Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:19:28 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: flashing coolant light purpose
In-Reply-To: <0d9b01cc79b1$135176e0$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Just read this week about a Toyota, present cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars, that drives itself on the freeway and even through city streets. An engineering school back east (might have been MIT) has fit the controls to it. The article estimated 15 years out as a consumer ready date.
No dipstick for oil or auto transmission? Of course, no current cars have dipsticks for standard transmissions, but I once owned a Subaru that had that. Seemed completely unnecessary, that one. But there it was. So, on the BMW one is just supposed to guess that oil should be added, try it, and if that fails to fix the problem, try something else. Of course, if the engine was not low on oil, then it now has too much. Real smart.
mcneely
---- Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
> I love that !
>
> the car will automatically guestimate the cost involved with whatever code
> the ecu is flagging and setting ..
> and the display will be in Dollars !
>
> that is SO FUN ..
> that we should make a fake one just to sell !
>
> as you may know ..
> some cars don't even have dipsticks on their engines and transmissions now.
> a 2003 Eurovan has no dipstick on the sealed auto trans.
>
> and this one really gets me..
> for BMW's with no engine dipstick.
> I have a professional trade magazine Tech Tip ..that says....
> for troubleshooting that..
> First it says add a qt of oil.
> if that doesn't make the oil warning thing turn off.
> drain the oil and fill with the correct amount.
> if that still doesn't fix it ..
> troubleshoot the circuit.
> This is no bull either.
>
> holy crap ..
> all for the lack of a $ 5 dollar dipstick..
>
> engineers are DANGEROUS ..
> just because they can make a car like that,
> or ....and this is true..
> make a BMW that will drive itself into your garage via remote control from
> your Smart Phone ...
>
> Just because the can, should they ???
>
> the ole
> "We have met the Enemy, and they are us."
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 2:08 PM
> Subject: Re: flashing coolant light purpose
>
>
> > On Thu, Sep 22, 2011 at 1:22 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:
> >
> >> I wonder if there would be some other way to identify such a failure. I
> >> wouldn't mind having an audio alarm of some type in addition to the
> >> light for low coolant warning - but if a belt breaks and the pump stops
> >> turning and pumping - like you say - you may miss what the real
> >> problem is until it's to late. As a matter of fact - until you mentioned
> >> this, I don't think I had ever even thought of it. Now I am aware, I
> >> know to stop immediately when that alternator light comes on and check
> >> things out.
> >> It is astonishing
> >> the number of people who just get in their vehicles and just drive,
> >> never ever monitoring the engine until it acts up or quits.
> >>
> >> Do Happy Scanning, Have Happy Driving!
> >>
> >> John
> >>
> >>
> > That is why they put things like flashing lights in most cars
> > now....because
> > people aren't aware enough to actually use a gauge. Hence, those flashing
> > warning lights, those blinking "Check Engine" notifications on your
> > digital
> > dashboard...There is a reason those are fondly called "Idiot
> > Lights".....they wake up the Idiot who is driving the vehicle to the fact
> > that something is wrong with it....without confusing him/her with any
> > data,
> > with any incremental knowledge like you might gain by monitoring a gauge..
> >
> > I get a kick out of the very new vehicles....they should just have a
> > great
> > big flashing dollar sign...followed by a minus sign......because often,
> > when
> > you get some indication of problems with your vehicle's operating
> > systems....it will not tell you what is wrong....you must take the vehicle
> > to the dealer to have him read the fault with his diagno$tic
> > computer....at
> > a very high shop rate and probably appointment needed and 'do not drive
> > this
> > vehicle if you see this warning...have it trucked to the dealer'....
> >
> > Personally, that overly-complex electrical circuitry in order to warn an
> > Idiot car owner....that is one of the reasons I so enjoy my old
> > vanagon....I
> > can put actual working gauges on it and see things....as they happen...
> >
> > Don Hanson
--
David McNeely
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