A few "how to" questions

[efusco]

Model S just arrived today--direct drop shipped from Fremont. Driver knew how to back the car up and how to raise and lower the suspension and that is it. I actually had to unwrap the cover, scrub off factory markings and there is still some residual adhesive and stuff on the car I need to address with a thorough washing and such. My DES, Lee, isn't coming until sometime Wed. to do his walk-through with me.

Fortunately, the car is pretty intuitive and I've watched a lot of Cinergi's videos and managed to get most of the features working without a problem. It's really not too tough. But I have a few things I can't figure out (haven't spent a long time trying) and could use some help.

1)How do you open the Frunk and Trunk with the key fob? I mashed and pushed on the hood and trunk of that fob (which is how I thought it worked) to no avail.

2)Can you punch in a specific XM channel to go directly to it? There are now well over 200 channels and it takes forever to spin that tuner from channel 26 to 225 when I want to listen to a football game or something.

3)I seem to be doing something wrong when I disconnect the charger. I push the button, the color changes to a grayish and the handle won't disconnect. If I mess with it a bit the light will flash around b/w yellow and green and blue and eventually after some fiddling it'll finally come off. But I suspect there is a "right" way to do it where it will smoothly and easily each time.

4)Is there a way to keep the climate control and radio going if the driver leaves the car. An Accessory mode and/or Ignition on mode equivalent to a conventional vehicle? Each time I got out today everything shut off, even if I left the fob inside the car.

5)Is there a list of voice commands? Got the "Dial Home" to work, but not sure what other options there are. Climate, audio, will it go to a web page or do a search, navigation destinations?

I'm sure Lee will help me with these and I'm just as sure I'll have more questions...and I bet that once I have a chance to read the owners manual even more will be clear. But these seem to be not so intuitive questions that I think others will encounter too.

 

[steve841]

1. Double click on the fob trunk or frunk.... Took me a few tries to find fob sweet spot.
2. Not sure about direct tune... But use favorites.
3. Its a snug fit. Try two hands and pull straight out. Yes, push button, wait for click sound.
4. Yes, it's in the main screen control area. Don't recall the exact steps.
5. You got the new software, you tell us! Lol....

You will have it all figured out before DS arrives.

Edit.... Be careful with closing frunk .... I may be too careful, but I put a towel under my hands and close firmly.

 

[napabill]

1)How do you open the Frunk and Trunk with the key fob? I mashed and pushed on the hood and trunk of that fob (which is how I thought it worked) to no avail.

Dbl click the hood for the frunk, back for hatchback, and top to lock/unlock car. There is a tactile click when you do it correctly.

3)I seem to be doing something wrong when I disconnect the charger. I push the button, the color changes to a grayish and the handle won't disconnect. If I mess with it a bit the light will flash around b/w yellow and green and blue and eventually after some fiddling it'll finally come off. But I suspect there is a "right" way to do it where it will smoothly and easily each time.

Fiddling is the correct approach. My DS had the same problem when showing me. Fiddling was the solution.

 

[Jason S]

3) I found the trick I need to remember is to unlock the car first. So the routine is, with the car parked on left side of garage and door to home in front of other car -- touch passenger door handle to start unlock sequence, walk around to charger cable, push button to release, wait for click, pull out (sometimes takes fiddling even then), and good to go.

4) Leave a door partially open.

5) The commands appear to be listed in the release notes. Off the top of my head the music commands only work vs Slacker search, the "call" and "dial" commands work for contacts and the other commands are Nav related (basically Google maps search). "Listen to", "Play". "Navigate to", "Go to".

 

[kendallpb]

Prius owner Eagerly awaiting Dec. 3-17 delivery of my Model S R77 (VIN-1267)-- Black 85kWh (non-perf), Tech, Lacewood trim, tan interior, Sound Studio, Air Suspension, 19" rims, twin chargers, HPWC

Congrts, Evan! Also . . . you need to update your signature. ;-)

 

[Jrhodesmd]

#4 - First put the car in neutral. Then apply the e-brake (press 'Controls' and go to e-brake. Press the apply e-brake button.) Car is now parked and on. Radio, climate control, headlights, all stay on even after you walk away. This is the way I finally got to see what the headlights looked like (always shut off getting out of the car before I learned that trick.)

 

[cinergi]

#3 - there may be too much pressure on the locking pin (preventing it from fully retracting / unlocking). When the button is down, try pushing in and then pulling out. Shouldn't normally happen though.

 

[efusco]

#3 - there may be too much pressure on the locking pin (preventing it from fully retracting / unlocking). When the button is down, try pushing in and then pulling out. Shouldn't normally happen though.

Should I press and hold the release button, or press and hold?

 

[contaygious]

Voice commands are
Drive to, navigate to
Where is (location)
Play (artist)
Call

 

[efusco]

Voice commands are
Drive to, navigate to
Where is (location)
Play (artist)
Call

Thanks, pretty limited list.

 

[brianman]

For #4, regular park works in some combination. I did it once while trying to drain my battery (on purpose) so it had some room to charge when I was getting my 14-50R installed. I'll try to remember the full incantation (it wasn't long, my memory just sucks).

 

[contaygious]

Yeah, but a good start. I'd really only need a few more like setting suspension for instance.

 

[cinergi]

Should I press and hold the release button, or press and hold?

Wait, what? (re-read that :smile
Press and hold while pulling is the proper method.

 

[JoshG]

\2)Can you punch in a specific XM channel to go directly to it? There are now well over 200 channels and it takes forever to spin that tuner from channel 26 to 225 when I want to listen to a football game or something.

The entertainment system still needs lots of work, in my opinion. Direct entry of XM is just one of the issues. You can't type in a channel number... BUT you can store your favorite channels and then navigate a much shorter list in your media favorites screen. You know, presumably, about the 6 or so "buttons" to store your very favorite channels in XM. And then there's an infinite "Favorites" list of channels too. (press "Heart" symbol with the + sign). Enter as many as you like. Here again, it's got issues - for instance it will ALWAYS put those favorites in numerical order and you can't change to putting your favorite channels in YOUR order. You can't rearrange the list either. But it's better than spinning that "dial" for changing channels. Also re:XM, really dumb that it doesn't pull the channel logo art and the track/song art. At least the former should be available to any Sirius/XM radio implementation .. would suspect the song metadata is sent for lookup on any of the common CDDB-type services if XM doesn't send album art itself.

Don't get me started on the problems with digital music tracks or TuneIn. Not being able to fast-forward or fast-rewind a track stored on USB or an ipod is REALLY dumb. And TuneIn Radio is great, except that getting out of car and getting back in starts your program at the beginning again. Sucks for long-form entertainment shows. news programs, things like "This Week in Tech" and other long shows... and you can't fast forward, so your only choice is to start listening to it all over again from the beginning. makes it pretty useless for me other than for checking out good out-of-market terrestrial radio stations unless i'm on a long drive and am sure i won't need to get out of vehicle before the show ends.

 

[brianman]

Evan, can you elaborate on the scenario for #4?

If you sit in the passenger seat with the fob in your pocket and close the door, tapping the 17" turns on the radio and CC.

If you then open the window and step out of the vehicle and close the door, they turn off. If you then tap the 17" through the window they turn back on again.

 

[FlasherZ]

Fiddling is the correct approach. My DS had the same problem when showing me. Fiddling was the solution.

...but one thing important: this isn't classic St. Louis Symphony Orchestra fiddling. You need a good Charlie Daniels, or perhaps even Orange Blossom Special if you can work it.

Evan: You live close enough to Branson, I think you'll be fine here.