This could almost be a rant, but there may be legitimate reasons for these issues, so I’ll put it in GQ.
First, why does my windshield wiper fluid resivior never take the whole gallon of washer fluid? Every car I’ve ever owned takes almost the gallon, but leaves about a half inch or so of the stuff in the bottle. I usually just throw it directly on the window so as not to waste it and not to have a bottle with such a small bit in my car.
Second, why can’t I have the heat on defrost and on my hands? I can have it on defrost and my feet, or my feet and my hands but not the two places I really want it.
Are there reasons for these annoing things and are they really universal or have I just always had cars that do this?
Most of the cars I’ve owned had much less than a gallon wiper fluid resevoir. Anyway, you’re not supposed to fill it then wait until it’s empty again before you refill it. You’re supposed to top it off periodically to make sure you never run out. I’ve had two washer pumps die over the years just from trying to pump air instead of fluid.
As for the defrost, I can only guess that in most cases they simply divert the air that would otherwise be coming out the hand level vents for the window. Just a guess though.
You may want to invest in a cigarette lighter powered heater. You could mount it on the dash and aim it towards your hands.
Cars are designed by creepy sadistic bastards who want to play with our minds.
Why are my brake discs softer than my pads?
Why do they keep integrating parts so that a cracked light cover costs hundreds to fix?
In all my years of driving the sump has emptied twice. Both times it was caused by the oil pressure switch failing. All it does is tell you when the oil is low. Costs $10 and wrecks the engine when it fails on the highway.
Consider yourself lucky you have those options. In years past, there were only two choices: windshield or floor. Apparently they don’t perceive much demand or need for the combination of windshield and dash.
**
The washer thing is not universal, some vehicles have reservoirs that hold over a gallon. I’ve never seen a car with the windshield/dash combo, but I’m not certain it doesn’t exist in some fashion.
Irritating, I agree. However, I have owned at least one car in which the resivoir held more than a gallon, so it’s not 100% universal. As to why it’s so common, I would guess that it’s just the last thing on the engineer’s mind - the bottle is probably designed to provide a reasonable capacity in whatever space is left over when they’re done squeezing everything else under the hood.
At least a few cars allow this. My current car has seprate open/close knobs for some of the dashboard vents, and they can be opened or closed independently of the rest of the climate control settings. So I often have the main controls set for windshield/floor, and one of the dash vents open to blow on the driver’s side window or my fingers.
Funny that the fully-manual vent systems of old were actually more flexible than modern systems.
don’t ask,
The oil pressure light won’t turn on unless the oil level is EXTREMELY LOW! When it does come on, you probably have already done some damage to the engine. You have to periodically check the oil level rather than depend on the oil pressure light! It is meant as a last-resort measure.
Some people add oil until it reaches the MAX line on the dipstick. I personally prefer to have it somwhere between the MAX and MIN lines.
I’ve only had one car (actually, it was a van) where the windshield washer reservoir held anything near a gallon. Usually it’s more like 32-48 oz.
On the other hand, I have had several cars, both U.S. and foreign, that offer a “bi-level” setting so I can blow heat through the dashboard and windshield vents.
My last three cars all held a gallon. But since I typically add fluid when the warning light comes on rather than when there’s no more liquid, I’ve always run around with partial bottles of fluid. On those occassions where I’ve run completely out, they’ve always held full bottles.
What size car are you talking here? A lot has to do with the available space. Back when I was only capable of driving small cars, they had small resevoirs. Oh, I had a Ranger recently, and it had a small resevoir too (didn’t include that in “last three”).
Don’t blame the car manufacturer, blame the folks who make the windshield wiper fluid. Why do they only offer it in 1 gallon bottles? If they were not so lazy, they could make a bottle that would match the car you were driving. If they did their job, I could just buy a bottle for a 91 Ford Ranger that was just the right amount (101.2399686211 ounces, last time I checked).
Of course, I’d have to wait until the reservoir was completely empty before I added the fluid. Otherwise I’d have about a half inch or so of the stuff in the bottle, and have to throw it directly on the window so as not to waste it.
Go get yourself a Volvo 240, it won’t cost you more than a few thousand (since the newest available will be 10 years old). The air controls on the dash are pushbuttons - you can select any combination of the 3.
No matter what my air controller is officially supposed to point at, air ALWAYS blows onto my hands, although not as strongly. It can be annoying, if I forget to change the air temp EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR.
Say, if it’s cold at night, and I get in my car during the heat of the next day, I have warm air blowing n my face until I remember to change the controls.
It’s not really anoying, just trying to make the OP feel better about not having my heating system.
I think you misread my post. What has happened twice is that I have been driving along the highway and the oil pressure switch has fractured. Due to the switch breaking the sump has drained through the switch and then the light comes on. As you point out by this time the engine is already damaged. My point is that if I had removed the switch that tells me I need oil and replaced it with a bolt I would have never had a problem because I do check the oil regularly.
