Getting a New Car?
Buying a new car is an exciting time, but it can also be daunting - each vehicle has its own quirks, after all!. Here are some of the most common problems new owners face when they get a shiny new ride.
Too Many Beeps, Not Enough Info
Modern cars practically talk to you, but it often feels like they’re speaking another language composed of beeps and warning lights. Many new vehicle owners find themselves up to their necks in online manuals trying to work out if their trunk’s slightly ajar or if their engine’s imploding.
Infotainment Glitches
The misleadingly termed “infotainment system” controls everything from music to maps to climate, and drivers expect seamless operation. It baffles owners when their brand new touch screen freezes mid-journey or gives up the ghost entirely and reboots for no reason. Don’t even get us started on laggy rear view cameras!
Updates That Break Things
Instead of driving to a dealership for an update it’s all done overnight now like a computer, and it comes with similar pitfalls. Driver aids might become too aggressive or sensitive, memory settings completely erased or, worse case scenario, you might get locked out of your vehicle entirely. Thanks, Skynet!
Hybrid/EV 12-Volt Battery Drain
Yep, electric and hybrid vehicles don’t leave everything to their futuristic lithium-ion batteries - they still rely on the humble 12-volt for things such as lights, locks and computer start ups. They drain super quickly then it doesn’t matter how full that big battery is - the 12-volt brings you to your knees.
Misinterpreted Voice Commands
Voice commands are still a work in progress. Sure, it’s funny when the first time you try to “call dad” results in playing Dido, but that quickly turns into frustration in busy traffic. Some are so sensitive they activate when you clear your throat, while others barely work at all.
Smart (but Not Sensible) Headlights
The concept is that these headlights detect ambient light and turn on when you need them. The reality can be different; sometimes, they detect the least little change - from a tunnel, under a bridge or even a heavy cloud - and light up log spotlights!
Start-Stop Engines That Stall Your Confidence
Engines that stop when you reach lights to improve fuel economy and restart when you relieve the break sound like an awesome idea, and it is - until it becomes overzealous. Cutting out before you’ve fully stopped, or lagging responses can be worrying at best and dangerous at worst.
Too Many Confusing Drive Modes
Modern cars come with so many drive modes, it seems like there’s one for every mood - sport, eco, comfort, individual, off-road, the list goes on. Some of them are obvious, but others are unexplained or seemingly make performance worse with no noticeable gain.
Frozen Sensors in Winter
Tech doesn’t do well in cold weather, especially sensors - and most recent car models are covered in them, for cameras, radar, and all kinds of mysterious things. Snow and slush make them useless, functionally disabling your car’s best features. Nice lane assist; it would be a shame if something…. happened to it.
Subscription-Based Features
One of the most insidious hidden fees to crop in recent years, some companies are locking features that are already installed into your car behind paywalls. Your vehicle has heated seats, remote start or navigation, but you’ll have to pay a fee every month to use it.
Key Fob Fails
Keyless convenience is an awesome idea that fails frequently in the application. A dying battery, nearby radio tower interference or weak signals can stop them working entirely, then your key fob ghosts you and locks you out of your own car with your dignity slipping away.
Phantom Braking
Safety features have come on in leaps and bounds, but phantom braking is very real. Sometimes your car automatically jams on the brakes seemingly for no reason, leaving you with your heart in your throat. Was it a shadow? A leaf? A glitch in the Matrix? It’s scary and dangerous.
Chipping Paint
If you’ve noticed that newer car paint doesn’t last very long, you’re not alone - recent batches are eco-friendly which is much better for the environment, but it’s thinner and doesn’t stand up as well to wear-and-tear. A gravel road can be enough to give your paint job a new (and unwanted) spatter pattern.
Unpredictable Auto Wipers
Wipers that automatically turn on in response to the rain? That’s the dream! However, sometimes their sensors can be overly sensitive, or not sensitive enough. A mild drizzle sends them flailing like mad, and a heavy downpour barely registers a twitch
Interior Materials That Attract Everything
You expect luxury cars to be a little high maintenance, but new car interiors are almost impossible to keep clean. Black trims attract fingerprints, dash materials hoard dust and vegan leathers stash microfibers like they’re going out of style.
Fake Engine Sounds
Faux engine sounds coming from a speaker are particularly prevalent in hybrids and EVs, designed to create an immersive driving experience. Some drivers like it, but many find them firmly in uncanny valley - they don’t sound quite right, and often they don’t even match the vehicle’s motion.
CVT Transmission Whine
Despite offering a smoother ride and better fuel economy, Continuously Variable Transmissions (or CVT) don’t shift like traditional gearboxes and instead come with a hideous whine that sounds like a dying weed whacker. They can also add lag to make acceleration feel sluggish and less performant than drivers expect.
Always-On Connectivity
Because everything is connected to the internet now, so is your new car. It’s technically for updates, backups and manufacturer services, but it might be logging other activities, including location, call history or cabin conversations, exposing you to potential cyber attacks. You can’t usually back out of connectivity entirely, either!
Touchscreen Climate Controls
Touchscreens feel super futuristic, but when you need them for something like climate controls which used to be operated on muscle memory, it gets complicated. Trying to work them becomes a driver distraction, and poor user interface or glitches and lags are a recipe for traffic accidents.
No Spare Tire
In order to save weight and space, most cars come with a repair kit instead of a spare tire, which is a disaster if you get a serious issue with your wheels. Not all tires are repairable and sealants won’t fix sidewall tears.
