Herndon’s Go-To Garage for BMW Lane Departure Warning Fixes

Current safety features, including the lane departure system, have greatly improved BMW handling, making them safer and easier to use. However, when this important system in your BMW begins to go bad, it becomes more of a menace than a useful tool. Let’s look at the causes of lane departure warning problems and how a driver can solve them.

About Lane Departure Warning System

LDW is a feature under BMW’s ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) that assists in improving safety on the road. This technology incorporates cameras for lane markings and determines if a driver is drifting off the lane. LDW’s major aim is the prevention of accidents caused by situations such as driver drowsiness or distraction. It is, however, important to understand the fact that, like any other system, the LDW may, from time to time, develop some technical difficulties or even fail. If you are to have properly working safety features in your car, then it is important to know these problems, why they happen, and how to fix them.

Why Do Lane Departure Warning Problems Occur?

• Dirty or Obstructed Cameras: The cameras are mounted close to the windscreen to capture the road. If the windshield is dirty or if debris obstructs the view of the camera, the system will not work as it should.
• Misaligned Cameras: A small shake, jerk, or hump, such as hitting a pothole, can cause the cameras to move and the system to lose sight of the lane markings.
• Software Glitches: As with most high-tech systems, BMW’s lane departure system is software-based. However, due to bugs or old software, the system can sometimes behave in unexpected ways.
• Road Conditions: It is also true that because of bad road markings, construction zones, or bad weather, the cameras may be deceived into producing false alarms or no alarms at all.

Common Solutions For Lane Departure Warning

The good news is that most of the lane departure warning issues can be resolved within a short time after their identification. Here are some steps you can take to address the issue:

• Check for Dirt or Debris: First, wash the windshield, spending more time around the vicinity of the cameras. This simple step will take care of most minor problems.
• Inspect the Camera Alignment: The cameras may require some adjustment if you have recently experienced a small accident or suddenly hit a pothole. You can take it to a professional technician for checking and have it recalibrated for you.
• Update the Software: BMW usually releases new software updates to enhance system performance and patch existing problems. Taking your car to an authorized BMW dealer to have it updated with the latest software can solve most software problems affecting the LDW.
• Test the System in Different Conditions: If the problem still exists, try it in a well-lit area or, better still, on the highway during the day. It may work well in normal circumstances, but the problem could be how the system interprets bad road markings or bad weather, which is typical of most such systems.
• Seek Professional Help: Sophisticated problems should be referred to a reputable auto repair facility. Their professional technicians can conduct diagnostic tests to identify the problem so that the lane departure warning system can work at its optimal level after a technician has repaired it.

Come To Our Professionals At Auto Scandia For Your BMW Repairs

Regarding sophisticated BMW technologies like the lane departure system, you need a repair shop that comprehensively understands these features. Auto Scandia in Sterling, VA, offers all kinds of auto services, such as repair and maintenance for Asian and European cars, including BMWs. Our shop has been diagnosing and repairing BMW systems for several years, and we use state-of-the-art equipment to tackle even the most sophisticated cars.

Whenever you bring your BMW to us in Herndon, VA, we will explain how we will repair it and update you regularly. You can also bring your vehicle to us if you reside in nearby areas like Sterling, Chantilly, Oakton, Great Falls, and Reston. Call us today and schedule a diagnostic appointment, and let’s get your BMW safe and reliable on the road again!

* Man Driving BMW 7 Series Car image credit goes to: Alexandr Baranov.