Driver unfriendly car features

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Yes indeed. There's a whole other thread about this somewhere, but in a RHD drive car the indicator stalk should be on the right, precisely so you can indicate and change gear at the same time.

Quite why any other manufacturers apart from Mercedes haven’t put all the functions on one stalk (on the right for RHD of course) is beyond me

[dozeydustman]

Quite why any other manufacturers apart from Mercedes haven’t put all the functions on one stalk (on the right for RHD of course) is beyond me

 

 

Makes for very complex and fiddly to construct components?

[stonedagain]

Fiat Barchetta boot release was only accessible with the door open and there was no way or doing it from being near the boot itself.

 

Fortunately for my mate I’d lent it to, she was with her feller at the time when she managed somehow to trap her finger in it with it half latched.

Did you laugh?

[Noel Tidybeard]

The screen in my top of the range Almera isn't touchscreen but I do find it very distracting. After buying it I was very concerned that I was taking my eyes off the road to try and afjust something. I have to toggle through the audio, heater controls and Sat Nav. And to a lesser extent a trip computer. Nearly 8 years of ownership and I still haven't mastered it. The buttons are small and not very tactile, especially their aircon/climate control button which is a small round thing.

 

It makes me want a Billy Basic mobile as my next conveyance just like the Escort L diesel I traded in for the Almera.

 

And the assisted steering is too heavy!

 

Nissan N- form is piece of piss- big knob on left does volume, 6 big buttons in middle for stations. big knob on right for temperature auto setting does splendid job of directing airflow & 2 buttons for clearing front & rear screens

 

dont need to look at fcuk all when driving

[Pillock]

Makes for very complex and fiddly to construct components?

Merc don't put the lights on the stalk though. It's indicators and wipers.

 

No more complex than people like Renault putting headlights, foglights and indicators on one stalk and wipers on another. My view is that you tend to use the lights once per trip, indicators and wipers more often so lights don't need to be in fingertip reach

[Ghosty]

Volvo get it right. There's an indicator/flash stalk, a wiper stalk, and a turny knob for the lights. Why older Volvos even have sidelights is a mystery though as they're dimmer than the DRLs.

 

If you specify cruise control it goes on the indicator stalk, though.

[Sir Snipes]

The main beam on the stalk of my C4 doesn't push forward to simply switch on. I have to use the pull back and do a kind of slow flash for it so stay on main beam.

Super annoying, and usually includes comedy* unintentional indicator action.

[dozeydustman]

The main beam on the stalk of my C4 doesn't push forward to simply switch on. I have to use the pull back and do a kind of slow flash for it so stay on main beam.

Super annoying, and usually includes comedy* unintentional indicator action.

 

 

Same as Peugeots, Renaults, Saabs, some Vauxhalls. I think some Volvos also.

[Guest Hooli]

Volvo get it right. There's an indicator/flash stalk, a wiper stalk, and a turny knob for the lights. Why older Volvos even have sidelights is a mystery though as they're dimmer than the DRLs.

 

If you specify cruise control it goes on the indicator stalk, though.

 

The sidelight setting leaves the sidelights on with the engine off, DRLs don't.

[Pillock]

To be fair, sidelights are usually dimmer than DRLs. My Astra had 5W/21W bulbs, with the lower power ones for sidelights.

 

Which makes the idea of "sidelights" even more daft, what are they even used for? You don't drive with them on, you don't use them as marker lights.....

[forddeliveryboy]

Volvo get it right. There's an indicator/flash stalk, a wiper stalk, and a turny knob for the lights. Why older Volvos even have sidelights is a mystery though as they're dimmer than the DRLs.

 

I like the stalks on the old V70s - they're well made if with unergonomic Volvo oddities which have long since gone, I'm thinking of the awkward slidey switches for things like rear wipers, the long-serving VAG approach of pressing a stalk away is so much better.

 

Dipping main beans should be a single movement and occur as soon as a stalk is actuated, not once a return spring has come into play. Sounds a petty thing, but it isn't.

 

Having said that, all column stalks make you feel challenged in the motor reaction department if sometime in the dimndistant a S1 CX was enjoyed - driving almost anything modern at speed on awkward roads requires so much body movement.

[FakeConcern]

Volvo get it right. There's an indicator/flash stalk, a wiper stalk, and a turny knob for the lights. Why older Volvos even have sidelights is a mystery though as they're dimmer than the DRLs.

 

If you specify cruise control it goes on the indicator stalk, though.

My C30 has pretty much the same as the V70 I had that was 10 years older. The sidelights are listed as parking lights in the handbook.

 

The main beam on the stalk of my C4 doesn't push forward to simply switch on. I have to use the pull back and do a kind of slow flash for it so stay on main beam.

Super annoying, and usually includes comedy* unintentional indicator action.

The C4 VTS I had was never a problem with dipping the lights and I think pretty much every car I've had since I had a Mini or Metro was the same including XR3is and VW Golf GTI.

 

I like the stalks on the old V70s - they're well made if with unergonomic Volvo oddities which have long since gone, I'm thinking of the awkward slidey switches for things like rear wipers, the long-serving VAG approach of depressing a stalk is so much better.

 

Dipping main beans should be a single movement and occur as soon as a stalk is actuated, not once a return spring has come into play. Sounds a petty thing, but it isn't.

 

Having said that, all column stalks make you feel challenged in the motor reaction department if sometime in the dimndistant a S1 CX was enjoyed - driving almost anything modern at speed on awkward roads requires so much body movement.

The Golf GTI I had (Mk3) required a very special touch to turn off the rear wiper without accidentally activating the rear washer so you needed the wiper and starting the whole cycle again!

[Remspoor]

Not all new technology is good technology!

 

Should I mention I was a Technology teacher, maybe I won't.

You write in the past so maybe tech has moved on enough to get your goat too.

[PhilA]

Here the same lighting symbols have been adopted. Parking lights and headlights.

 

You aren't allowed to drive around with just your parking lights on.

 

You aren't allowed to park on an unlit piece of highway without parking lights on.

 

Pretty straightforward, unlike the wonderfully archaic and complicated rules and considerations for car lighting in the UK. Slightly different expectations for the same vehicle systems in different places.

 

Generally though, controls here have mostly been unified in terms of major controls. One stalk on the left of the wheel. Pull to flash headlights. Push to lock main beam. Up/down for indicators, twist for wipers, push for screen wash, second twist ring for rear wipers.

Lights on a twist knob on the left of the wheel on the dash. Ignition to the right (with optionally gears on the column).

 

The only other major randomness is parking brake controls (pedal (ratchet with release or ball-point-pen press on/press off), "umbrella" handle, pull-up lever).

 

All cars looking the same? Dull and boring. All cars having the same controls? Sensible but again dull. All the major things in about the same place and the same way to operate? That's a good idea.

 

Phil

[anonymous user]

Fiat Barchetta boot release was only accessible with the door open and there was no way or doing it from being near the boot itself.

 

Fortunately for my mate I’d lent it to, she was with her feller at the time when she managed somehow to trap her finger in it with it half latched.

And if I remember, no other way of opening it if the cable failed, other than drilling holes in the bootlid. At least my Alfa Spider still had an external release behind the badge.

[Ben_O]

Immobilizers that you need to push a button on a fob to disarm.

 

Or perhaps worse, the type with the fob you need to wave about somewhere round the steering column to disarm.

 

I find cars that lock themselves with the key in it a tad irritating too especially when it's running and you are not in it...

[bunglebus]

You remind me - VWs of a certain era (like mine) re-lock if you don't open a front door - a few times I've known people put a child in the back, shut the door and realise keys and child are in a locked car. I'm very careful to always open a front door too.

[Bwrlwm]

The remote control for Sat Nav is always lost in our Renault Scenic fallen out of its place in one of the cup holders , rendering it useless,it is more often than not being crushed by the seat runners.

Why put the diagnostic socket under the centre console?difficult to get to, it needs to come permanently fitted with reader/eraser on the dash , as it one of the most used features on the car.

[Dan_ZTT]

Nissan started putting the stalk on the left around 1987, Mazda early-mid 1990s and Toyota & Daihatsu around 1997, depending on model. Korean & Malaysian mid-late 2000s. Right stalk is the traditional side for indicators on a RHD car, and still the standard in Australasia. Most Pre-1980 British tat will have the indicator on the right for the home market, and on the left for LHD markets.

 

Only moved over to left for parts commonality with other European models.

A while back I shared a 2007 Mitsubishi Colt with my mum, had the indicators correctly on the right. Took a short while to get used to but once I did it was definitely better.

[Sir Snipes]

You remind me - VWs of a certain era (like mine) re-lock if you don't open a front door - a few times I've known people put a child in the back, shut the door and realise keys and child are in a locked car. I'm very careful to always open a front door too.

I just hate modern central locking. My old bluebird would lock/unlock everything off the driver's door key lock. That was perfect. Now, as I jump around between various different vehicles, I have to either double press, or press and hold or something other random shit and it always takes multiple attempts. So annoying.

[New POD]

The feature in my omega that requires you to turn off the engine to open the boot.

 

Madness

[Mrcento]

I genuinely hate the Ford system (Mondeo mk3, focus etc) where you had to use the key to open the bonnet.

 

Ok, the 1 in 10 times you want under there where you're just leaving the house to top up windscreen washer or check oil, it means you don't need to enter the cabin to pop the bonnet, but i found 90% of the time i wanted in, it was when i was driving the thing and either wanted to check a noise or find a leak, which meant switching off, unlocking the bonnet then going back and restarting the car then going back again to find the issue.

 

Really irritating.

[adw1977]

I genuinely hate the Ford system (Mondeo mk3, focus etc) where you had to use the key to open the bonnet.

 

Ok, the 1 in 10 times you want under there where you're just leaving the house to top up windscreen washer or check oil, it means you don't need to enter the cabin to pop the bonnet, but i found 90% of the time i wanted in, it was when i was driving the thing and either wanted to check a noise or find a leak, which meant switching off, unlocking the bonnet then going back and restarting the car then going back again to find the issue.

 

Really irritating.

My 2009 Focus goes one worse than the MK3 Mondeo by combining that method of unlocking with no gas strut to hold the bonnet up.

 

Mind you, the internal release in my V50 is a bugger to find in the footwell, even after owning the car for 2 years!

[tul66]

And if I remember, no other way of opening it if the cable failed, other than drilling holes in the bootlid. At least my Alfa Spider still had an external release behind the badge.

I fitted a solenoid wired into the alarm to both my S4 spider and Alfa 75 for exactly this reason. Far easier to use.

[MikeR]

being an awkward old bar steward , I quite like the bonnet release on the Focus ...

 

one of my pet hates are those front lights on cars that appear to  "strobe"  in your mirror ,

 

as your mirror slightly vibrates and moves around it gives the impression the car behind is flashing its lights