Biff Malibu wrote:

I'll cross-post your question to the larger GM group to see if anyone
there can help.

Of course you aren't the first person (not by a by a long shot) to find
the unusual behavior of GM's systems controls "maddening".

jcr <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in
news:w4udnZ-MopLcB7jYnZ2dnUVZ_vGdnZ2d@comcast.com:


Thanks. It seems like they go overboard on automatic stuff. Like the
instruments for instance. If you turn the lights on manually, the
instruments don't light up (unless it's really dark outside). Kind of weird
behavior.

"Biff Malibu" <biff@malibu.com> wrote in message

Can't speak for Malibu, but any GM car I've ever owned did not work that
way. May be worth checking out to be sure that is normal.

"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in news:AOiVg.19878$Ij.14918
@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com:


It's driven by the sensor on the dash. I drove around with that thing
covered by a piece of paper for about a week, and the instruments were lit
up all the time. That's one way of getting around it I guess.

But I'll double check the manual, I forget what it says about it right now.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

The GM's I've rented in the last two years (~24) have worked that way.
I always end up covering up the sensor so the dash lights come on.

"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in news:AOiVg.19878$Ij.14918
@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com:


I checked the manual just now, that is indeed normal. The DRLs come on
automatically, but the gauge indicator needles don't illuminate unless the
sensor determines it's dark enough (even if you turn the headlights on
manually). Weird.

Biff Malibu wrote:

Rant:
Thanks for the reminder. Now I remember a bunch of things I don't like about
GM's.
Like cheap radio/info panels that can't be read in the daytime.
Useless and dangerous mirrors.
Ass ends that stick way up in the air with trunks that I can't get my suitcase
into.
Light rear ends that come around front when letting off the gas on gravel roads.
Etc.

"=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul =?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?=" <"
=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul =?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?="@houston.rr.com>
wrote in news:4525BFE4.D6F24284@houston.rr.com:


I guess it depends on the model. I like the Maxx so far. All those things
you mentioned don't really apply to this one.

Biff Malibu wrote:

Hmmm... I guess its a difference of opinion. I've rented 3 Maxx's in
the last 9 months. The trunk on the Maxx is pretty good. Of all the GM's
I've rented in the last two years (~24 GM's) the Maxx is my favorite and
I'm still considering buying one.
The rear end of the one I rented in California last March came around about
60 degrees before I could stop the downhill slide around a hairpin turn
in the Coastal Range Mountains, blacktop road. That was one of the few times
I been scared in a car - there was no guard rail and about 1000' down.
Yes, I was going too fast trying to keep up with a BMW and two Jap bikes.
The Maxx needs about 300-400 pounds of weight in the rear end.
The radio/info panel was unreadable in daylight.
The left mirror is too small and needs to be convex.
The one I rented in New York and the one in West Virginia were much the same.
The "tip-tronic" shift is absolutely great.
Plenty of power for mountain driving with the V-6 and tip-tronic.

"=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul =?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?=" <"
=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul =?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?="@houston.rr.com>
wrote in news:4525C432.DECA99B5@houston.rr.com:



Let the Beemers and Jap bikes go, put a blind-spot mirror on and you'll
be okay. And keep covering up the light sensor.