Does your right knee hit the diff lock button?

[ShottsUZJ100]

I think Mercedes had better sense when it came to the differential lock buttons. Up high, all in the same spot and independently activated.

You sound like that guy who told us the G500 was the best wheeler in the world! Do you have a new screen name?

 

[hoser]

Haha, nope! I don't think Thai has been back since the board ousted him.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Haha, nope! I don't think Thai has been back since the board ousted him.

Thai. Yes, Thai. I was hoping he didn't become a Hoser!

 

[spressomon]

well, you know what i meant...german vehicular electrical engineering. I know pleanty of people who own bmws/benz who have problems with their cars.

I can vouch for the German electrical issues (as well as other CQ issues)...as we lease (thank God!) a '03 Audi A-4; fortunately warranty has covered everything (except for the inconvenience)...including them having to pull the engine out a month ago...until 2-months when we give it back to Audi

 

[DoctorJay]

I can vouch for the German electrical issues (as well as other CQ issues)...as we lease (thank God!) a '03 Audi A-4; fortunately warranty has covered everything (except for the inconvenience)...including them having to pull the engine out a month ago...until 2-months when we give it back to Audi

Pull the engine? Yikes. What for?

 

[dclee]

I can vouch for the German electrical issues (as well as other CQ issues)...as we lease (thank God!) a '03 Audi A-4; fortunately warranty has covered everything (except for the inconvenience)...including them having to pull the engine out a month ago...until 2-months when we give it back to Audi

Audi (and parent VW) have always had reliability issues. Funny enough, but Porsche now has the best reliability record of the German makes!

I still think Mercedes can turn things around and get back to the glory years of the 80s and 90s. They were unbeatable back then!

(I'm still living in the past.)

BTW, the 461 G-Wagon (the one we don't get in the U.S.), is sort of like the 105. Unstoppable and unbreakable. Among other things, I still think it's pretty cool that you can shift into low range on the fly. No need to put the tranny in neutral to shift the T-case. Great, for example, in high speed desert when you suddenly hit a patch of soft sand. No other vehicle in the world (that I'm aware of) can do this.

No, I'm not Thai, but I do appreciate exemplary engineering. And I also own a 100, not a G (though I do own that other great Mercedes 4x4...).

 

[spressomon]

Pull the engine? Yikes. What for?

Sorry mod for the bump! The oil pressure light came on...so in to Lithia Audi we went. Audi has a bulletin campaign (but no notice to end users/owners NOR recall either) requiring, on the 1.8T engines, that the sump and screen be upgraded to a new pressure/oil volume friendly design. And to do that, per Audi, the engine needs to be pulled (along with heads to retrofit other pieces designed to alleviate the issue of oil not getting from the pan up to the rest of the engine/components) because that is the only way to drop the pan and get to the sump.

They had the car for 4-weeks...then the emissions warning lamp came on...this was right after the fuel pump left my wife stranded (at night)...the list goes on...save to say this was our first and last Audi (it now has just under 40K).

 

[DoctorJay]

Sorry mod for the bump! The oil pressure light came on...so in to Lithia Audi we went. Audi has a bulletin campaign (but no notice to end users/owners NOR recall either) requiring, on the 1.8T engines, that the sump and screen be upgraded to a new pressure/oil volume friendly design. And to do that, per Audi, the engine needs to be pulled (along with heads to retrofit other pieces designed to alleviate the issue of oil not getting from the pan up to the rest of the engine/components) because that is the only way to drop the pan and get to the sump.

They had the car for 4-weeks...then the emissions warning lamp came on...this was right after the fuel pump left my wife stranded (at night)...the list goes on...save to say this was our first and last Audi (it now has just under 40K).

Sorry to hijack, but that's really outrageous. Automobile magazine had a piece this month -- the new Beemer in their long-term fleet is at the shop getting a cam replaced! Electrical failures, fine. The Germans have never been great at that. But mechanical failures and engineering shortfalls? What always separated German cars was the virtual guarantee that you'd never have to deal with that sort of thing.

 

[1loudLX]

+1 for toyota. Sure they might have put the center diff lock button in a bad place, but at least it works

 

[spressomon]

Sorry to hijack, but that's really outrageous. Automobile magazine had a piece this month -- the new Beemer in their long-term fleet is at the shop getting a cam replaced! Electrical failures, fine. The Germans have never been great at that. But mechanical failures and engineering shortfalls? What always separated German cars was the virtual guarantee that you'd never have to deal with that sort of thing.

Enough "fine German engineering" for us . I have read numerous reports stating the significant problems (mostly computer and/or electrical) with S-series, 7-Series and A8 Series. There were purportedly a few buy-backs by BMW for 7-series.

 

[1loudLX]

My ex-girlfriends mother had BMW buy back their 2003 745 and they GAVE them a 2004 745. Their car was in the shop left and right for problems. BMW even asked them if they wanted a new color.

Her best friends mother also had bmw buy back their Black 03 745 and they got a 04 setup the same way, just unbroken.

My ex's mother just traded the 745 in for an Audi A4...i smiled when i heard that because i know they are going to have problems with those too.

 

[Mark SR.]

I conciously tried today to lock the center diff of my '99 with my knee, and could not do it w/o lifting up off of the seat. Maybe my kneecaps are too just round.
-Mark

 

[LX470Pilot]

I have to agree with Mark Sr. - these threads have confused me everytime I see one.

I don't know what kind of morning PT, calisthenic regimen you guys are doing in the drivers seat, but I'm 5'10", and unless I'm bracing my upper back against the seat, and doing.... what amounts to a pelvic-thrust, I can't get my knee within 5in of the CDL button.

-LX Pilot

 

[dclee]

I have a feeling in our case that it might have happened because sometimes we turn around to tighten the harness on our daughter's carseat (easier from the front seat, more leverage). Maybe we hit it then.

 

[007-FJC]

Well, if you don't use your truck to go offroad, then go under the rig and unplug the wire that goes to the actuator and put a plastic bag or rubber or tape to keep it from getting dirty. Beats taking apart the dash.

 

[dinibili]

I have had it happen to me about three times in the last 12 months. I suspect that it happens when I turn around to reverse. It may be that I am built a little like a monkey!

Donald (on the Rock)

 

[Dandon]

I couldn't manage to hit it with the knee either. But I have my seat all the way back, it would be easier if I had it is more forward.

 

[LX470Pilot]

I have had it happen to me about three times in the last 12 months. I suspect that it happens when I turn around to reverse. It may be that I am built a little like a monkey!

Monkey or not, how do you manage to hit the button with your knee, while still reaching the pedal with your foot? Do you use your left foot for gas?

 

[dclee]

Monkey or not, how do you manage to hit the button with your knee, while still reaching the pedal with your foot? Do you use your left foot for gas?

It's probably not being hit in the act of driving. I have never been able to do that, yet we have found the locker engaged on two occassions. Again, I think it's related to doing other things in the front seat, like turning around to secure a child or seomthing similar.

 

[dinibili]

Monkey or not, how do you manage to hit the button with your knee, while still reaching the pedal with your foot? Do you use your left foot for gas?

The CDL button in RHD vehicles is just right of the left knee. If I lost the use of both my arms whislt driving I would at least be able to activate the CDL. Also the vehicle I drive is an automatic, so my left foot is just hanging about doing nothing and thus the knee sometime gets bored.

Donald (on the Rock)