NEWBIE Desperate for help

[skippy]

The 'collision detect' system is one of my pet hates on my 2020 MK7.5 GTI. I fully support anything to do with safety, but when it catches you unawares it is really disconcerting, not too mention dangerous.

As noted above, the radar on the MK7.5 is set behind the VW badge on the grill (not below the number plate like the Mk7). I have set mine to the least most sensitive setting, but even then it has been known to trigger without warning.

I have learned how to handle it now, it gives a warning if you think you are not in control of the vehicle and then jabs on the brakes pretty hard if no steering, braking or acceleration inputs are detected.

I tend to drive smoothly and not brake hard or late, I have had the warning and brakes go on if I am coasting towards traffic lights for example, and the car believes I am not in control, so now I will just dab the brake very briefly just to 'let the car know'!

I had an alert the other day when I think a car in the opposite direction was probably nearer to the white line than it should have been and it buzzed at me then, but did not brake thankfully.

On another occasion this summer, I was convinced I had backed into a tree! Gently reversing the car suddenly it jolted to an abrupt halt. Got out the car expecting to see damage, mercifully there was nothing! All it was, a small tree to the side,  the car had detected presence of an object (like a person) and slammed on the brakes for me. Really shook me up!

I share your frustration with this system, but it should never trigger, as long as the car is receiving those 3 inputs of steering, braking or acceleration.

[fredgroves]

The reversing system is another safety one... A different one. It's called manoeuvre braking and you can turn it off. It works on the parking sensors, which obviously can be triggered by long grass etc

[fairmer]

Really appreciate the comments on this.
I am just wondering if replacing the sensor completely would work, if it was a dodgy sensor?

Just as a side note, there is no warning bleep or warning light that appears before the car suddenly brakes, so despite my daughter not having driven for 30 years like i have been, I really don't think that her or my driving ability being called into question is helping anyone.

Anyway, as I said, thanks for the advice.

[fredgroves]

The thing with it is that if there is a genuine hazard, the bong and the brake dab will alert you to it and you will react once you too spot the hazard.

If however after the warning there is nothing visible, you won't. You simply won't react with any input in time - its a split second thing that you have to take over and in the time it takes for you to go "there is nothing there", it will cut in.

I had it go mental about a car which pulled over to the side of the road and reversed back to his parking space - two black stripes up the road from that one.

I also had it smash the anchors on on a motorway offslip when i left the motorway rather than join the back of stationary traffic.

The guy behind me thought I'd gone crazy - he was obviously driving sensibly and looking past me to a clear road on the offslip - not expecting me to stand it on its nose...

You should be able to turn front assist totally off if its annoying you - despite all of the above and even now in the Mk8 the odd false positive - I leave it turned on. It has avoided some actual shunts - particularly the classic at a junction rear ending someone who didn't pull out when you expected...

[Yusee]

If the sensor was faulty- even if only intermittently- you would expect a fault code to be showing when vw scanned it.

The system must be detecting something to engage.

I’d get someone else to drive the car for a week or a month and see if the problem is still there. Driving ability will have no bearing on when it engages, though driving style may.

[Lordie]

If it's like adaptive cruise control you can press the accelerator to cancel it out. Regardless, it shouldn't be doing that but knowing this might help for now.

[Finglonga]

On my GTI there is a button on the end of the Indicator stalk that turns the Front Driver Assist on and off.

[golfberg]

My car, mk7 GTD, once braked hard for a crisp packet which had been blown into the road and came out under the rear of the car in front.   My car’s front assist picked it and puts the brakes in hard.  ACC was not in use at the time.  The red triangle came up on the dash and plenty of pinging.  Luckily nothing much behind me.  I assume it was the aluminium in the crisp packet that caused the activation.   I have since had empty pop tins roll under the car without incident. 

[AGB]

My car, mk7 GTD, once braked hard for a crisp packet which had been blown into the road and came out under the rear of the car in front.   My car’s front assist picked it and puts the brakes in hard.  ACC was not in use at the time.  The red triangle came up on the dash and plenty of pinging.  Luckily nothing much behind me.  I assume it was the aluminium in the crisp packet that caused the activation.   I have since had empty pop tins roll under the car without incident.

I've had similar with a large crisp packet bag - blew across the road in London and next minute, the car dropped anchors. Annoying but acceptable as I could see what caused it.

What is less so is when I was reversing out my driveway and I was mid point between the gate posts, nothing in sight on reverse camera, mirrors or anything. Emergency braking engaged. I have pea shingle on my drive and the car slid a few inches as the braking was so violent. I wasn't going particularly quickly but there was some swearing, particularly as I have metal gate posts. The only thing I can think is that the field of view of the rear camera triggered it with wind blowing through the hedge.

All nanny aids are turned off for me where permitted by manufacturer controls. I did want to disable the functionality entirely but it will be treated as a modification by an insurer if it's standard functionality and in the event of an accident, the insurance highwaymen will of course act with all the integrity you'd expect. Dealer also won't do it for the liability it imposes upon them.

OP - What was the resolution - did you get it sorted out? Interested to know or is your daughter driving a new car? 

[fairmer]

Well guys and gals, the car was in at VW for nearly a fortnight this time.

They again found nothing.
My daughter meanwhile, started looking at new Audi S3's etc and had her heart set on one of them.

Being an ex mechanic, I went to the dealer and told him that before all the fancy electronics, when a customer came in with an intermittent fault, we would start replacing things. They then said, "well we could do an ACC recalibration, but that is a last resort".
I was in 2 minds about whether to hit him or kiss him, but we agreed to try it.

So, it has had an ACC calibration last week, and so far, touch wood, it has been fine.
We were told that we could try it for 3 further months, to see if there were any further issues with it.

I have to say the dealer has been superb about it all, and as annoying as it is, they have been great.