backspace

Just want to share my issue with a ACC sensor out of position. I swapped front bumper on my A6 C7 Allroad '13 and I got the ACC sensors out of position and "ACC and Audi braking guard unavailable" with VCDS error "12032 - Sensor for Automatic Distance Regulation; Incorrectly Positioned". I had to search a lot to find this information and I'm trying to get it all here in one post to help out other having the same problem.

The calibration at the Audi workshop is like $800-1000 over here so I wanted to give it a try before wasting my money. The ACC calibration at Audi dealer includes the full wheel alignment, so in my case I "assume" my wheel alignment is OK so I just need to adjust the sensors to point in the direction they did before i swapped my bumper. I know that the sensor #2 (driver side) was a bit out and did some measurements with a couple of laser tools to verify this as well just to get an idea about the alignment in order to adjust the sensor in the right direction. Mine was horizontally misaligned so all I did was to move my sensor pointing more towards the center in front of the car. Vertical position seems to about straight ahead, maybe pointing a bit downwards. I did not do proper vertical measurements. If your sensors are totally out, then I would start to get them pointing straight ahead and then move the sensor left/right in steps to get the correct values inside the -0.8/0.8 range (please share your experience here...)



Using VCDS cable we have:
Sensor #1 Address 13: Auto Dist. Reg (left side/passenger side)
Sensor #2 Address 8B: Adaptive Cruise 2 (right side/driver side)



So in short this is what I did for both sensors 13 and 8B:

1) Read and note down the Misalignment angle for the sensor(s) that is out. Go to address 13 and 8B. Then "Adv. Meas. Values", pick
- Horizontal angle deviation
- Misalignment angle
- Misalignment angle; fast algorithm
- Vertical angle deviation

It's the "Misalignment angle" and "Misalignment angle; fast algorithm" that is changing, did not notice the two other values changed (but added anyway for monitoring).

2) Enter security code in order to reset values: Security Access, enter code 91153.
3) Basic setting > Reset misalignment angle for sensors
4) Clear fault errors (DTCs).
2) Adjust sensor(s) with adjustment screws. Note down adjustments done.
5) Drive/use ACC to get ACC system to calculate new misalignment angle value.
6) Start over again with point 1 to 5 until misalignment angle values are between 0.80 and -0.80

Here is my example, so you should get an idea what direction you need to adjust your sensors:



Sensor #1 Address 13: Auto Dist. Reg (left side/passenger side)

With VCDS faults:
12032 - Sensor for Automatic Distance Regulation; Incorrectly Positioned
92416 - Function Restriction due to Faults in Other Modules

Before adjustment
015 Horizontal angle deviation -0.34 °
017 Misalignment angle -0.95 °
018 Misalignment angle; fast algorithm -0.93 °
025 Vertical angle deviation -0.12 °

After sensor adjustment 1.5mm on outer screw:
015 Horizontal angle deviation -0.34 °
017 Misalignment angle -0.12 °
018 Misalignment angle; fast algorithm -0.22 °
025 Vertical angle deviation -0.12 °


Sensor #2 Address 8B: Adaptive Cruise 2 (right side/driver side)
With VCDS faults:
88064 - Sensor for Automatic Distance Regulation; Incorrectly Positioned
88320 - Sensor for Automatic Distance Regulation; Incorrectly Positioned
12032 - Sensor for Automatic Distance Regulation; Incorrectly Positioned

Before adjustment on outer screw:
003 Horizontal angle deviation -0.60 °
004 Misalignment angle 1.55 °
005 Misalignment angle; fast algorithm 1,57 °
012 Vertical angle deviation 0.30 °

After adjustment 3.5mm:
003 Horizontal angle deviation -0.60 °
004 Misalignment angle 0.19 °
005 Misalignment angle; fast algorithm 0.17 °
012 Vertical angle deviation 0.30 °


The misalignment angle should be between –0.8° to +0.8°, when value is outside this range you get the error and ACC/Audi braking guard is unavailable.

There are 3 adjustment screws for the sensors, I used a T20 from behind the sensor. If adjusting sensors from the front you need a 3mm socket tool that I did not have.



After 1000+ miles at high speed, city driving and curvy roads it's working fine without errors.

This is just my experience, and it might not be the right way to do this so please share your experience with ACC sensor calibration

tenspeed

Thanks for the DIY, backspace.

You don't post much and when you do. it's good!

backspace

Thanks! Just giving back to the good community here

readheads

Thank you "backspace" for your help. I have been successful in correcting my ACC Not Available issue in my 2011 A8L using OBDeleven (I do not have VCDS). It seems like a bunch of folks run into the issue and have to go to the dealer and pay a whole days labor of $700-$1000. I will share what I have learned (pretty sure these are facts but I could easily be off a bit).

1. I think what is happening is that for various reasons (snow, mud, inadvertent physical displacement, etc) the Audi software detects a misalignment of the radar sensors (located where fog lights usually are) outside of the +- 0.8 deg tolerance range. This shows up on OBDeleven as misalignment errors. There are two sensors known as 13 (passenger side) and 8b (driver side). Interestingly, using OBDeleven (with the car running) I was able to reset the faults (OBD calls it Key On Off). I would then drive off and the ACC would work just fine again. As soon as I restart the car though the ACC Not Available would come back to haunt me. I had done this for a few days (as I love ACC) while I figured out how to fix it (I hope) with help from this thread.

2. The key was to figure out how to do a Hard Reset of the misalignment angles to 0.0 and then drive the car to allow the Audi software to determine the misalignments. If the Audi software then calculates misalignments outside the +- 0.8 deg tolerance range (for either sensor I think) then it shuts down the ACC and gives the ACC Not Available fault. If that keeps happening THEN you have to tweak the sensor alignment screws, do a Hard Reset back to zero, drive the car and see what the misalignment calculations yield. NOTE: I did NOT have to tweak the alignment screws to get it to work but I was prepared to do it. You would have to be careful in your tweaks and note the new misalignment values to make sure you are going in the correct direction with your tweaks. I am pretty sure that the Dealer does this with lasers, et al. so that they do not have to go through multiple Hard Reset, tweak, drive cycles. But to me, using the Audi software data via the OBDeleven accomplishes the same thing.

3. Obviously, this will not work if one of your sensors are broken, however, I think that would be a rarer case.

4. The sensors are bolted to the bumper frame (not the plastic nose) so small scrapes and bumps should not affect the sensors. The sensor adjustment screws sort of sit in a rubber grommet and I noticed that the sensor can be displaced by hand a bit (pop in and pop out). You can expose everything by popping out the shroud without removing the whole plastic nose.

4. CORRECTION: I just noticed that the sensors ARE bolted to the plastic bumper cover. I was reinstalling the sensor shroud and also noticed that I must have hard scrapped the bottom of the nose on a parking curb which ever so slightly (not noticeable) distorted the plastic bumper cover such that the shroud will not snap in place like new (oh well). At least that explains why the sensor got slightly pushed out of the +-0.8 deg tolerance range. UPDATE: The ACC has now been working flawlessly for a few days and I am happy. Bottomline: this can be done by a DYI with VCDS or OBDeleven.

5. I think the dealer charges that much $ because the procedure by the book includes all the wheel alignment and safety checks stuff also.

Below are a few snapshots of the OBD screens. It is not meant to be a step by step (for instance, I did not capture the screen where you enter the 91153 Security Code to zero out the misalignment). I only zeroed out the drivers side (8b) because that showed a 1.3 deg misalignment. After the 8b Hard Reset and driving, the Audi software calculated a misalignment angle of 0.57 deg and so far everything works fine. You could argue that it is a bit close to the +- 0.8 deg tolerance range and I will update this post if it wanders and needs tweaking via screw adjustments.

OBDeleven screen for 8b (Drivers Side)


8b (Drivers side) data out of tolerance


8b (Drivers side) data after Reset to zero and Driving (Audi Software determines it and saves it)


13 (Passenger side) data within tolerance


Picture of Sensor with shroud removed and grommet-type pointed out

Col Ken

Thanks for the ACC help! A few months ago my wife hit something with her 2014 Q5 TDI and got the "ACC unavailable" indication. Turns out she had actually managed to break the nylon adjustment nuts on her sensor. Being cheap I jury-rigged a repair that manages to preserve the screw-adjustment functionality...and it all worked--for a while. After a couple months she started getting the in-dash warning. When I hook up my VCDS (Ross-Tech Vers 18.2 with HEX+CAN (UPS) interface), I get the 0234 malfunction (Misalignment angle). So I was excited to follow your procedures and correct it. Being a bit of a VCDS tyro, I'm confused by why I get a grayed-out button for "Adv. Meas. Values" when I go to address 13 (which is indeed the correct one for my ACC--the Q5 only has a single sensor). Can you tell me what I am doing wrong? I am the original owner of the Ross-Tech software (had it about 10 years) and am using it on a old Windows Vista laptop. Thanks!

readheads

I do not know. I use the ODBeleven on my 2012 A8L and have no knowledge of the Ross nor the Q5.

Sebbridgend

Hi I had the same issue as you but I have followed every step of the instructions but for some reason when I do the adjustments then reset the values and clear all the coeds it’s working for a day then all of a sudden the same fault appears. After doing the adjustments tried several times with using ACC and without using ACC it was working the next day same fault on the dash any suggestions much appreciated thanks

flausbert_

I didn't want to pollute this answer here as it is instructional.

Could you please take a look here and advise what I am looking at with my dislocated sensor:https://www.audiworld.com/forums/aud.../#post25342695

Anirudh Nath

Hi,
i have this sensor vision error where my acc works fine for few minutes and then it throws an error saying no sensor vision. Have you come across that anytime ?
tried cleaning the lens and almost tried everything.

scottfree

Wow this thread was a great! Hit a tire a couple months ago before corona and lost ACC, when I got home everything looked fine so I tried just to clear the faults with OBDEleven but it did not fix the problem, they came right back on instantly. Thankfully I stumbled on this thread and @redheads post really helped a lot. What I did was:

With OBDEleven:
First check to make sure radar tolerances are ok. (+- 0.8 deg tolerance range).
- After scanning > Open control units > Adaptive Cruise Control 8B > Live data > Select Misalignment angle, Vertical angle Deviation, Horizontal angle deviation, Check range. Do the same for control unit 13 Adaptive Cruise Control. If its within range continue.

Reseting Misalignment angle (All faults must be cleared for basic setting to work)
- Open control units > Adaptive Cruise Control 8B > Faults > Clear them (Might take a couple tries)> After faults cleared, go to basic settings > reset misalignment angle. Do the same for 13 Adaptive Cruise Control.

Confirm it no longer shows faults on OBDEleven and then make sure ACC unavailable is no longer displayed on the dash, then power off the vehicle. Now go test your work.