Stuff That you Don’t Expect (new car related)

[carolinarider09]

I got a new, to me, 2024 Subaru Outback early last year.  I did not take time to read the manual (although I had to look a few things up over time). 

It has the engine stop feature. When your car stops, like at a traffic light, the engine will automatically shut down.  Press on the accelerator, the engine re-starts. 

I paid $100 for a black box to bypass that “automatically turned on feature.  I felt it was not safe and was not good for the engine, especially in bumper to bumper traffic

The cruise control allows you to follow a car. 

Set the cruise control for 100 and, if you are behind a car, it will follow that car at car lengths specified in the APP.  If the car leaves the lane (turns or moves over) your car promptly accelerate to 100 MPH. (No I don't drive 100, its just an example)

It has an auto drive feature. 

If you activate it, the car will attempt to steer itself between the lines.  Leave you hands off the wheel for 20 - 30 seconds, it will alarm you to put “Both Hands” on the steering Wheel.

Today I found a new feature.

I was driving through a small town, the cruise control had been set but was now off (not active but still ready to be activated).  At a traffic light, I stopped behind a car.  I got distracted and heard a “beep”.  Look at the windscreen and then the dash. Saw the car had moved forward and the alarm on the dash said “Car in Front Has Moved”. 

What next????

[Jess from VA]

I don't want a car to talk to me.  And I sure don't want it to drive for me.  

I'm not crazy about all the new bells and whistles in cars.  I want the very best reliability and performance I can get in a car's basic functions (motor, trans, brakes, suspension, handling, and I like a decent sound system radio).  And a real spare, not a donut.  All the money and value in vehicles should be in this essential reliability, and not bells and whistles (which I think just naturally lead to more unreliability and repair trips to the dealer).  

The beeping when you forget the seat belt is irritating (like being reprimanded), but I can live with it.  

OK mom, I'll wear the belt.  

[LTD]

drive a 89 ford crown vic no tech and i like it

[Hook#3287]

My new MDX has that engine stop BS.

It can't be set to be off as default and I have to hit the off button every time I start.

I've trained myself to hit the Start button, then the Engine Stop button.

I thought about finding a aftermarket software fix, but concerned that would be a reason for warranty claim refusal.

I paid $100 for a black box to bypass that “automatically turned on feature

Jim, does that box change the software or is it a plug in , un-plug process?

[cookiedough]

be careful with that adaptive cruise control, can get u in accidents if in heavier traffic.  It is way too intrusive and brakes pretty hard when not needed to and can cause a rear end collision if someone following fairly close.

My wife's 2019 tucson says I need to take a brake with a picture of a cup of coffee after 20-30 minutes of driving since it must have sensors on the 10 and 2 position or 9 and 3 steering wheel.  I drive with 2-3 fingers usually or palm of my hand down low in 7,6,5 o clock position with one hand is all.  darn annoying get a beep and picture of a cup of coffee alerting me to take a break every so often driving it.

I disable on  my truck the auto bright/dim headlights works like junk is useless.  dims to brights comes on often in my small hometown brights go ON since not bright enough street lights in my subdivision, very dumb.   adaptive cruise control I use mostly on rural hwys. since cannot be safe in heavier traffic at hwy speeds.

what ticks me off most is the truck has sensors built in the front somewhere and if icy out or in the morning frost, etc. at the slightest, not much like most winter mornings in WI, and the entire cruise control does NOT work.  I figured out how to go manual cruise control vs. adaptive cruise control by holding in the set button like 8 seconds, very dumb.  Truck should be smart enough to just give us a warning that adaptive cruise control not works and go manual cruise control automatically vs. shutting entire cruise control down and manually overriding.

[Hook#3287]

Hey Jim, thanks for the post

Because of it, I did a search and found that there actually is a way to off default the PITA Engine Stop crap on my MDX.

At least that's what the vid producer says.

Gonna try it later this morning.

Thanks for the push

[h13man]

With our SX4 getting close to 200,000 mi., I've been looking for a older pristine GM unit with a 3800 V6 in it. Our 00' LeSabre was the best mechanically but poor rust protection and window regulator breakage which I finally figured out to spray silicone release in the rubber seal as they would weld themselves to the window causing breakage on a pizz poor part. So if anybody know where a "southern" find is, let me know as I will travel for a good find.

Another GM engine was the 3300 made by Buick and also used in Oldsmobile but GM decided that 3.1 was the way to go. Again poor rust protection on our 93' Calais with the 3300. We sold it to a family friend with 185,000 and he drove it for 2 yrs. back and forth to Ball State until the drivers door fell off.

[da prez]

  All this high tech BS is for the new breed of tech idiots. There is in my opinion less common sense and less thinking. There is an ap for most everything. Must be an ap for getting pregnant  .
 Most of the reason I will not buy a new truck is there is way to much technology in them that I do not want.  I want to drive and park my truck. I want to keep my abilities working.

  TECHNOLOGY THAT IS NEEDED , PHONES AND TEXTING WHILE DRIVING WILL BE FOR EMERGENCY ONLY.

                                                    da prez

[GiG]

Right On, Prez!
Yes, most cars are able to defeat the engine off function via dashboard settings (one time - set it/ forget it) no black box surcharge required. Lulu’s Cadillac is that way AND gives a message “possible ice conditions “  because Cadillac assumes their customers are intelligent enough NOT to attemp cruise in ice.    

NO
O such assumptions for Korean owners- obviously  

I like adaptive cruise on other folks’ cars because  I can ride past them and see them slow way down Bye!

[scooperhsd]

I'm with most of you - don't want / use most gadgets. HOWEVER - when we got our 2000 new Beetle, it came with heated seats. Now , if you don't have "real winter", it's kind of a novelty. For us - this has become a MUST HAVE feature - so much that when we bought the 2015 Golf new, it was a REQUIREMENT - we got the lowest package that had it. However, that package also includes a sunroof.

Let me get on my soapbox - I HATE SUNROOFS !!! If you don't have to get the drains cleaned out every so often, you have to deal with other expensive repairs - the Golf is currently waiting on parts from Germany because some of the mechanicals / interior trim needed replaced. The Jetta wagon's sunscreen on its sunroof needs worked on also, but at least it not leaking.

[GiG]

Scooper: 
Heated seats rock! As do heated steering wheel!
I know you are a VW fan, good luck, sun roof is guaranteed the least of your worries. That brand is notorious for (fatal) electrical failures
My friend’s dream new car Jetta hasn’t moved from his driveway in years - electrics killed it

[Hook#3287]

when we got our 2000 new Beetle, it came with heated seats. Now , if you don't have "real winter", it's kind of a novelty. For us - this has become a MUST HAVE feature

Ha, back in 2003 when I bought my truck off the lot, it had heated seats, I'm like, I don't need no stinking heated seats.

Then I used them.  Changed my opinion.

Let me get on my soapbox - I HATE SUNROOFS !!!

Move over, let me on that soapbox.

I also never use cruise control.  I want control of all my vehicles operations.

[f6john]

I’m probably skating on thin ice with our 2015 Hybrid Camary but having passed 100,000 miles with no mechanical or electronic issues I have to tip my hat to Toyota. The start stop issue has never been a problem and is basically indiscernible in everyday operation. My radar cruise control stopped working after a front end collision even though we replaced all the associated pieces and the dealer gave me an estimate that they could get it working for $2 grand. I decided I didn’t use it enough to worry with it.

[GiG]

Remember the old days when cars were named after animals?  Mustang - Cougar - Wildcat - Falcon
- Eagle - Ram
When they started inventing names is when the new mystery breakdowns began… 
Dunno what a Camary is 

[POPS 57]

I live in Minnesota, and it's been butt ass cold for two weeks. When this happens tire pressure goes down. The dash showed me all my tire pressures and the two back ones were low. I pulled it up to the pole shed and started to fill one. All the sudden the horn honks and the four ways come on telling me I'm at the right pressure. Never ever seen that before. It's a 2022 Ram limited with all the other things that have been talked about.

[GiG]

Haven’t experienced that one, Pops  What model is your truck? Must be recent vintage 

[0leman]

I have a 2015 Ram 1500.  It came with heated seats and steering wheel.  I never use the seat warmers, but the heated wheel is great.

Our 2016 Mercedes sprinter van is equip with lane change warning and moves the wheel a hair and beeps.  I turn it off after starting each time as it is really annoying.  It also has proximately detector.  Really like it.

[old2soon]

      My 06 Grand Prix has heated seats. Like some others never Thouight I'd need them. BUT vinly Is cold when you park yer azz on it when it's in the 20s or lower. The Prix also has remote start. THAT be I Needed feature I M O. BUT my 06 Prix is dead and I killed it. The 2010 Pontiac Vibe-Toyota Matrix-No heaed seats no remote start BUT it IS startin to grow on me And yuppers Still gittin switchology figure out. And the vibe IS easier ti git in and out of. And it seems NOT to be loaded down with uneeded tech. My 06 Prix wasn 't loade down with a lot of uneeded tech either. Believe it was FoMoCo that had new vehicles that could NOT be so;ld cuz the chips needed to operate the vehicles weren't available!  
       Well the 06 and the 10 both have something I don't need much less desire! I myself KNOW when headlights Need to be on and When they Need to be off!   Someone else mentioned being in CONTROL of a vehicle and I M O that be TOTAL CONTROL! RIDE SAFE.

[carolinarider09]

My new MDX has that engine stop BS.

It can't be set to be off as default and I have to hit the off button every time I start.

I've trained myself to hit the Start button, then the Engine Stop button.

I thought about finding a aftermarket software fix, but concerned that would be a reason for warranty claim refusal.

I paid $100 for a black box to bypass that “automatically turned on feature

Jim, does that box change the software or is it a plug in , un-plug process?

The black box is a plug and play kind of thing.  If I remember correctly, it goes up above windscreen behind a panel that is easily removed.  Plug it in and the default setting is "off".  You can turn it on again but I forget the procedure.  Seems like it did turn itself on once and I turned it off by turning the enginep off and restarting. 

Again, it was a simple plug and play operation.  Cable and an associated "black box". 

[GiG]

Correct, Dennis:

It was FoMoCo that had new vehicles that could NOT be so;ld cuz the  China chIps. They were robbing chips outta lower cost cars to get the high dollar/ high profit SUVs out the door. Huge Mess! My function in Dearborn was DRE - Design Release Engineer- so they threw me in the middle of their mess & made it my problem
 
Reason I quit was due to mandatory vaccinations 
 Mandatory for me working remote/ never leaving my dining room- makes almost as much sense as basing your entire multi billion $$$  product line on crappy chino processors 

[scooperhsd]

Scooper: 
Heated seats rock! As do heated steering wheel!
I know you are a VW fan, good luck, sun roof is guaranteed the least of your worries. That brand is notorious for (fatal) electrical failures
My friend’s dream new car Jetta hasn’t moved from his driveway in years - electrics killed it

You wouldn't believe how much we spent on a "free" 2012 Jetta Wagon (also diesel like our other 2 VWs) - yes most of it was electronics, but you can throw in a turbocharger as well.

[GiG]

Ahh, makes a bit more sense there, Scooper 

Curious- how does the diesel run in these cold environs?!?

My poor friend Rob “Guzzi”  saved for a long time & was thrilled to get his new no-run Jetta. That car is sitting there and the kids jump all over it playing on their VW playscape…

[scooperhsd]

Ahh, makes a bit more sense there, Scooper 

Curious- how does the diesel run in these cold environs?!?

My poor friend Rob “Guzzi”  saved for a long time & was thrilled to get his new no-run Jetta. That car is sitting there and the kids jump all over it playing on their VW playscape…

Actually quite well. The 2 newer cars (the 2012 Jetta and 2-15 Golf) would probably start in -30F in Alaska / Canada, as long as you have the correct oil, winter fuel for how cold it gets, and a good battery. The Beetle would too, except I need to have the head taken off to replace one of the glow plugs (it HAS started in -2F here in KC in winters past in its present condition). You simply have to follow the proper starting procedure - turn on the ignition , WAIT for the glowplug pigtail to go off, then hit the starter until its running on its own. The Beetle will have a nice plume of fuel for the first couple seconds, but it does start, even though only 3 glowplugs are effective. Let it warm  about 15-20 seconds, then treat them like any other vehicle in those cold conditions. They take a little longer to get warmed up (highway driving helps greatly for this), but you WILL get heat eventually. If its bad enough - you may want to go through 2 glowplug sequences before kicking the starter.

All 3 of them take the H6 / Group 48 sized batteries - I can easily jump a full sized gas truck with their biggest engine with any of them. Surprised a guy in his S-10 sized pickup last winter outside a donut shop when his battery was flat - I told him that my car wouldn't have any trouble at all starting his truck.

[Jess from VA]

Let me get on my soapbox - I HATE SUNROOFS !!!

My only sunroof had a built in sensor.  When it got old, the rain water ran in whenever braking and soaked your crotch.      The fix was to drive in the rain with a big garbage bag on your lap/legs. 

Also, it was electric, and one time it got stuck open (for 2 weeks) in Turkey, where it was hard to find Chevy dealers or anyone else who could fix it.  And my Turkish language skills were too basic to say... please don't hammer it closed with the rubber mallet sir.   


I only ever use cruise control on long freeway trips.  I tend to get bored and impatient as the hours go by and end up running way over the limit.  So I set it five over the limit, get passed by everyone, and can relax and stop scanning for cops all the time.  For that, it is perfect. 

[Hook#3287]

Hey Jim, thanks for the post

Because of it, I did a search and found that there actually is a way to off default the PITA Engine Stop crap on my MDX.

At least that's what the vid producer says.

Gonna try it later this morning.

Thanks for the push

Welp, he lied, didn't work.

The option is there, but it doesn't work.  it seems like it was an available choice, but was removed.

[GiG]

Do you suppose the need to constantly restart your car may possibly shorten the battery & starter life expectancy??!?   

[John Schmidt]

The stop/start feature is a PITA for sure, and those vehicle usually take a different battery. At least my 2018 Buick Enclave SUV does...which involves more $$. As for my Buick SUV, I was able to buy a stop/start eliminator off Amazon for just a few dollars, totally plug and play and installed above the radiator. Took more time to open the hood than installing the jumper. Disconnect the plugs, plug the jumper in between the two former connections, close the hood. The only other two things I like about the car is heated seats(Wisconsin) and remote start(again...Wisconsin).

Nancy's Audi has stop/start and it drives me nuts so don't drive it much. That eliminator is much more expensive and is rather involved to install so I'm not touching it. Likewise, it doesn't have remote start and that addition is also quite spendy and involved. For what she paid for it you'd think the fool thing would have come with a private driver. Plus, it's nowhere near as comfortable a ride as my Buick, but she's happy with it so go for it Nanners. 

[_Sheffjs_]

Same, picked up a new 2024 outback a while back.  We just turn off the auto start feature when we fire up the car. 

[3fan4life]

Same, picked up a new 2024 outback a while back.  We just turn off the auto start feature when we fire up the car. 

My Honda CRV has the same feature.

It doesn't bother me, I kind of like the idea of not burning fuel at a stoplight.

In stop and go traffic in can easily be disabled with the push of a button.

If you don't like the feature it can be disabled when you start the car.

It does have to be turned off every time you start up the car, however the button is right beside the gearshift, so it isn't hard to do.

[Rams]

I don't want a car to talk to me.  And I sure don't want it to drive for me.  

I'm not crazy about all the new bells and whistles in cars.  I want the very best reliability and performance I can get in a car's basic functions (motor, trans, brakes, suspension, handling, and I like a decent sound system radio).  And a real spare, not a donut.  All the money and value in vehicles should be in this essential reliability, and not bells and whistles (which I think just naturally lead to more unreliability and repair trips to the dealer).  

The beeping when you forget the seat belt is irritating (like being reprimanded), but I can live with it.  

OK mom, I'll wear the belt.  

Jess, as I'm sure you're aware, it's not just the government adding that stuff.   Manufacturers look for any opportunity to add options that some will want, they also make them part of a package deal that it you want this, you have to get that.   

Once I ordered a pickup and although I ordered a specific stereo.   The pickup arrived with a different upgraded stereo.   Told them to take it out of the truck and give me the one I ordered.   They gave me the upgraded stereo package rather than replace it.

Rams

[Rams]

I HATE SUNROOFS !!!

Welcome to the club!   At one time in my life I thought T tops and moonroofs were cool and have owned several cages with one or the other in the cage.

I eventually came to the conclusion that regardless of the make, model or year, if it has a hole in the roof, it's eventually going to leak.   So, my next sporty ride was a convertible.   This way I have a choice on whether or not the rain gets in or stays out of the cabin.

Rams

[Jess from VA]

I had 4 convertibles, and 3 of those leaked with the top up.

Only on the 69' SS396 Chevelle did I get a new top (and paint).

Also convertibles are cold in the Winter even with a new top.  

Except for my 69' Corvette, this was my best car ever (and really a more useful car).  Same blue with white interior and top with buckets (not showroom like these pics but still very nice).  Automatic, not a 4 speed.