What I hate about the HHR and Equinox

...and GTO...but not as bad since it is a 2 door. On all these cars I hate that the window switches that are in the middle and not on the door.:mad:

http://www.chevrolet.com/i/06/pic/hhr/photogallery/int_gallery09.jpg

This comes across as a cheap out to me and it doesn't make the vehicle as ergonomically friendly as it could be. Just a pet peave of mine. I hope the Caddy Theata or what ever the BRX is on isn't like this or it will be a very bad move by Cadillac.

that central switching reminds me of older Saabs. i never liked it because it makes you take your eyes off the road to roll your window down.

Ya, I don't really care for that either.

My biggest pet peeve with car design things is when they put the fuel filler door on the PASSENGER SIDE of the vehicle! :mad: :confused: :mad:

Makes no sense at all.

BMWs are like that too.

And of course f-bodies.

I don't mind it that much myself. It's actually kind of convenient with the 6 speed because i deal with badging in at work and paying tolls on the highway all the time. With the switch in the middle, I can put my window up and still have my hand close enough to the shifter to shift as i drive away. With a door mounted switch you'd have to switch hands to shift gears, unless the road is perfectly straight after the badge-in / booth, excpet it never is because at work i turn immediately, and after most toll booths you have to re-merge

And of course f-bodies.



Strange as all of the F-bodies I've owned have had the window switches on the door.

I actually would prefer the switches in the middle console, though probably not like the GTO, Equinox, HHR ( though I haven't sat in either one, just going by the pictures). I like how the switches were set up in the 3rd gens, keeps the door simple and clean. Though that might make me the minority. :shrug:

i agree... its anoying but it comes in handy so the passenger can close your window if your busy... my pet peve about the hhr is the pegstick that is the lock... if you put arm out the window... u gotta figure out weather you want it in front of the peg or stuck in between the peg and the window sill...

annoying..

Strange as all of the F-bodies I've owned have had the window switches on the door.


Say what? I've owned second and third gens and both had the window switches on the console. It's been a while since i've been in a 4th gen, but i could swear they were in the middle, same in the first gen.

So yes, pretty strange indeed

Say what? I've owned second and third gens and both had the window switches on the console. It's been a while since i've been in a 4th gen, but i could swear they were in the middle, same in the first gen.

So yes, pretty strange indeed

all 4th are on the door... and seeing that most people are 4th gen owners... thats what they are familiar with... i've never been in anything but 4th gen...

all 4th are on the door... and seeing that most people are 4th gen owners... thats what they are familiar with... i've never been in anything but 4th gen...


I'll take your word for it. Like i said, been years since i've been in one. I'm absolutely positive that my second and third gens had console mounted window switches though.

3rds have console switches, and 4ths have armrest switches just to clear up confusion.

My biggest pet peeve with car design things is when they put the fuel filler door on the PASSENGER SIDE of the vehicle! :mad: :confused: :mad:

Makes no sense at all.

I seem to recall it had something to do with safety, but I also recall not being very convinced by the argument. It's especially bad that even a single automaker's cars aren't always the same. Everytime I get into a new GM vehicle I have to remember whether I'm in an N, L, J, Delta, Epsilon, or Sigma car; or one of the "normal" ones.

On the plus side, the lines at gas stations are smaller when your door's on the right :)

3rds have console switches, and 4ths have armrest switches just to clear up confusion.

2nd gens had console switches as well, though 1st gens have it in the doors.

Guess you could say most F-bodies made have console switches. :think:

Everytime I get into a new GM vehicle I have to remember whether I'm in an N, L, J, Delta, Epsilon, or Sigma car; or one of the "normal" ones.

I agree.. I have the same issue.

On the plus side, the lines at gas stations are smaller when your door's on the right :)

You know, I've heard a lot of people say this, but I totally don't understand it.

Every gas station I've ever been to, you can pull up to the pump on either side.... so......... this would be a non-issue...?????

It annoys me too but that might just be because I'm not used to it.

I've only seen a few cars in my lifetime that had switches like that and they were mostly older Luxury cars like my friend's old early 90s Infiniti Q45 or his guy I know who has a mid-80s Rolls Royce.

I always liked the switch in the middle of the car cause I was already leaning towards the middle and already had an arm resting there anyways.

I kinda like it if its in the center, but only if its behind hte shifter, not in front. Its harder to reach there. Especially if its on a four door like in the picture, its just more difficult to roll down all the windows with that setup, like _ _ _ _ instead of like this.

_ _
_ _

I seem to recall it had something to do with safety

Small children can stand on the door armrest with their head out of the open window area, and accidentally step on the power window rocker switch, making it go up and trap their neck/head/body between the glass and the door frame.

That is why some power window switches are designed to make the window go up when you lift up in the switch, and not push down on it.

Small children can stand on the door armrest with their head out of the open window area, and accidentally step on the power window rocker switch, making it go up and trap their neck/head/body between the glass and the door frame.

That is why some power window switches are designed to make the window go up when you lift up in the switch, and not push down on it.

Heck, I don't think I've seen a new car with a switch that wasn't 'pull up to go up' made in the last 5 years or so. Were the 4th gen f-bodies that way? I can't remember now...

Pretty much any car made these days with 1-touch auto-up (and down) windows and sunroof on anything more than the driver's side door will have anti-pinch protection where if it feels the slightest bit of resistance it will immediately reverse direction and go back down part of the way.

My GS had it, 4Runner has it, A4 has it, my friend's TL has it, etc... basically never seen a car with auto-up without pinch protection.

You are just not used to it.
BMW and MB, as well as many Euro models have them in the center, PT cruser and Jeep LIberty as well. Thirdgens have them on the center, as do many other cars. There are a lot of cars with them in the center.

It's funny b/c one of the first things I thought I didn't like was the GTO's window switches on the center console. Only one of my f-bodies had it (the others were 4th gens and my 84 had roll downs). However, after having the car a short time I realized how much better I liked it. It's a lot more ergonomically friendly (at least positioned how they are in the GTO). I guess I find it's especially nice with the M6 b/c I can use my right hand which would be resting on the shifter anyway instead of having to switch the wheel in my hands and search the door panel for the switches. I actually prefer it over the window switches on the door in my WS.6.

Chris

Here are the GTO switches, they are in a better spot than the HHR and 'nox
The first picture I posted was of the HHR.

http://next2.web-cars.com/gto_img/2004-gto_interior-2_a.jpg

I'm currently driving an Equinox as a rental for a month so far, and I agree. So many times have I meant to put down the passenger-side window only to accidently lower the rear driver side window instead and not even know it. Then again, I think that the Equinox is already kinda lacking in elbow-space (5'11" @ 150 pounds, I'm no giant) so I'd rather suffer with console switches.

2nd gens had console switches as well, though 1st gens have it in the doors.

Guess you could say most F-bodies made have console switches. :think:

Yup, my 77 Trans Am has console switches for the windows - though it has door mounted switches for the power locks.

Ya, I don't really care for that either.

My biggest pet peeve with car design things is when they put the fuel filler door on the PASSENGER SIDE of the vehicle! :mad: :confused: :mad:

Makes no sense at all.

I would love the gas cap on the passenger side. That way when I get out of the car at the car station I dont have to worry about hitting my door on anything.

I would love the gas cap on the passenger side. That way when I get out of the car at the car station I dont have to worry about hitting my door on anything.
I hate it. Every time I take out the Cavy, when I get gas I always end up pulling up wrong since it's different from the Camaros. Get's old getting out and then going "Ah sh**" and pulling around. :lol:

I'll take your word for it. Like i said, been years since i've been in one. I'm absolutely positive that my second and third gens had console mounted window switches though.
Same here

I was annoyed at first when I got my GTO because I kept looking to the door for the window switch but now I really like it actually. The switches are in a different location then on that equinox picture. They are behind the 6-speed shifter and pretty much always in fingers reach. I love it

I hate it. Every time I take out the Cavy, when I get gas I always end up pulling up wrong since it's different from the Camaros. Get's old getting out and then going "Ah sh**" and pulling around. :lol:
Just make a sign that says "gas door --->" and hang it from the rearview mirror of the Cavy :)

Just make a sign that says "gas door --->" and hang it from the rearview mirror of the Cavy :)
Not a bad idea... :think:

I actually prefer the window switches on the center console so that they don't get rained on when I choose to drive with the window opened.

It's probably a better alternative for manufacturers who export to both LHD and RHD markets...

Just make a sign that says "gas door --->" and hang it from the rearview mirror of the Cavy :)
Most new cars, especially GMs, have an arrow next to the gas gauge pointing to the side the door's on. Personally, I always thought that was a sure sign the car was designed for the rental market. Most people who own a car for any length of time can figure out which side the door is on (even if we might forget the odd time).

Most new cars, especially GMs, have an arrow next to the gas gauge pointing to the side the door's on. Personally, I always thought that was a sure sign the car was designed for the rental market. Most people who own a car for any length of time can figure out which side the door is on (even if we might forget the odd time).

Holy crap! :o

I always wondered what that arrow was for! :lol:

Wow, feel like a complete moron. doh....

Darth, buddy...we need to have a talk at some point. You feeling ok??? :D

Anyway, yeah, in the Torrent I don't like them either. One thing I will say is that we just got our first FWD Torrent in...DAMN, that thing is way quicker than the AWD models. If I was going to buy a Torrent, it'd be FWD for sure...

If central power window controls don't have auto-up function, how the heck do you put the windows up after paying a toll with a manual transmission? Cruise in first and do it, or get to top gear and then do it?

Think it would kinda suck on a cold, snowy day.

-B

Darth, buddy...we need to have a talk at some point. You feeling ok??? :D

Anyway, yeah, in the Torrent I don't like them either. One thing I will say is that we just got our first FWD Torrent in...DAMN, that thing is way quicker than the AWD models. If I was going to buy a Torrent, it'd be FWD for sure...


Well, in my defense, the only cars I've noticed the little arrow in have been cars that the arrow points right at the fuel gauge. I just though, for whatever reason, it was pointing to the gage (as if it weren't obvious or something)

So, I think to myself "Well, that's nice an all, but how come the other guages (temp, etc) don't have one too?"

Double Doh. :shame:

the only complaint ive heard about the console swithches is in the hhr the switches arent backlit and at night you cant see them... there is a tiny led spotlight in the overhead console but its not enough light

If central power window controls don't have auto-up function, how the heck do you put the windows up after paying a toll with a manual transmission? Cruise in first and do it, or get to top gear and then do it?

Think it would kinda suck on a cold, snowy day.

-B

Umm how are you going to do it anyway if they were on the door? You still have to take your left hand away from holding the wheel.

It's actually easier. Instead of in my WS.6 of:
shift gear, grab wheel with right hand, start putting up window with left hand, stop, grab wheel with left hand, shift again, grab wheel again, put up window some more and repeat

In my GTO it's like:
shift gear, start putting up window, stop grab another gear, put up window and repeat.

The GTO doesn't require shifting of hands or removing any hands from the wheel and it's still faster as they're right behind the gear shift.

Chris

My '90 Firebird had the window switches in the center behind the shifter, I LOVED that. It really is where they should be, I cant imagine wanting them anywhere else after having them there

Most new cars, especially GMs, have an arrow next to the gas gauge pointing to the side the door's on. Personally, I always thought that was a sure sign the car was designed for the rental market. Most people who own a car for any length of time can figure out which side the door is on (even if we might forget the odd time).I wouldn't necessarily take that as a sign of being for the "rental" market, though obviously renters would benefit even more than most owners. What about families with 2 or 3 cars? If mom and dad drive the same vehicles all year but have to swap on rare occasions, I could see one of them temporarily forgetting which side it is on. Hell, I've got three cars (Camaro, Miata = driver's side, Ion = pass side). I still occasionally have to give it a thought as I'm pulling up to the station. The Ion makes it tough to mess up by having the little arrow.

:shrug: