Locked Out

[stuckmotor]

We used to have some interesting drives with my dad when it was raining and the speed of the wipers depended on the vacuum of the engine.
The time that comes to mind is when we were going up a hill. The rain sped up and the wipers slowed.down. That's when I learned that engines had vacuum.
Electric motors solved most of the problems until someone got the idea of putting the wiper control on the turn signal. Now, I often accidentally bump the signal lever and the wipers start dragging across a dry windshield.

 

[oosik]

My new Power Wagon has every electronic feature known to man. I dropped the fob on my lawn the first week. Found it with my metal detector.


I now have a small carabiner on the fob. Hook the carabiner to a loop located inside my pants pocket. Hook it in my pocket when I leave - hang it up when I return.

Interesting post mrmikey made regarding a dead fob for a Dodge. I'll have to try it with mine. I do carry a spare battery in the vehicle.

 

[Jstpssng]

We used to have some interesting drives with my dad when it was raining and the speed of the wipers depended on the vacuum of the engine.
The time that comes to mind is when we were going up a hill. The rain sped up and the wipers slowed.down. That's when I learned that engines had vacuum.
Electric motors solved most of the problems until someone got the idea of putting the wiper control on the turn signal. Now, I often accidentally bump the signal lever and the wipers start dragging across a dry windshield.

My first Ford Ranger (1983) had the horn on the same stem as the wipers and high beam switch.

 

[stuckmotor]

My first Ford Ranger (1983) had the horn on the same stem as the wipers and high beam switch.

A car salesman told me they put all those controls on stems because they were less expensive to install that way. I think the light and wiper switches should be on the dash, the horn on the steering wheel and the dimmer switch should be on the floor.

No matter where they're put I think there would be less accidents if all companies would put them in the same location.

 

[jfsawatzky]

I read something or saw some utube where Ford offered a new feature, at least I think it was Ford, was adding a ‘secret’ faraday cage in the console to place your spare key. I don’t know if it is offered by any other manufacturers.

 

[mrmikey]

One annoyance on GM vehicles which can also be a hazzard, when you turn the blower motor on it may take 30 seconds for it to actually turn on.

I forgot that one, Dodge's too and what bothers me is ...why? What ever happened to you turn the switch on which is directly connected to the blower thru the resistor. Noooo, you have to control it thru the BCM for who knows what reason.......Mike

 

[newbury]

<snip>No matter where they're put I think there would be less accidents if all companies would put them in the same.location.

Also it would greatly help people who rent cars.
As part of my job from ~1975 to 2011 I had to rent cars on travel. About the mid-90's on it became frustrating trying to figure out the "little things".

 

[Jstpssng]

A car salesman told me they put all those controls on stems because they were less expensive to install that way. I think the light and wiper switches should be on the dash, the horn on the steering wheel and the dimmer switch should be on the floor.

No matter where they're put I think there would be less accidents if all companies would put them in the same location.

I like not having the dimmer switch on the floor. In winter I track all manner of road salt in, and used to replace the floor switch every
few years.

 

[Oaktree]

I never wanted one of those "keyless start" options. The car makers are just trending options towards the younger high tech generation. I don't even want the "touch screen entertainment" system..... way too much to look at!

Yeah, I'm not too keen on that whole "infotainment" system either, and what's the deal with the HUGE screens some vehicles have that look like an afterthought, like someone JB welded a computer monitor in the middle of the dash?
Unfortunately, us old geezers aren't who they're marketing vehicles to these days, and the younger people eat up all that tech gadgetry.

Start the truck....radio takes 10-15 seconds to boot up. It's a radio for the luv of...., not a pc..I guess it is actually.
Open the door so I can see the tires when I drive on the ramps to change the oil, nope, minute you open the door the thing goes into park. Beat that one tho, got a short seat belt extender and leave it in. So they can bite me on that one.

Well, even aftermarket car radios take 10-15 seconds to boot up now too...the maybe 5 year old Pioneer I have in my Jeep does. I do like that it will play from a flash drive though.

I hear ya on the "shift-to-park" when you open the door. Not all vehicles have it fortunately, not even all of a particular make. My wife's Buick was in the shop a few years ago for a warranty repair, the loaner (different model Buick) had a joystick for a shifter. You couldn't see out of the loaner car to back up because the beltline was so high and I discovered this one did the park lockout thing. Was able to bypass it, forgot how. Wife's car as a normal shifter.
I can't back worth squat with a backup cam.

We used to have some interesting drives with my dad when it was raining and the speed of the wipers depended on the vacuum of the engine.
The time that comes to mind is when we were going up a hill. The rain sped up and the wipers slowed.down. That's when I learned that engines had vacuum.
Electric motors solved most of the problems until someone got the idea of putting the wiper control on the turn signal. Now, I often accidentally bump the signal lever and the wipers start dragging across a dry windshield.

Yeah, I don't miss vacuum wipers either. My first car ('62 Falcon) had them, but that had to be one of the last years before electric wipers became standard.
I don't mind the wipers on a stalk, though I wish automakers would standardize...some have the switch on the turn signal, others have a separate stalk on the right side of the column. Some have a knob, others the lever moves.
A few automakers (mostly Japanese) put the headlight switch on the turn signal instead of wiper. Don't know who thought that was a good idea.

 

[oosik]

Finally - after three years of ownership - I've figured out most of the digital dash on my Power Wagon. There are still things that I'm sure I don't know. Like holding the "dead end" of your fob against the start button and pressing. To start the truck. mrmikey - post #13. Which, BTW, works on the Power Wagon. Tried it with the spare fob. It has no battery in it.

But don't give me that old saw - "you should read your OM". When I have a concern - I do. But, come on, the Power Wagon OM is 710 pages long. And they seem to have a sneaky way of including potentially important material. After looking at 40 or 50 pages - I tend to get VERY sleepy.

 

[stuckmotor]

I like not having the dimmer switch on the floor. In winter I track all manner of road salt in, and used to replace the floor switch every
few years.

We have so little road salt here that It never occurred to me it would destroy a dimmer. Now, I see a logical reason for putting the on the turn signal lever.

 

[TheMan419]

Something I never heard of before, or even considered. I hate how big the key is for my 2012 F150, but I do like that the lock and unlock button are on it. Too bad they couldn't make the Efob, or electric key, the size of a credit card so it could attack to the back of a smart phone. It's a lot harder to lose a phone then a key.

Tesla does this. The fob is the size and shape of a credit card. You can also get the app on your phone so you do not need the card. But if there is no cell service or Elon's servers go down you need the card.

 

[WM75Guy]

Here is where they had to tow a Tesla without network access around the parking lot to get it to unlock and start. Must not have had the card.

 

[mrmikey]

But, come on, the Power Wagon OM is 710 pages long.

Of course it is, they have to include every available option, coffee maker, massager, butt scratcher etc.....M

 

[dmccarty]

Since so much of these "features" are computer controlled, use is logged and stored. Some of the data is only kept in the vehicle but some is sent to the car company and whoever they choose to sell the data too.

They know which door opens and closes. How fast you were driving. How hard you brake. Where you drive to and the route. How long you stay at a location. I think they know if someone is sitting in a seat and how much they weigh to know which air bag(s) to trigger. What data is kept, stored in the vehicle, uploaded to the company, and sold is up to the company.

Cell phones are spy devices. The new cars are also spy devices.

My truck is over two decades old and things are wearing out. I sure don't want to buy a new car from a money perspective, but the more I learn about the "features" in the new vehicles, the less I want one.

Later,
Dan

 

[lman]

I noticed since purchasing vehicles with keyless entry that there are less opportunities to lose a key. The keyless fob is put in your pocket at the beginning of the day and never removed. You would only lose it if you are standing on your head or have a giant hole in your pocket. I work at a job where I make dozens of stops in a day in a car with an old fashioned key and every time I remove the key from my pocket there is a higher risk of losing it. Fortunately after driving for 50 years I have never lost a key.

 

[Oaktree]

But don't give me that old saw - "you should read your OM". When I have a concern - I do. But, come on, the Power Wagon OM is 710 pages long. And they seem to have a sneaky way of including potentially important material. After looking at 40 or 50 pages - I tend to get VERY sleepy.

And how much of that manual is taken up by warnings not to operate it while drunk/stoned/on drugs, or not to open the door while driving at highway speeds?
I'd say a good 40% of the manual for my ATV is this nonsense.

I noticed since purchasing vehicles with keyless entry that there are less opportunities to lose a key. The keyless fob is put in your pocket at the beginning of the day and never removed. You would only lose it if you are standing on your head or have a giant hole in your pocket. I work at a job where I make dozens of stops in a day in a car with an old fashioned key and every time I remove the key from my pocket there is a higher risk of losing it. Fortunately after driving for 50 years I have never lost a key.

Meh. They're kind of bulky, and you still need to take it out to lock/unlock. Still easy to put someplace at the end of the day and forget where you put it. I do this constantly with my wallet.
Granted, modern keys with the RFID in them are the same way.
Don't think I've ever lost a key either.

 

[lman]

And how much of that manual is taken up by warnings not to operate it while drunk/stoned/on drugs, or not to open the door while driving at highway speeds?
I'd say a good 40% of the manual for my ATV is this nonsense.

Meh. They're kind of bulky, and you still need to take it out to lock/unlock. Still easy to put someplace at the end of the day and forget where you put it. I do this constantly with my wallet.
Granted, modern keys with the RFID in them are the same way.
Don't think I've ever lost a key either.

You don't need to take it out of your pocket to lock/unlock. You don't understand how keyless works. When you touch the handle to open it, the door unlocks. Lock it by touching the top of the handle. Put the key same place when you get home and it won't get lost.

 

[Jstpssng]

I wish automakers would standardize...some have the switch on the turn signal, others have a separate stalk on the right side of the column. Some have a knob, others the lever moves.

On my company Silverado, the wipers are on the left with the signal lights. My Colorado has a floor shifter, so the wipers are on the right. I wouldn't dare to guess how many times I've jumped into it on Saturday after driving the company truck all week, and washing the windshield when I want to shift it into gear. Both trucks are 2018 models.

 

[Midniteoyl]

It seemed like a good idea until I discovered I could no longer lock the vehicle?? Apparently, the vehicle thought the hidden e-fob was inside and, as a safety measure, prevented the door locks from working.

Remove the battery from the fob before storing it and the fob in the box. Just make sure you put some painter's tape around the battery first.