do you use all the electronic functions in your car?

[Dancing Fire]

50% of the functions are useless to me. maybe b/c I have no idea on how to use them nor do I know its purpose...

 

[marcy]

We just got a new car about 2 weeks ago. I am pretty sure DH has used all of the new toys on the car but I have only used about 1/2 of them. I want to keep learning how to use them.

 

[texaskj]

Probably the least used is the rear defogger. My car stays in the garage.
And the cruise control doesn't get all that much use either. Too big a pain on the freeway.
But whoever invented radio controls on the steering wheel should get a Nobel prize and electric windows and locks are pretty nice.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Last month on a long drive to Michigan on a hot day I discovered the miracle of my seat coolers. Ahhhhhhhh!

I have to confess I drove around for the first several weeks without realizing the surround sound wasn't on. When I hit that button the inside of Billy Ray turned into Carnegie Hall!

There are a hundred things I have never used, and likely never will use though...

 

[monarch64]

Probably the least used is the rear defogger. My car stays in the garage.
And the cruise control doesn't get all that much use either. Too big a pain on the freeway.
But whoever invented radio controls on the steering wheel should get a Nobel prize and electric windows and locks are pretty nice.

I concur! I probably use 75% of the electronic functions. Really, the only thing I don't take advantage of is programming the driver's and passenger's seats to an established height/amount of lean (or whatever it's called). I use everything else, like heated seats, steering wheel controls for radio/CD player/changer, heck I can't even think of what else. It was a really nice vehicle when it was brand new, and it hasn't given me many problems aside from replacing tires (which are expensive!) now and then, and a power steering leak 2x in the past 5 years which was easily fixed. It's a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Overland model), was built back when Mercedes owned Jeep for a bit.

Timely thread, because I just got a check from the bank for $11.57 saying that I'd overpaid my loan and am DONE!!! Whoo hoo! Mine, all mine! My insurance is super cheap now, but the gas still isn't.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Probably the least used is the rear defogger. My car stays in the garage.
And the cruise control doesn't get all that much use either. Too big a pain on the freeway.
But whoever invented radio controls on the steering wheel should get a Nobel prize and electric windows and locks are pretty nice.

I have never use the cruise control on any cars I drove.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Last month on a long drive to Michigan on a hot day I discovered the miracle of my seat coolers. Ahhhhhhhh!

I have to confess I drove around for the first several weeks without realizing the surround sound wasn't on. When I hit that button the inside of Billy Ray turned into Carnegie Hall!

There are a hundred things I have never used, and likely never will use though...

A cool A$$ sure feels good...

 

[JewelFreak]

Mine scares the crap out of me when it bursts into speech out of nowhere. First time, I jumped a foot off the seat! It asks for instructions. I go, "uh...um...", trying to figure how to make it go away, until it orders, "Say something like 'Turn Off'" Glad to! I realized it happens when I accidentally hit a button on the steering wheel.

I don't have a plug-in music player or one for the phone (which I never use while driving anyhow) so don't use those.

But a nice toasty butt in winter is lovely, and I like the little bump you can adjust to support your lower back. The sun roof is super on nice days, can be opened in 2 different configurations.

The only thing I wish my car had is programmable seat positions -- DH drives it too much & it would be heaven to push one button to get things back where I like them.

--- Laurie

 

[Ally T]

I am a Jeep owner (on my 2nd now) as where we live in the UK is off the beaten track & horrendous in the winter months. Not cool when I have little ones to ferry around.

I can use my 4x4 button, but that's about ALL I have figured out over the years. Oh, and the heated seat button - I know that one too as I like a toasty bottom

I don't actually KNOW what some off them mean (ESP on/off, anyone?? Does my car have Extra Sensory Perception??!!) It is quite shameful & my husband dispares with me, being Mr Uber Techno Gadget Man.....

 

[chrono]

ESP = Electronic Stability Program
The computer detects when your car handling becomes unstable and does what is necessary to bring it back under control, most often used to prevent fishtailing under winter conditions.

I like gadgets and buttons so I use most of my car's electronic functions regularly.

 

[Ally T]

Thanks Chrono
I really should read the manual.....

 

[chrono]

Nah, that's what your DH is for.

 

[Dancing Fire]

But a nice toasty butt in winter is lovely, and I like the little bump you can adjust to support your lower back. The sun roof is super on nice days, can be opened in 2 different configurations.

--- Laurie

I opened mine one time to see if it works. I don't know how to use the navi..

 

[manderz]

I use everything except the CD player, because I'm more likely to be listening to the radio, or plugging in my phone for a little pandora radio. I haven't bought a CD in like 10 years.

 

[kenny]

I have a pretty cheap car with few fancy features.
That means I use almost everything.

I have never used the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

I have no digital music on an iPod or similar device so I've never used the stereo's USB connector.

Since I never drive in snow I never use the button that turns off the Electronic Stability Control.

I never use the 12v DC power jack, that place where a cigarette lighter was plugged in on older cars.

 

[diamondringlover]

I use about all of them at least the needed one's...but my funny story was I was going down the road and I had to clean my front windshield and then I heard a ding...my overhead console came on and said low wiper fluid I was like lol I have never had a "fancy" car until this one, mine like many others on here is a Jeep 2004 Grand Cherokee Limited..it has lots of goodies on it, which means its all expensive to fix. My driver seat is making noise, there is like 8 motors in the seat and the 1 motor that is going out is $80 bucks...my drivers side mirror went out right after I got it (it has auto dim and got cloudy) it cost $400 to replace it so I have a love hate relationship with my truck. Its a pleasure to drive and the 4 wheel drive is amazing in it (its all automatic)..but is very expensive to fix things on it. Thank goodness my hubby can do almost all the work himself.