Gripe NO 4X4 Indicator light on dash!, put your vote in here

bass mechanic · June 26, 2015

Honestly, you fly? What if the wind blows?

Seriously, take 1 freaking second when you start your truck and look at the dial less than 1 foot from the cluster.

yes i fly! and what of it?

how many people do you know that can say they have a pilot's license in their back pocket?

something i am quite proud of.. childhood dream you might say..

i bet you 100 bucks you don't check the position of the 4x4 mode selector every time you drive off.

quite simply why would you? if you drive yesterday and you were in 2wd why would you bother to check it today?

if you don't see any issue with how your truck functions, why are you in MY thread?

clearly, you don't see an issue here..

Rawyzf · June 26, 2015

yes i fly! and what of it?

how many people do you know that can say they have a pilot's license in their back pocket?

something i am quite proud of.. childhood dream you might say..

i bet you 100 bucks you don't check the position of the 4x4 mode selector every time you drive off.

quite simply why would you? if you drive yesterday and you were in 2wd why would you bother to check it today?

if you don't see any issue with how your truck functions, why are you in MY thread?

clearly, you don't see an issue here..

You flying is great, but with what you've posted here, I just can't picture it. There are switches and gizmos all over in a plane, not in the main cluster. Not sure how you can deal with that, but not deal with a 4wd dial less than 1 foot from the main cluster.

You're right, I don't check my dial every start up. Why? Cause I'm the one who drives my truck. However, if the kid is in there, I do check it and the lights and all the other stuff he could touch.

My point is, if you're worried about this, make it a checkpoint on startup just the same as buckling up.

ember1205 · June 26, 2015

You flying is great, but with what you've posted here, I just can't picture it. There are switches and gizmos all over in a plane, not in the main cluster. Not sure how you can deal with that, but not deal with a 4wd dial less than 1 foot from the main cluster.

You're right, I don't check my dial every start up. Why? Cause I'm the one who drives my truck. However, if the kid is in there, I do check it and the lights and all the other stuff he could touch.

My point is, if you're worried about this, make it a checkpoint on startup just the same as buckling up.

In an automobile, you spend 99% of your time looking out the window to navigate and operate safely. Not so in an airplane. A significant portion of your time is spent looking at gauges, switches, and the occasional "gizmo." So, diverting your eyes to look at an additional guage, readout, or whatever, is perfectly safe.

Oh, and, you generally will have at lesat one other person in the cockpit helping you to keep track of all of the switches and dials. In your truck, there's just the wife / girlfriend. And, her screaming at you to slow down, turn here, and be careful doesn't count.

Rawyzf · June 26, 2015

In an automobile, you spend 99% of your time looking out the window to navigate and operate safely. Not so in an airplane. A significant portion of your time is spent looking at gauges, switches, and the occasional "gizmo." So, diverting your eyes to look at an additional guage, readout, or whatever, is perfectly safe.

Oh, and, you generally will have at lesat one other person in the cockpit helping you to keep track of all of the switches and dials. In your truck, there's just the wife / girlfriend. And, her screaming at you to slow down, turn here, and be careful doesn't count.

I agree, and why I said check it on start up as a checkpoint.

The knobs not gonna turn itself after that. If you change it, glance at it. I'm sure you guys can glance at your cell phone or the radio just as easily.

ShotgunZ71 · June 26, 2015

This is getting better by the post. My opinion is that another indicator is unnecessary, while others think it is. Difference of opinion, but it's all good. Just as long as we all enjoy out trucks.

jay15892 · June 26, 2015

Yep, turning that knob that is a foot away is very difficult. Yet alone glancing at it. I don't need a light in the dashboard as that knob has a built in indicator that tells you. Pretty simple and straight forward I think. Oh and good luck complaining about that brake pedal. Mine works fine by the way..

Robert.jean1 · June 26, 2015

I leave my DIC with the off road screen displayed. I can see what gear my transfer case is in at all times. There is nothing else that is displayed in the DIC that I give a crap about. Air pressure/ nope, gas mileage/ nope, speed/ nope.

Silverado Steve · June 26, 2015

This is getting better by the post. My opinion is that another indicator is unnecessary, while others think it is. Difference of opinion, but it's all good. Just as long as we all enjoy out trucks.

I said this 2 pages ago....but since this keeps going on, you cant give up....this thread cannot end until one side capitulates!!!

Rawyzf · June 26, 2015

I said this 2 pages ago....but since this keeps going on, you cant give up....this thread cannot end until one side capitulates!!!

I've got time [emoji6]

Silverado Steve · June 26, 2015

I've got time [emoji6]

Lol

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · June 26, 2015

I didn't think it was that hard to see where the indicator light was at on the knob....... Even in the middle of the day I can see the light. It literally take 1 second to see. Put it in 2wd and leave it the hell alone. Only time it should even be in auto is during the winter when the road conditions aren't regular enough to have it in either 2wd or a 4x4 position. If you clean the dash take 5 seconds to look over at all of the knobs and dials to make sure they weren't moved. I swear people are seriously getting lazier and lazier. Do some people need someone to tell them they need to use the bathroom too?

The only time a dash symbol would be helpful is while in auto 4 to make sure it is going between 2 and 4 like it should.

MikeNH · June 26, 2015

Enough with the pissing match folks.

Rawyzf · June 26, 2015

Enough with the pissing match folks.

This isn't a pissing match.

bass mechanic · June 26, 2015

I didn't think it was that hard to see where the indicator light was at on the knob....... Even in the middle of the day I can see the light. It literally take 1 second to see. Put it in 2wd and leave it the hell alone. Only time it should even be in auto is during the winter when the road conditions aren't regular enough to have it in either 2wd or a 4x4 position. If you clean the dash take 5 seconds to look over at all of the knobs and dials to make sure they weren't moved. I swear people are seriously getting lazier and lazier. Do some people need someone to tell them they need to use the bathroom too?

The only time a dash symbol would be helpful is while in auto 4 to make sure it is going between 2 and 4 like it should.

you seriously aren't getting it.. its no that the indicator is hard to see, or hard to reach or anything like that. it's the fact that if you won't know if you aren't thinking about it! you guys are making a train wreck of a perfectly good thread!

it has nothing to do with being lazy

nothing to do with ergonomics

it has everything to do with a continual notification in a location that your attention will be drawn to it

yes i understand there is a light on the knob! and if i was to check that regularly it would be a non issue. even living in colorado where i often use 4wd. but road conditions change wether it be minute by minute on the same drive or day by day as conditions change sometimes, you simply forget that you are locked in.

if the transmission made a noise you could easily tell but it is fairly quiet (which is good) and that explains why people like myself discover they are in 4wd because i rarely have any need to check the position of the knob. i rarely drive asking myself " i wonder if i am in 2wd or 4wd? and have the presence of mind to actually check. but i do glance at the speedo, my fuel gauge and other pertinent information in my cluster just as i am sure you and everyone else does.

now you guys are just trying to sidetrack this thread like a bunch of misfits!

if the light wasn't important why did GM put it in the cluster?

and why would they make mention of it in the owners manual.

the long and short of it is, it says it's supposed to light up in the manual, and it does not illuminate!

if this subject matter were to be applicable to a previous occupation quality analyst (as i used to be in a previous life) the specifications listed in the design manual are not being met in the finished product!

wether you want, or like the idea of a light in the cluster is a matter of opinion, but the fact is the manual says its supposed to work. GM wrote the manual! obviously they neglected to test it thoroughly and verify it meets the design specification. either change the manual or make it work as specified.

obviously since there are 2 different explanations in 2 different manuals as to how it is supposed to function, it is obvious someone didn't just copy and paste that portion of the manual when they re wrote it for the Denali. they wrote in the manual the way it was designed to work.

all i am asking is that they simply make it function as is stated in the manual.

end of rant...

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · June 26, 2015

you seriously aren't getting it.. its no that the indicator is hard to see, or hard to reach or anything like that. it's the fact that if you won't know if you aren't thinking about it! you guys are making a train wreck of a perfectly good thread!

it has nothing to do with being lazy

nothing to do with ergonomics

it has everything to do with a continual notification in a location that your attention will be drawn to it

yes i understand there is a light on the knob! and if i was to check that regularly it would be a non issue. even living in colorado where i often use 4wd. but road conditions change wether it be minute by minute on the same drive or day by day as conditions change sometimes, you simply forget that you are locked in.

if the transmission made a noise you could easily tell but it is fairly quiet (which is good) and that explains why people like myself discover they are in 4wd because i rarely have any need to check the position of the knob. i rarely drive asking myself " i wonder if i am in 2wd or 4wd? and have the presence of mind to actually check. but i do glance at the speedo, my fuel gauge and other pertinent information in my cluster just as i am sure you and everyone else does.

now you guys are just trying to sidetrack this thread like a bunch of misfits!

if the light wasn't important why did GM put it in the cluster?

and why would they make mention of it in the owners manual.

the long and short of it is, it says it's supposed to light up in the manual, and it does not illuminate!

if this subject matter were to be applicable to a previous occupation quality analyst (as i used to be in a previous life) the specifications listed in the design manual are not being met in the finished product!

wether you want, or like the idea of a light in the cluster is a matter of opinion, but the fact is the manual says its supposed to work. GM wrote the manual! obviously they neglected to test it thoroughly and verify it meets the design specification. either change the manual or make it work as specified.

obviously since there are 2 different explanations in 2 different manuals as to how it is supposed to function, it is obvious someone didn't just copy and paste that portion of the manual when they re wrote it for the Denali. they wrote in the manual the way it was designed to work.

all i am asking is that they simply make it function as is stated in the manual.

end of rant...

All you have to do is get in the habit of looking at it when you get in if it's that big of a deal. Some people don't like DRLs so they make it a habit to turn the headlight knob to the left to turn the auto setting off. Just make it a habit.

My post wasn't for everybody that wants a symbol or something on the dash. My post was talking about the people that make things seem much harder to do that it really is. I've never had a problem with accidentally turning the knob other than when cleaning the dash which is why I said if you clean it or wipe it off just do a quick look at everything. I guess I'm just tired of people becoming lazy and want a notification for everything or want the vehicle to tell them every little thing so they don't have to think about doing it. It's almost like some people want the vehicle to think for them and that's what my post/rant was about. It's one thing to have a safety feature or something like needing those sensors in the bumpers if you live in a city, but some features just make people lazy or not think for themselves like lane departure stuff or adaptive cruise control. That's the stuff that you should be able to do yourself and react.

If anything maybe make the symbol on the 4x4 knob to light up. It doesn't need to be on the dash. In 2wd or auto while in 2wd then have the bottom half of the symbol lite and if it's in auto while in 4x4 or in 4lo or 4hi then have the whole symbol lit. Something simple like that is no big deal. I wouldn't mind some indicator to tell you it's in 4x4 while in auto, but other than that it's not a big deal.