4. The small PCM dial can be customized.

The Vehicle display can be customized to show most anything you want. You can go to Vehicle > Settings > Display > Vehicle Menu and it shows the four items displayed there. Each item can be selected and changed to any of about 20 things, and thereby in whatever order desired as well.

I set mine to be
- Miles remaining of fuel
- Elevation (something available here alone as far as I can tell)
- Oil temperature (critical info to know when the car is warm enough to accelerate hard, which is on a gauge but for my height and steering wheel position is mostly obscured unless I duck my head down)
- Arrival time at destination (in addition to time until destination on the main display, but I prefer the arrival time on this one as it is clearly marked with a checkered flag here, whereas on the main display it just shows as an unlabeled time and can be confused with the current time, esp. by passengers)

On the line above I have the compass (although it is usually overridden by the speed limit) and on the bottom the time and temperature. These can be set at Vehicle > Settings > Display.

What I really like about this is that not only am I now seeing the exact things I wanted (not a screen with irrelevant things just to see one or two I do), but it automatically changes to show more time-relevant things when appropriate. When the navigation wants me to turn, it switches to show that turn. When I get a phone call, it switches to show the incoming caller. When I am setting the ACC, it shows that display. And then shortly after, it automatically goes back. Fantastic.

 

I have not been able to set this.

For the small PCM dial I'm given a limited set of option for each of 3 rows and speed limit is not one of them.

For the main screen I am able to set it in the CAR screen, but it displays " -- km/h" so its showing kilometers and not displaying it anyway.

 

Calexand, thanks very much for this great Thread! (I'm already trying out a couple of your suggestions)

 

See my two posts earlier in this thread for how to set speed limit. That is a separate setting. Regarding KM vs. Miles, I wonder if you just need to change that in the units settings, which I think may also be in the vehicle menu.

Chip

 

You may setup the screen as you like, if you have checked the speedlimit in pcm on the pcm settings you can change or the small screen in your dash, it will pop up automatically when the info is available, in my case on top of the compass. Where I live the info is not available very often...

My settings are: compass, turbo boost, battery volts, range, date.

 

how do you prevent the radio from starting each time the car is started?

 

If you set the input to Aux, and then save to your key (make sure the off button next to the memory buttons is not lit -- that is specifically so valets or etc. don't change your settings while they use the car), it will come back on when you start the car, but will be on Aux and thus perfectly quiet.

 

5. You can have your dealer turn off the chimes heard when the hatch goes up and down. I have only had my car a week and a half, and was already sick of that annoying noise. I would not advise making this change if you have young kids or elderly folks who might need the warning that it is opening or closing, but for me it is so much nicer now. It cost $35 for 20 mins labor while I waited at my local dealer this morning, and included a car wash after. :-)

Chip

 

6. You can customize the vehicle display of the central screen to show current and maximum-since-last-reset g-force (both acceleration and cornering). Set car "personal settings" for this, similarly to the way you set which items show on the Vehicle screen of the smaller display in front of the driver.

(This can also be used to show distance to the next gas station, but I have yet to figure out how that is useful. Distance to the next gas station *after this one* might be useful, but it doesn't show that.)

 

7. Not only can you program whether the right mirror automatically dips down when in reverse to show the curb or not, but you can override the setting for exceptions. If you normally don't want it to drop when backing up, but do this time for parking, you just touch the right mirror button and it will do so. If you normally have it drop, but this time need it up at normal angle, just touch the left mirror button and it will go up.

Also, you can adjust where it is when angled down using the arrow buttons, and it will remember that adjusted position as where it goes to when down.

 

I have finished the manuals now, so this may be the last one for a while. I hope people found them useful.

8. When on a phone call, you can touch the left stereo button (the same one which mutes the stereo), and it will mute you on the call. This is great for those of us participating in conference calls while commuting to work.

It could also be useful for a quick private discussion with someone else in the car ("do you want to go to that, honey, or should we make an excuse?" or "should we take the offer, or hold out for more?", for example).

 

Paydirt!!!
Didn't know the mute button for phone calls too...and I read my manuals front to back as well. (or at least I thought I did!)

Thank you!!

 

Great tips, especially the one to disable alarm while locking the car, had one instance exactly as you described and wife got angry!

I have several questions..

Do you know how to configure garage opening key on the rearview mirror?

Is there a way to set Auto Start / Stop function always off when you start the car?

Is it possible to close hatch from inside the car or from key?

Is there a way yo direct DVD sound to car speakers or an external speaker rather than wireless headsets?

How to completely disable rear doors opening from inside (child protection) I lock the doors, and press child key on the door yet rear passangers can open the door.

 

Glad to help

On the rearview mirror? No. There is a whole section on how to set the buttons on the overhead console, though. Moreover, you can go to homelink.com and get even better directions there. I needed that, as the instructions in the manual failed to say when I should be holding the button down, not just pressing it briefly, to program a rotating code in.

On my 2011, however the auto on/off defeat button is set sticks even to the next time the car is started, and remains in either setting until you change it to the other. It may be different for other years, though.

No way I know of. I think they were worried about closing it on someone's hand or something.

I don't understand this one. Is it bluetooth? If so, there is a bluetooth audio setting on my 2011. Otherwise, can you plug into the Aux input jack in the console?

No idea on this as I don't have kids or others I want to lock in. I would have expected the button on the door to work, but maybe if they try repeatedly it overrides in order to ensure they are not trapped there in a fire or etc.?

 

Page 32 in manual:
Activating and deactivating child lock
The child locks are fitted in the lock area of the
rear doors.
The doors cannot be opened from inside when the
child locks are on.
f To engage: Turn the child lock in direction of
travel using the emergency key.
f To disengage: Turn the child lock away
from the direction of travel using the
emergency key.
For information on the emergency key:
f Please see the chapter “EMERGENCY KEY” on
page 20.