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Front Assist , scary!

Ivarhoe

New member
Location
Norway
Passing a big truck on the highway in 110km/h then suddenly the car brakes hard, some messages in red comes up on the dashboard. There was NO reason for the Front Assist system to brake the car, it must have been a false alarm from the sensors. Scary!! Can we trust the new systems on the Golf?
 

Doden

Ready to race!
Location
Newmarket
This is very worrying. I'm due to take delivery of mk7 and with talk of poor mpg, wiper smears and now this (by far the most serious) I'm wondering whether I've made a big mistake.
 

Hughmungus

New member
Passing a big truck on the highway in 110km/h then suddenly the car brakes hard, some messages in red comes up on the dashboard. There was NO reason for the Front Assist system to brake the car, it must have been a false alarm from the sensors. Scary!! Can we trust the new systems on the Golf?

I find if I'm too close to the truck it gives a false positive and wants to slow down. The other one is when a vehicle you are following pulls off on to a slip road it will brake so I have learnt to pull over to the white line a bit until they have gone. I must have traveled about 1000 miles on motorways in the last two weeks and it has only done as you described once it took me by surprise I had to intervene and accelerate out of it. Not ideal but you should always be prepared to take over but I still like it.
 

Ivarhoe

New member
Location
Norway
I find if I'm too close to the truck it gives a false positive and wants to slow down. The other one is when a vehicle you are following pulls off on to a slip road it will brake so I have learnt to pull over to the white line a bit until they have gone. I must have traveled about 1000 miles on motorways in the last two weeks and it has only done as you described once it took me by surprise I had to intervene and accelerate out of it. Not ideal but you should always be prepared to take over but I still like it.

What I experienced was something else than what you describe, I know what you mean, I have experienced it myself, not a big issue.

But the scary experience I had on the highway was something completely different. I didn't shift lane or something, just driving in the left lane passing a big truck in the right lane. I was not especially close to the truck, the weather was dry and it was sunshine. The car braked HARD for some tenths of a second before it released the brakes. It was an sensor/system error, a normal good driver would never have touched the brake pedal in that situation!! I don't like it.
 

jp_cfc09

Ready to race!
Location
northern ireland
Lol only happened to me once when I crossed lanes and to be fair I was close enough to the car in front on that lane. Turn it off if its being annoying although for all it happens to me it probably will help me out one day. It was scary as hell tho and didnt expect it, thats what makes it scary.

To be honest I think everyone will need to get used to it, as it wont be long untill it has to be fitted as standard in every car. I said about the button handbrake when it came out that it wouldnt last and no one would like it. Seems theres loads of cars with it now and to be honest im starting to get used it to and like it.
 

lawrie1

Ready to race!
Location
North Yorkshire
This is very worrying. I'm due to take delivery of mk7 and with talk of poor mpg, wiper smears and now this (by far the most serious) I'm wondering whether I've made a big mistake.

No you haven't.

Go on any forum and mostly all you will hear are the moans and what goes wrong. The complaints here are genuine but not representative.
(Some of the contributors don't have a mk7)
The mk7 is terrific but not flawless. Not sure if there is a flawless car out there.

As someone says here, front assist will get you out of jail sometime and is worth the odd scary moment.

I have a stone chip on the bonnet. There is a long thread on another forum bemoaning VW paint quality, how metallic paint is a rip off etc.
It's a stone chip, I don't like it but it won't be the last :)

There is a load of valuable info, advice and help on this forum use it and enjoy the new car.
 

lowincash

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Los Angeles
This is very worrying. I'm due to take delivery of mk7 and with talk of poor mpg, wiper smears and now this (by far the most serious) I'm wondering whether I've made a big mistake.


I don't think you're making any mistake with this car. Any new car, well first model year, tend to have some quirks here and there and usually the goods outweighs the cons.

Hopefully by the time this car hits the US the quirks will be worked out. I don't plan on getting the front assist thing anyways, I'm good relying on my instincts :D
 

Doden

Ready to race!
Location
Newmarket
Thanks for the reassuring comments. As you say there have been many rave reviews of this car and I'm sure I will love it. But imagine this...

You are in the outside lane sandwiched between a container lorry and the barrier. Weather conditions are atrocious, it's pouring with rain and spray from lorry is reducing visibility significantly. You have some prat on your tail ( he hasn't got a mk7 with front assist!) and you suddenly slam the anchors on. Doesn't bear thinking about.
 

vwman

Go Kart Champion
Location
UK
No you haven't.

Go on any forum and mostly all you will hear are the moans and what goes wrong. The complaints here are genuine but not representative.
(Some of the contributors don't have a mk7)
The mk7 is terrific but not flawless. Not sure if there is a flawless car out there.

As someone says here, front assist will get you out of jail sometime and is worth the odd scary moment.

I have a stone chip on the bonnet. There is a long thread on another forum bemoaning VW paint quality, how metallic paint is a rip off etc.
It's a stone chip, I don't like it but it won't be the last :)

There is a load of valuable info, advice and help on this forum use it and enjoy the new car.

^^^^
Agree.

Just enjoy the car when it comes Doden.

The MK7 is great and don't take to heart all the doom and gloom on forums as said.
 

Ivarhoe

New member
Location
Norway
I just have to say that overall I am VERY satisfied with my MK7. But I wanted to share my experience with the Front Assist. I am 100% sure the car shouldn't have braked HARD as it did, there was nothing in front of me, just a truck in the lane beside me. To me it's obvious that the system is not calibrated well for all situations out in the traffic.
 

MK7STE

New member
MK7 is a fantastic car. I've only had front assist jump in at low speeds when someone in front braked hard to make a turning, so it did its job (city emergency braking).

It shouldn't slam on the brakes at high speed, maybe worth a trip back to the dealer. I'm waiting to go back with mine as a side parking sensor is slightly out.
 

dickt

Ready to race!
Location
Earth
It is a great car, BUT.......

I have had one of those "front assist" panic breaking moments. Driving in London, you know that buses will do strange things. I was in London centre, and a bus was hogging the outside lane in a 30 mph road. I tried to overtake the bus in the inside lane, and the Front assist tried its best to do an emergency stop.
It clearly did not like me overtaking a bus on the inside lane.
Not happened since.
 

jp_cfc09

Ready to race!
Location
northern ireland
undertake you mean lol, front assist must be picking up larger vechiles to do this for some reason. havent had it happen to me yet but intime it will lol, no more dogey undertaking for me then lol.
 

marvin1

Ready to race!
Location
South London UK
What I experienced was something else than what you describe, I know what you mean, I have experienced it myself, not a big issue.

But the scary experience I had on the highway was something completely different. I didn't shift lane or something, just driving in the left lane passing a big truck in the right lane. I was not especially close to the truck, the weather was dry and it was sunshine. The car braked HARD for some tenths of a second before it released the brakes. It was an sensor/system error, a normal good driver would never have touched the brake pedal in that situation!! I don't like it.

I thought that this is a feature that could be switched off in the car's settings section?
 

jp_cfc09

Ready to race!
Location
northern ireland
I thought that this is a feature that could be switched off in the car's settings section?

yea front assist can be turned off easy by pressing left stalk which brings it up on the dash, press ok on steering wheel to untick it. also must be a option in the settings too but that 1st way would be the quickest and easiest way while driving.

think the sensor would be sensitive anyway, lorry and big buses would be in its range easier then small cars. if you were on slight bend also it would pick it up as if it was in front of you in your lane. dont know about yous but everytime im near big lorries/buses they take up all their lane and sometimes some of mine. cars dont so it would make sense the sensor would pick up on it easier in its range.
 
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