Does your car have this feature?

[stinkerbelle]

So...I'm driving to work today...and I slid only twice. (I don't have "kick it into 4WD when I want" on my Rav4...it has "traction assist 4WD"..whatever that is.)

Anyway...I was taking a corner, and slid a bit...I hear this beeping noise....but since there was a radio commercial playing for "24"...I figured it was the commercial.

At the next stop light, I turn right, and slide a bit again (not alot...but still, slid...) and I hear the beeping again...I look down at my dash board and I see this lit up picture of a car sliding.

So...my car beeps and flashes at me to let me know I'm sliding?



hmmm...NO CRAP!!!!!!!!!! Meanwhile...I'm praying I don't slid into anything else!

oye!

I've taken a poll of my family...my parents 2 4Runners beeps and flashes, my brother's Audi "chimes" and flashes, and my DH's Mazda just flashes...

seriously - is the beeping necessary?

 

[caitycaity]

mine has a light come on and a beep.

i think it is good that they alert people in some way because (at least where i live) there are an awful lot of people who are not used to driving in snow/ice. my dh is from california and the first time he was in a skid (i was in the car with him) he didn't even know what was happening!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Our Grand AM GT has a traction control system. I do not need the car to display a light that says "LOW TRAC" and beep at me to tell me when I've lost traction, however I'm glad that the car takes over and assists by moving power away from the wheel that is slipping to keep me moving.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Our Grand AM GT has a traction control system. I do not need the car to display a light that says "LOW TRAC" and beep at me to tell me when I've lost traction, however I'm glad that the car takes over and assists by moving power away from the wheel that is slipping to keep me moving.

I agree - the fact that it does something...is nice.

but really - you (the car) don't need to tell me by flashing and beeping when I'm trying to avoid sliding into another car! hehehe

 

[golfgal]

It sounds like something you would see in a car made by the "Car driving for Dummies" people.

 

[Blondy876]

I don't have that in my Xterra (I don't think) but it would freak me out. As it is when I start to slide I cling to the wheel and close my eyes. A lot of good that does.

 

[stinkerbelle]

I don't have that in my Xterra (I don't think) but it would freak me out. As it is when I start to slide I cling to the wheel and close my eyes. A lot of good that does.

LOL!

no - Nissan doesn't have this feature (as I drove a pathfinder before this Toyota...and the Pathy NEVER beeped at me.)

I kinda miss "popping the truck into 4WD"...like I did on my pathfinder...I dunno...the RAV is just smart enough to "use it when it needs it"?

whatever...I got to work in one piece at least!

 

[monarchsfan16]

My mom's Avalon beeps at her and something appears on the dash. Her old Mercedes just flashed an exclamation point at her whenever it was slippery.
Dad's BMW convertable actually does something to the wheels to keep from sliding. But generally that's in the summer when he's trying to slide His GMC truck has one of those thermometers in the rearview mirror. It flashes "ice" whenever it's below 37 degrees. Not sure if it tells him he's sliding though.
As for me, I drive a 97 Explorer. I have to know I'm sliding, because that thing isn't telling me anything

 

[Amlee]

My mothers yukon does and my dads truck does.

But to me the last thing I need is a beeping noise and a flashing light to distract me from staying in control.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I think I would be more freaked out that my car is beeping at me than the fact that I am sliding! My car doesn't have this feature but it is older. It has no idea if I'm sliding or not. I'm just happy it still runs. My friend bought a new car and it tells you everything will little pictures on the dash. To me, that is a little overkill. I guess I am going to have a hard time adjusting to these new features whenever my car dies. (knocks on wood, I need this car to keep running!)

 

[jennyl772003]

Our Impala has a light that goes on when the traction control kick in (ie, when it's sliding) but it is actually letting you know that the feature is activated. No chime though. That would annoy me.

 

[Ziva]

My cars too old to have any of that kind of stuff!

 

[always quiet]

I know our Sienna LE has traction control and their is a light on the dashboard (saw this when DH accidentially pushed the button to disable it) but since we just got it in Oct. and this is the first snowfall that we've been home for (missed the first 2 in early Dec. by going to WDW! ), I don't know what it will do when/if traction control engages. I know it beeps if a door is left open and it sets off a real loud tone if I try to lock it if one of the doors or trunk isn't closed....I'll get back to you on this later today since the road conditions around here don't look so good!!

 

[Ava83]

Anyway...I was taking a corner, and slid a bit...I hear this beeping noise....but since there was a radio commercial playing for "24"...I figured it was the commercial

You have a Toyota! I have the Highlander and it beeps at me!

Once for skidding, another when it was low on gas. Kinda freaked me out the first time.

I now have taken car of the gas problem by informing DH that the truck is low on gas.

 

[HonestAbe]

The beeping is a safety feature. It is to distract you from the head on collision you are about to have - hence your body will be more relaxed and less susceptible to injury.

 

[stinkerbelle]

The beeping is a safety feature. It is to distract you from the head on collision you are about to have - hence your body will be more relaxed and less susceptible to injury.

I feel MUCH more comfortable now! heheheh

Ok - Ava - you told me about the "hold the trip-reset-button trick to reset my 'maint-req' light"...right?

is there a trick to turn on the beeping?

honestly - like i've said - i'm not knocking the feature - I could just deal without the extra noise!

 

[Ava83]

is there a trick to turn on the beeping?

Don't Skid? Just kidding

Okay did you have that ECT whatever button on? I have never had the beeping go on with that button pressed in bad weather.

That is all I can think of.