Does your vehicle have a forward-collision warning (FCW) system? In recent years, auto manufacturers have added the driver assist system to an increasing number of their vehicle models as standard-issue safety equipment.
FCW has worked quite well since its introduction. According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an FCW system can lower the risk of a rear-end crash by 27 percent.
However, the feature isn’t perfect, and you might learn that your vehicle’s FCW system failed. If that happens, you must identify what caused the problem and apply the appropriate corrective measures.
What Is the FCW System?
FCW system is a crucial safety feature that monitors the road ahead of the driver with car sensors. It looks for obstacles like roadblocks, other immovable obstacles, other cars, and even passersby.
The FCW system calculates the speed of your car and determines how close you are to moving or immovable objects.
If your vehicle gets too close to any obstacle where you may efficiently use the emergency brakes, the system will notify you of a probable collision.
Studies have proven that the FCW feature brings down the rate of rear-end collisions by 27%. Some newer cars have automatic emergency braking systems and FCW systems.
I’d recommend you go through your owner’s manual to see and get familiar with the safety systems in your vehicle.
Safety should always be our no.1 priority. Therefore, regardless of your vehicle’s safety features, apply all safety measures when driving.
How Do FCW Systems Work?
When you’re driving your Honda, the Forward Collision Warning system is always working to keep you safe. It utilizes sensors, typically located in the lower front grill or near the top of the windshield, to monitor the traffic and road conditions ahead of you. The primary goal of the FCW system is to alert you to potential collisions and help prevent accidents before they occur.
As you drive, the FCW system continuously scans for vehicles in front of you. It takes into account your speed, the distance to the vehicle ahead, and the relative speed of both vehicles. If the system detects that a collision is imminent, it will alert you with visual and auditory warnings, allowing you to react and take necessary actions to avoid the accident.
To ensure optimal performance, the FCW system relies on a clean and unobstructed view of the road. This means that keeping the front of your vehicle (especially your front grill and windshield) free of dirt, debris, and other obstructions so the sensors can maintain a clear “line of sight” for the system.
Not all FCW systems are created equally. FCW systems are implemented differently across various manufacturers. Some FCW systems use cameras, while others use radar or lidar to detect obstacles. Each implementation has its own pros and cons, and no system is perfect at detecting obstacles, nor immune to identifying false positives.
FCW Sensor Location
The location of the FCW sensor varies according to the vehicle model. In most models, the FCW sensor is usually located at the front of the car because this is an area where the collision happens.
However, the FCW sensors of some models are located in the grille or near the headlights. If your system also has a camera, it may be located on or near the windshield. However, you should check your vehicle manual to find the exact location of the FCW sensors and cameras.
What Does FCW System Failed Mean?
It indicates that the FCW system no longer works. One or more of the system’s components has failed, requiring repairs or replacement.
Most FCW systems have a warning light on the dashboard or another highly visible location. When something goes wrong with the FCW, the warning light illuminates.
To better understand what a failed FCW system entails, let’s look at the FCW system on the Honda Accord.
What Does FCW System Failed Mean on the Honda Accord?
The Honda Sensing suite is part of the Japanese company’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). It features an integrated FCW system that draws information from a sensor network distributed throughout the vehicle.
Depending on the vehicle model and iteration of the FCW, the sensors can include cameras, lasers, radar, or a combination of two or all three types.
If one of the FCW sensors stops working, it can reduce the effectiveness of the forward-collision warning system. In the worst-case scenario, all sensors might fail, rendering the FCW system blind.
Bad Weather
Do you live in a state that experiences severe weather like thick fog, torrential rain, and heavy snowfall? Foul weather can interfere with how the FCW sensors operate.
Depending on the scenario, the weather can trick an FCW sensor into either reporting a nonexistent collision hazard or failing to notice a real obstacle.
Heat-Related Internal Damage
The FCW sensors operate within an optimal temperature range. If they get too hot, their internals will overheat, causing components to burn out or melt. Heat-related damage can make an FCW sensor malfunction or fail.
One of the most common reasons for heat damage to FCW sensors in a Honda Accord is the cooling system. Like other vehicles, the Accord’s radiator vents heat through the front grille.
Some of the FCW sensors are on the vehicle’s front end, and heat vented from the radiator can reach the sensors, raising their internal temperatures to excessive levels. Overheated sensors can get seriously damaged.
Other possible reasons behind an FCW system failure in the Honda Accord include the following:
Wear and Tear
All vehicle parts and components eventually get worn down by use and exposure to the elements. The various sensors that serve as the eyes and ears of the FCW system are subject to general wear.
As an FCW sensor wears out, it becomes less effective. It might even fail earlier than its expected service life.
Preempt this problem with regular checkups that can identify if one or more FCW sensors have worn out.
Software Issues
The Honda Accord FCW system takes its cues from a computer that runs on software. Sometimes, the software might develop a glitch that causes the FCW to operate erratically until the computer receives a patch that fixes the bug. The FCW’s software might also fall behind the latest version and require an update.
Faulty FCW Sensors
Honda Sensing draws readings from a plethora of sensors. Depending on factors like the vehicle’s model and model year, the FCW system can have cameras, lasers, radar, or a combination of those devices.
The FCW sensors can break down for various reasons. You’ve already read what overheating and general wear can do to a sensor. Other possible issues include corrosion from exposure to moisture and wiring issues like grounding and shorting.
How to fix FCW System Failed?
Follow the below-given steps to fix if you want to fix your bad FCW system:
- If your car is hot, turn on the air conditioning and make sure the windshield is off for just 5 to 10 minutes. The light will go out when the internal of your car cools down. This will make it work properly again.
- Inspect the electrical connections of the speed sensor and replace them if needed.
- If the problem is caused by a spare part, replace it.
- Reset the ECU SOURCE if there is no access to the computer.
- If your vehicle’s computer can’t be accessed, simply reset the ECU SOURCE.
- If the “FCW system failed” message appears regularly (e.g., more than once in a race) in the absence of mud, rain, snow, or other obstacles, contact your authorized dealer and realign the radar sensor.
How Do You Clean an FCW Sensor?
Being safe when you are behind the wheel should be the priority for any driver, especially someone new to driving. Luckily, today’s cars come with cutting-edge technologies like screens, cameras, and radars to keep you safe.
And all these new technologies may seem like futuristic spy movies, but the truth is these revolutionary innovations can be put on the fritz with just one simple thing – good old-fashioned dirt. They can leave your car filthy with salt, dirt, or snow.
So, if your car has these important safety gears like FCW, this old-fashioned dirt will not only leave your car dirty.
It’ll also prevent these safety gears from functioning properly. That’s why it’s important to wash your cars regularly. But what if washing your car is not an option?
Then, you’ll have to clean the FCW sensor and other related sensors. Let’s see where these sensors are and how to clean them. Let’s start with the easy one.
The back camera: The back camera is a lens typically located above your car’s rear license plate to help you see what’s behind you on a screen from the driver’s seat.
It helps you avoid backing over anything, or worse yet, anyone you can’t see behind you. To keep it clean, you only need a microfiber towel and some soapy water. Give it a quick wipe-down.
Blind spot warning: This is another useful technology. It alerts you if other vehicles are near your car when you want to merge or change lanes. Blind spot warning uses radars in the rear panel of your car. Wipe it down, and you’re good.
Parking sensors: Head to the front of your car. There are likely two dots on the front bumper. Those are parking sensors.
Auto manufacturers design them to prevent you from hitting anything when driving into or backing out of tight places. Give these a wipe-down to prevent your vehicle from getting in a fender bender.
Forward collision warning: Some of the most important safety gear in today’s cars are the forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking.
The FCW can use radar; they often rely on the cameras positioned behind the windscreen to see something or someone you may be approaching.
The wiper blades often clean the areas behind the cameras. So, ensure you always have wiper fluids to keep your windshield and the FCW clean so you and the camera can see.
So, if you don’t have time to clean your entire car, take time to clean your FCW and other safety car sensors.
What’s next? Let’s see how to fix FCW system failed errors.
FCW system failed, and how to fix it
FCW failure can also be a computer malfunction. For example, the system will fail if there’s a problem with the computer program supporting or managing how it works.
So, the moment you see the FCW warning light, locate and park the vehicle in a safe place. After that, turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
While waiting for the engine to cool down, disconnect the negative battery terminal and leave it for around 20 minutes.
This will reset the system and fix the forward collision failure. Next, if your vehicle’s windshield is covered with dirt, wipe it down with the wiper blade. If that still doesn’t fix the problem, try a system update.
FAQs.
Q: Where is the FCW sensor located?
The FCW location varies from vehicle to vehicle. In any case, it is usually on the front of the vehicle. This can be on the headlights, camera behind the windshield, front bumper, or grill.
However, most of the FCW sense impending obstacles with the camera behind the windscreen, and a few others work with radar. Consult your owner’s manual if you can’t locate this feature on your ride.
Q: What does FCW stand for in a Honda?
FCW stands for forwarding collision warning in Honda cars. In Honda, the FCW uses a video camera behind the windshield and radar sensors on the front bumper to monitor short-range distance. It detects obstacles ahead and notifies the driver of a probable collision.
Q: Can I drive with the FCW system failed?
If an FCW system failed on a Honda Crosstour or any vehicle model, it wouldn’t stop you from driving. However, it is not safe to continue driving with a failed FCW system failure. If you choose to drive with a faulty FCW system, you need to be extra cautious.
Q: Why is my FCW off?
Most vehicles have the option to select how you want the FCW to notify you. You can locate this setting by going to the vehicle settings, then to the Driver Assist or All tab, and selecting the forward collision warning.
You can then choose long, normal, or short. Additionally, you can choose OFF to disable the FCW feature.
However, this process varies from vehicle to vehicle. For instance, you can switch off FCW on the Honda Accord and Odyssey by holding the button on the steering wheel for about two seconds.
So, if this system is off in your vehicle, there are chances that you have mistakenly turned it off.
Q: What does FCW’s unavailable service require to mean?
If you see ‘FCW unavailable service required’ on the instrument cluster, it means certain conditions have temporarily limited the system from functioning. Such conditions can result from poor visibility, especially when driving in rain, snow, mud, or salty areas.
Final Word
The FCW is one of the most important safety features in a car. It notifies the driver of an imminent collision when driving at ten mph or higher. If it fails, it increases the chance of getting into a collision.
You must be extremely careful when an ‘FCW system failed’ error message appears on the dash when driving. If this happens after a collision, visit a hospital for a medical check-up. Also, the error message can appear in extreme temperatures without any obstacles ahead.