Adjust / Calibrate the Parking Assist ?

[hooba]

I noticed that the Passat owners were singing the praises of this product, anybody used them on their Mk6 and if so, how do they look?

Rimskins - Wheel Rim Protectorshome

[vwsp]

ParkAssist is great. However, as always you have to be careful. I'm paranoid about kerbing my wheels and will sometimes take over the wheel when it's doing the final turn-in because i feel out of control and i'm not sure where the front wheels are up to in their turn, i.e they could be kerbing However if I ever get out of the car to check there's heaps of room so was worrying for no reason.

I think others are right in that the distance to the kerb does related to how close you are to the side of the car in front - if you're very close you'll be very close to the kerb - leave a bit more distance and it'll park further out from the kerb.

I found the best way to get used to it is to do a few parks in a quiet street with no other cars hassling you and get a feel for what it does.

BTW I can park myself so it was the novelty factor why I ordered this feature but certainly don't regret it!! Passengers love it!

[hardhat]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll try leaving a bigger gap to the car next to me next time i use it. Will follow up with how it goes.

To all the park assist haters telling me to park it myself, don't knock it till you've tried it. Everyone who I show it to is amazed, they think i'm just talking about parking sensors when i tell them about it, but when they see the wheel turning itself they can't believe it. I think its great that VW is adding new technology to the car.

Anyway i guess its not for everyone, personally i think if it makes the car a bit easier to drive i'll get it. Same reason i got the GPS when i can read a map.

[BBP]

Heh, you'd have to need some luck to get VW to do this for you... they have disclaimers all over the place that it's still the responsibility of the driver to ensure that you don't hit anything (people, cars, kerb etc).

I agree with Coreying (I guess magic does happen !). Forget approaching VW about it if you kerb a wheel.

This option does strike me as about as useful as MB's nightvision and Kevin Rudd .... initially interesting for the novelty value, then over time you realise, well, it really is just pants.

AND it makes the front bumper look awful with those deeply recessed button sensors on the side. The clean front bumper looks so much better.

[Highlander]

I haven't got my GTD with park assist yet, but when I test-drove a 103TDI with the feature the dealer said to note the position of the car in front relative to the curb and be careful if it was real close. Park assist uses the sensors to line up on that car and you may need to be ready to intervene. I guess the car behind has a similar effect. Of course you need to be watchful anyway. I've ordered the rear view camera as well, which should help with this issue. I enjoyed my park assist demo and look forward to using it when my car finally arrives.

I'm not sure of this is correct. I parked my CC between two rather ordinarily parked big 4WDrives (they were quite out from the kerb). Park assist slipped me into the tight space and parked me the customarily 50mm or thereabouts from the kerb.

Black rainy night with glaring streetlights and tinted windows and I was almost wishing for a "Park Assist - Get me out of Here Accessory".

(Note to the detractors of Park Assist) - Please don't flame me. I'm not being that serious but the Park Assist does get you into some very tight spots and CC visibility is not that great at the best of times. Rear View Camera helps a lot in the CC.

I do agree with the comment that you always need to be ready to intervene. Till I got used to Park Assist (and learned to trust it) it was all I could do to NOT intervene.

[elisiX]

I havent even tried using it yet... lol

Should have taken ACC instead

[jwastrel]

Park Assist Calibration?

Hey Vwdubbers,

I dont use this function on my 2010 GTI very often, but when i do it works pretty well, except for one small issue.

It backs the car into the spot accurately, but if I then shift back into first from reverse (its manual not DSG) the front wheels spin all the way to the left - if you go forward the car will try to drive into the gutter. Ive managed to avoid any wheel damage so far by being careful.

Usually I take over manually once its in the spot and turn the wheel myself, but it would be nice if the car straightened the wheels without going to full left lock...

Maybe it needs calibration?

Cheers

JW

[Corey_R]

Hi jwastrel. I've merged your thread into this one since it already has the answer you're seeking. It appears that the system is reliant on how close the other cars have parked to the gutter, and also (partially?) on how close you are to the other cars when you start. So in other words, if the other cars have their wheels against the gutter, then you'll likely end up with them there too!

[dave_r]

So in other words, if the other cars have their wheels against the gutter, then you'll likely end up with them there too!

I think you missed what he was getting at. I understand that his PA feature does a good job parking but leaves the front wheels at semi/full lock. So for the unsuspecting user, getting in the car and accelerating results in the car heading towards the gutter where the wheels were left pointing towards.

I don't have a problem with features which make peoples life easier but surely you'd notice the wheel askew before taking off?

[Corey_R]

I was more thinking that the car was getting too close to the gutter so he has stopped moving but the car still thinks it needs to be closer and therefore hasn't straightened the wheels yet?

Or does it never straight the wheels back for you? (Can other owners with Park Assist please chime in here, ta).

[jwastrel]

Hey Corey,

Thats right - it parks correctly, but then it doesn't straighten the wheels - it turns them full left lock when i change into first gear. I'm thinking maybe i need to let the car reverse all the way back till the continuous tone sounds - perhaps then it knows its straight?

Cheers
JW

[cme2c]

Might be by design? I used to park that way on the hills near UNSW . Saves embarrassment ( and ($$$)) if your handbrake fails, and unlike the DSG, I believe you can leave the manual gearbox in neutral and take the key out.

[pologti18t]

Might be by design? I used to park that way on the hills near UNSW . Saves embarrassment ( and ($$$)) if your handbrake fails, and unlike the DSG, I believe you can leave the manual gearbox in neutral and take the key out.

I was going to say that. Always park with the wheels pointed towards the kerb.