Annoying but unimportant features on cars
Discussion
Speed 3 said:
Recently bought a used F-Pace and I think it has gesture opening tailgate. I say think because I've never managed to activate it with my foot but every time a sponge goes on the underside of the rear bumper, the tailgate opens when I'm in the middle of washing it.
I couldn't get mine to work, so started to doubt I even had it. I called in at the dealers and the head mechanic came out and he couldn't get it to work either. We were both doing this weird line dancing in the car park when one of the young lads who washes the cars came up and opened it straight away. 
Turns out it needed more of a sweep than a kick...
There's a chap on an MB forum who got a right crack on his head as he was stood side on to his boot and was loading boxes in. As he leant to get another box, his leg stuck out and the boot started closing and he didn't realise. He swung round to put the box in the boot just as the tailgate came down to head height...
Gad-Westy said:
TG105 said:
JLR sat nav, specifically Disco 4. It would continually take me off dual carriageways only to guide me back on the same road once I was on the slip road. Infuriating.
My wife's SEAT satnav does that too. RicksAlfas said:
Mercedes sat-navs view large roundabouts as a succession of turns which is very misleading.
If you are approaching a large roundabout at 6 o'clock and want to take the 3 o'clock turn, most people would say "turn right at the roundabout". However Frau Benz says "turn left" (this is the six to nine manoeuvre) and then says "turn right" (nine to two) before saying "turn left" (at three). Quite why this happens I don't know as the software and maps are either TomTom or Garmin.
There's loads of versions of MB sat-navs - mine doesn't do that, it'll say "take the 3rd exit". It is supposed to say "turn left now" when you get to the exit but that instruction is often too late.If you are approaching a large roundabout at 6 o'clock and want to take the 3 o'clock turn, most people would say "turn right at the roundabout". However Frau Benz says "turn left" (this is the six to nine manoeuvre) and then says "turn right" (nine to two) before saying "turn left" (at three). Quite why this happens I don't know as the software and maps are either TomTom or Garmin.
Sheepshanks said:
VW satnavs (I guess it's the same system) are legendary for doing that. One of the factors in me not going for the cheap Passatt Altrack lease deal a few years ago was how crap the the satnav is in wife's Tiguan.
VW Sat-Navs I’ve had have been a thousand times better than any JLR system. 2x freelanders, Discovery 4 and RRS were all useless. Every manufacturer seems to be 5 years ahead on this aspect Munter said:
That's the same with a gauge. You'll only know if the sensor is fubar when you see steam. Because they basically go from "cold" to "hot" and are set to sit at "hot" despite massive variations in temperature. Until it's all too late and you are looking at steam, then looking at the guage and thinking "well it wasn't right over there in the red a minute ago". Because you're right and it wasn't. So...why have it.
This seems like a lost cause, but with a gauge you know within a couple of miles whether the sensor is working because the gauge will show you! If it doesn't move the sensor is scrap, so you know you can't rely on it and can get it replaced before any other issue occurs.But with no gauge you would (as I did) find out when the amber then red lights lit up, so thankfully my sensor on that one worked - but if the sensor had been fubar'd it would have been time to boil the kettle.
Mr Tidy said:
Munter said:
That's the same with a gauge. You'll only know if the sensor is fubar when you see steam. Because they basically go from "cold" to "hot" and are set to sit at "hot" despite massive variations in temperature. Until it's all too late and you are looking at steam, then looking at the guage and thinking "well it wasn't right over there in the red a minute ago". Because you're right and it wasn't. So...why have it.
This seems like a lost cause, but with a gauge you know within a couple of miles whether the sensor is working because the gauge will show you! If it doesn't move the sensor is scrap, so you know you can't rely on it and can get it replaced before any other issue occurs.But with no gauge you would (as I did) find out when the amber then red lights lit up, so thankfully my sensor on that one worked - but if the sensor had been fubar'd it would have been time to boil the kettle.
Failed sensor. Light still on while you are still on the drive. Have access to shelter/power/tea/coffee/biscuits/OBDII reader/tools etc.
Failed sensor. Gauge not moving. Now 5 miles from home trying to figure out if they can limp the car somewhere better or not.
Overheating. Light comes on, grabs attention right away, driver finds a place to pull over and check it out.
Overheating. Fake gauge suddenly rams over from "normal dead center", to "you're forked" in 2-3 seconds, but go's unnoticed for a while. Quite probably unnoticed until the car starts to act funny and/or another warning light comes on.
Proper gauge normal operation. Lots of drivers calling into dealers/garages asking why the car is running hot on the motorway in an July heatwave. Lots of drivers calling into dealers/garages asking why the car is running cold when it's -2 in December. Waste of everyone's time.
Proper gauge overheating. See fake gauge overheating, just the movement is slower, but most people would not notice.
Just going on from the earlier seatbelt warning beep. Had a Peugeot hire van, I think it was an Expert. The seat belt alarm for the passenger seat went off, even though the passenger seat was empty. I don't know if it's supposed to do that or the electrics had a French moment but it was very annoying.
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