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Newer Cars in General
Did you know?
My mother in law has a 2015 IS250 Lexus. It has been a good car for a 92 year Grandmother until last week. This is the era of car that has no place to insert the key, it just needs to be in proximity.
Last week, while driving the car lost complete power. Engine stopped, steering locked, and of course no electric power steering or brakes. The car left her unable to control it. Without incident Gramma received help from fellow motorists to get her out of the intersection. Later the tow truck tried to jump it, nothing, then dragged it off to the dealer.
Bottom line. These new cars with electric everything, even at a speed of 80mph, if it looses it’s electric generation capability, ei alternator failure followed by complete battery failure, it WILL lock up with NO ability for driver to control it. And this passes the NTSB????? :-0
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14 Replies
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You likely haven’t seen anything yet.
We went looking for a new Grand Cherokee to use as a toad. When not towing it would be Di’s car. The motor turns off if you are stopped, such as at a traffic light or a stop sign.
If it has the lane change alert it sounds an alarm and wiggles the steering wheel.
If it has the adaptive cruise control it applies brakes if you start tailgating the car in front of your or if someone cuts in too close to maintain a stopping distance.
It will park for you, either parallel parking or backing into a space like at the mall. All you have to do is touch the gas or brake as commanded.
Now with all that technology that has you out of the loop, what happens if something doesn’t work right, if if some kid with computer skills want to take control of your car?
After the test drive she told the salesman who was real proud of those features that there was no way she would own a car that took driving away from her. Especially one that turns itself off at a traffic light to save a teaspoon of gas.
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The adaptive cruise control is an okay feature. Didn’t like the lane assist, no key in the ignition (dealt with the drawbacks of that on a harley in the middle of lolo pass with no cell service and no towns within 20 miles away. Stupid key fob battery died while making a stop to check out the Lochsa River) and don’t like the engine turning off at stop lights.
I will say I do like heated and cooled seats as well as heated steering wheels! That’s about as new fangled as I want to get right about now.
In the process of getting my full Class A CDL, facility asked me if I wanted to test out in a manual or auto transmission. I am going manual/split to get the endorsement on my license. Guess a lot of trucking companies are swapping their fleets over to automatic cause less people can drive a manual.
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Guys,
I feel your pain. But at least on our cars all the features except for the key fob that you mentioned can very easily be disabled by reading the manual and turning them off. Or I guess you have the option of driving older stuff that doesn’t have that stuff but I agree with Jon it’s not going the other way. Same thing is happening with everything. in my business we buy lots of computers and AV gear… back in the good old days… stuff had buttons to turn them off and on change the channel or audio boards had faders to adjust levels and most worrisome to me when you bought a 5K superpower Mac computer it actually had HDMI outputs… now you get USBc and dongles and all kinds of crap in in the production space would prefer not to deal with… my option suck it up or buy computers that are 3-4 years old…
Bill
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Bill is correct about the ability to turn off some of the features, but not all, and not always.
You cannot disable the feature that causes the engine to stop running at a traffic light. That is part of the emissions system and is mandated. There are devices you can plug into the port used for diagnostics, but the dealer told me if that is used for that purpose the warranty is void. I suspect the device leaves a trail.
Some features have to be turned off every time the car is started.
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When I was in Branson, MO in June my brother rented a Jeep with these features. The one they found beyond annoying was the stop engine feature at a stop. Even the short time I was in the Jeep with them I found it as annoying as they did! I’ve been thinking of a new car but it won’t be a Jeep!
Harry
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
The emergency car has a negate button for the stop/start technology that stays negated upon cycling the ignition switch. Helps to save the battery, save the starter motor, and reduces the glut of petroleum products on the world market. All good.
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Jon,
I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I tow. The stop/start feature has a button on the dash that defeats it, but you have to remember to hit the switch everytime you cycle the on/off switch. You can disconnect it for good, as I have, in less than 3 minutes with no tools. I got the info on YouTube.
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Harry, I hear you. I’d disconnect the stop/start pest as well. Several of my favorite cars in our fleet is ‘83 Lincoln Mark VI, ‘87 Mercury Colony Park wagon, you can actually shift into gear without touching the brake pedal
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Bottom line, “Wake up America america”. I`ve been blessed and fortunate enough to own a Prevost and can buy most any auto I want but I don`t. Why do the majority of Americans drink the kool-aid when it comes to new cars? Marketing & Stautus ?
First, when you sign the dotted line you`re burning money from serious depreciation. Second, It`s safer with all those “air bags”, auto braking,etc. Come on, let a F-350 diesel blow thruthat red light and t-bone you in that new Lexuslexus, MB or heaven forbid a smart car or jeep.You are dead or crippled.Third, Oh new computer technology. Right, wait till you go in for an oil change and they do a computer upgrade! If you don`t do the upgrade you`re new car warranty is now void,period. Finally, the availability of parts. What a joke!
Data has shown the best years for car reliablity was 1988 to 2001.
Off my soap box now !!
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
Steve,
Jump in here more often, we like Newell’s…
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The “Carpro” radio show said several of the mfg’s added the “off” feature for red light stop engine, after the first year. Too many buyers threatened to boycott.
Jim
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Our Lincoln MKX has been totally trouble free in 1.5 yrs. of ownership and 10,500 of driving miles plus an additional 8,000 towing miles. It has had one oil change and tire rotation at 6K.
One day, we stopped at Office Depot to pick up new calendars. When we came back to the MKX, we found it unlocked which meant it didn’t lock when I touched the door handle as we got out. So, when we got in, the key was dead.
I looked in the manual and it gives info of what to do if this ever happens. There is a ‘special’ place for the key fob to fit at the bottom of the center console. Once placed, everything is back to normal. Having the key in my pocket along with my cell phone caused the key to go dead. Once revived everything was back to normal as long as I keep the cell phone and key separate.
I have to say that I do like all the safety features offered. The engine does not turn off when stopped at a light.
Safe travels,
Mark
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Jon,
Steve aka rheavn is one of the go to guys on the NewellGurus forum.
Reese
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I am aware of the devices and procedures to disable the automatic engine stop features and told the dealer that feature is a deal breaker. While sympathetic the dealer indicated it voids the warranty and they could not service a car modified like that.
There is no doubt in my mind doing so is recorded in the memory of the car. My car not only tracks my driving habits, where I go, and all service history and engine data, that information is available to the dealer, lawyers, cops, and insurance companies if they submit the proper requests.
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