Interesting Discoveries Thread (Good or Bad)

[MerlintheMad]

Prolly be better on the ears than this!!

LOL! I'm glad he stopped scraping the hood. What was he thinking?

 

[GRStinger]

Collision Avoidance/radar blocked in moderate snow

Bought my Stinger in May; first drive in the snow today on the morning commute. I would say it was snowing “moderately”, kind of a wet snow but not slushy. Roads were wet; not snow covered. After 25-30 minutes, got a ding and a warning that the forward collision-avoidance disabled – “radar blocked”. This is my first vehicle with this system. Didn’t know what to expect. There is some accumulation on the sensors - I guess enough to block 'em. I was a bit surprised that it was disabled/blocked with just that much snow. Wonder what others’ experiences are, and maybe in heavier/wet snow if the blind-spot/lane assist system might go down too?

 

[eflyguy]

It's not that they are inoperable, but they are not reliable/consistent when partially covered, that's why it's disabled.

If it were to still function, a piece of that ice might fall off, sudden massive increase in reflected signal, it would think a collision was imminent.

 

[MerlintheMad]

It's not that they are inoperable, but they are not reliable/consistent when partially covered, that's why it's disabled.

If it were to still function, a piece of that ice might fall off, sudden massive increase in reflected signal, it would think a collision was imminent.

The manual is very clear about this warning: ice/snow obscuring the sensors will result in unreliability. The manual has quite a lot to say about driving the Stinger in snowy conditions. Winter is not going to be this car's preferred venue! Drive the damn car, don't expect it to stand on its bloody ear like it does with summer tires in the summer.

With winter just around the corner (it's 25F this morning), I am a little bit disappointed that I don't still have my Voyager, five on the floor standard trans. I sold it too fast? Maybe so. I was actually ready to just keep it out on the street; then the kid came back with his money (having sold his skate) and I had to not disappoint him: he really wanted my van. But I know that if I still had it, I'd only be driving the Stinger when the roads are completely cleared off and dried out: the van would have been my winter DD. We don't need no stinkin' sensors in winter: we only need our eyes; and common sense.

 

[eflyguy]

Here's an idea: If I am driving away from the protection of my carport, I will roll up some bath towels and cram them into the wiper well when I park (assuming inclement, snowy or freezing rain weather). Remove the rolled towels, voila! no ice jam; wipers underneath will be completely ice-free.

Down South don't have to deal with it often, but we do get some brutal cold and, so, ice from time to time. Real ice, not your pansy compacted snow everyone thinks they can drive on!

I have a heavy cover that wraps around the mirrors (and also mirror covers as well) that I put on when there's a risk of snow or ice. I wonder why these are not more prevalent to those living up North having to deal with this frequently? Just too much hassle?

 

[robz32]

While we don't often deal snow or freeze overs down here, we do get a great deal of rain and that happened to me for the first time last week during a very heavy down pour, thought water had damaged the sensor or got in the connections, but as soon as it died down a bit it was active again.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Down South don't have to deal with it often, but we do get some brutal cold and, so, ice from time to time. Real ice, not your pansy compacted snow everyone thinks they can drive on!

I have a heavy cover that wraps around the mirrors (and also mirror covers as well) that I put on when there's a risk of snow or ice. I wonder why these are not more prevalent to those living up North having to deal with this frequently? Just too much hassle?

Yes, for most people, most of the time. You'd laugh to see the predicament that some cars are in. My favorite memory is from the winter of '94 (iirc, could be off by a year either way), when we had two plus feet on our front lawn, for the first time in my entire life here in the Valley. Deepest snow drop I've ever experienced. Cars on the street were completely buried; just humps of snow in the general depth. People were digging out for hours. Days later, there were still humps where cars were buried; their owners just didn't have the gumption to bother. The city came around and posted warnings to get the cars off the damned street so the plows could get them cleared. Many of those buried cars had plows go around them and fines were issued and some damage done, so I heard (did not see any myself).

Then, a couple of years ago (or maybe it was even last year), up Michigan way, I saw video of the five feet snow drop in less than 24 hours; and I realized that my singular memory of "deep snow" was just a doodle.

 

[eflyguy]

We don't need no stinkin' sensors in winter: we only need our eyes; and common sense.

Driving my truck or Sorento is becoming a chore after using the LKA / SCC features - and I'm not sure I should ever ride my motorcycles again...

 

[GRStinger]

The manual is very clear about this warning: ice/snow obscuring the sensors will result in unreliability. The manual has quite a lot to say about driving the Stinger in snowy conditions. Winter is not going to be this car's preferred venue! Drive the damn car, don't expect it to stand on its bloody ear like it does with summer tires in the summer.

With winter just around the corner (it's 25F this morning), I am a little bit disappointed that I don't still have my Voyager, five on the floor standard trans. I sold it too fast? Maybe so. I was actually ready to just keep it out on the street; then the kid came back with his money (having sold his skate) and I had to not disappoint him: he really wanted my van. But I know that if I still had it, I'd only be driving the Stinger when the roads are completely cleared off and dried out: the van would have been my winter DD. We don't need no stinkin' sensors in winter: we only need our eyes; and common sense.

Uh-oh - I haven’t read the manual yet! Seriously, I fully expect that the winter ice and snow is going to be tough on the new-fangled tech – especially this radar technology. It’s not a surprise or a particular annoyance for me. I ended up the GT2 with all the bells and whistles because my wife loved the seats! Other than ESC/traction-control, I won’t/don’t rely on the nannies. I’m not going to place my bets on a computer to avoid a collision for me in dry summer conditions, let-alone on a snowy, slippery day.

I have 4 decades of experience driving in tough winter conditions. I’ve always said I have no fear of driving on bad snowy roads… but I do have fear of all the idiots I see on those roads at the same time! I put winters on the Stinger to extend my driving fun. However, my wife is going to be buying a new SUV soon, and I will be keeping her old 2009 Sorento as the winter beater to drive on dicey, deep-snow days. (Those old body-style Sorentos are like a tank in the snow!)

 

[rocket23]

Kinda glad my stinger is ''old school'' not having this option...as for covering mirrors.....never had to cover a mirror thats heated.

 

[eflyguy]

Kinda glad my stinger is ''old school'' not having this option...as for covering mirrors.....never had to cover a mirror thats heated.

I think it's more about protecting the mechanical folding mechanism from having to fight ice buildup when unlocking the vehicle....

 

[rocket23]

oh yeah good point....but the car still locks with out the mirrors folding.....I'm starting to think this car doesn't like cold ,fridgid weather....

 

[MerlintheMad]

oh yeah good point....but the car still locks with out the mirrors folding.....I'm starting to think this car doesn't like cold ,fridgid weather....

I'm thinking the Stinger is hardly alone in that. Gizmos like folding mirrors, hell, even just windshield wipers, are high risk to be destroyed by ice collecting on the car. Any visible ice formed on or around moving parts should warn the observant owner not to operate said-moving parts until the ice is removed. The manual for the Stinger has a lot to say about how extreme cold can and will affect electronics of all kinds, not just moving parts. But for the most part, I expect the Stinger to weather normal winter weather (not too extremely cold, too long, and not too much snow pack) well enough once it gets up to operating temperature. In the winter, I let my vehicles warm up for quite a while before driving, whenever I can.

 

[rocket23]

Uhuh, key word there is normal, I have yet to see a ''normal'' winter in New England.........most god foresaken place on earth in terms of weather.

 

[AV8R]

No problems here 34 degrees Celsius today

 

[OliverNuther]

No problems here 34 degrees Celsius today

Yeah, I had to google “snow’ to see what they were talking about.

 

[AV8R]

Yeah, I had to google “snow’ to see what they were talking about.

Look under B for brrrrrrrrr! Lol

 

[rocket23]

Ok this is just envy talking,
deleted......green just aint my color....silver is!!

 

[CDv6]

Uh-oh - I haven’t read the manual yet!

Download the PDF from Kia and read when/where convenient, on your computer or phone.

https://owners.kia.com/us/en/kia-owner-portal.html/

 

[GRStinger]

Download the PDF from Kia and read when/where convenient, on your computer or phone.

You missed part of my quote - the emoji. I respectfully admire your willingness and commitment to sit down and read the entire user's manual. And thank you for the link. It's also available via UVO. I absolutely reference the manual as-needed for such things as lug-nut torque or engine oil capacity. However, probably like most owners, I don't have the time, the need, or the inclination to read the whole thing.