Why My Porsche ACC Is Not Working? What Should I Do?

Having a Porsche in your garage is truly a big deal…. Isn’t it? Not because of its high price tag, but because of the legends associated with this car brand. Every car that comes out of the Porsche factory is a mechanical marvel.

There are many luxury car makers out there, but none will come close to Porsche—as far as performance is concerned. Apart from performance, Porsche is also counted as one of the safest car brands in the world as it comes with features like Porsche Active Safe, Advanced Collision Avoidance, Stability Control, Anti-Lock Braking and Adaptive Cruise Control. In this article, our focus will be on Porsche's adaptive cruise control system. So, let's begin.

What’s The Use of ACC in a Porsche?

Like any other modern vehicle, Porsche cars come equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control or ACC. For those who don't know, ACC is a computerized driver-assistance feature that, when in effect, can automatically regulate the speed of your car.

Besides, it can adjust your car’s speed with respect to the speed of the vehicle in front of you. To make the ACC more efficient and adaptable to road conditions, Porsche developed the "InnoDrive". Are you hearing about this feature for the first time? Don’t worry… below is a brief description of this feature.

Innodrive is a state-of-the-art technology that can collect and analyze data about oncoming road conditions (up to the next 1.8 miles) with the help of advanced radar sensors and cameras. InnoDrive works in conjunction with the ACC to formulate the speed of your car according to upcoming road conditions.

If for any reason, InnoDrive stops working, the performance of ACC will be adversely affected. Numerous other things can result in ACC malfunction in a Porsche.

What Can Cause Your Porsche’s ACC to Stop Working?

Faulty control switch

To activate the ACC in your Porsche, you have to press a special switch located on the control lever, and then with the help of a rotary push button located on the steering wheel, you have to select the "ACC" option from the menu that appeared on the instrument cluster. If for some reason, the control buttons located on the control lever and steering wheel malfunction, you might not be able to activate the ACC in your Porsche.

Bad fuses and relays

The ACC is a very complicated mechanism designed to perform a very difficult task. Here's a quick catch-up about what it does: ACC is a computerized driver-assistance mechanism that can automatically adjust the speed of your Porsche. And, to make that happen, it takes the help of radar sensors, cameras, and numerous other components. The fuses and relays that protect those individual components, if worn out, will cause the ACC to fail.

Defective sensors and radar

As we have already mentioned- to adjust the speed of your Porsche, ACC takes the help of numerous sensors, radars, and cameras. For instance, it relies on wheel speed sensors to keep an eye on the speed of the vehicle. Similarly, it relies on radars and cameras to track the road topology. So, obviously... if any of these sensors, radar, or camera malfunctions, the ACC's ability to do its job will be adversely affected.

Electrical issue

Almost all the components connected to the ACC and InnoDrive rely on electricity to function. For instance, radar sensors and cameras require electricity to keep track of different objects in the vicinity of your Porsche. If the power supply to those components is interrupted by an electrical short circuit, poor wiring, or any other reason, you will not be able to activate the ACC.

Check engine light is on

Check engine light, if illuminating, you might not be able to enable the ACC. Why so, you asked? Well, the check engine light usually comes on when there is something wrong with the engine or transmission. To control the speed of your car, ACC regulates the engine speed by various means. So, obviously…. if the engine has some problem and the onboard diagnostic system finds out about it, it will immediately disable the ACC.

Key Takeaways

The ACC or Adaptive Cruise Control system is an advanced driver assistance mechanism. And, if it stops working due to some reason, you are bound to encounter a few drivability problems. That's why if you feel that there is an issue with the ACC of your Porsche, ruse to an auto service center right away.

Motor Cars International located in Bridgewater, MA is a leading automobile maintenance and repair facility in the area. We specialize in European cars like Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, Mini and Porsche. Our mechanics are ASE-certified.