Red Flags Your Land Rover’s Radar Sensor Is Displaced and the Calibration Method

The sensor on your Land Rover car is part of the ADAS sensors on your vehicle. It constantly monitors the road ahead and works well with various technologies. The radar sensor helps to accurately measure the distance and the speed of vehicles around it.

However, the alignment of the radar sensor is of great importance in terms of making sure that it works effectively. Any small impact as a result of collision, road debris among others, even when installing suspension, new bumpers and other components can affect its effectiveness. Once it gets misaligned then your Land Rover will give you false warnings and not detect the hazards at all.

What Causes the Radar Sensor to Become Displaced?

Radar sensors are usually mounted behind the front bonnet or bumper. These are very safe devices but may misbehave in specific conditions.

Here are some of the reasons why that happens:

• Whether you have a minor collision at the front

• Removing and replacing bumpers.

• Any suspension or steering repair.

• Due to a collision at high speed with a pothole, curb or speed bump.

• Incursion due to prior repairs that were not done properly.

• Damage caused by road debris.

Warning Signs of a Displaced Radar Sensor

When a radar sensor is going bad then there are clear signs that something is not working properly with this device. You need to recognize them so that you can fix the issue.

There are signs like:

• The ACC system becomes faulty suddenly.

• Late or improper braking.

• BSM does not work consistently.

• Lane Support components do not work consistently.

• The ADAS warning light appears on your dashboard.

Inspection of the Sensor Mounting Location

The radar sensor should not be mounted at any other place than where it was originally mounted. If there is a small difference in the accuracy of a few millimetres then it can affect distance and speed measurement.

A bend or a loose mounting bracket will lead to the radar being slightly tilted upwards, downwards or sideways. The adjustment does not seem to be visible to human eyes but seriously affects the ADAS system.

Conduct a Professional Diagnostic Scan

There may be Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) stored in the vehicle if there is a problem with communication or misalignment.

A professional scan will reveal:

• Problems with radar communication.

• Problems with sensor misalignment.

• Problems with calibration.

• Problems with wiring.

• Problems caused by software.

Why is calibration required due to the repairs?

It will ensure that the radar is properly aligned according to manufacturer guidelines. Otherwise, certain safety features will either activate too early, too late or won't activate at all.

Here are the common reasons why recalibration is needed:

• Replacement of the radar sensor.

• Replacement of the front bumper.

• Suspension or steering device repair.

• Accident repairs.

• The position of the sensor is affected by the wheel alignment.

• Replacement of the mounting bracket.

How Radar Sensor Calibration is Conducted

This process requires great accuracy and special equipment as well as the conditions for conducting the calibration in the workshop. This means that the calibration of radar sensors can't be done accurately by the visual method.

Usually, the calibration process includes the following steps:

• Verification of the radar sensor and mount check.

• Connecting the manufacturer to the diagnostic tool.

• Mounting the calibration target at strictly defined distances.

• Calibration target adjustment is accurate according to the factory settings.

• Carrying out the electronic calibration process.

Prevention of Future Displacement of Radar Sensors

There may be some situations that cannot be controlled but there are certain preventive actions that would definitely reduce the chances of radar sensor displacement.

Take into account these simple steps:

• Drive carefully around potholes and bumpy roads.

• Avoid any minor collisions while parking the car.

• Keep the grille and front bumper of the car clean.

• Repair any damage done to the front face of the car.

• Re-calibration is always required after the repair of any collision

• Make it a habit to perform regular checks on the ADAS system.

Conclusion

There are various fixes that might be necessary in order to repair the problem depending on the situation whether it is a fix to a minor accident, a replacement of the Land Rover bumper, suspension service or replacing a cracked mounting bracket. It takes professional diagnosis and calibration of your car's ADAS to fix the problem. We specialize in the diagnostic and calibration of Land Rover radar sensors using the most advanced diagnostic tools available in our garage.

We perform an exact calibration in order to ensure that your radar sensor works exactly the way it should work in features like Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking. If you have noticed any unusual functioning of the safety systems in your car then do visit us for professional maintenance and calibration services.