After buying a new car, not all drivers read the instructions carefully and so some very important devices are overlooked. Few use functions whose buttons are located so that they are not constantly in front of the eye. And at some point, with surprise, they learn about the presence of hidden devices that greatly help the use of the car.
Grille under the steering wheel
Many have probably noticed that in cars with automatic air conditioning, on the dashboard or on the central tunnel, there is a small grill that hides the cavity in the panel. Some believe it’s due to a missing button or simply a design element, so they hang a smartphone stand on it or place religious icons on it.
In fact, the cabin temperature sensor as well as the humidity sensors are located under the grille. With their help, the climate system controls the quality of the air and regulates the operation of the air conditioner. Some cars may have several such grills. A small fan pumps air through the grill and delivers it to the sensitive elements of the sensors, but if the grill is covered with any objects, then the operation of the climate system will be disturbed.
Internal mirror function
In general, there is nothing unnecessary in the car. If you look closely at the interior mirror, you can see a small lever on it (most often in the lower part). It controls the light filter inside the mirror housing.
When pressed, the inner prism, reflecting the image behind, rotates to absorb some of the bright light from the headlights of cars moving behind. That is, the light no longer goes directly to the mirror, but through the filter. This is done to prevent the driver from being blinded at night by the bright beams of car headlights. The lever is usually under the mirror and must be pushed down, but not all novice drivers notice it immediately. And since car instructors do not teach such subtleties, the lever (on the picture) is not used.
In more expensive cars, this device has an electric drive that is activated automatically at the command of an electronic control unit that responds to signals from photocells. The first sensor analyzes the degree of illumination in the direction of the car. The second catches the light from the headlights of cars moving behind. When there is a significant difference between the illumination from the front and the bright light sources from behind, the electronics rotates the filter and dims the mirror. However, to activate the auto-dimming feature, there is a small inconspicuous button that you need to press and hold for 2-3 seconds.
Gear lock
Another inconspicuous button is located next to the automatic transmission selector. This is a gear lock key. It is located in front of the lever and is covered with a plastic cover to prevent accidental activation. No one ever uses it, but in vain.
Using the shift lock function, you can lock the car when it is parked with the engine off. This is necessary in case of vehicle breakdown. For example, let’s imagine a situation where a car won’t start and needs to be taken to a repair shop. When the engine is off, the selector is blocked by a special lock. To load the car on a platform, you need to remove this blocking, which is helped by the gear lock button. To do this, remove the small plug and press the button, then move the lever to position N. After switching to neutral, even without the engine running, you can move the car to the right place or slide it onto the loading platform of a tow truck .
Overdrive
On the old 4-speed automatics, there is another button that is not very noticeable and sometimes hardly used by the owners. This is an OD (Overdrive) function that allows the threshold for shifting gears to be increased. If in normal operation the gearbox gears are changed at 2000 rpm of the engine, in Overdrive they are switched already at 3500-4000. The box, as the drivers say, “hangs” on third gear and allows the engine to be maintained at maximum performance.
OD mode is recommended for use in winter when the roads are covered with snow. In the slush, the extra torque won’t hurt. High revs also help to effectively stop the engine when the gas pedal is released.
Rear door lock
Carrying children in a car is associated with a number of dangers. There is a risk that they will start playing with the door handle, which can cause it to open suddenly while driving. The same often happens with the auto-open window button.
Not all drivers know that rear door window locks can be jammed. This is done using an inconspicuous lever at the end of the door. To get access to it, you need to open the door and look carefully at the place – very often there is either a Child Protector sign or a small signboard.
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2023-07-15 08:56:10
#functions #car #people
