3 ms·

Cars are not necessarily incredibly complex. We've gone a good way down the path of making them so, but that is almost entirely a self-inflicted problem.

by douche 10y ago

simion314 10y ago
Agree, I also heard about the issue where you remove the battery then the computer restarts and you can't start your car, I am not sure what mechanics do to have it start again. Probably some major incident needs to happen so safety laws are passed so the main function of a car does not depend on the fancy features like navigation,sensor reading for doors, things like that
- coredog64 10y ago
  My Honda did this. I replaced the battery and the passkey system got confused. Allegedly there is a VIN-tied procedure for temporarily overriding it (e.g. Turn on car, pump brakes 3 times, turn to accessory, back to on pump brakes twice, etc.). Shockingly, the dealer declined to share it with us, forcing a tow to the service center. If you are buying a new car with a passkey system, make sure to extract the code before you sign the papers.
  - icantdrive55 10y ago
    Thanks. I've been looking at new cars, and a bit scared. I've been to automotive school, and never needed to bring my vechicles to the dealership. If things don't change, I might be forced into going into those $225/hr. dens of mystery. When I'm doing the negotiations; I do plan on insisting a shop manual, but even a shop manual can only do so much. It's that closed computer that scares me. Taking out a battery and the car won't start is unacceptable. (I understand a vechicle needs to relearn the pulse widths of the EFI system, after a power interrupt. Actually--I don't even understand that. The computer should have a rechargeable battery that remembers the last data points? Or, go into "open loop" until the computer relearns? I find any vechicle that won't start after taking a battery out just wrong.)

Cars are not necessarily incredibly complex. We've gone a good way down the path of making them so, but that is almost entirely a self-inflicted problem.

by douche 10y ago

Cars are not necessarily incredibly complex. We've gone a good way down the path of making them so, but that is almost entirely a self-inflicted problem.

simion314 10y ago

Agree, I also heard about the issue where you remove the battery then the computer restarts and you can't start your car, I am not sure what mechanics do to have it start again. Probably some major incident needs to happen so safety laws are passed so the main function of a car does not depend on the fancy features like navigation,sensor reading for doors, things like that

coredog64 10y ago
My Honda did this. I replaced the battery and the passkey system got confused. Allegedly there is a VIN-tied procedure for temporarily overriding it (e.g. Turn on car, pump brakes 3 times, turn to accessory, back to on pump brakes twice, etc.). Shockingly, the dealer declined to share it with us, forcing a tow to the service center. If you are buying a new car with a passkey system, make sure to extract the code before you sign the papers.
- icantdrive55 10y ago
  Thanks. I've been looking at new cars, and a bit scared. I've been to automotive school, and never needed to bring my vechicles to the dealership. If things don't change, I might be forced into going into those $225/hr. dens of mystery. When I'm doing the negotiations; I do plan on insisting a shop manual, but even a shop manual can only do so much. It's that closed computer that scares me. Taking out a battery and the car won't start is unacceptable. (I understand a vechicle needs to relearn the pulse widths of the EFI system, after a power interrupt. Actually--I don't even understand that. The computer should have a rechargeable battery that remembers the last data points? Or, go into "open loop" until the computer relearns? I find any vechicle that won't start after taking a battery out just wrong.)