What Are the Signs Your Car Needs ADAS Recalibration?

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are becoming standard in today’s vehicles, providing features like lane departure warnings, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. These systems rely on a network of sensors and cameras that must be precisely calibrated to work properly. Over time or after certain events, the calibration can shift, affecting how these safety features perform. If you’re driving in a busy city like Los Angeles calibration of your ADAS can be critical to keep your vehicle functioning safely and efficiently.

Why ADAS Calibration Is Critical for Safety

Your car’s ADAS isn't just a luxury; it's a safety requirement. These systems help prevent collisions and minimize driver error. But if a camera is even slightly off, it can cause the system to misinterpret road signs or other vehicles. That’s a risk you don’t want to take. After windshield replacements, suspension changes, or even minor fender benders, the calibration can be thrown off, making the system unreliable.

Steering Feels Off-Center or Drifts

Have you noticed your car drifting slightly to one side even though the steering wheel seems straight? This can be one of the first signs that your ADAS is misaligned. Lane-keeping assist systems rely on precise steering input to keep you centered. If you’re constantly correcting your position within the lane, the sensors may no longer be properly calibrated.

Warnings or Errors on the Dashboard

Today’s cars are smart enough to tell you when something isn’t right. If your dashboard lights up with ADAS warnings or symbols, that’s your car asking for help. These error messages can appear after repairs or seemingly at random. While the car might still drive fine, ignoring these messages means you’re risking safety every time you’re on the road.

Lane Departure Warnings Are Too Sensitive or Not Working

Lane departure warning systems are designed to alert you when you drift without signaling. If your car starts to beep for no reason or doesn’t alert you when you veer out of a lane, this may mean the camera or radar is out of alignment. A recalibration can reset these systems and get them back to working as they should.

Adaptive Cruise Control Feels Inconsistent

Adaptive cruise control keeps a safe distance from the car ahead of you. But if it suddenly accelerates too quickly or brakes harshly without cause, your sensors could be reading distances incorrectly. Even a small miscalculation can make the system respond too soon or too late, which can be dangerous in heavy traffic.

After a Windshield Replacement

Windshields often house forward-facing cameras for ADAS systems. During a replacement, the position of that camera can shift slightly. This small change can have a big impact on system accuracy. If your windshield was recently replaced and the ADAS hasn’t been recalibrated, there’s a good chance your system isn’t functioning correctly.

New Tires or Suspension Work Can Affect Sensors

If you’ve had new tires put on, realignment work, or anything done to your suspension, it can change the height and angle of your vehicle. Since ADAS sensors rely on a fixed position, even a subtle change can cause major inaccuracies. Calibration ensures that the systems are reading from the correct angle again.

Sudden Braking Without Obvious Cause

Has your vehicle ever braked suddenly, even though there was nothing in front of you? This can be a result of miscalibrated sensors detecting false obstacles. False positives are not only annoying—they’re potentially dangerous for the cars behind you. Recalibrating your ADAS can help stop these phantom alerts.

Following Distance Seems Off

Some ADAS features automatically maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead. If you notice your car following too closely or leaving more space than necessary, it could mean the radar sensor isn’t aligned. That affects the timing of the car’s acceleration and braking, throwing off the whole system.

Camera View or Radar Coverage Seems Skewed

Sometimes the signs are more visual. If the rear-view or 360-degree camera display seems misaligned or off-center, the calibration is likely out of place. This usually happens after bodywork or changes in sensor placement. A recalibration can fix the view and improve the accuracy of your entire ADAS system.

Final Thought:

ADAS recalibration might sound technical, but it’s something that can directly affect your safety on the road. If your car shows any of these signs, it’s time to get it checked out by a professional. The systems were built to help you, but only if they’re properly calibrated. Whether you’ve had recent repairs or are just noticing strange behavior, it’s better to handle it now than risk trouble later.