Car Pet Peeves

[buickgnx88]

We already have a thread for pet peeves about other people, but how about cars? Is there a feature or option that you dispise? Maybe how something is set up or installed? All of us here are people who like cars and have probably been in enough vehicles to find something that just doesn't sit right with them. (This is about factory vehicles, we already have a thread for the aftermarket pet peeves. )

Mine would have to be...
-Buttons on the spokes of the steering wheel for the horn, rather than the center. I find that if you are going to honk at someone who cut in front of you, you generally wouldn't casually push the horn button with your thumb, but rather jam on the center of the wheel in a mad rush.

-Low/nonexistent center armrests. It's generally nice to have a center armrest that's about elbow height for those long times in the vehicle...too low and it strains either your back or neck, and if it isn't there you most likely wish it was.

-Cupholders! This is one of those areas that some companies have a hard time getting right. If you don't offer at least two SOLID cupholders standard, I hate you. My dad's '93 Saturn has a cupholder that folds out of the center console...and is the only one up front whereas the rear seats get 2 holders...which aren't even used other than for the passenger with the cup that can't go up front in the first place!

-Rear wipers that suck at their job in two ways. The first are wipers that don't bend enough to get curved windows (such as on our '99 Tahoe)...or heck the designers making the window too curved. Second would be wipers that are attached to the tailgate instead of the rear glass, and can only do a partial arc.

-Composite headlights. Yes it's easier to replace a bulb (well not always) rather than the entire light, but the lense is a real pain to replace if it cracks or breaks in an accident (not to mention expensive) and are susceptible to moisture/fogging.

-Flip-up headlights. Yes they may look cool, and may look sleeker when down, but that's all that's cool. If the motor breaks or wears out, or the wires/vacuum breaks, then they get stuck in place. Of course it's usually one that wears out, so you get people with one up and one down. One wore out on my dad's Saturn (luckily flipped up) so he just flipped up the other one and pulled the fuse so they stay up. There's also the little fact that they decrease aerodynamics while up.

Well that's all I can think of now, so let's hear what other's have to say!

 

[Jim Prower]

Poor design for maintenance. For example, on the Nova, to get the timing belt off, one must disconnect the engine from the mount on the passenger side of the car.

Emissions-controlled Carbeureted engines. With the miles of vacuum hose. ech.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

-Cupholders! This is one of those areas that some companies have a hard time getting right. If you don't offer at least two SOLID cupholders standard, I hate you. My dad's '93 Saturn has a cupholder that folds out of the center console...and is the only one up front whereas the rear seats get 2 holders...which aren't even used other than for the passenger with the cup that can't go up front in the first place!

I just use the rear cupholders. The fronts are only 1-2 inches deep. Yeah...that'll hold 'em in place.

 

[buickgnx88]

Yup, just like replacing spark plugs on some vehicles...or hell even oil filters! I also despise the emissions crap, 'tis how my '89 Wrangler came. Course when I got the new engine, most of it was taken out thanks in part to the new carb.

Cupholders- I'd only use the rear if you don't have to twist around to grab the cup each time. But yah, who designs some of the cupholders in vehicles today? What cups were they using for reference?

 

[Formula1Driver]

I can't stand wiper blades that don't work, the '97 Honda Civic I drive has never had a pair of wiper blades that do anything on it. How hard is it for someone to make wiper blades that will work good on every car? Nothing like driving through the rain with blades that do jack all.

 

[Turbo Lag]

Another cup holder problem. Cup holders that interfere with other things in the center console bit. So half the controls are blocked by a cup holder which dosen't really hold the cups in place because they are a weird, big size.

 

[buickgnx88]

Cupholders really are a bitch, they're either to small, not enough, or in the way!

 

[Barracuda]

Having no cupholders, or center console for that matter, can be quite a nuisance at times. I also have that issue with my right windshield wiper, but that's because I put the rubber on the old wiper frames.

-No power steering. Especially when you have a passenger who wants you to take sharp corners and yells when you don't do things right

-Having no air filter between the opening behind my hood and the air system. Ground up leaves all over my interior, terrific.

There's more but I'm a tad busy at the moment.

 

[Leonidae]

changing the light bulbs to modern cars.

Example: PT Cruiser
you have to get to the bulb via the 2"x2" hole intended for this in the inner mudguard since the engine bay is crowded. I hardly could get my fingers in there with the bulb, let alone see the position, locking pins etc..

Example: VW Polo
no access in the mudguards, crowded engine bay = bloody fingers. I was tempted to pull the headlights off but there was no time, nor room for tools.

Example: Renault 19 Chamade
replacing the clutch means taking off the subframe, disconnecting about 50 wires and cables, mutilating radiator piping, nearly dropping out the whole engine.

Example: Volvo 740
now I know why Volvo made their cars so safe.. want to do brake maintenance? replace whole caliper. it's probably so tightly stuck that the cylinder will break into pieces before moving. Also, it's highly unlikely that the old parking brake cable would work with the new calipers mechanism, and the new one is too short.

Example: Nissan Primera
Me: Sir, we replaced the brake fluid, pads and fixed the sticky brake calipers, but the pedal is ridiculously soft.
Teacher: let's see. *starts car, begins to pump the brakes, suddenly ominous hiss and sweet smelling cloud as the brake fluid hits the exhaust pipe.* I'd say that the brake lines are blown. Replace it.. from the front to the rear since it's single piece, that brake line, heeheehee..
Me: 🤬


gotta love those old junkpiles that the customers brought to the school...

 

[buickgnx88]

Here, this is the perfect video for you Leonidae:

 

[Philly]

I'm not too fond of the plastic covers that manufacturers put over the engine. It makes it impossible to see what's going on under the hood. I spent probably a good half hour looking for a part (only to check which version I had) that would have probably been quite easy to find on any other car.

I can't stand wiper blades that don't work, the '97 Honda Civic I drive has never had a pair of wiper blades that do anything on it. How hard is it for someone to make wiper blades that will work good on every car? Nothing like driving through the rain with blades that do jack all.

The VW came with some excellent wipers. I don't know about the blades, but the holders are one piece of flexible plastic shaped into a curve greater than that of the windows. Those work amazing. They always wipe perfectly clean after 3 or 4 wipes when it first starts raining.

Cupholders really are a bitch, they're either to small, not enough, or in the way!

I don't have that problem in the VW. There are two big ones in the doors, and two regular sized ones in the center console with a Red Bull sized one between them. Perfect for each passenger to have a drink and for both the passenger to put cell phones and things between.

Although I hate flimsy cupholders. All the ones in the Volvo fold out (and then are in the way) and are broken.

 

[Joey D]

For the life of me I can't figure out how to use the damn wipers in the Cooper. They are either off, on with speed sensing, or really fast all the time. So if there is a bit of a drizzle they go to fast and make an unholy noise. There is apparently a button you push but either mine is broken or I'm stupid. Why couldn't MINI make is straight forward? Seriously if I can't figure it out there is no way a 55 year old couple is going to figure there's out either, especially if they don't know what these "new fangled" computers are.

 

[buickgnx88]

So there's no intermitent feature on the Mini? That sucks. I think my Jeep has about 3, which I believe to be about 10 seconds, 6 seconds, and 2 seconds.

 

[Joey D]

No there is one, the manual even talks about it and even tells you how to do it. But when I push the button the side of the indicator /wiper stalk (which is supposed to be the one) it doesn't do what I want it to do. The Blazer had something like six settings although the wiper motor was shot the last couple of months I owned it, I had something like 5 coats of Rain-X to help out in the rain.

 

[Philly]

That is curious about not having the intermittent wipers that you can figure out, especially on a new car. I guess it's good that you don't live in Seattle. And it generally doesn't rain hard enough here to need anything other than continuous here. Use Rain-X, and manually operate it, I guess.

As for me, I've got 5 different intermit settings on the stick, and I use them all on a regular basis.

 

[Joey D]

Yup I got Rain-X on right now, I apply it 2-3 times a month, typically after a rainy spell.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Poor design for maintenance. For example, on the Nova, to get the timing belt off, one must disconnect the engine from the mount on the passenger side of the car.

I've changed about 15 timing belts. Only 1 of them didn't require the removal of at least 1 mount, it's just the way they are made, and generally, an engine mount is held on by 3 or 4 bolts. Not really a problem, especially with an impact wrench.



I hate it when manufacturers tend to "patch" things that didn't work well the first time. Today at work, there was a Jeep Liberty, and the intake tube went up and opened over the passenger headlight. Then there's a little piece of plastic riveted on to the radiator support to direct air from a different location to the intake. If the intake didn't work right, redesign the stupid thing, don't half-ass a piece of plastic to cover your mistake.

Those plastic funnel-like things that direct oil from an oil filter around the subframe so it pours out neatly without spilling over the engine. They're fine if they work, but some of them (Ford in particular) manages to make them just bad enough that it kind of works, but some of the oil still manages to get around the thing and spill all over the engine anyway.


The armrest on the Pontiac G6. It's in the way of the handbrake, and if you lift it to pull the handbrake, your elbow hits it anyway.

Exhaust manifolds (mostly Buick) that are badly designed. When did it become a good idea to make a header that comes out of the engine, goes around the block into the header on the other side and then out 1 pipe. 👍 Nice going, I bet that flows well.

Electronic power steering. No feel whatsoever, I hate it.

I could make this list very long, but I don't feel like thinking.

EDIT: The cup holders in my civic suck really bad, they can't hold any normal size of cup whatsoever, or at least I haven't found a single one that fits nice. I have to hold cups with my fingers when I shift or turn.

 

[Moglet]

On the 500;

-Wiper settings
They're either on, off, or intermittent. And when they're on intermittent they swipe again pretty quickly. If you want them on fast (if there's a heavy downpour) you have to hold the right stalk up manually! Why do that?! WHY?

Also, the rear wiper has a mind of it's own. If you've got intermittent on, the rear wiper wipes in time with every other front swipe. But then out of the blue once every 20 minutes or so it goes totally mad, wiping quickly for about 10 seconds then going back to normal. It's not such a bad thing I guess, more funny really. It's a good job the wipers are decent though!


-Horn buttons on the spokes of the wheel
Right next to the bluetooth and stereo controls. 2 days ago I went to beep at someone and activated the voice controls. Instead of honking my horn the computer said "Please repeat your selection". Cheers Fiat!

 

[buickgnx88]

Silly Italians. So you don't have high and low settings along with the intermittent on the fronts?

 

[Perfect Balance]

On the 500;

-Wiper settings
They're either on, off, or intermittent. And when they're on intermittent they swipe again pretty quickly. If you want them on fast (if there's a heavy downpour) you have to hold the right stalk up manually! Why do that?! WHY?

My wipers are like that, I really like them for that reason though, it's always worked fine for me.

 

[Prosthetic]

Good cup holders are a must! My dads Accord is nice with this with a total of 8 cup holders. 2 in the rear doors, 2 in the rear center armrest, 2 in the front doors (Same location as the rears), and 2 in the front center that work wonderfully.

My sisters focus has good cup holders but are 97' Caravan Sport (LOL) has these pop out cup holders all over they work but they are funky. But they are a good idea the way they work. To bad they can't get it perfect.

 

[Leonidae]

cupholders are just as useless as radio/cd player etc..

 

[Joey D]

Radios aren't useless, especially on a long trip.

 

[Leonidae]

I disagree.. try to drive 1600km while 9 drunken woman sing every song that comes from the radio..

 

[Joey D]

Try driving for 14 hours by yourself across the length of a very long United States. It gets old quick when all you hear is the drone of the road. A radio is as much a safety thing if used in the correct way, it keeps you awake. After my Blazer was broken into I drove without a radio for a couple weeks and it was hell.

 

[Leonidae]

I usually do drive without the radio turned on, it's a distraction to me.

 

[Roo]

-Buttons on the spokes of the steering wheel for the horn, rather than the center. I find that if you are going to honk at someone who cut in front of you, you generally wouldn't casually push the horn button with your thumb, but rather jam on the center of the wheel in a mad rush.

Similarly, when I'm in the Volvo and turning sharply (on a roundabout, for example) or reversing, I'll accidently hit one and the horn will beep. A great way to annoy other road users.

No there is one, the manual even talks about it and even tells you how to do it. But when I push the button the side of the indicator /wiper stalk (which is supposed to be the one) it doesn't do what I want it to do.

I know they designed the MINI retro, but no intermittent wiper was going a bit far!

I know intermittant is in yours somewhere, just taking the mick

On Peugeot 205s, why instead of a wheel nut do you have a wheel bolt? It means that in anything other than bright midday sun you can't see to line the holes on the wheel up with the bolt holes on the car. I'd hate to change one at night.

And then there's my Mini, which I could write a thread on by itself. The latest one, however, is the bypass hose, which is about 2 inches long, costs about £1.50, and splits often, pouring the contents of the radiator onto the block. If you want a decent pipe that doesn't split you have to remove the head. (Yes, this happened on Sunday morning in the queue for the Goodwood Revival. Came home on a tow truck. Haven't got round to fixing it yet.)

 

[buickgnx88]

Haha the original VW Beetles had bolts instead of nuts, it's a real pain on ours because we have a Baja Bug with large truck tires that weigh too much and we get to try and thread the bolts in!

 

[Moglet]

Silly Italians. So you don't have high and low settings along with the intermittent on the fronts?

Nope. They swipe about every 6 seconds on intermittent, which isn't too much of a problem but having to hold the stalk up to get them at full speed is a joke, especially in this country where we have two types of weather; Raining lots & raining but slightly sunny.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Nope. They swipe about every 6 seconds on intermittent, which isn't too much of a problem but having to hold the stalk up to get them at full speed is a joke, especially in this country where we have two types of weather; Raining lots & raining but slightly sunny.

THIS is why I've loathed every Fiat I've ever driven. They're just poorly thought out.

I dislike "wrong" sided wipers. My Espace, for example, has left-hand-drive wipers, but it's right-hand-drive. So the wipers keep flicking water into my vision.

Why don't cars switch off their fog lights automatically when the engine is switched off?

Heated front screens should be mandatory.

I want a beverage holder that can hold a 500ml bottle, since that's all I ever drink in the car.

Why does my in-dash CD player take like six minutes to change a disc? Why can't it buffer the change time, so that "All disc random" isn't a staccato mess?

Why is there no dipstick on the headlamp washer bottle? And why does it always take ages for washer fluid to get to the rear screen? What happened to the fluid left in the pipe when I stopped washing last time?