MADISON, WISC. – Most newer vehicles on the road have technically advanced features to help keep drivers, passengers, and pedestrians safer. Many have back-up cameras. Some have a whole slew of whistles and bells that go far beyond GPS, anti-lock brakes, a car alarm and front and side airbags.
“Almost all the new Toyotas we offer come equipped with ‘Toyota Safety Sense (TSS),’” James Anderberg, Body Shop Director at Ball Body Shop, a division of Smart Motors in Madison says. “TSS is a package of onboard safety features that are constantly running to keep drivers and their passengers as safe as possible while they’re on the road.”
TSS – as well as safety systems employed by other vehicle manufactures – includes features like a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, a lane departure alert, automatic high beams, dynamic radar cruise control, and road sign assist. All of these safety features and more now come standard not only on Toyotas but on newer vehicles from a wide array of manufactures.
“These advanced systems monitor driving conditions in amazing ways,” says Anderberg. “However, they can only work if the sensors on the outside of the vehicle are kept clean.”
He says the winter months can really be trying. Snow, slush, dirt, ice and other kinds of wintry build-up affects the vehicle safety systems and may not permit cameras and safety sensors from working properly. The best way to combat this is to keep the exterior of your vehicle clean.
Anderberg acknowledges it isn’t always easy, especially in the wintertime, but he says Wisconsinites should ideally wash their cars, trucks and SUVs about once every two weeks. Ideally, though, one should only wash their vehicle when the outdoor temperatures are in the upper 30s or in the 40s to ensure that safety features – not to mention doors and windows – won’t freeze or ice over.
If complete washes aren’t possible, Anderberg says there are certain areas that a driver should keep an eye on so sensors and cameras can function properly. These include the grille, windshield, body panels, bumpers and cameras.
“Many manufacturers are using large logos as a cover-up for a radar system,” he says. “If that’s not the case, it could look like a square, circle, or globe-like feature integrated into the grille. The windshield is also important to keep clean, as many cars house sensors inside the car behind the glass.”
On the front and rear bumpers and the front and rear quarter panels, many cars have little circles or squares embedded into the bodywork. Those sensors can be kept clean by simply wiping them down with a little bit of soap and water. Be sure to dry them completely so they don’t freeze and cause interference.
The cameras are most likely located on the nose of the vehicle, on bodies of the side mirrors, and somewhere on the rear of the car. The rearview cameras are often near the license plate, but some cars have pop-out cameras that are hidden when not in use to prevent build-up. A backup camera will be visibly blocked if it is dirty. Some parking sensors will start to beep even when the car is not close to hitting anything. Some will even trigger an interior dashboard light to indicate an issue.
Anderberg says it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
“As long as the sensors and cameras are consistently wiped down and kept clear, the systems should continue to work as intended. Drive safely!
About Ball Body Shop
Ball Body Shop, the official body shop of Smart Motors, opened its doors in 1950 and provides the Madison area with customized, cost-effective auto-body services to all domestic and imported vehicle makes. Ball Body Shop has been voted “Best Body Shop” by the readers of Madison Magazine over the years. Ball Body Shop is located at 2225 Eagle Drive, Middleton WI. Phone #: 608.831.5944.
