Crash sensor

[Mjgman]

My crash sensor on the passenger side is acting up.. It goes off every few minutes, I looked through the manual to see which fuse it is but I'm not finding it..

Anyone know which fuse it is? So I can shut the damn thing off..

We are still 700 miles from home and if I have to hear that thing I will probably go insane!! 😜

[dznf0g]

Crash sensor? Are you talking about air bag light?

[Mjgman]

The sensor that beeps when you get too close to an object... The parking sensor, just remembered what it was called.. Forgive me I'm traveling and a bit tired..

[dznf0g]

Are the sensors clean? A bug or dirt can give false alarms. If it is a camera system, same applies. Other that that, you may have a system problem which only a dealer can diagnose. Still a bit unclear if this is a parking assist system or a forward alert system for sensing cars in front of you.

[dznf0g]

Clean the sensors and look behind bumper for obvious connector issues. Try unplugging and replugging them.

[Protagonist]

Might need to be re-aimed. If it vibrated loose and is pointing at the ground it will think you're too close to something.

[Mjgman]

I found the button to turn the sensors off but then the passenger side window started to go down on its own...

It rained all night and it was in the high 30s, I'm thinking some water got in and messed something up.. Now that we are in the high 50s everything is working okay.. Must of been too cold and wet or we have a gremlin..

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by Mjgman

I found the button to turn the sensors off but then the passenger side window started to go down on its own...

Humm, tell us more. I don't know of any button to disable the parking sensors!


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

Humm, tell us more. I don't know of any button to disable the parking sensors! ....

Parktronic can be disabled by switch in lower center console. She page from owners manual below.




- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Parktronic can be disabled by switch in lower center console. She page from owners manual below.
Attachment 255497



- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

Thanks Mike, for some reason I never noticed this switch. Must take a closer look when I get it back from the dealer.


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[Mjgman]

I never noticed either, but I'm sure glad they put one in.. Now I just need to figure out what happened..

Why did it malfunction and why did the passenger side window start to go down on its own...

Moisture must of done something to the electronics on that side of the coach..

Just glad it's a Mercedes issue and not airstream.. My local airstream service departments are a pain to deal with.. Mercedes is wonderful, nice people, nice waiting room with snacks and comfortable chairs..

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Mjgman

I never noticed either, but I'm sure glad they put one in.. Now I just need to figure out what happened..

Why did it malfunction and why did the passenger side window start to go down on its own...

Moisture must of done something to the electronics on that side of the coach..
......

Moisture and also thermal expansion and contraction can do strange things. When you said temps in the 30's and rain, my reaction was, "Oh yeah - been there, done that". The vehicle is not insulated like a fixed structure. If you are running the house heater in those conditions, I bet that you are going to have significant condensation in unexpected nooks and crannies.

This is certainly true of my T1N. I've purchased a bulk package of water-absorbing gel so that I can fashion little absorbent socks and pads and place them prophylactically in problem areas as those areas make themselves apparent. Yet another sewing project on my to-do list.

During our New Years Eve camping trip, it also became brilliantly apparent to me that the T1N's cab doors are not adequately insulated. I fear the potential for condensation there, as well as it being a comfort issue.

This issue is certainly not limited to Mercedes or Airstream. I have an analogous sensor problem in my Toyota Sienna, but only above 94 degrees F and only when I make a right turn, that one owing to thermal expansion rather than moisture. Under those conditions it thinks the front passenger door is swinging open in an uncontrolled manner as I am traveling. Even though I have told myself that it's a false alarm, it still frazzles my nerves every time it goes off and the initial limbic reaction ensues.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

If you are running the house heater in those conditions, I bet that you are going to have significant condensation in unexpected nooks and crannies.

Why does running the furnace cause more moisture than the vehicle heater?

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by 73shark

Why does running the furnace cause more moisture than the vehicle heater?

It partly comes down to static vs. dynamic conditions. An Interstate set up to camp in cold, wet weather has a large temperature differential between the outside and the inside and (importantly) it tends to maintain that differential for a longer period of time (overnight) and in conditions characterized by greater air stillness (which promotes condensation) than one would experience during a drive down the road, which can really make a difference. This can be exacerbated if it's raining outside such that people climb into the Interstate already wet. The house furnace will dry out the coats and other materials, but then that water has to go somewhere. Cooking produces even more moisture. Plus the average person loses something approaching a liter of water per day through respiration and perspiration alone, so it all adds up.

The number of exchanges also affects the outcome. One of our supreme annoyances is the mechanism that MB built into the Sprinter which obligates the a/c system to switch off the recirc function every 15 minutes like clockwork. The owner's manual says that's a necessary humidity control measure. It might be the more adaptive option in Germany, but it's completely inappropriate on the subtropical Texas Gulf Coast. We've talked to the local MB dealer about an override, but he says it cannot easily be done. So we physically re-punch that recirc button every 15 minutes in many driving conditions.

Point being, when folks are underway, they are probably exhausting more interior air and moisture than they realize (unless they live in a place like this, in which case the design of the a/c system will sometimes result in a net increase in interior moisture). Not so much when they are parked quietly and the furnace is running.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

It partly comes down to static vs. dynamic conditions. An Interstate set up to camp in cold, wet weather has a large temperature differential between the outside and the inside and (importantly) it tends to maintain that differential for a longer period of time (overnight) and in conditions characterized by greater air stillness (which promotes condensation) than one would experience during a drive down the road, which can really make a difference. This can be exacerbated if it's raining outside such that people climb into the Interstate already wet. The house furnace will dry out the coats and other materials, but then that water has to go somewhere. Cooking produces even more moisture. Plus the average person loses something approaching a liter of water per day through respiration and perspiration alone, so it all adds up.

The number of exchanges also affects the outcome. One of our supreme annoyances is the mechanism that MB built into the Sprinter which obligates the a/c system to switch off the recirc function every 15 minutes like clockwork. The NCV3s do it every 30 minutes. Actually turning off the Recirc could actually increase the RH depending on the exterior conditions so not buying MB's line. The owner's manual says that's a necessary humidity control measure. It might be the more adaptive option in Germany, but it's completely inappropriate on the subtropical Texas Gulf Coast. We've talked to the local MB dealer about an override, but he says it cannot easily be done. So we physically re-punch that recirc button every 15 minutes in many driving conditions.

Point being, when folks are underway, they are probably exhausting more interior air and moisture than they realize (unless they live in a place like this, in which case the design of the a/c system will sometimes result in a net increase in interior moisture). Not so much when they are parked quietly and the furnace is running.

So it's not the furnace that is causing the excess moisture and condensation. Since warm air will hold more moisture, running a heater/furnace should reduce condensation. Most, if not all, vehicles will turn on the A/C when the Defrost is selected (above about 38*) in order to dry the air hitting the cold glass. It also keeps the compressor seals lubricated.

Now if you are getting an air exchange in voids like the doors or other confined spaces that are relatively cool wrt the rest of the RV, then you could expect some condensation. In the winter when this is most likely to occur, periodically exhausting the warm, moist air and replacing w/ the cool, dry air from outside should mitigate this.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by 73shark

So it's not the furnace that is causing the excess moisture and condensation. Since warm air will hold more moisture, running a heater/furnace should reduce condensation. ....

Yes, right up until the point where that warm air comes in contact with cold surfaces, which makes it not warm anymore, and then it can no longer hold what it had been holding. And then the RV gods hear me bellow, "It's raining in my Interstate!" (in isolated spots).

I maintain a non-running but open Fantastic pretty much 24/7/365 in an attempt to minimize this effect. I have an Ultra Breeze covering it so rain can't get in. There's always a bit of air circulating up and out, but when temps are in 30's to low 40's, it's not pleasant to have a brisk flow, so I keep the place reasonably warm and condensation happens. I forgot to add wet dog to my previous list of situational aggravants. That doesn't help either.

Glad to hear they extended the NCV3s to 30 minutes on the recirc. Bet they did that because of negative user feedback on the T1Ns.

[InterBlog]

Variation on this theme: It's raining in my fitness club. I took this window casing pic about an hour ago when the exterior temp of the building materials was probably 45 F. All that aluminum goodness sure looks spiffy, but it's not a very practical construction method for our climate - that's the type of result you get when the franchisor is in California. Rain drops keep falling on my head in southeast Texas, but it never rains in southern California. I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining, but I can create workarounds for the smaller-scale version that occurs in the Interstate.