Features I never knew my car has

milltown · 18-02-2012 8:15pm

Amazed that we're four pages in and there hasn't been any wise cracks about Merc/BMW/Audi having a lever on the left side of the steering wheel but nobody knows what it does because nobody has ever tried it.

OK, now there has :P

C Eng · 18-02-2012 8:25pm

milltown wrote: »

Amazed that we're four pages in and there hasn't been any wise cracks about Merc/BMW/Audi having a lever on the left side of the steering wheel but nobody knows what it does because nobody has ever tried it.

OK, now there has :P

I know the one your on about, It's for cruise control isn't it?

eringobragh · 18-02-2012 8:32pm

C Eng wrote: »

I know the one your on about, It's for cruise control isn't it?

For your sake I hope this is sarcasm.. :eek:

Guy:Incognito · 18-02-2012 9:36pm

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Discovered a small red thing clipped into a socet near the driverside door, turns out its a flare, apparantly all Japanese cars have these as a saftey feature incase they breakdown
.

Incase your car breaks down at sea?

Tropheus · 18-02-2012 9:38pm

I had a '94 Punto for year until I realised that if I turned on the front foglights with the parking lights that it looked like an F18.

Elessar · 18-02-2012 9:46pm

My new Golf moves the wipers up a notch every few times I switch off the engine. Thought there was an electrical problem until I googled it and it turns out it does this to prevent premature wear of the wiper rubbers by bending them in the opposite direction!

Also it will give the steering wheel a nudge in the correct direction in event of a slippage, while never taking over full control. Neat.

Another one, it will light up the foglight at low speed if you're turning, on that side.

dgt · 18-02-2012 9:54pm

Until recently, I never knew my E34 had sealed beams for full beams. Annoying to change :mad::mad::mad: when I first got the car I found out the hard way that the key doesn't open the doors when the battery is dead

The ICS in the Alfa has kept me entertained for the past few weeks and I'm finding more stuff as I go along

Gary ITR · 18-02-2012 10:16pm

Not long after I put an aftermarket ECU into my Integra I was getting an engine check light up around 8000RPM, I scamper back to my tuner all worried.... turns out he'd set it up as a shift light

dr.fuzzenstein · 18-02-2012 10:28pm

Maybe I'm weird, but the first thing I do with any car I'm driving (replacements, rentals, friends cars, etc...) is have a good look around to see what it does and what it has.
Sadly any of the rentals or friends cars I ever drove never have any good toys in it.
Never had that problem in her MX5, it hasn't got a single toy in it, no wait, it has an electric areal that comes up when the radio is switched on, but all the fun on that is delivered via the engine and RWD.
The only gadget I could never figure out was the automatic climate control on one or two Opels, it just does what it wants, regardless of what buttons are pressed, or what settings are selected, fan, AC and heater seem to be wired into either a supercomputer that is far better at making decisions about the climate in the cabin, or they are just wired into a random number generator that just switches things on and off governed by chaos theory.
Maybe it's controlled by a Schroedinger box!

Nissan doctor · 18-02-2012 10:39pm

My uncle bought a new corsa B in 2000 and it was 4 years before he realised that you turned on the interior light by pulling the headlight switch out....he though you just had to open the door:rolleyes:

I was showing a customer something in his w211 E-class and while chatting I pressed the little silver button which opens up the facia to reveal the CD changer saying it was a nice little touch.....he looked in amazement and said he has the car over a year and didn't know there was a changer in there.

Had another customer look on in amazement as I opened the whole tailgate on their Hyundai Santa fe..they thought only the rear window glass opened(there are two buttons on the tailgate one for just the window and one for the whole tailgate)!

Johntegr · 18-02-2012 10:41pm

Gary ITR wrote: »

Not long after I put an aftermarket ECU into my Integra I was getting an engine check light up around 8000RPM, I scamper back to my tuner all worried.... turns out he'd set it up as a shift light

Same as! Pity the launch control is switched off, for now!

For me, has to be when I switch the vents to blow on the windscreen it automatically switches on the A/C.

TrailerBob · 18-02-2012 10:41pm

OSI wrote: »

Yeah, I hear you have to replace the cat in those every so often.

:pac:

That's if they really have a cat...

*gets coat

On topic... For a while i misunderstood the 4 wheel drive system on the cruiser - Its permanent 4x4, but thought it was selectable, but turns out it's a diff lock then low range locked. Copped it with the diff lock on in the snow - jeep just wanted to go straight!!

Gary ITR · 18-02-2012 10:54pm

Johntegr wrote: »

Same as! Pity the launch control is switched off, for now!

For me, has to be when I switch the vents to blow on the windscreen it automatically switches on the A/C.

Switch it back on lol!

My AC button now activates my launch control :pac:

Johntegr · 18-02-2012 10:58pm

Gary ITR wrote: »

Switch it back on lol!

My AC button now activates my launch control :pac:

I can't, the tuner locked the map. Unless he set a button somewhere to switch it back on. I'll try switching everything on!

Pottler · 18-02-2012 11:06pm

Cupholder in my work truck.:o
Been balancing my coffee on the top of the dash/between my legs/wherever it looks like it might stay put for ages. Gave another lad who works with us a lift the other day. I was havin a coffee, balancing it betweem my legs. "why dont you use this?" he says, and pulls out the world most well hidden double cupholder from the dash. On the plus side, I like the truck a lot better now.:D

EPM · 18-02-2012 11:06pm

Johntegr wrote: »

Same as! Pity the launch control is switched off, for now!

For me, has to be when I switch the vents to blow on the windscreen it automatically switches on the A/C.

Mazda 626s do that too.

Gary ITR · 18-02-2012 11:09pm

Pottler wrote: »

Cupholder in my work truck.:o
Been balancing my coffee on the top of the dash/between my legs/wherever it looks like it might stay put for ages. Gave another lad who works with us a lift the other day. I was havin a coffee, balancing it betweem my legs. "why dont you use this?" he says, and pulls out the world most well hidden double cupholder from the dash. On the plus side, I like the truck a lot better now.:D

Cupholders, or rather bad cupholders are a pet hate of mine? Ever see the start of Bad Boys? Well in this case I'm Martin Lawrence

Johntegr · 18-02-2012 11:10pm

EPM wrote: »

Mazda 626s do that too.

A/C was an optional extra on some models. However they were all given a button that said A/C, just to annoy the owners. :P

Raiser · 18-02-2012 11:16pm

alias no.9 wrote: »

Similar on my recently disposed E39, if the sidelight goes, the indicator bulb illuminates on that side.

Many years ago, I had a first gen Opel Astra, and I could never figure out how to switch on the interior light other than opening the door until one evening while waiting for someone, I was fiddling with the headlamp switch, pulled it towards me and hey presto, interior light was on.

Thats just irritating! Designer needs his arms broken!

Mech1 · 18-02-2012 11:20pm

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Incase your car breaks down at sea?

no TSUNAMI

Ardennes1944 · 19-02-2012 12:35am

my car still amazes me that an Opel can actually make me smile. gotta be the best feature of any car

ShamoBuc · 19-02-2012 12:42am

I had a 99 Peugeot 106 for about 3 years. Only in the last few months did I realise it had a CD player! Never knew it was there. You had to press a button and the front of the radio flipped down and voila!

_Kaiser_ · 19-02-2012 1:17am

Well I discovered today that the 4 holes to the left side of the centre console (where a car kit/phone holder had previously been installed but removed before I bought the car 4 years ago), exactly fits the bracket/screws for the new cradle I bought for my Galaxy S2 that someone linked to on another thread here last week

-Corkie- · 19-02-2012 1:50am

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Well I discovered today that the 4 holes to the left side of the centre console (where a car kit/phone holder had previously been installed but removed before I bought the car 4 years ago), exactly fits the bracket/screws for the new cradle I bought for my Galaxy S2 that someone linked to on another thread here last week

Something you can relate to but I found out that my Passat actually has a CR engine and not a PD. I only found out when i priced a timing belt kit. It must have been one of the first ones...

dan hibiki · 19-02-2012 1:58am

i found out when i bought my first car, a 98 brava, that fiat make their their car keys out of baco-foil.

4 f:mad::mad:cking keys i went through.

eth0 · 19-02-2012 1:59am

Front fog lights, possibly rear ones as well. Only really noticed them today because I was wondering why foglight threads are banned in here. They are low down and not very prominent so I never really took any notice.

Don't know how to switch them on though.. and I'm not too pushed. Maybe they're fake

This fella I used to know told me about someone at his work back in the day driving the new model of his previous car for a few weeks not realising it had another gear

brownacid · 19-02-2012 3:54am

OSI wrote: »

Yeah, I hear you have to replace the cat in those every so often.

:pac:

Best pun ever!

lau1247 · 19-02-2012 7:48pm

racso1975 wrote: »

Yup discovered if you keep the open button pressed on the fob all the windows open and close if u keep the closed button pressed

this is true for some cars with sun roof too.. mercedes in particular is the one i knew of but these days sun roof is becoming a rare sight

colm_mcm · 19-02-2012 7:50pm

eth0 wrote: »

Front fog lights, possibly rear ones as well. Only really noticed them today because I was wondering why foglight threads are banned in here. They are low down and not very prominent so I never really took any notice.

Don't know how to switch them on though.. and I'm not too pushed. Maybe they're fake

This fella I used to know told me about someone at his work back in the day driving the new model of his previous car for a few weeks not realising it had another gear

What car do you have?

eth0 · 19-02-2012 8:08pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

What car do you have?

Fabia estate 1.4 MPI

colm_mcm · 19-02-2012 8:14pm

Far as I know, to turn on the front fogs, (with the lights on) pull headlight switch back one click. to put on both rear and front foglights, pull the switch back another click.

eth0 · 19-02-2012 11:10pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Far as I know, to turn on the front fogs, (with the lights on) pull headlight switch back one click. to put on both rear and front foglights, pull the switch back another click.

ah I have it now. didn't know it was possible to pull it back. Its also possible to push it in one click and turn on the parking lights and it stays pushed in. you know what that is for or if it does anything?

pippip · 19-02-2012 11:14pm

If its the same as Audi the push in is for removing it. Push in and turn to the left and it should pull out.

CJhaughey · 19-02-2012 11:22pm

E11 Corolla, if you unlock the previously locked car with the remote and don't open a door/boot within 30 seconds it relocks itself.

Senna · 20-02-2012 12:06am

Had a Freelander for 2 years, sold it a few months back and as i was cleaning out my stuff for the new owners i looked under the driver seat and found a 6 disk cd changer.

Also found out that the alarm i have on another car can start the car if it reads the battery level dropping to a low level, a nice feature especially on a car that could sit out side my house for weeks on end.

dmcar02 · 20-02-2012 12:12am

My own car, only figured out the radio volume goes up as you speed up. Class

Girlfriends car, Mondeo, you use the washer jets, wipers come on twice, then once again after about 5 secs to completely dry the windscreen. Also it has heated washer jets, brilliant in the winter

L-M · 20-02-2012 12:14am

The little frosty button on Bmw's means aircon.

if you turn off traction control it doesn't go off fully, you have to hold the button down for about 5 seconds and then the park break light goes amber.

Killinator · 20-02-2012 12:28am

guil wrote: »

i kept thinking i was turning on the back wiper but realised it comes on automatically if the car is in reverse and you turn on the wipers

I just found out something with my GTI:D

Stheno · 20-02-2012 12:29am

I never knew what the TA button meant on my car stereo.

Until the day I was stuck in traffic in Lisburn and this random voice cut in on my cd to advise on the status of the traffic on the A1

I nearly had a freaking heart attack, had no idea what was going on and the fecking thing kept doing it until I got to work in Belfast city centre. I was convinced I was being stalked by some mad lunatics!

Got a right few laughs when I asked what the feck it was!
THe OH laughed himself silly as he'd lived in the UK and was used to traffic updates cutting in automatically if you'd the setting right.

jvc · 20-02-2012 12:51am

Senna wrote: »

Had a Freelander for 2 years, sold it a few months back and as i was cleaning out my stuff for the new owners i looked under the driver seat and found a 6 disk cd changer.

Also found out that the alarm i have on another car can start the car if it reads the battery level dropping to a low level, a nice feature especially on a car that could sit out side my house for weeks on end.

What happens if the car is in gear? Or was it an Auto?

Senna · 20-02-2012 1:03am

jvc wrote: »

What happens if the car is in gear? Or was it an Auto?

You have to press a button before you turn off the ignition and get out of the car so you basically have to turn the feature on. The button will only work in neutral so no chance of it going off while the car is in gear.

skodacb · 20-02-2012 3:17am

Few things found in my octavia probably same for VW golf

Interior lock/unlock switch hold it open all windows drop and vice versa.

The Aux has three settings depending on what is connected e.g
level 1 would be for laptop
level 2 dunno
level 3 mp3 player

Also holding the menu button while radio is on for 5 seconds give you detailed info on the quality of the broadcast

Oh and the jumbobox has a slot to let air in

savagecabbages · 20-02-2012 5:01am

You can set the intermittent wiper delay on mk3 golfs (an prob other older VAGs). The interesting bit is they don't have a slider to do this like on most modern cars!

I was wondering/infuriated why one day the intermittent wipe may take 3 seconds one day, and 7 the next... I was blaming relays and all sorts of things!

You have to turn the normal wipers on for one wipe, then off, count as long as you want the delay to be then turn the intermittent on. Simples

guil · 20-02-2012 11:15am

savagecabbages wrote: »

You can set the intermittent wiper delay on mk3 golfs (an prob other older VAGs). The interesting bit is they don't have a slider to do this like on most modern cars!

I was wondering/infuriated why one day the intermittent wipe may take 3 seconds one day, and 7 the next... I was blaming relays and all sorts of things!

You have to turn the normal wipers on for one wipe, then off, count as long as you want the delay to be then turn the intermittent on. Simples

volvo trucks are the same

Alun · 20-02-2012 12:49pm

alias no.9 wrote: »

Many years ago, I had a first gen Opel Astra, and I could never figure out how to switch on the interior light other than opening the door until one evening while waiting for someone, I was fiddling with the headlamp switch, pulled it towards me and hey presto, interior light was on.

What's worse is the opposite of that, i.e. when you accidentally switch it on while playing around with the switches on your new car and then can't for the life of you figure out how to switch it off again and end up taking the bulb out in desperation!

hiscan · 20-02-2012 2:19pm

Was driving home yesterday in an Audi A4 and the sun was beaming in to the car.I had both visors down but the sun was still beaming into my eyes over the rear view mirror.
I said to herself,I remember in the VW Golf I used to have,there was a handy little visor over the mirror to stop the sun coming in,I'm surprised there's not one in this.
At which point she reached up and pulled it down and started laughing,I said how come she hadn't used it before and she said because she's so small it never worked right for her

I was actually reading this Thread the night before and having a laugh to myself at some of the posts,little thinking that I would go out myself the next day and discover after 5 years driving the car something I would have to post here myself.

Blazer · 20-02-2012 2:57pm

Read about the glasses pocket on my 520D at the drivers side (right hand side of the steering wheel) and thought to myself "very handy for my keys /glasses etc and was happy I read that particular thread here on boards...

until..
I was going to the gym...I had forgotten to close it and in my haste I ripped my knee off the frakking thing cuing lots of cursing, pain and strange looks in the car park. There's sharp edges on it

I was sorry I ever found that thread as I've done it several times since and it's always going to the gym and wearing shorts :mad:

ShadowHearth · 20-02-2012 3:03pm

I will sound like a total idiot, but here it goes:

I thought that I don't have interrior light in Mazda mx5... Well you know, as it has no proper roof! You can imagine my face when misses turned the button just above the widescreen and lights piped up inside... I felt like an idiot.

no1beemerfan · 20-02-2012 3:05pm

eringobragh wrote: »

heated mirrors - mk2 MR2 ...hit the demister for the rear window and the mirrors started to clear...pleasant surprise

I have my Laguna almost 8 years and only figured my door mirrors were heated a few weeks ago. Don't know how I never copped before.

Design_Dude · 20-02-2012 3:13pm

Megane has brake booster on left hand side, Passenger discovered if you press hard enough on the right part of the footwell you can press the brakes. true story!

Features I never knew my car has

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