Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

[Wayne W.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Another argument for concealed carry. Breaking windows.

[Jim D.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Another argument for concealed carry. Breaking windows.

Good point.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

A couple of clarifications. Apparently the battery cable was dislodged, so the car had no power to anything. He couldn't flash the lights or honk the horn or ...

Duke

How do cables suddenly become dislodged when you've driven the car to the restaurant less than an hour earlier?

[Bill M.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

This had to be suicide by corvette. there is no way any one could be this stupid.

[Ray G.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Hello Gentlemen;
Tragic story. I'm sure the story doesn't tell all the facts. If you personally have ever been the subject of a news story you will be aware of the fact reporters USUALLY only report the facts making their story match the headline. "If it bleeds it leads".
I don't currently have a 2007 Corvette to try and get out of if the power became disconnected.
Has anyone tried this without using the mechanical floor lever ?
Exiting sounds easy, but someone actually experiencing exiting this Corvette would be helpful.
As always your comments are really appreciated.
Ray

[Bill M.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

One of the articles in New York said Killer Corvette. You are right sensationalism at its worst. His problem was not so much as leaving the car but to be able to breath. Popping the top would have solved that.

[Robert L.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

This happened to me in my 2006 convertible two weeks ago. Pulled the car in to the garage, shut it off and every thing went dead. The negative cable was loose. Sat there for a minute then pulled out the owners manual and found the location of the door release. I was aware of the key to open the trunk to release the door with a power failure but not from inside the cabin.

Creepy feeling.

[Dan D.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Apparently the battery was still making contact when he got back in the car, or the doors would not have locked to begin with.

Our daily driver (2006 Chevy Malibu) the doors don't lock until you take it out of park. Apparently this car locks as soon as you close the door. So how does it unlock - when you turn the ignition off? That would mean you could not get out of the car with the engine running. Does not sound like a good idea to me.

-Dan-

[Terry M.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Apparently the battery was still making contact when he got back in the car, or the doors would not have locked to begin with.

Our daily driver (2006 Chevy Malibu) the doors don't lock until you take it out of park. Apparently this car locks as soon as you close the door. So how does it unlock - when you turn the ignition off? That would mean you could not get out of the car with the engine running. Does not sound like a good idea to me.

-Dan-

Dan
C6s (I think all C6 years are the same, but I lack experience with all of them) lock the doors on engine start up(and unlock on engine shut down), or if the engine doesn't start the doors lock when the alarm sets. The alarm setting process can be controlled by pre-setting the alarm computer, but my guess is someone else set the computer before this owner bought the used car.

If the alarm sets and locks the doors, the doors can not be electrically unlocked from the unlock buttons on the doors. They can be unlocked from the unlock button on the fob, which also turns off the alarm.

If the car battery in this situation could not supply enough current to start the engine, but still had enough capacity to set the alarm (and lock the doors), it should have been possible to unlock the doors using the fob. However, the battery may have completely failed immediately after the doors were locked and alarmed. In that case the only way to release the door locks would be through the mechanical lever outboard of each seat. Jumper cables can be attached under the car (by a slim person or jacking the car up) if the battery fails with the car locked.

In routine operation of my C6 I have "locked" a passenger in the car several times. If the driver has the fob that is designated as the "master" for that trip on their person when exiting the car, after a 5 second delay the alarm will set. A warning can be selected in the computer set-up, but not everyone does this (or knows to do it in spite of t being described in the Owner's Manual and on the New car CD). I have a warning set, but the first time the alarm set with my wife as passenger she was not very happy even though she had a fob in her purse in the car. We promptly had a training session on the C6 alarm system as well as the door lock operation system. We have had several "refresher courses" since. The system is not without its complications, but it can be mastered by anyone with more than a few brain cells to rub together. My observation is that younger people tend to deal with the system complexities easier than more aged individuals. "Stay young my friends."

[Patrick H.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Excellent description Terry.

As previously noted, there is always the targa top, which requires no power at all. This is much easier to "see" than the door release, but I would suspect the owner had never removed it and totally forgot about this as an option.

Or, if there is even a bit of power, the rear hatch release should work.

[Dan D.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

With this, I agree with the OP. Modern cars are too bloody complicated. What is wrong with just locking when taken out of park, like my driver? Manual tranny could activate when you put it in gear, or something on that line.

Good description Terry. The owners manual is probably not written this good.

-Dan-

[Bill L.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Too complicated and waaaay too expensive.

They even use little servo motors for "analog gauges".

At the same time the technology has given us the golden age of high performance.

Bill

[Edward M.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Lawsuit forthcoming. News at 11.

[Jim D.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Lawsuit forthcoming. News at 11.

There may be a lawsuit but I seriously doubt there will be a judgement against GM. The person didn't read the owners manual or use any of several ways to extricate himself from the vehicle. GM did nothing wrong.

[Duke W.]

Re: Another reason why modern cars are too bloody complicated

Facts often don't count in lawsuits. It's a matter of the plaintiff's attorney convincing a jury that GM should have done this, done that... the design is deficient because there is no "obvious" way to exit the vehicle in the event of a power failure. His age may come into play assuming he is not supporting anyone, but he may have a wife

If he were younger, married, with dependent children a jury would likely be more willing to make a big award.

If there is a lawsuit, GM would probaby be wise to settle with a confidential agreement and avoid a trial.

Look at the ignition switch fiasco. If the ignition shuts off you can still steer and brake. It just takes more steering wheel and pedal effort. That one is going to cost GM tens of millions.

Same with the jammed throttle deal on Toyotas. Couldn't you just turn the key one notch CCW to shut off the ignition or put the gear selector in neutral. The driver of the Lexus in San Diego that ended up crashing at 130 MPH and was a national news story was a CHP officer!

I remember suggesting the second option to someone and they said: Gee, wouldn't that blow the engine. Duuuuuh!...what's more valuable, your life or the engine? Then I explained to him that all cars built in at least the last 25 years have rev limiters. He just gave me a blank stare.

Car and Driver simulated the above incident in the same vehicle type found that at WOT at 100 MPH full application of the brakes brought the vehicle to a stop. (In the short term the brakes can dissipate a lot more power than the engine can produce.)

The bottom line is that most people don't understand how to operate their cars, and they never received any training on how to respond to emergencies. I recall reading recently that California (or maybe it was another state) decided to eliminate the parallel parking test because too many people were failing.

Welcome to the throwaway dumbed-down society, and it's getting worse by the day.

BTW, the first thing on a pilot's emergency checklist is "maintain aircraft control!"

Duke