully align it to the correct position.
However, when the sensor membrane is contaminated with non-removable dirt, such as paint, it is best to replace a new membrane to ensure its ability to work.
Remember to use wipers to clear water, fog, and snow on the windshield when you need to go out on bad days.
You should also remove all unnecessary accessories from the front of the vehicle to not obstruct the camera’s view.
Conclusion
Above is information about the question: “Why is front assist not available” and solutions.
Collisions can always happen whenever the driver is not focused or does not have time to handle an unexpected situation. So make sure this part is always in the best condition.
Hope this article is useful to you. Thanks for reading.