Driver [ir]Responsibility [WAS: Toyota UA-LAC]

[Brett Dikeman]

On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 11:29 AM, urq <urq at pacbell.net> wrote:

> ... no apologies required for this corner ... I hear ya!
>
> The things that have me the most concerned are automatic features ...
> Toyota/Lexus has a system that parallel parks your vehicle for you and
> steers it should you deviate from the lane ... MBz has a similar feature as
> well as one that applies the brakes for you; I believe this is above and
> beyond the feature that pushes the brakes harder when it thinks you're in a
> panic stop and not pushing hard enough.

Many cars for years have had the brake assist.  MBz has "brake by
wire", which is different- their system is designed to work with radar
cruise control.  The A6 has something similar, but in my parent's car,
it's just a feature to help keep the car at the set speed, and it's
INCREDIBLY annoying; when it activates, it's like someone is braking
for an off-ramp, not a "oh, let's check this speed a tad, we're a few
mph over the setpoint."

I triggered the emergency assist in the Volvo a couple months ago.  At
a Y-split in a one-way road, someone decided she wanted to go left,
not right...through the front of my car.  I hit the brakes very fast,
the pedal sank to the floor beneath my foot, and the car stopped quite
hard.  I wasn't so happy about this newly discovered feature, though
it certainly activated in an appropriate situation.  However, had I
gone for the brakes, then changed my mind and swerved, the car would
have still been braking, and the swerve not so effective.

It has yet to activate again, including in some uh,' interesting'
traffic circumstances, so I'm not too concerned about it. Seems to
only activate when you go for the brake pedal VERY *fast*, but don't
hit it very hard.

I miss the UFOs- I think the Volvo's pads or rotors aren't in top
shape, because despite some pretty massive clampers all-around, it has
NOWHERE near the instant torque the UFOs could generate, and it seems
almost delayed a bit in terms of braking.  If you stomped on the pedal
in the 200q20v, you'd put your face through the windshield.  A symptom
of hydraulic vs vacuum assist, I suppose?  Or maybe just because I had
the brakes on the 200q20v completely, almost excessively, lubricated
with brake grease?

Anyone have maintenance tips for Brembo calipers?  They're stock.  At
one point I think I found they share a pad application with one of the
Mitsu Evos (according to a manufacturer or two), so there should be
plenty of lovely pad compounds out there...I think I might switch, or
find out what the PO used- hopefully not some Pep Boys crap designed
for smoothness in Grandma's Buick...

Brett