How to use Mercedes parking assist?

This blog will explain how to use Mercedes parking assist. And answer the following questions: what are the different types of parking assist systems in Mercedes Benz? What are the common problems in the parking assist system?  How to know if your Mercedes has a parking assist function?

How to use Mercedes parking assist?

The procedure to use Mercedes Benz Parking assist is given below:

• Drive the vehicle at speeds below 19 mph.
• The parking assists control unit will scan for parking space and indicate it on the cluster or media display.
• Select the reverse gear and follow the instructions in the instrument cluster to park the car.

It is the responsibility of the driver to observe the surroundings when the vehicle is moving into the parking space. If the driver does not wish to park in the highlighted parking space then it is possible to simply select the D or drive gear and cancel the park assist.

What are the different types of parking assist systems in Mercedes Benz?

There are different types of parking assist systems in Mercedes Benz cars, depending on the model it may have either one of the following systems.

Active park Assist

This system is found on the models manufactured before 2016. There is no dedicated button on the center console to activate the parking assists. The system becomes active at speeds below 19 Kmph. A P symbol is displayed in the instrument cluster when the active park assist is active.

If there is a space large enough for the car, the active park assist control unit will indicate the place with a white arrow on the right or left side of P.

If the driver stops the car near the available space and selects the ok button on the steering wheel, the active park assist will begin the packing process. The driver is in control of the vehicle for the complete parking process.

The active park Assist control unit only directs the driver to change the gears and operate the brake and accelerator. The steering wheel moves automatically according to the parking space and speed of the vehicle. To cancel the park assist, a driver can simply select D and dive away.

If the proximity sensor is dirty or there is a fault in the Parktronic system, then the active parking assist will not work. Another restriction of this system is the vehicle can only be reversed into a parking space. Drivers cannot select the orientation of the car.

Parking Assist or park pilot.

This is the latest generation of the parking assistance system. It is only found in cars manufactured after 2016. The park pilot can be activated after pressing the button marked P on the center console. When the system is active, it will scan the surroundings for the parking space.

The available parking space is displayed in the Command navigation display. The drivers can then select if they want to reverse into the parking space or park it straight. After the driver selects the desired parking position, the parking assists system will park the car automatically.

The driver has to monitor the surroundings but unlike the Active park assist, there is no need to change the gear or operate the accelerator and brake pedals. It is a fully automatic system. 

In some countries, Mercedes Benz also introduced the remote parking pilot. The smartphone of the customer is registered as a key in the driver authorization system of the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to start the car remotely from the smartphone.

If the customer activates the remote parking pilot, the car can be reversed into tight parking spaces. There is no need for the customer to be present in the vehicle. It is only possible to drive the car in a straight line and the customer must continue to rotate the finger on the smartphone to move the car.

The parking assist system can also remember the parked position of the vehicle and when the customer starts the car again, the option to pull out of the parking space is displayed on the screen. This option will only come if the vehicle was parked using the parking pilot system.

The driver can only interrupt the parking procedure when using the parking assist system. The vehicle is fully automated in this parking assistance system. The control unit also makes several attempts to park the vehicle in a tight spot.

If the control unit detects that the doors won’t be able to open after the vehicle is parked, then the parking assist function is terminated. The driver can either complete the parking or drive out and select a different parking space.

What are the common problems in the parking assist system? 

The common problems in the parking assists system are explained below:

• Dirt on the proximity sensors.

The parking assist system uses proximity sensors located on the front and rear bumper of the car. The parking assists control unit cannot detect the parking space if there is dirt on the outer proximity sensors. Similarly, if there is an internal malfunction of the proximity sensor then the complete parking assist system becomes inoperative.

• Electrical wiring damage

The electrical wiring of the parking system is located in the front and rear bumpers. All the proximity sensors are connected to the parking system control unit via the electrical lines in series. The area behind the bumper is commonplace for rodents and if the electrical line is damaged, the parking assist system cannot function.

The electrical lines can get damaged if it is pinched between the bumpers and the cross-member in an accidental impact. The electrical harness can be repaired or replaced depending on the extent of the damage.

• Control unit malfunction

There is a dedicated Parktronic or parking assist control unit in the vehicle. It is located under the driver or front passenger seat. An internal error can occur in the control unit due to software error, if a software update of the control unit cannot remedy the fault then it must be replaced.

If there is water entry into the vehicle due to a blocked sunroof drain or flooded water entering the vehicle. The parking assists control unit will also malfunction as it is located on the floor of the vehicle. Parking assists inoperative message is also displayed in the instrument cluster if there is a fault code present in the fault memory of the parking assist control unit.

Conclusion 

This blog explained the procedure to use the parking assist function and different types of parking assistance systems present in Mercedes Benz cars. Parking in tight spots or just parallel parking can be difficult, especially in the city. The parking assist can be very beneficial, it is automatically activated when the vehicle is driven at speeds below 19 mph.