False Pre-Collision Assist Alerts

[RangerThings]

Last night while driving some errands I finally had my pre-collision assist trigger. Scared the shit out of me because I hadn't had it go off before and my dash flashed as well as the red LED strip, I was alone on the highway. Thought my truck was malfunctioning. Anyway, the road I was on is a little stretch of highway between my town and another town. I ended riding the same route a little later that night and the pre-collision assist went off at the exact same place. I thought what the hell so I do a u-turn and went through the same area again where it went off a third time. It happens right at an intersection with stop lights. I'm typically going between 55 and 60 mph at this location. Other side of the highway is just fine and my alert system doesn't go off. I have driven this route numerous times and never had it go off before.

Could there be some type of sensor at those lights that interferes with my system? Maybe something new got installed? I'll see if I can't get some video of it later today... but totally confused about it. It only appears to be this set of lights/intersection. I was in the right lane all three times so I'll also try the left lane today.

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[PNW_Ranger87]

I had the same thing happen to me. I never investigated it any further but it was definitely going through an intersection. Didn't really think too much about it but the alert definitely scared the hell out of me.

 

[Rviator]

Was perchance there a vehicle crossing the intersection well before you arrived there? At 50 - 60 MPH the sensor seems to go off with quite a bit of distance to the object it thinks you will hit. Mine will go off for a vehicle traveling in front of me, we're doing 50-60 MPH, then slowing to turn into a driveway etc. There is space enough to slow/stop but I can see that the vehicle is turning off the road.

 

[svache]

I've had it a few times when there was no car or anything in the area. Figured it was a fly, bird, maybe sunshine or rain even lol. It happened on my Ranger, as well as both my old Explorer and BMW that had pre-collission alert installed.

 

[RangerThings]

Was perchance there a vehicle crossing the intersection well before you arrived there? At 50 - 60 MPH the sensor seems to go off with quite a bit of distance to the object it thinks you will hit. Mine will go off for a vehicle traveling in front of me, we're doing 50-60 MPH, then slowing to turn into a driveway etc. There is space enough to slow/stop but I can see that the vehicle is turning off the road.

Nope, alone on the road, no other vehicles present. I went through the same intersection 3 times total last night to confirm it was just that intersection. Went off all three times.

Just went through it a couple hours ago recording and nothing happened.

The only difference between last night and today was that it was dark out and I had my bluetooth connected. I'm going to try again once it gets dark out.

 

[RangerThings]

I had the same thing happen to me. I never investigated it any further but it was definitely going through an intersection. Didn't really think too much about it but the alert definitely scared the hell out of me.

Yeah, it was definitely scary because I never had it go off before. Startling. Thought I was about to get into an accident but there was nothing around.

 

[AzScorpion]

Yeah, it was definitely scary because I never had it go off before. Startling. Thought I was about to get into an accident but there was nothing around.

Scared the heck out of me too the first time mine went off but there was actually a car crossing lanes. Weird this happened to the two of you through an empty intersection? Possible it was catching an animal in the distance that you couldn't see? You could try setting the sensitivity lower and see what happens.

 

[RangerThings]

Scared the heck out of me too the first time mine went off but there was actually a car crossing lanes. Weird this happened to the two of you through an empty intersection? Possible it was catching an animal in the distance that you couldn't see? You could try setting the sensitivity lower and see what happens.

Doubt it was animal as it was a 3 hour difference between the first time I went through the intersection and the last two times. I've seen a bunch of deer while driving too and that has never set it off. I'm going to test it some more.

 

[BHunted]

Halloween Spooks? Lady in White? Bloody Mary? Just a thought...

 

[Deleted member 1634]

Do you think maybe the stoplight was producing just enough glare and you're driving up to it at just the right angle that maybe the truck thought somebody was in front of you? Or maybe there's some sort of post or control box or something nearby that has light hit it in such a way at that time of night that the truck thinks something is there, or about to cross your path?

Interesting occurrence nonetheless.

 

[RCNGunnr]

What kind of actuator is the stop light using? Here we have optical (camera) actuators and pressure plate for interchanges. But it is possible (hypothetically) that if it is a radar actuator, that the radar frequency of the stop light system is close enough to that of the BLIS/ Pre Collision system to trigger a false reading and cause the truck to believe it has a radar hit in proximity. Take this with a severe grain of salt, as this would take a lot of coincidence, but it does happen at sea (mutual interference, ghost effect etc.)

 

[SN13]

Question 1: Is it a flashing red intersection?
Question 2: Does it have TWO lights? (maybe looks like brakelights activating?)
Question 3: does the right lane have a nice dark, black manhole cover?

I have, on more than one occasion, mistaken a dark black manhole cover for an object in the road at night, especially against a worn pavement that looks really light grey.

An optical illusion in the street would make an optical system go off in a false alarm.

 

[t4thfavor]

Meanwhile this very morning someone lost an entire roll of that 6" black corrugated pipe, and the collision avoidance didn't even blip. it literally appeared from under a car in the lane next to me (I'm sure that car felt it...). It was still all rolled up and about 4-5' tall and 4-5' wide.

 

[RangerThings]

Well, I went back out there yesterday and drove through the intersection at various times of the day/night and could not get it to alert. It's so weird because it only happened at the intersection on Saturday, 3 times, while driving through it and not before hitting it. I have no clue.

Do you think maybe the stoplight was producing just enough glare and you're driving up to it at just the right angle that maybe the truck thought somebody was in front of you? Or maybe there's some sort of post or control box or something nearby that has light hit it in such a way at that time of night that the truck thinks something is there, or about to cross your path?

Interesting occurrence nonetheless.

I was thinking the same thing. The road was a little wet on Saturday and glare from the street and metal pole of the lights maybe did something but I don't know how the sensing system works so I'm not sure if light is something that would even affect it.

Question 1: Is it a flashing red intersection?
Question 2: Does it have TWO lights? (maybe looks like brakelights activating?)
Question 3: does the right lane have a nice dark, black manhole cover?

I have, on more than one occasion, mistaken a dark black manhole cover for an object in the road at night, especially against a worn pavement that looks really light grey.

An optical illusion in the street would make an optical system go off in a false alarm.

1: Not a flashing red intersection.
2: Yes, it does have two lights. This is an interesting theory but it happened in the intersection, I wouldn't think the pre-collision would be looking for hovering cars but maybe?
3: No man hole cover.

my thoughts would be its more than likely the pedestrian portion of the system activating because of a specific object.
It may be identifying it incorrectly.
if switching lanes stopped it, then it may be out of its sight line at that point.
I have read that the systems cameras and such may get out of alignment for whatever reason, you may just want to have yours checked for proper installation

That was my thought as well. I went out there to see if there was any new signs or something similar to human size put up recently as I drive that route all the time. Nothing new is up there and my truck did not alert. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on it. If it happens again I will definitely be bringing it into the shop and updating everyone.

What kind of actuator is the stop light using? Here we have optical (camera) actuators and pressure plate for interchanges. But it is possible (hypothetically) that if it is a radar actuator, that the radar frequency of the stop light system is close enough to that of the BLIS/ Pre Collision system to trigger a false reading and cause the truck to believe it has a radar hit in proximity. Take this with a severe grain of salt, as this would take a lot of coincidence, but it does happen at sea (mutual interference, ghost effect etc.)

I'm pretty certain it has a pressure plate. It's a T intersection where a side road meets the highway. The side road would have the plate and I was traveling along the highway.



In summary, no clue everyone. There had to be something specific going on at that intersection in that lane of travel on that night because it happened in the same spot and every time I went through there. I could not reproduce the alert on the next day. My best bet would be something with my lights and the slightly wet conditions accumulated in a perfect storm for a false alarm.

If it happens again I'll get it checked out and update everyone. Thanks for bouncing your ideas off me. Appreciate it.

 

[SandBaja]

Last night while driving some errands I finally had my pre-collision assist trigger. Scared the shit out of me because I hadn't had it go off before and my dash flashed as well as the red LED strip, I was alone on the highway. Thought my truck was malfunctioning. Anyway, the road I was on is a little stretch of highway between my town and another town. I ended riding the same route a little later that night and the pre-collision assist went off at the exact same place. I thought what the hell so I do a u-turn and went through the same area again where it went off a third time. It happens right at an intersection with stop lights. I'm typically going between 55 and 60 mph at this location. Other side of the highway is just fine and my alert system doesn't go off. I have driven this route numerous times and never had it go off before.

Could there be some type of sensor at those lights that interferes with my system? Maybe something new got installed? I'll see if I can't get some video of it later today... but totally confused about it. It only appears to be this set of lights/intersection. I was in the right lane all three times so I'll also try the left lane today.

I'm pretty sure it was a cousin of a Menehune that caused the false positive. Sneaky little buggers..
menehune
noun
me·ne·hu·ne | \ ˌmenəˈhünē\
plural menehune or menehunes
Definition of menehune


: a small mythical Polynesian being usually pictured as a dwarf living in the mountains and working at night as a stone builder

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