Mercedes is a well-known competitor in the automotive industry. The fame of Mercedes comes from the fact that they provide owners with exceptional features and technology. The sensors in Mercedes cars, especially the Mercedes-Benz, are top-notch and leading in technology.
If you own a Mercedes C class, E class, or an S class, you may have come across a message on the dashboard saying “Radar sensors dirty”. The reason behind this dashboard warning can mess up your car signals, sometimes even causing your car to function unpredictably.
Want to know more about the meaning of this message? No need to look around anymore as your automobile guide is here!
Note: If you like to read such troubleshooting guides, we recommend you check out why your Mercedes radio display is not working.
What Does “Radar Sensors Dirty” Message Mean?
If you have ever come across a dashboard warning saying that your radar sensors are dirty, then it’s time to clean them. This message means that your car is facing difficulty in receiving clear safety signals due to something blocking the sensors.
Are you questioning what can I do to solve this issue? The answer is as simple as it can be: “Clean the sensors.”
Note: If you to get rid of the system glitches in your Mercedes but don’t know how, take a look at how to reset the Mercedes Comand system.
Mercedes Radar Sensors
Radar sensors are vital for the safety system of numerous Mercedes models such as C300, C220, ClA 250, GLC 300, GLE 450, and E300. The safety systems of a Mercedes include active system assist, blind spot assist, active lane-keeping assist, and cross-traffic alert.
Radar sensors in a Mercedes detect obstacles in the vehicle’s path by calculating the speed of an object with its direction. In the next step, the sensors use this information to provide distance warnings and can accelerate and de-accelerate the car.
A radar sensor includes an antenna transmitting the electromagnetic waves and, and a receiver that processes these rays when they are reflected from objects.
Radar Sensors Locations
1. Grill Mounted Sensor
A radar sensor is located in the front of your Mercedes, behind the grill. The location itself indicates how important it is to keep this area clean.
2. Camera Mounted Sensor
Another location for a radar sensor is on the windshield, behind the rearview mirror.
This sensor is important for the cruise control system of your car and also for the Mercedes-Benz Pre-Safe brake system.
3. Bumper Sensors
The bumper sensors in a Mercedes are located on both the front and back bumpers of the car. These sensors are used in the Parktronic system, a parking assist system.
4. Distance Collision Radar Sensors
The distance collision radar sensors are located in the front and back of your car. These sensors are used for Active Brake Assist, which is a forward collision warning system.
5. Side Mirror Mounted Sensors And Camera
As the name indicates, these cameras are located in the side mirror and are used for the Blind Spot Assist.
6. Front And Rear Cameras
The front camera is located in front of the car below the Mercedes-Benz emblem, while the rearview camera is located above the license plate. Both of them are used in the 360° view camera system.
I recommend you see the see operator’s manual to get a more accurate idea of the location of each sensor before you get into the process of troubleshooting.
Causes Behind the Radar Sensors Dirty:
Now that you know all about the radar sensors and the meaning behind the system message in regards to a radar sensor, it’s time for you to find the cause of this issue.
4 Ways to Fix Radar Sensor Dirty Issues:
Have you located the problematic sensor but don’t know what to do? No issues! Just follow my instructions, and your radar sensors will be as good as new. Here’s what you can do to solve this issue:
1. Clean The Sensors
The very first step in troubleshooting “Radar Sensor Dirty” is to clean the dirty sensor with a soft brush or compressed air. You can also continue this cleaning process by wiping the sensor with a dry microfiber cloth.
2. Restart Your Vehicle
In a few cases, Mercedes owners have reported that the issue was resolved by just turning off and then turning on the Mercedes.
3. Replace The Sensor
If the sensor gets damaged, then you have no other option than to replace the sensor. A radar sensor is quite costly and can mess with your budget.
The cost of replacing a radar sensor varies from model to model, but in general, the range varies between several hundred to several thousand dollars. To give you an idea of the price, a single radar sensor can cost you around $500 at the very least.
4. Contact A Professional
A radar sensor is really important for safe driving and solving its issues should never be put off for spare time. If you can’t solve or troubleshoot the problem, you should get technical assistance.
Note: I have added a video below so that you can get further help while cleaning your Mercedes-Benz radar sensor.
Conclusion
To sum it all up simply and nicely, a radar sensor’s dirty message can be a headache, but solving this problem is simple. All you need to know are the correct locations of the sensors and then clean them gently.
Next time you get on the road, don’t let grim and dirt spoil your beautiful drive.
