Jump to content
Create New...

I feel dumb


Recommended Posts

A while back I think I posted a question about the automatic locking feature...basically mine stopped working and I wanted to know why.

I never bothered to get it fixed, and lived without it.

I was browsing through my owner's manual today and came across information about the headlights. Basically you can program them to stay on for a minute or so after you turn the car off or disable the feature.

It got me thinking....I wonder if the automatic locking system is programmable?

Sure enough, you can enable or disable it. So I followed the instructions and sure enough they work again. :duh:

I just don't know how they were disabled in the first place. Oh well, nice to have them back. ^_^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes... I don't know how it is on the LHs, but on my GC it's all configurable through the overhead console controls. I can set the light delay to 30/60/90 seconds, drivers door only or all doors on first click of the remote unlock, flash the lights or not on lock/unlock, sound the horn or not on lock/unlock, etc.

Speaking of LHes, one thing I noticed a while back, my friend Karyn has a '99 Intrepid--in riding in it and also driving it I've noticed many of the controls (stalks, stereo, HVAC) are pretty much identical to my '00 GC.

Edited by moltar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Handy feature to have... but the light delay feature annoys me.

To allow the light feature to run, as convenient they are 1 in every 100 trips I make somewhere in the dark, whenever I park in the city, day or night, it's friggin' annoying almost EVERY time to have a passerby tell me, "You left your lights on!"

I really have to control myself from just yelling, "YES GODDAMN IT! I KNOW! THEY WILL SHUT THEMSELVES OFF ON THEIR OWN!" ... Of course, if I did that, I would just seem to be an inconsiderate tool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you ever have a dead battery? Or had disconnected the battery for any length of time?

Yes but the day they stopped working was just at random as I recall. Could be wrong. I thougght battery too but then why would all of teh other programmable stuff stay enabled?

Yes... I don't know how it is on the LHs, but on my GC it's all configurable through the overhead console controls. I can set the light delay to 30/60/90 seconds, drivers door only or all doors on first click of the remote unlock, flash the lights or not on lock/unlock, sound the horn or not on lock/unlock, etc.

Speaking of LHes, one thing I noticed a while back, my friend Karyn has a '99 Intrepid--in riding in it and also driving it I've noticed many of the controls (stalks, stereo, HVAC) are pretty much identical to my '00 GC.

The Overhead Travel Information Center as Chrysler called it was optional on Intrepids and Concordes. You do the programming for various features by some combination of turning the key off and onn a certain number of times to activate a particular programming mode and press something related to the feature you're programming to enable or disable it.

Chrysler, like GM and Ford liked to parts share much of the switchgeatr...although when it comes to stereos and the HVAC controls, there were actually a lot of variations.

Handy feature to have... but the light delay feature annoys me.

To allow the light feature to run, as convenient they are 1 in every 100 trips I make somewhere in the dark, whenever I park in the city, day or night, it's friggin' annoying almost EVERY time to have a passerby tell me, "You left your lights on!"

I really have to control myself from just yelling, "YES GODDAMN IT! I KNOW! THEY WILL SHUT THEMSELVES OFF ON THEIR OWN!" ... Of course, if I did that, I would just seem to be an inconsiderate tool.

I don't think anyone's sad that to me yet. :lol:

I do like how the headlights have an auto off feature if you forget to actually turn them off.

I think it would be cool if mine had the optional auto-on feature. That was one of my favorite features about the Cobalt I had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chrysler, like GM and Ford liked to parts share much of the switchgear...although when it comes to stereos and the HVAC controls, there were actually a lot of variations.

Yeah, more so with the 2nd gen and later GCs...it seems like the 1st gen GCs had more specific interior parts, probably since they were originally an AMC design.

I think it would be cool if mine had the optional auto-on feature. That was one of my favorite features about the Cobalt I had.

My Jeep has the auto-on.. I usually leave it set on auto-on, great with parking garages and tunnels. When it's set to auto-on, the lights go off after 60 seconds (which is what I set it to)...if it's not on (and I leave the lights on otherwise) they shut off after about 5 minutes, IIRC. Though since it chimes when you get out w/ the keys but the lights still on, that's hard to do..

One other option my Jeep has in the overhead console that I like is the Home Link garage door opener...I have my garage in Denver, my condo complex gate in Denver, and my sisters' garage in Phoenix programmed in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, more so with the 2nd gen and later GCs...it seems like the 1st gen GCs had more specific interior parts, probably since they were originally an AMC design.

My Jeep has the auto-on.. I usually leave it set on auto-on, great with parking garages and tunnels. When it's set to auto-on, the lights go off after 60 seconds (which is what I set it to)...if it's not on (and I leave the lights on otherwise) they shut off after about 5 minutes, IIRC. Though since it chimes when you get out w/ the keys but the lights still on, that's hard to do..

One other option my Jeep has in the overhead console that I like is the Home Link garage door opener...I have my garage in Denver, my condo complex gate in Denver, and my sisters' garage in Phoenix programmed in.

Yeah, the overhead console that was optional for the LHs had that feature as well.

The Mercury has auto lights and I love them.

When I was at the junkyard I managed to get the switch, but need the sensor. Plus I don't know how to wire it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Handy feature to have... but the light delay feature annoys me.

To allow the light feature to run, as convenient they are 1 in every 100 trips I make somewhere in the dark, whenever I park in the city, day or night, it's friggin' annoying almost EVERY time to have a passerby tell me, "You left your lights on!"

I really have to control myself from just yelling, "YES GODDAMN IT! I KNOW! THEY WILL SHUT THEMSELVES OFF ON THEIR OWN!" ... Of course, if I did that, I would just seem to be an inconsiderate tool.

:lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it would be cool if mine had the optional auto-on feature. That was one of my favorite features about the Cobalt I had.

I personally dislike the feature. I need to read the manual one of these days to see if I set it to be disabled, otherwise, I have to manually disable them every time. That and the light delay that coincides with it.

Automatic this, automatic that, I hate it. I can't be in control of my own vehicle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I personally dislike the feature. I need to read the manual one of these days to see if I set it to be disabled, otherwise, I have to manually disable them every time. That and the light delay that coincides with it.

Automatic this, automatic that, I hate it. I can't be in control of my own life.

Fixed.

And a good quote by the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I personally dislike the feature. I need to read the manual one of these days to see if I set it to be disabled, otherwise, I have to manually disable them every time. That and the light delay that coincides with it.

Automatic this, automatic that, I hate it. I can't be in control of my own vehicle.

I forget how the Cobalt's worked, but on both the GM and LH cars you just turned the dial all the way to the left to to turn automatic headlights on. To disable them you just leave it in the off position. The manual controls are still there.

IMG_2297.jpg

On the GM you can adjust the sensitivity of them too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Handy feature to have... but the light delay feature annoys me.

To allow the light feature to run, as convenient they are 1 in every 100 trips I make somewhere in the dark, whenever I park in the city, day or night, it's friggin' annoying almost EVERY time to have a passerby tell me, "You left your lights on!"

When I first got my Jeep back in '00, I got a few comments like that from passersby. But they seem to be a very common feature on cars today, I would think most people would be used to seeing them...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I forget how the Cobalt's worked, but on both the GM and LH cars you just turned the dial all the way to the left to to turn automatic headlights on. To disable them you just leave it in the off position. The manual controls are still there.

The Cobalt's off position isn't selectable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I first got my Jeep back in '00, I got a few comments like that from passersby. But they seem to be a very common feature on cars today, I would think most people would be used to seeing them...

Apparently it's lost on the old farts. The grand majority of people letting me know about my lights have all been over at least 60.

This reminds me about my mother-in-law's Aurora. It's headlights and reverse lights stay on for a minute when you press the lock/unlock button on the FOB. It's funny to observe people hesitate from walking along the rear when it's parked after they see the reverse lights come on and there's nobody in the car. :P

I also find these lights quite stupid because they don't really help illuminate the pathway to the car; but rather, they blind you as you approach it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparently it's lost on the old farts. The grand majority of people letting me know about my lights have all been over at least 60.

This reminds me about my mother-in-law's Aurora. It's headlights and reverse lights stay on for a minute when you press the lock/unlock button on the FOB. It's funny to observe people hesitate from walking along the rear when it's parked after they see the reverse lights come on and there's nobody in the car. :P

I also find these lights quite stupid because they don't really help illuminate the pathway to the car; but rather, they blind you as you approach it.

I've noticed that with some GMs..with my Jeep, I can configure it to flash the parking lights/taillights and/or sound the horn on lock/unlock. I turned off the horn setting, too annoying. Though it would be useful in crowded parking lots at night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search

Change privacy settings