Beware: 2024 Laramie with Intermittent Blind Spot Monitor

[Driver]

An intermittent BSM could be the worst of all worlds. A safety feature many rely on, but twice in the last few days, my BSM has failed to light up with another vehicle right at my quarter panel. Other times it works properly. No mods, electrical, electronic, or mirror. Vehicle is clean. Taillight is clean. No accidents.

Maybe a coincidence, but Ram just auto-updated my uconnect to v46 a few days ago. Its suspect because for 2 months BSM has worked reliably until now. Immediately After the update, and perhaps unrelated, my home menus started moving all around, on their own.

No error codes, no evic warnings. Yes, uconnect BSM is on, lights and chime. RamCares just notified.

Anyone else observed this? Should I hope for uconnect v47?

 

[vincentw56]

An intermittent BSM could be the worst of all worlds. A safety feature many rely on, but twice in the last few days, my BSM has failed to light up with another vehicle right at my quarter panel. Other times it works properly. No mods, electrical, electronic, or mirror. Vehicle is clean. Taillight is clean. No accidents.

Maybe a coincidence, but Ram just auto-updated my uconnect to v46 a few days ago. Its suspect because for 2 months BSM has worked reliably until now. Immediately After the update, and perhaps unrelated, my home menus started moving all around, on their own.

No error codes, no evic warnings. Yes, uconnect BSM is on, lights and chime. RamCares just notified.

Anyone else observed this? Should I hope for uconnect v47?

The Uconnect update and Uconnect in general has zero to do with BSM. Or any other safety system outside of letting you set the settings. All of that is controlled in the BCM and that is not updated over the air. Has to be updated by a dealer. So it may be coincidence but it's not causation.

 

[Darksteel165]

The Uconnect update and Uconnect in general has zero to do with BSM. Or any other safety system outside of letting you set the settings. All of that is controlled in the BCM and that is not updated over the air. Has to be updated by a dealer. So it may be coincidence but it's not causation.

BSM is enabled and disabled via connect, so saying UC5 has 0 to do with BSM is misleading.
There are other problems that uConnect has broken such as cameras, and even recently dead batteries. I had probe a with uConnect breaking my oem power steps and only a factory reset of the head unit would resolve it.

That said BSM is just an assist feature and never intended to be your eyes and you should never reley on it. I turned it off as soon as I bought my truck before I got it home as I don't need lights distracting me from driving and using my own senses.

Thinking that an uConnect update is causing a problem with your BSM is going down a rabbit hole considering I havnt seen anyone report that, and it's either on or off as Vincent said the logic is not controlled by the uConnect system.

Start with disconnecting the battery and a factory reset of the radio and see if you still have problems with it and that will really narrow it down.

 

[vincentw56]

BSM is enabled and disabled via connect, so saying UC5 has 0 to do with BSM is misleading.

I mentioned that all it has to do with BSM is the settings. Not sure how you missed that.

 

[DEG]

I don't think and intermittent BSM would be the worst of all worlds. I think the worst of all worlds would be if your belief that "many rely on" these kinds of features is true. These features are not intended to be relied upon because they are not that reliable. Even Tesla's self driving technology is not reliable enough to be relied on. It's all new technology that will not be reliable enough to your safety.

As Darksteel165 indicated, this technology is there to simply assist you in areas that are the drivers responsibility.

 

[Darksteel165]

I mentioned that all it has to do with BSM is the settings. Not sure how you missed that.

OP says sometimes it works, it is possible in theory that the uConnect system is disabling BSM on him.
BSM does have more to do than 0 to do with uConnect\updates

 

[vincentw56]

OP says sometimes it works, it is possible in theory that the uConnect system is disabling BSM on him.
BSM does have more to do than 0 to do with uConnect\updates

Can't figure out that last line as it makes no sense. I don't even have a UConnect head unit in my truck and everything in my truck still works just fine. So explain to me how UConnect has anything to do with anything.

 

[Driver]

Op here. It doesn't matter to me if unconnect v46 has caused this or something else. Just want to find the cause. It's just a little suspicious that uconnect v34 (my just updated version before v46) completely dropped my rear camera, some brake function and something else.

I think the likely answer is we just don't know, yet.

Obviously everone uses their electromic safety features differently. Some not at all. That's ok.

One thing is for sure. If the Bsm fails, and a Ram driver accidently forces another driver off the road and someone is killed. There will be a massive suit against the driver and Stellantis.

Again no one is forced to use Bsm, but it is serious business for those who do, and the car in the next lane.

All op wants is a fix or solution to an intermittent Bsm.

 

[vincentw56]

One thing is for sure. If the Bsm fails, and a Ram driver accidently forces another driver off the road and someone is killed. There will be a massive suit against the driver and Stellantis.

Doubt it could ever be proven. Good luck on that.

I'd suggest going to the dealer if it is broken. It should still be under warranty. They will be able to diagnose it better than random people on a forum. I've not heard of anyone having an issue like this before. Not seen it posted on here.

 

[DEG]

One thing is for sure. If the Bsm fails, and a Ram driver accidently forces another driver off the road and someone is killed. There will be a massive suit against the driver and Stellantis.

No because if that occurs it's because you are not using the system as directed in the owners manual.

The manual has a big warning that tells you the system is just an aid you must still "always check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and use your turn signal before changing lanes". It also spells out some instances when it may not detect objects. It's just an aid to help you with your responsibilities; not replace your responsibilities.

 

[Driver]

I agree with DEGs post. It's perfectly logical.
I happen to have knowledge of several fatal auto accidents and in most every case the driver is sued and in most cases the manufacturer. It's always for millions. I've not touched the question of who wins those suits.

I don't think it's asking too much for BSMs to work properly 100% of the time a vehicle is beside yours. That is all i want.

Others are free to not use it, and others are obviously free to see this differently, and many do.

 

[DEG]

It is asking for too much to expect it to work 100% of the time. The manual also warns that it may not detect in areas of low radar return such as a desert or running parallel to a drop-off. Sounds like the system has some need for a background to reflect radar in order to accurately determine the distance of the car.

No one is suggesting not using the system as intended; it was just never intended to be used as a replacement for a driver looking over their shoulder and watching their mirrors. Anyone who sees this differently is ignoring the warnings in the owners manual and is putting other drivers at risk.

It's a scarry thought to think drivers are just looking for a yellow indicator in their mirror and just changing lanes if it is absent.

 

[vincentw56]

It is asking for too much to expect it to work 100% of the time. The manual also warns that it may not detect in areas of low radar return such as a desert or running parallel to a drop-off. Sounds like the system has some need for a background to reflect radar in order to accurately determine the distance of the car.

No one is suggesting not using the system as intended; it was just never intended to be used as a replacement for a driver looking over their shoulder and watching their mirrors. Anyone who sees this differently is ignoring the warnings in the owners manual and is putting other drivers at risk.

It's a scarry thought to think drivers are just looking for a yellow indicator in their mirror and just changing lanes if it is absent.

I agree 100%. And the fact that the indicators are on the mirror should be an indication that you should be looking in your mirror. And some people don't even use turn signals so they won't get the audio alert. But with the yellow triangle alerting you on the mirror that should be an extra step and not something 100% relied on.

 

[SD Rebel]

I have vehicles with BSM and without, and trust me, you learn to still look since you will one day drive another vehicle without BSM and realized you just made a lane change thinking you had BSM but didn't.

Even driving a vehicle with BSM, I always look, it's there to help, but never rely on it when actually doing a lane change. Also remember, when the sensor's are dirty on the tail lights, sometime they will miss things.

 

[vincentw56]

I have vehicles with BSM and without, and trust me, you learn to still look since you will one day drive another vehicle without BSM and realized you just made a lane change thinking you had BSM but didn't.

Even with BSM, I always look, it's there to help, but never rely on it when actually doing a lane change.

That's why all this technology is called driver assist not automated driving. Even in my truck with the Comma, I don't trust it enough to close my eyes or sit in the back while the truck drives itself. I'm still aware if I need to take over.

 

[PurpleRT]

Imagine how it was to drive without a backup camera or blind stop indicators letting you know you can change lanes. I guess using mirrors and turning your head is a lost art. Oh and front and rear sensors beeping at you when you’re 2 miles away from an leaf.


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[DEG]

That's why all this technology is called driver assist not automated driving. Even in my truck with the Comma, I don't trust it enough to close my eyes or sit in the back while the truck drives itself. I'm still aware if I need to take over.

Yea, below is a video of a Ford with Comma after a large bug splattered on the windshield and temporarily interfered with the system's ability to read the road..

 

[SD Rebel]

Imagine how it was to drive without a backup camera or blind stop indicators letting you know you can change lanes. I guess using mirrors and turning your head is a lost art. Oh and front and rear sensors beeping at you when you’re 2 miles away from an leaf.


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Lol, I have an old sports car with nothing and I am so use to back up sensors beeping, I've backed it up a couple of times wondering when it's going to warn me about getting close to that wall. Oh yea, it doesn't have any of that. I sometimes have to mentally remind myself what it is I'm driving so I don't do something stupid.