Weird Stereo in Rental Car

Paul in Colorado · May 16th, 2008, 11:57 AM

I recently rented a Ford Focus and the car stereo gets louder when you go faster (to cover up the road noise). It drove us crazy. It was either too loud or you couldn't turn it down enough without turning it off. I spent much more time screwing with the volume then I would have otherwise. Who comes up with these features and why couldn't they have just put a defeat switch on it? Has anyone else come upon this?

Ol'Tom · May 16th, 2008, 12:11 PM

Yes I discovered this feature when I rented one over the Christmas Holidays. It drove me crazy since I did not know about it. The rental agency looked at me as if I was crazy when I reported it as a problem. I think they thought I must be the most out-of-touch old dude in the world.

J-man · May 16th, 2008, 12:12 PM

Weird.. my dad drives a Ford Focus and I never noticed that, it must be a fairly recent addition..

51mike · May 16th, 2008, 12:27 PM

My 99 Firebird convertable had one in it and I liked it. Now I've got an 07 Altima with everything except the power sun visors and it has the system in it. I don't even notice it's there.

chet · May 16th, 2008, 12:31 PM

You can turn the feature off.

CharlieO · May 16th, 2008, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chet

You can turn the feature off.

You can turn it off, if you can figure out how to do it. I often wish that rental cars had the owner's manual in the glovebox.

This feature isn't new, as has been noted. I think that the '56 and '57 T-Birds we used to have did the same thing.

superchicken_VI · May 16th, 2008, 12:56 PM

We have it on my wife's Mini, and I love the feature. I have it maxed out for my key's setting. LOVE it.

Scotland · May 16th, 2008, 01:02 PM

I have had that feature in my last three cars. You can set the sensitivity of it so that it really works well.

WisconsinStrings · May 16th, 2008, 01:05 PM

I have that in my '08 F150 and out Saturn Mini-van. It works really well in both vehicles. That truck interior is so quite it doesn't have to do much though.

I know there is a way to turn it off in both vehicles, but it's not easy to get to.

chet · May 16th, 2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieO

You can turn it off, if you can figure out how to do it. I often wish that rental cars had the owner's manual in the glovebox.

This feature isn't new, as has been noted. I think that the '56 and '57 T-Birds we used to have did the same thing.

You just use the tone control menu. It's usually identified with an abbreviation like AS (automatic sound) or something like that and you just choose no.

Jelly · May 16th, 2008, 01:24 PM

I rented a VW Golf one time and the radio would come on spontaneously every time there was a news/traffic break. Didn't matter if I turned the thing off or not. Scared the pee out of me a few times!

tomi · May 16th, 2008, 01:53 PM

My '95 Ford Escort would reset the stereo volume to low-medium whenever you shut the ignition off. I understand the theory, but I kind of like getting blasted back in my seat as soon as I turn the key.

blue metalflake · May 16th, 2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotland

I have had that feature in my last three cars. You can set the sensitivity of it so that it really works well.

+1 A handy thing to have. best set by starting off with none & winding it in gradually. Little chance with a hire car though.

MandyMarie · May 16th, 2008, 03:43 PM

The rental car we had for the past eleven days (an '07 Ford Excursion...or something like that) had the same feature. And it drove me crazy! I kept thinking I was accidentally hitting the volume buttons on the steering wheel!

Paul in Colorado · May 17th, 2008, 03:51 PM

I just wish they'd warned me and gave me the instructions for turning it off. I've never heard of this feature before. The guy at the rental car place was sympathetic, but I was turning the car in, so it didn't help.

To hijack my own thread and to echo Charlie O a bit, on our way from the bay area to Sacramento, there were about a dozen '56 T-Birds together on the highway along with a recent one. Must have been a club ride.

May 16th, 2008, 11:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 55 Posts: 3,979 3 Photos	Weird Stereo in Rental Car I recently rented a Ford Focus and the car stereo gets louder when you go faster (to cover up the road noise). It drove us crazy. It was either too loud or you couldn't turn it down enough without turning it off. I spent much more time screwing with the volume then I would have otherwise. Who comes up with these features and why couldn't they have just put a defeat switch on it? Has anyone else come upon this? __________________ www.tuatha.net

May 16th, 2008, 12:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ol'Tom TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Alabama Age: 56 Posts: 38	Yes I discovered this feature when I rented one over the Christmas Holidays. It drove me crazy since I did not know about it. The rental agency looked at me as if I was crazy when I reported it as a problem. I think they thought I must be the most out-of-touch old dude in the world. __________________ I should have sold those chickens...

May 16th, 2008, 12:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
J-man Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Wales/Scarborough Age: 19 Posts: 5,896 9 Photos	Weird.. my dad drives a Ford Focus and I never noticed that, it must be a fairly recent addition.. __________________ Write a wise saying and your name will live forever. - Unknown When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Hunter S Thompson

May 16th, 2008, 12:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 5,536	You can turn the feature off. __________________ Nets-Jets-Giants

May 16th, 2008, 01:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
Scotland Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, Yewrup Age: 54 Posts: 6,229 3 Photos	I have had that feature in my last three cars. You can set the sensitivity of it so that it really works well. __________________ All those who believe in psycho-kinesis, raise my hand !

May 16th, 2008, 12:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
51mike Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Webster, NY Age: 58 Posts: 561 11 Photos	My 99 Firebird convertable had one in it and I liked it. Now I've got an 07 Altima with everything except the power sun visors and it has the system in it. I don't even notice it's there.

May 16th, 2008, 12:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
superchicken_VI Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Monroe, NC Age: 35 Posts: 1,059	We have it on my wife's Mini, and I love the feature. I have it maxed out for my key's setting. LOVE it.

May 16th, 2008, 01:05 PM	#9 (permalink)
WisconsinStrings Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arcadia, Wisconsin Age: 37 Posts: 632	I have that in my '08 F150 and out Saturn Mini-van. It works really well in both vehicles. That truck interior is so quite it doesn't have to do much though. I know there is a way to turn it off in both vehicles, but it's not easy to get to.

May 16th, 2008, 01:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
Jelly Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 1,405 10 Photos	I rented a VW Golf one time and the radio would come on spontaneously every time there was a news/traffic break. Didn't matter if I turned the thing off or not. Scared the pee out of me a few times! __________________ "I got on a bus and I went to Fresno because I thought Merle Haggard lived there."

May 16th, 2008, 01:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
tomi Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 353	My '95 Ford Escort would reset the stereo volume to low-medium whenever you shut the ignition off. I understand the theory, but I kind of like getting blasted back in my seat as soon as I turn the key.

May 16th, 2008, 03:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
MandyMarie Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Age: 28 Posts: 2,328 65 Photos	The rental car we had for the past eleven days (an '07 Ford Excursion...or something like that) had the same feature. And it drove me crazy! I kept thinking I was accidentally hitting the volume buttons on the steering wheel! __________________ our wacky little hillbilly band

May 17th, 2008, 03:51 PM	#15 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 55 Posts: 3,979 3 Photos	I just wish they'd warned me and gave me the instructions for turning it off. I've never heard of this feature before. The guy at the rental car place was sympathetic, but I was turning the car in, so it didn't help. To hijack my own thread and to echo Charlie O a bit, on our way from the bay area to Sacramento, there were about a dozen '56 T-Birds together on the highway along with a recent one. Must have been a club ride. __________________ www.tuatha.net