Gambit's Automotive Guide 2014

A S PECIAL P UBLICATION

10

ESSENTIAL THINGS

… to keep in your car at all times, and why

New advances in dashboard touchscreen technology

MECHANIC LINGO

T WEN T Y FO URT EEN

EASYTOUCH Deciphering what they tell you at the shop

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MECHANIC LINGO ..................................................7 Deciphering what they tell you at the shop

EASY TOUCH..................................................................9 New advances in dashboard touchscreen technology

BEFORE THE ACCIDENT...............................13 A checklist to put in your glove box now

10 ESSENTIAL THINGS.................................15 … to keep in your car at all times, and why

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LUBE, OIL, FILTER (LOF)

Engine oil lubricates and protects internal parts that are moving several thousands of times a minute, and it needs to be changed regularly. The oil filter also gets changed, and the technician lubricates the suspension.

ALIGNMENT

If your wheels aren’t pointed straight ahead, your tires and steering components will wear out faster and it’ll be tougher to steer. An alignment keeps your tires facing forward.

TRANSMISSION SERVICE

An automatic transmission contains oil, and changing it regularly helps this expensive component last longer. The technician also changes the filter inside it.

MECHANIC

TALK

BY JIL McINTOSH

So your car’s in the shop, and the mechanic’s telling you what it needs. Problem is, he’s not speaking any language you’ve heard before, and you’re not really sure what he wants to do. Here are the translations for some common maintenance items.

PADS & ROTORS

Whenever your wheels are turning, the heavy brake rotors (also called discs) are turning too. When you apply the brakes, metallic pads press against the rotors to stop the car. These eventually wear out and will need to be replaced.

BRAKE SERVICE

The technician cleans the brakes, lubricates the moving parts in them, and since brakes wear as they’re used, checks to be sure there’s enough left to stop you safely.

CHECK BELTS

Your car has one or more rubber belts that operate such things as the air conditioning compressor, alternator, coolant pump and power steering. If they break, you’re stranded. The technician checks to make sure there’s still life left in them.

TIRE INSPECTION

Tires are the single most important item for safety. The technician checks to be sure they have enough tread to grip the road when braking, that there are no bulges or cuts and that they’re at the correct air pressure.

AIR FILTERS

Engines use huge amounts of air, and if the air isn’t filtered, damaging dirt can get inside. Air filters need changing more often if you drive a lot on dusty gravel roads.

FLUSH-AND-FILL

Your radiator contains coolant that keeps your engine from overheating.

It eventually breaks down, which can cause internal rust and corrosion. The technician flushes out the old coolant and refills with it with new.

TUNEUP

This depends on your car — older ones may need more done to them than newer ones — but the technician will check your spark plugs and replace them if they’re worn, replace any dirty engine air filters, and inspect some of the emissions components.

BATTERY CHECK

Most people replace their batteries only after the car won’t start. This proactive service checks the battery’s charge and determines if it’ll need replacing before rrr-rrr happens.

TIRE ROTATION AND BALANCE

Switching your tires back to front, and side-to-side, helps them wear evenly so they last longer. Your tech will probably balance them too, which means putting small weights on the rims to counteract any vibration or wobbling.

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THE TESLA MODEL S USES A 17-INCH TOUCHSCREEN FOR ALL FUNCTIONS. P H O T O BY J I L M C I N T O S H

T

TOUCH ME

IN THE

DASHBOARD

Touchscreens are becoming standard in many new cars — and the technology is evolving rapidly.

Here’s what a car buyer should know about them.

BY JIL McINTOSH

ouchscreens are just about everywhere today: on our phones, tablets, the checkout counter, the ATM. They’re also in many of our cars, although their exact capabilities depend on the brand of vehicle you buy and the trim level.

They control features such as the stereo, navigation system and climate control; allow you to monitor the car’s settings and performance and pair up your phone for more options. Some come with built-in apps, or work with your phone on downloadable streaming services such as Stitcher or Pandora. On some, you can even communicate with your car dealership or access Wi-Fi. The first car with a touchscreen was the 1986 Buick Riviera. It was considered very high-tech for the PAGE 10

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GMC Terrain

THE WITH AN INTELLILINK TOUCHSCREEN RADIO. C O U R T E S Y G EN ER A L M O T O R S

MyFord Touch

WITH SONY INTERFACE C O U R T E S Y F O R D M O T O R C O M PA N Y

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time, even if its tiny black-andgreen cathode-ray screen would now be considered laughably primitive. Today’s technology of choice is the liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen for its bright colors and sharp images.

Those early touchscreens gave drivers a new way to access the car’s basic functions: raising or lowering the temperature on the climate control and adjusting the stereo. Today, they may only handle the basic music duties on entry-level cars, including tapping into your music devices once they’re connected through the car’s USB port or auxiliary jack to play them through the stereo. If the vehicle is equipped with Bluetooth, it may also pair with your phone for hands-free calls.

On higher-priced vehicles with more options, touchscreens can handle a wide variety of functions.

These can include navigation systems, trip computers and fuel consumption readouts, settings for heated or ventilated seats and rear-seat DVD players. This is also where many automakers let you fine-tune the “set-it-and-forgetit” functions such as automatic

power door locks and rain-sensing windshield wipers, or bring up information from the car’s computer memory, including tire pressure or when the next oil change is due. If the car has a rearview camera for parking, the display usually comes up on the screen as well.

Although the very basic, inexpensive models might not have touchscreens, every mainstream auto manufacturer uses the technology in most of its vehicles. Oddly enough, they’re not necessarily found in all premium cars. While Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all have information screens, they’re operated by joysticks on the center console, not by touching the glass. That said, on some Audi and BMW models, you can get a touchpad on the console where you trace letters or numbers to bring up phone contacts or navigation destinations on the screen.

Cars with electric propulsion rely heavily on their touchscreen systems to keep drivers informed about what’s going on under the hood. Hybrids have displays showing if the car’s running on gasoline or electricity, while all-electric vehicles let drivers use the screen to see how many miles they have left on a charge or, when the car’s plugged in, to delay charging until off-peak hours. The pricey Tesla electric sedan goes all out with a 17-inch center screen the driver uses exclusively to control every function. The only two manual controls anywhere on the dash are for opening the glovebox door and for turning on the four-way emergency flashers, which the law says must use a button.

On all other cars, you’ll find a combination of a touchscreen and buttons. When you’re in the market for a new vehicle, spend some time trying them out. They’re not all the same, and while the screen may seem like a minor part of the car overall, it’s something you’ll use constantly. If there’s something you don’t like, it could become a major issue.

Most of them have hard buttons around or near the screen for

functions you access frequently, such as stereo volume, temperature and fan speed. Many vehicles also have buttons on the steering wheel to control the stereo volume or switch between preset radio stations or songs on your music device, although you may have to move up to a higher trim level to get them.

Some also have voice control, where you tap a button on the wheel and tell the system what to do. At one time, you had to go through a laborious process of training these componenets to recognize your voice. You don’t have to do that anymore, but these systems’ abilities do vary.

A few do a fairly good job of recognizing regular speech, including Ford’s SYNC and Kia’s UVO, but many others require that you use only specific phrases. There’s a “help” function if you don’t remember the right one, although it’s annoying to sit through that disembodied voice going through the whole list as you wait for the one you want.

Touchscreens are all about usability, and because most of us are familiar with smartphones and tablets, many automakers are incorporating these types of features. Some systems, including those from GM and Honda, let you swipe to move between screens or pinch to change the size, while Toyota uses steering wheel controls that resemble iPod controllers. Others, such as Cadillac’s CUE, bring up the screens with proximity sensors when your hand comes near, and vibrate with haptic feedback when the icons are touched.

Smartphone integration is ongoing as these systems progress.

Many have text-to-speech capability to read messages and let you reply with preset responses such as “On my way,” while BMW can actually take dictation and turn it into a text message. Some manufacturers offer downloadable apps for the vehicle and your phone, so you can make an appointment for maintenance or, on some of the premium services such as Lexus’ Enform, make restaurant

MyFord Touch in a 2015 Taurus WITH SONY INTERFACE

COURTESY FORD M O T O R C O M PA N Y

reservations or buy movie tickets.

Others, including GM, offer Wi-Fi connectivity in the vehicle.

But while touchscreens can store a huge number of functions in a single package, rather than a crowded console overflowing with buttons, they have their issues. The major one is distraction. Unlike a switch that you can reach for and feel, you have to take your eyes off the road to see the icon you’re trying to touch.

Some automakers, including Mazda and BMW, use a joystick-controlled, tablet-style screen that sticks straight up from the top of the dash. This high placement keeps your eyes looking up toward the road, instead of down in the middle of the dashboard as with a conventional screen.

While it’s seldom a problem here, cold weather can affect touchscreens, making them slow and sluggish to respond, especially if you’re wearing gloves. Potholes, the bane of the New Orleans driver, can make it tough to hit the right icon if you’re reaching for the screen just as your tire finds the rough stuff.

And while it’s generally easy to pair your phone with the system, and numerous apps are available with more on the way (including Apple’s CarPlay, Ford SYNC AppLink, HondaLink and Android

Auto, in addition to Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio and others), not all of them work with every car-and-cell combination. If there’s something you can’t live without, make sure the car’s system is compatible with it.

Technology doesn’t stand still, and in the future you may see rear-projection screens with infrared touch points, curved screens and even touch capability on the car’s windows. The systems will advance, but touch is here to stay.

Cadillac’s CUE SYSTEM PAIRS WITH AN IPHONE. COURTESY G EN ER A L M O T O R S

Jil McIntosh writes regularly about automobiles. Her website is www.womanonwheels.ca.

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ACCIDENT

YOUR

CHECKLIST

The moments after an auto accident can be confusing and stressful. Here’s a quick checklist of things to do — and not to do — after you’re in a collision. Before you have an accident, tear it out and put it with your registration and proof of insurance.

Affordable Luxury New Orleans

• Right now, find out if your insurance carrier has an smartphone “accident app” that will help you file a claim at the scene. If so, download it.

• Determine any injuries and call for help if necessary.

• Turn on emergency flashers and move cars out of traffic if feasible.

• Call the police, no matter how minor the accident.

• Take photos of damage to both automobiles, including license plate numbers, and any details of the accident scene that might be pertinent (skid marks, road conditions, signs).

• Exchange contact information with the other driver, comparing his/her name with the name on the other car’s registration, and ask the other driver to explain any discrepancy between the two. Make sure to get the name and policy number of the other driver’s insurance company.

• Get names, phone numbers and contact information for all other passengers and witnesses.

• Do not discuss guilt or fault with the other driver.

When the police arrive, you can describe the cause of the accident with them if you choose, but you should not discuss guilt or fault with the police either.

• If asked “Are you all right?,” reply in generalities; you may not know if you’re injured until later.

• Notify your insurance carrier before leaving the scene if possible.

• Call an attorney if you have any questions or uncertainties.

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10 THINGS

FLASHLIGHT

TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE

PEN AND PAPER

MOIST TOWELETTES

COINS

BOOSTER CABLES

BOTTLED WATER

CELLPHONE CHARGER

OLD TOWEL

MULTIPURPOSE TOOL

Check the batteries regularly, too.

The right air pressure actually helps save fuel.

After a crash, you’ll need to jot down information.

Because you’re always a couple short for the parking meter.

Some messes are just too much for tissues.

Essential if your battery dies.

YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY

KEEP IN YOUR CAR

Use it up and replace it regularly to keep it fresh.

One for the house, one for the car.

BY JIL McINTOSH

Handy in emergencies, as well as for drying off after a downpour.

Get one with pliers and a screwdriver in it.

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