Did you know when you turn the ignition key thing, you don't have to hold it. You can turn and release and the starter will continue until the car starts.

There was some whining about not having flash to pass lights, but we do have flick to lane change directional lights. Just hit the directionals and release and they will flash about 5-6 times.:yup:

I'm about 6'2". This is the first car that it's not comfortable to have the seat all the way back. When it is, I have to reach too far forward to hold the top of the wheel. I found it more comfortable to move the seat forward a couple of inches. Tell this to your NBA friends.

Did you know when you turn the ignition key thing, you don't have to hold it. You can turn and release and the starter will continue until the car starts. You might be surprised, then, how many cars on the road have this. :) I know the gen1 CTS did.

This started with the new body style Buick Century, mid year '97 I think.
Any car that got revised since then has had that feature added.
They use the PCM to control the starter instead of the actual lock cylinder. The ignition switch is just an input to the PCM, then the PCM checks for the theft deterrent system's authorization and it engages the starter relay until a timer runs out or the engine rpm reaches a certain threshold.
The easy key cars just require a momentary push of the start button, the key activated cars just require about half a second of "crank" input.

This started with the new body style Buick Century, mid year '97 I think.
Any car that got revised since then has had that feature added.
They use the PCM to control the starter instead of the actual lock cylinder. The ignition switch is just an input to the PCM, then the PCM checks for the theft deterrent system's authorization and it engages the starter relay until a timer runs out or the engine rpm reaches a certain threshold.
The easy key cars just require a momentary push of the start button, the key activated cars just require about half a second of "crank" input.See this just proves my point...Buick caters to the tech-savvy modern thinking individual. :)

I'm about 6'2". This is the first car that it's not comfortable to have the seat all the way back. When it is, I have to reach too far forward to hold the top of the wheel. I found it more comfortable to move the seat forward a couple of inches. Tell this to your NBA friends.


Good point. I'm 6-2 as well and this is the first car where I don't have to put the seat all the way back to be in a comfortable driving position.

Did you know when you turn the ignition key thing, you don't have to hold it. You can turn and release and the starter will continue until the car starts.


Noticed that on a GM van that I had to rent for work. Kind of freaked me out at first. Pretty Cool, can't over crank the motor. I wonder if you accidentally hit the starter while the car was running if it would allow you to rip the teeth off of it?

That was one of the things they marketed as part of the new change.
If the PCM sees the engine running and you crank the key it does nothing.
Try it, it is awesome!
No more starter grinding!

That was one of the things they marketed as part of the new change.
If the PCM sees the engine running and you crank the key it does nothing.
Try it, it is awesome!
No more starter grinding!

Now THAT's cool.

That was one of the things they marketed as part of the new change.
If the PCM sees the engine running and you crank the key it does nothing.
Try it, it is awesome!
No more starter grinding!

I surely didn't realize it was designed this way. I thought the starter was just not releasing as it should, and I was probably headed for trouble down the road.
I never noticed it on my '04 though.

yeah, i noticed this pretty quickly. I also noticed the turn signal thing, but mine only flashes 3 times...is there a way to change the # of times it flashes? i think i just need 4-5 to make it perfect.

The turn signal thing is still pretty new, I keep forgetting if this was an '07 or an '08 change.
The number of flashes is 3, no way to change it.
All the new ones seem to have this built into them.

Again, they handed control of this over to a computer.
Heck, even the brake lights aren't controlled by the brake light switch anymore! The brake light switch is an input to the BCM, DIM, or whatever body control module is in charge depending on the model.
In fact most cars use a position sensor that requires a "learn" procedure to identify the released position or "zero".
The car's systems do different things depending on the actual position of the pedal regarding ABS and Stabilitrak operation. Oh and the computer activates the brake lights using a relay when it sees the pedal move off the zero position.

All the switches that actually used to do stuff are just inputs to a computer now. The turn signal is the same way. Power windows went to dumb switches that are just logic inputs to a computer a long time ago.
About the only thing I can think of that is a direct output that you can activate is the cigar lighter. :lol:

I for one, was not aware of the turn and release thing with the ignition switch. Cool. Thanks for the info.

I think every car I've owned has had this type of ignition switch. It really annoys me when I get into another car and I turn the key and release it, and the car doesn't start. This stupid Mitsubishi Eclipse rental I had in Atlanta was especially bad - took forever to turn over!

I really like the lane-change indicators, I'm surprised it took this long to get something like that.

Is there really no flash to pass? I've never really used it, but it seems odd it wouldn't be there.

HID only headlamp systems do not offer FTP, it is murderous to the HID arc tubes to strike them up for such an event.
It does work with the lamps already lit, but it won't strike the lamps for such a feature.
It has more to do with the new lamp design than it does the elimination of a feature.

"HID only headlamp systems do not offer FTP, it is murderous to the HID arc tubes to strike them up for such an event."

Wrong.
The 2003 HID equipped Nissan Murano has FTP.
At this point no excessive failures have been noted.
AFAIK there have been maybe 1 or 2 HID failures in 5 years at NissanMurano.org
Mine certainly are fine.
I do use the FTP, thoi I am not an excessive user.

As a matter of fact the Murano has the same issue as the CTS.
They both turn the HIDS on in the garage when I start the car......1-2 times per day.
And they both Turn the HIDS on when I return to the garage......1-2 times per day.

There needs to be a user controlled delay setting if indeed early failure of HIDs is really an issue and not just a theory.
On the Murano, at least, this has caused no problem.

"HID only headlamp systems do not offer FTP, it is murderous to the HID arc tubes to strike them up for such an event."

Wrong.
The 2003 HID equipped Nissan Murano has FTP.
At this point no excessive failures have been noted.
AFAIK there have been maybe 1 or 2 HID failures in 5 years at NissanMurano.org
Mine certainly are fine.
I do use the FTP, thoi I am not an excessive user.

As a matter of fact the Murano has the same issue as the CTS.
They both turn the HIDS on in the garage when I start the car......1-2 times per day.
And they both Turn the HIDS on when I return to the garage......1-2 times per day.

There needs to be a user controlled delay setting if indeed early failure of HIDs is really an issue and not just a theory.
On the Murano, at least, this has caused no problem.

I think he meant on the CTS that the HID lamps don't offer FTP..wow lots of initials

Havent you herd it is murderuos to Flash to Pass here in LA anyway.

"I think he meant on the CTS that the HID lamps don't offer FTP.."

Yes, I know that. But his reason is bogus, IMO.

Regardless of who's opinion you want to subscribe to, GM doesn't offer FTP on any HID exclusive vehicles.
Some that have halogen lamps still have it, usually the older ones.

I really don't care what other carmakers do.
I have enough stuff to keep up with on GM cars considering the evolution cars have made over the last 20 years or so.

I would confess that I assumed that GM didn't offer FTP on HIDs to prolong the life of the HID system.
I don't know what their actual reasoning is. If I am wrong and you are right what difference does it make?
You still can't get it. :lol:
How many people really use it... I mean really? (besides 10 people on here)

I have replaced a lot of ballasts and arc tubes myself, they aren't cheap.

i haven't noticed any of these flash to pass things.. or turn signal flashes.. ived flashed with my brights before i'm pretty sure isn't that what flash to pass is..

"I think he meant on the CTS that the HID lamps don't offer FTP.."

Yes, I know that. But his reason is bogus, IMO.

Ok, but you said he's wrong. He's not wrong. On the CTS, there is no FTP on HID...:thumbsup:

FTP is basically pulling the dimmer switch towards you rather than pushing it forward to turn the high beams on.
Actually if you do a search you'll see lots of discussions about this feature.

'08, thanks for getting my back, but he's right... my reasoning has no real factual backup, even though it is what it is.
I think he meant my justification was flawed, and it may well be. ;)

Honestly, who cares? How many people actually use it? Just use your high beams or be far enough behind when you pull out to use your blinkers.

I just tested this on my way home tonight, and Flash to Pass definitely works on my FE2 CTS.

On my Acura, the high beams are haolgen and the low beams are HID, so when I FTP, it lights the high beams to keep from striking the HIDs. It makes sense, because it takes about two full seconds for the HID's to come to full brightness.

Sorry for my ignorance, but I dont own a CTS yet....how do the DRL's work with HID's ??

GM uses a lot of turn signal bulbs for DRLs these days.
I don't know if I have ever seen them burning on an '08 but I am sure it is that way.

I just tested this on my way home tonight, and Flash to Pass definitely works on my FE2 CTS.
FTP does not work if your lights are off... It works fine while your lights are on....

Try it in the day time and you'll see there is no FTP without turning on the lights first....Not that it's important. I doubt anyone driving slow in the fast lane would actually notice anyone flashing thier lights in the day time. If they aren't checking thier mirror to see someone coming up behind them.. a flash in the day time isn't going to help...

On my Acura, the high beams are haolgen and the low beams are HID, so when I FTP, it lights the high beams to keep from striking the HIDs. It makes sense, because it takes about two full seconds for the HID's to come to full brightness.

Sorry for my ignorance, but I dont own a CTS yet....how do the DRL's work with HID's ??the DRL are Haolgen, but there is no feature to flash your DRL's. The Main lights are HID for both High and low beam. There is just a lens cover that covers the top half of the bulb during low beam and then flips up to open the lens fully for Hi beams. The DRL system is not part of the "low beam, high beam" system. If fact, the DRL turns off when you turn your blinker on. It's kind of funny looking to see one DRL on side and the other side off with a blinker flashing.....

If someone flashed their brights at me to pass;
A. They would be going really fast
B. I be thinking, "Why is that as****le flashing his brights at me?"

I for one, was not aware of the turn and release thing with the ignition switch. Cool. Thanks for the info.

My Ducati does it too. None of this silly holding the starter switch down business. Who's got time for that? :)