VW Golf control 'features' do'h!
Discussion
Anyone whoes upgraded to a MK5 golf from a MK4 probably noticed this too, but what is it with mainstream manufacturers 'helping' us to drive.
1-Welcome home lights-come on full headlights when you put the key in the ignition, not very popular (or safe) with neighbours or oncoming cars when your parked on a corner plot!
2-Seat belt buzzer-so you get in the car and start the engine to get warm while you write your reports, make a phone call,, eat you sarnies, and the blooming thing bleeps you to death, yes I know I dont have my seat belt on, I dont need it on!
3-Indicator stalk that wont cancel-unless you actually turn the wheel, its nigh on impossible to cancel the indicators in a straightline, so no more 'thankyou' left right flash to a truck on the motorway, and if you indicate then change your mind, nightmare!! To me this is actually a hazard, and almost as bad as the Vectra over sensitive indicator stalk.
Items 1 and 2 can be solved by paying your friendly VW agent £35 for a software change, but youre stuck with the silly indicators system.
1-Welcome home lights-come on full headlights when you put the key in the ignition, not very popular (or safe) with neighbours or oncoming cars when your parked on a corner plot!
2-Seat belt buzzer-so you get in the car and start the engine to get warm while you write your reports, make a phone call,, eat you sarnies, and the blooming thing bleeps you to death, yes I know I dont have my seat belt on, I dont need it on!
3-Indicator stalk that wont cancel-unless you actually turn the wheel, its nigh on impossible to cancel the indicators in a straightline, so no more 'thankyou' left right flash to a truck on the motorway, and if you indicate then change your mind, nightmare!! To me this is actually a hazard, and almost as bad as the Vectra over sensitive indicator stalk.
Items 1 and 2 can be solved by paying your friendly VW agent £35 for a software change, but youre stuck with the silly indicators system.
Edited by dingocooke on Tuesday 31st October 13:59
I think the 'all the fuss' is because theyre not similar to 99.9% of all other cars, and so they're not immediately intuitive to use.
Fine if a Vectra is your daily driver, but if youre hopping in and out of lots of different cars, it can be irritating.
If you dont belive that, check out any shorterm hire Vectra, the hire companies all have a warning/nstruction sheet in the car on how to use the indicators!!
Now I'm not saying you need that(!) but it shows they are different enough to be considered in need of explanation.
Why re invent what works well??
Focus over Golf; not likely!
The last Focus I drove had more rattles at 3,000 miles than my last Golf did at 90,000. The Focus was a better handling car without doubt, and I agree that VW's are a bit overpriced, but the airfix build quality of the Focus was tedious.
Just nmy opinion
Fine if a Vectra is your daily driver, but if youre hopping in and out of lots of different cars, it can be irritating.
If you dont belive that, check out any shorterm hire Vectra, the hire companies all have a warning/nstruction sheet in the car on how to use the indicators!!
Now I'm not saying you need that(!) but it shows they are different enough to be considered in need of explanation.
Why re invent what works well??
Focus over Golf; not likely!
The last Focus I drove had more rattles at 3,000 miles than my last Golf did at 90,000. The Focus was a better handling car without doubt, and I agree that VW's are a bit overpriced, but the airfix build quality of the Focus was tedious.
Just nmy opinion
I will say i nearly ripped the stalk off when i 1st used the indicators on the car 
i would be a bit miffed at handing over £35 to have a bell chime switched off , as the car is heavily can bus'd they could quite easily give you a settings menu and let you decide , but i know what you mean about the seat belt chime , drove me up the wall in the hire passat i had .
i would be a bit miffed at handing over £35 to have a bell chime switched off , as the car is heavily can bus'd they could quite easily give you a settings menu and let you decide , but i know what you mean about the seat belt chime , drove me up the wall in the hire passat i had .
dingocooke said:
Anyone whoes upgraded to a MK5 golf from a MK4 probably noticed this too, but what is it with mainstream manufacturers 'helping' us to drive.
1-Welcome home lights-come on full headlights when you put the key in the ignition, not very popular (or safe) with neighbours or oncoming cars when your parked on a corner plot!
2-Seat belt buzzer-so you get in the car and start the engine to get warm while you write your reports, make a phone call,, eat you sarnies, and the blooming thing bleeps you to death, yes I know I dont have my seat belt on, I dont need it on!
3-Indicator stalk that wont cancel-unless you actually turn the wheel, its nigh on impossible to cancel the indicators in a straightline, so no more 'thankyou' left right flash to a truck on the motorway, and if you indicate then change your mind, nightmare!! To me this is actually a hazard, and almost as bad as the Vectra over sensitive indicator stalk.
Items 1 and 2 can be solved by paying your friendly VW agent £35 for a software change, but youre stuck with the silly indicators system.
1-Welcome home lights-come on full headlights when you put the key in the ignition, not very popular (or safe) with neighbours or oncoming cars when your parked on a corner plot!
2-Seat belt buzzer-so you get in the car and start the engine to get warm while you write your reports, make a phone call,, eat you sarnies, and the blooming thing bleeps you to death, yes I know I dont have my seat belt on, I dont need it on!
3-Indicator stalk that wont cancel-unless you actually turn the wheel, its nigh on impossible to cancel the indicators in a straightline, so no more 'thankyou' left right flash to a truck on the motorway, and if you indicate then change your mind, nightmare!! To me this is actually a hazard, and almost as bad as the Vectra over sensitive indicator stalk.
Items 1 and 2 can be solved by paying your friendly VW agent £35 for a software change, but youre stuck with the silly indicators system.
Edited by dingocooke on Tuesday 31st October 13:59
not sure how old your mk5 is but on mine,
u can set coming home feature in 10 second intervals, if u don't want it at the time u lock the car, unlock it first then lock it ( turns feature off)
re seat belt, on mind, only sounds once u go over 15 mph otherwise it's silent
and i can cancal my indicators whenever i like, u aren't confusing the 3 flash option are u, again this can be turned off if u want
agent006 said:
dingocooke said:
Items 1 and 2 can be solved by paying your friendly VW agent £35 for a software change, but youre stuck with the silly indicators system.
One touch indicators can also be turned off.
I do wish the manufacturers would leave these as options. The bloody Merc sprinter van I hired has one touch indicators FFS. You can't even say Leftrightleft thankyou without looking like a tit...
My MK5 is a very early one, and there is no turn off option, interesting that the later one has.
Can bus electrics are very clever when they work, but my my car is currently showing engine management light, seat belt light, airbag fault (its fine according to VW), rear bulb defect (bulb is fine). Tomorrow it probably wont show any..
Now booked in for full diagnostic download which takes 2 1/2 hours..
I love Golfs, and Im tempted to go for another (petrol) Golf Gti soon, but they do seem to get more souless with each new incarnation, so perhaps time for a complete change..RX8 is tempting..
Can bus electrics are very clever when they work, but my my car is currently showing engine management light, seat belt light, airbag fault (its fine according to VW), rear bulb defect (bulb is fine). Tomorrow it probably wont show any..
Now booked in for full diagnostic download which takes 2 1/2 hours..
I love Golfs, and Im tempted to go for another (petrol) Golf Gti soon, but they do seem to get more souless with each new incarnation, so perhaps time for a complete change..RX8 is tempting..
dingocooke said:
My MK5 is a very early one, and there is no turn off option, interesting that the later one has.
Can bus electrics are very clever when they work, but my my car is currently showing engine management light, seat belt light, airbag fault (its fine according to VW), rear bulb defect (bulb is fine). Tomorrow it probably wont show any..
Now booked in for full diagnostic download which takes 2 1/2 hours..
I love Golfs, and Im tempted to go for another (petrol) Golf Gti soon, but they do seem to get more souless with each new incarnation, so perhaps time for a complete change..RX8 is tempting..
Can bus electrics are very clever when they work, but my my car is currently showing engine management light, seat belt light, airbag fault (its fine according to VW), rear bulb defect (bulb is fine). Tomorrow it probably wont show any..
Now booked in for full diagnostic download which takes 2 1/2 hours..
I love Golfs, and Im tempted to go for another (petrol) Golf Gti soon, but they do seem to get more souless with each new incarnation, so perhaps time for a complete change..RX8 is tempting..
VW changed the settings on these items during the first year of manufacture, if you can find someone with VAG.COM and the CAN bus adapter they can make the changes quickly. I'd push the dealer to change these items for free, given the current error lights it's showing. The GTI is abetter all round package than the RX8, but if you what a screamer of a sports car , then the RX8 is the one, just be aware of 20mpg average at best. The Mk5 GTI is a better fun package than the mk4 by a long way.
As for denis the menace, it's a shame that it's easier to ridicule people trying to help each other on the forums and in a rush, than to be constructive with advice. Perhaps text language isn't the queens english, but if in this instance it helped dingo, it was the right thing to do.
Edited by smb on Wednesday 1st November 16:34
agent006 said:
2.5 hours to plug in the doagnostics??? I think your dealer is taking the piss out of you, try a different one.
I'm sure I've heard about this in the past, it's not just plugging in the diags, but running a full download (or something along those lines) which takes longer.. (I might have heard this from a drunk bloke on a forum though, so don't take this as gospel!)
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