"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 5 Jul 2009 16:07:50 -0400, "D.Duck" wrote:


I must have been thinking of some other over-priced replacement car part.
Although not oem you can get the whole kit for under $150.

http://www.automotix.net/bodyparts/2...-tpms409s.html

That looks like an aftermarket kit.
Probably better than the factory installed, which infects your dash
display. Looks like you can just toss this thing when it breaks,
display and all. Then you won't have a dead spot on the dash or
flashing lights there.
I'm with Eisboch on the KISS.
The more doodads to fix, the less I like it.

Car software problems. I have the two Lucernes, '07 and '08. On occasion
either one of them will lock the doors when you exit the vehicle. When it
first happened I talked with the local service manager and they had never
heard of it. Maybe a year later the same guy confessed that they were now
aware of the problem and the service guys roll down a window just in case
the car locks while they are working on it. GM will not do anything about
it.

It's a problem for me as we leave the keys in the car when they are parked
at home. I now carry a spare in my pocket.

Sometimes this lock/unlock stuff is a short/grounding/intermittant
connection problem.
I had it on my '97 Lumina, but only with the ignition on. My kid
found miswiring and bad connections in alarm/remote locking system.
He's done a lot of those. Who knows what a mech would have cost.
I've got a '93 Grand Am my daughter used until she got something else.
She got locked out twice, key in ignition, but not running, when it
locked of it's own accord. I won't close the door with the key
inside. Have to put "spare key" on my todo list.
Here's some of the issues/problems.
1. Manual locks are you friend. Good luck finding them.
2. Electric locks independent of the car computer can still
malfunction due to wiring/shorts. The Grand Am has independent locks,
not tied to the ignition, with its own fused circuit. Tracking down
the problem is straight forward. I just don't want to do it yet.
3. The Lumina auto-locks when the engine is started, but it's the
alarm system doing that, so again it was straight forward
troubleshooting it. It's only tied to the ignition through the alarm
system.
4. Then we have your cars. Let's call them Christine and Christina.
The locks are controlled by the girls' hormone influenced brains.
GM started controlling locks with the computer in about 2002.
And it might not be software, but intermittent ECU circuitry glitches.
That's nearly always indicated if temp makes a difference in rate
of occurrence.
KISS would not allow this. KISS would keep systems discrete and
avoid complexity for complexity's sake.
GM would have located the problem and fixed it.
Well, they would have located it.
Given GM's rep for customer satisfaction, maybe you would pay.

Reminds me many arguments I had with some system designers and
programmer. Those that liked complexity and massive modules that
could do everything. They considered it "elegant."
I considered it Christine.
I liked breaking a system up into independent modules and job streams,
so a problem could be quickly located, identified and fixed.
And modified or added too with no pain.
That philosophy worked very well for me, and everybody who paid me
agreed.
Since I'm retired and IT has passed me by I won't argue that anymore.
But DAMMIT, I WANT MANUAL LOCKS AND ROLL UP WINDOWS!

--Vic


Funny you should say that about manual windows/locks.
That's all I ever had...up till 3 months ago when I bought the 'base' RAV4.
Someone at Toyota Canada must have thought they were offering good value by
including a lot of things that weren't usually on the base model at a lower
price than 2008 models.
The lowest model up here is 4 wheel drive (on demand or can be locked in
under 40 kph)
Power locks, windows & mirrors.
Defrosters on windshield re wiper blades, rear window & heated outside
mirrors.
Radio/CD/MP3 player & the larger 17" fancy wheels (not plain steel with
discs)
There are even some silly things like a light that comes on in both
sunvisors when you slide the little mirror door back.
Probably a number of ther little things that I haven't used yet.
Anyway, a reasonably turned out 'base' vehicle...except I'd rather the
manual windows & door locks.