Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Assignment of wheels
Axle assignment and identification of direction of rotation can help to assign the Identification Feature (ID) of the wheel electronics to a defined installation position.
Axle assignment:
The RDC control unit is installed close to the rear axle. For this, the messages on the wheel electronics from front axle and rear axle differ to varying extents. The averaged signal strengths of the wheel electronics systems thus indicate the axle assignment. Since the RDC control unit is installed to the rear of the vehicle, the wheel electronics on the rear axle receive signals at a higher level of receiving power than those on the front axle. Axle assignment runs parallel in time to the identification of direction of rotation. In the calculation of signal strengths, only wheels rotating in the same direction (on each side of the vehicle) are taken into account.
Identification of direction of rotation:
The wheel electronics have a combined acceleration sensor to detect swivel motion and direction of rotation. This identification takes place in the starting process or during driving. When swivel motion is detected, a message is sent. In this message, an additional item of information is present via which the direction of rotation is communicated to the RDC control unit. The result of identification for the direction of rotation can assume the following statuses:
- Standstill
- Clockwise direction
- Counterclockwise direction
- unknown
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.