I was watching, as most of us were, the devestating flooding around Toowoomba and the Lockyer valley. I had a thought what happens when you are half underwater and your windows are power and you have auto locking and all your power is underwater and shorted out? It would seem to me that the only option would be to wait until the vehicle was almost full of water before you could, against the pressure open the door? By that time the worst could happen. Just one reason why I dont like power windows.
__________________
If there is such a thing as a tourist season.... why cant we shoot them?
The reason I don't like power windows either. I've always had this sense of feeling locked in if something happened like that and will only have wind down windows.
I've wondered if as as soon as they can see they are heading into a situation like that to immediately open all windows so when they are under they will have a way out. The car is going to fill with water whether the windows are up or down, isn't it?
Whether the vehicle will fill with water or not would depend on a number of factors. ie windows up/down and how well the doors seal etc. But when I picked up my Rodeo Diesel 4x4, I was quite suprised that it had electric windows. I would have much preferred manual wind. I also intend to have the central locking disconnected as its in an awful position and gets bumped and activitated all the time. Why they had to put it on the arm rest is beyond me.
__________________
If there is such a thing as a tourist season.... why cant we shoot them?
If you have ever been to really remote areas , across rough roads ,the first thing to go is the elec windows, then other electrinics, such as remote locking.The KISS PRINCIPLE, ( keep it simple , stupid), works a treat in these situations. I have seen numbers of high tech vehicle, and other gadgets fail when the going gets tough. Thats why I have an old , low tech .hilux, and will probably keep it.
I couldnt agree more Jim, I just think its so potentially dangerous to have something like a window or door that can lock on you because it shorts out with water contact.
__________________
If there is such a thing as a tourist season.... why cant we shoot them?
Had a flat battery in the Prado today () needed to push it out of the garage in order to jump-start it, but couldnt move the gear stick out of park... discovered that it cannot be moved without power!!! Not good!!!
Have seen many with central locking just lock them selves when parked in the workshop while the boys were at lunch. The earlier models had to have the key turned on to operate the windows, hated it when you had turned off the customers car & half out with the window still down, back in with the key.
I like to have window down when in towns, seems to give me a better feel for what is going on around me & always down when 4wd,ing. Manufactures palm it off as this is what people want, I dont recall asking for it & dont have it.
__________________
Be your self; there's no body better qualified ! "I came into this world with nothing , I still have most of it"
I have friends who own a Disco (02 model I think) who locked their keys inside the car at a service station ("service" station, methinks an oxymoron, but that's another story). They left the key in the ignition shut the door and the car locked itself.
The RACV guy took quite some time to get in. He said that it was a known issue with Discos.
My 03 Pajero has electric windows. As my model is the basic "bottom of the range" job I doubt that manual windows are available for the Paj.
With the keys of modern cars being so complex it,s not just a case of having a spare key cut, some cost $100,s All these mod-cons , including cruise [out of ]control are just another addition to lazyness. The less some have to do& think about the less alert they are.
__________________
Be your self; there's no body better qualified ! "I came into this world with nothing , I still have most of it"
Had a flat battery in the Prado today () needed to push it out of the garage in order to jump-start it, but couldnt move the gear stick out of park... discovered that it cannot be moved without power!!! Not good!!!
hi Gerty, Our captiva has a thing near the gear lever that you turn with a screwdriver to 'unlock' the gears for towing. Maybe your Prado does too
Had a flat battery in the Prado today () needed to push it out of the garage in order to jump-start it, but couldnt move the gear stick out of park... discovered that it cannot be moved without power!!! Not good!!!
hi Gerty, Our captiva has a thing near the gear lever that you turn with a screwdriver to 'unlock' the gears for towing. Maybe your Prado does too
Prados, presumably like all Toyotas have a gearshift release in the shape of a button to the left of 'P'
I was watching, as most of us were, the devestating flooding around Toowoomba and the Lockyer valley. I had a thought what happens when you are half underwater and your windows are power and you have auto locking and all your power is underwater and shorted out? It would seem to me that the only option would be to wait until the vehicle was almost full of water before you could, against the pressure open the door? By that time the worst could happen. Just one reason why I dont like power windows.
I've often had the same thoughts and what happens if your in an accident and the doors jams and car catches fire, if the battery is ripped out by the accident. Would much prefer handle winders on the windows....
It's quite possible that the power windows would still work for some time. Flood water has a high electrical resistance and 12 volts will not short across it but it will 'leak' across it probably enough to cook the electronics most of which are high up in the passenger compartment or at least above knee level. By the time the water was that high you'd be able to open the doors.
) needed to push it out of the garage in order to jump-start it, but couldnt move the gear stick out of park... discovered that it cannot be moved without power!!! Not good!!! 
