Safety is the most popular concern for many people when buying a new vehicle and car shoppers with safety concerns can find multiple Volkswagen models that offer the latest and greatest in safety technology including popular driving assistant systems like Adaptive cruise control (ACC) and front assist features.
What is VW ACC?
VW ACC stands for Volkswagen Adaptive Cruise Control - Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is one of several Volkswagen Driver Assistance features available on the 2016 and beyond Volkswagen models: Passat, Jetta, CC, Golf, Golf SportWagen, Golf GTI, Golf R and Touareg. It is an intelligent development of cruise control that does not only maintain a speed set by the driver but also adapts the speed to the traffic situation ahead by braking and accelerating within the system limits.
The latest generation of ACC as fitted to the first models takes into consideration speed limits and the route which is driven. In this way, it works to maintain a set speed as well as a set distance of your vehicle from the other vehicle in front of you.
How Does VW ACC work?
It works exactly like you would expect it, such as when the vehicle in front of you slows down, ACC would slow down your Volkswagen to match down its speed and when there is no longer a vehicle ahead then it will speed up automatically adapting to the required traffic speed limits.
For this purpose, Adaptive Cruise Control uses radar, a sensor, a camera and the navigation system data. Radar enables the sensors on your vehicle to detect the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you and the system is activated between speeds from approximately 20 mph up to 95 mph. Through the camera and the linked traffic sign detection system, the car can “see” speed limits and the edges of built-up areas. At the same time, the car calculates its position using the navigation system route data and adapts the speed ahead of bends, roundabouts and junctions.
Before starting your drive, all you need to do is set your speed and desired distance from the vehicle ahead. To get cruising, set the cruise control speed with the push of a button. Setting the distance from the vehicle ahead determines the ACC acceleration response, from close and dynamic to further away and gentler. You can change speed using only the ACC controls.
What is VW Front Assist?
Volkswagen Front Assist is just one of the many driver-assist features available on the Volkswagen lineup. The Volkswagen Front Assist (sometimes referred to as Forward Collision Warning) system employs the use of pedestrian monitoring systems as well as audio and visual clues to let drivers know if they are dangerously close to other vehicles and/or pedestrians in front of them on the road. The VW Front Assist system is also equipped with an Automatic Emergency Braking feature that can slow the vehicle automatically if drivers do not respond to audio and visual signals in a timely manner, hopefully helping to prevent accidents that could be caused by inattentive driving.
The Most Common Warning Messages for Faulty ACC Radar sensor:
- Error: Front assist
- ACC and Front Assist are not available
- Front Assist not available
- Front assist: sensor impaired
- Front assist nicht verfügbar
- ACC und Front Assist zurzeit nicht verfügbar. Keine sensorsicht
Diagnosing & Fixing the Error
Sometimes, whilst you drive a car, a message on your dashboard pops up to say that "ACC and Front Assist Not Available" and then the cruise control warning light comes on orange.ACC and Front Assist Not Available warning message means that the ACC and front assist system of your car has been dropped out and not function properly.
Usually it is the sensor at the front which has failed and affects the cruise control and front braking assistant feature. This error is common to have in certain weather conditions such as rain, snow, fog in cold weather or perhaps debris like a carrier bag stuck on the front. Normally that message is to do with it not getting a clear view from the radar sensor so make sure that there is no obstruction to the clear view and the radar sensor is free of any debris or moisture. Cleaning should resolve the problem and the warning message should go off.
If the cleaning doesn’t work then it is also possible that the vehicle hit something or met with a collision so you may not observe visible damage to the sensor but there may be a very little suspicious dent in the alignment of the sensor and it has moved from its place. Alignment of the radar sensor should do the work here. Usually, forward radar sensors used by Adaptive cruise control are located in or behind the front bumper/grille so make sure that the sensor is accurately placed in its position by reaching it through. Correct adjustment is an essential prerequisite for the perfect functioning of the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system.
Before adjustment of the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system, the event memory must be read out and faults, if any, rectified. So, you may also need to update the software for the error to get disappear. Though it calls for in very rare situations, to avoid reinstallation of the new radar, it’s a good idea to first check for any software updates and the radar alignment before investing in a new one.
If none of the above tricks disappear the message and resolve the issue then replacing the radar sensor is the last resort option to work with. During replacement of radar, if you feel moisture or water on any part such as connectors, wires etc it means that the radar was failed due to the unusual external elements. Calibration with a scan tool is required after the replacement of a new radar or after the removal and reinstallation of a radar unit.
VW 3QF907561D Distance control unit is factory fitted on all the newest VAG group cars such as VW Audi, Skoda, Atlas Arteon Golf MK7 VII 7.5 (5G1 BE1) Facelift Touran Passat B8 Jetta R-Line, and Octavia 5E MK3.
VW Ag VAG and Bosch part numbers:
- 5Q0907561F 0203300447
- 5Q0907561K 0203300966
- 5Q0907561J 0203301259
- 5Q0907561H 0203300996
- 5QA907561B 0203300970
- 3QF907561C 0203301965
- 3QF907561 0203300580
- 3QF907561A 0203301261
- 3QF907561D 0203302268
A list of cars using VW AG Acc radarsensors
- VW Golf MK7 VII 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
- VW e-Golf
- Volkswagen Polo MK6 6C
- Audi A3
- Skoda Octavia MK3 5E
- Skoda Fabia MK3 NJ3
- Skoda Rapid
- VW Atlas
- VW Arteon
- VW Golf MK7 7 VII 7.5 5G BE1 Facelift 2018 2019 2020
- VW Golf Hatchack Estate
- VW Touran 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
- VW Passat B8 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
- VW Passat B8 Variant
- VW Jetta R-Line
- Audi A4 B9
- Skoda Octavia 3 MK3 5E
Being informed on these systems is important to a complete, safe, and quality drive. Many consumers are purchasing a certain vehicle specifically for these driver assistance features so any error relating to these features should be immediately addressed. You could try repairing or replacing relying on your own knowledge or you can take your car to the auto technician such as xenons4u to properly repair the system or replace its parts.
