Forward Alert System on MC's

[b.e.l]

Quite often in rush hour traffic I will switch off the Forward Alert warning, my question (if anyone has tried this) is "should it stay off until I switch it back on or does it switch itself back on", because sometimes it will switch itself on at the next engine start up, other times it will stay off until the next day or the day after that or after 3 or 4 startups. I thought it would either stay off until I'm ready like the Lane Departure warning or reset itself at every start up, not come back on when it feels like it. Has anyone else played with this function ?

[bovva66]

Are you talking about the parking sensors? These turn on autonatically when you move into drive or reverse after starting car, and turn off when speed of 10km/h is achieved. You can manually turn them on, but don't think they work over 10km/h.

[b.e.l]

No I'm not talking about the parking sensors, on the MC Titanium's there is a "Forward Alert" warning that lets you know that there is a possibility of a collision (something most people can work out for themselves), it can be switched off within the settings menu of instrument display.
It maybe that this Forward Alert function is only available on Mondeo's that have Adaptive Cruise Control as I assume the forward looking radar is used to detect whatever it thinks you are going to hit.

[allanv6gt]

MY MB XR5 (Titanium + 5-pot Turbo petrol and 6spd manual) has Forward Alert button on steering wheel hub below cruise control (LHS). I think MCs are slightly different in switch layout.
However, I can switch it on and off, just like anything else, and NOT via the menu displays (MB anyways).
Parking alert is via a switch on the centre console near the top, which drops out at 20km/h.
But I found if I turn the ACC off via the menu displays, I lose cruise control all together. Doh !! I want cruise but not the B**#^$y radar which has a mind of its' own most of the time (or maybe I'm just on a different channel/planet?).

[Fishman]

I have it on mine, I'll turn it off via menus tomorrow and see how it goes (not that I trigger it that often or on purpose!

I know on mine you can change the sensitivity of it. Maybe reducing the sensitivity may be the answer, remains on but less "in your face"??

[Fishman]

After dropping the squirts at school this morning, I turned it off. It didn't turn itself on either (i tried). Getting in the car tonight, the forward alert was still turned off.

Sorry, I couldn't be more help.

Good Luck

Dan

[mondo_broady]

why turn it off?? it doesn't interfere with the car unless it senses an imminent collision, and even then it is in a way that is not really noticeable. it's function is to pre-charge the brake lines for you and save vital time in applying the brakes. it will not activate in rush hour traffic unless the system senses a collision will occur. normal driving in heavy traffic will not cause this to happen.

[b.e.l]

Thanks for your help Fishman, it may take a couple of days to change. I have tried setting the sensitivity to "Low" instead of switching it off completely but it eventually returns back to the "High" sensitivity setting.
Surely if you change it to another sensitivity setting instead of switching it off completely it should stay there until it is changed.

I have other strange things happen all the time like the information display changing from Average Litres/100klm (or what ever I have it set on at the time) to a completely different display (usually Distance To Empty) just by pushiing the start button, and I know that never changes unless you tell it to. Maybe the Convers+ display panel is regularly losing it's memory in some areas (a bit like myself) under some starting conditions.

[mondo_broady]

early models (MA) had electrical gremlins related to battery voltage, but i've not seen or heard of anyone having issues in an MC??

[Fishman]

hmmm. if other weird things are happening, i'd be taking it into your friently ford dealer for them to have a look at it. maybe the brains needs to be reloaded or something??

I thought my dte was automatically changing randomly back to instant fuel usage, but I found that dopey here was tapping on the steering wheel buttons and I was changing them without noticing. It wasn't until I skipped a track or two then I realised what I was doing. Just hitting OK on the right set of buttons will change what fuel readout you'll see.

[mondo_broady]

Originally Posted by Fishman

Just hitting OK on the right set of buttons will change what fuel readout you'll see.

fyi that only works if the head unit is on...

[allanv6gt]

I have tried setting the sensitivity to "Low" instead of switching it off completely but it eventually returns back to the "High" sensitivity setting.
Yes, always reverts to default 'Med' sensitivity (3bars).......just another of my bugbears.

My '88 Prelude had a manual switch, which stayed on, and you just engaged the cruise when needed, not matter how many times you switched off/on.
=1 click to set speed.

My '03 Outback switched the cruise off when ignition off, minor irritation - 1 extra click then set speed of 1 click
= 2 clicks minimum.

My '10 XR5 switches the cruise off whenever ignition goes off, resets to 'stay miles away from anyone' @ 3bars.....and takes 1-click on , 2 click to tailgate mode, before you even get to setting what speed you want in either 5km/h or 1km/h increments.
= 4 clicks min. for my use

That's progress.........add more keystrokes with more technology. Poor user interface design. (Yes, I'm an IT&T person by trade).

And I see the new Focus can park itself. Explain that to the insurance company when it gets it wrong !!

Technology...bah humbug.

[mondo_broady]

allan, none of the stuff you talk about is relevant to the forward alert system. afaik you can't change the sensitivity of the forward alert as it has a built in programming to determine when a crash is imminent. the "bars" only determine how many seconds behind the car in front you wish to be when using ACC.

[allanv6gt]

Mondo, the forward alert system still uses the radar AFAIK, like the ACC cruise which takes over when you don't want it to.

And....yes, the forward alert (nicely buried 4 levels down in the menu on MB XR5) resets to 'early' when you switch the ignition off. If so, why bother having the ability to set the sensitivity to something other than the default ?

[b.e.l]

Finally someone else has found it in the settings menu, as I am still playing around with it I turned it off yesterday and got 3 engine starts through out the day before it reset itself, other times it will reset next start up or it has taken a couple of days to reset.
The same thing happens if you just change the sensitivity, mine will reset back to "high" eventually.
I would have thought it would reset every start up or stay at the sensitivity you choose until it is changed next, not change when ever it feels like at irregular intervals.
Maybe others do and it's just mine that's mucking about.