Newbie here. Few questions if you are not busy

[Cmenthed]

Hi all. Just got a 2007 Pilot after trading in my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. What a difference! Anyway, was wondering if my used Pilot is acting up or if it is a normal drive since I am used to the clunky Jeep. First, I noticed when say cruising at speeds between 40-70mph that the RPM gauge will drop from 2k RPM to below 2k RPM with a noticeable drop in speed. Nothing major just feel it. If I step on the gas after that the Pilot picks right up again. Its at the dealership right now and I am waiting on the results. Second, how the heck do you shut off the seat belt alarm! Since I bought used it didn't come with an owners manual. I am probably grabbing one off eBay but in the meantime I would like to disable this. Thanks in advance on this!

[deanmcneill]

That drop in RPM seems a little odd. My '07 would sit at pretty much 2,000 rpm (or a touch higher) at 65 mph. Best to see what the dealer says.

There's a sure-fired way to disable seatbelt alarm... buckle it! I'm up here in Canada and seatbelt usage is mandatory (and has been for years) so it's second nature to just buckle-up.

Other than that I've heard of folks just buckling it behind them, or even behind the seat?!

[N_Jay]

The Pilot runs at a fairly low RPM when cruising, so has very little extra torque.
I would guess you are letting the car slow down.
Try the cruise control to get a better idea what is happening.

As for the seat-belt; the way to fix the alarm is to picture your loved ones sitting in the Trauma Center waiting area for a month watch you die slowly.

If that does not keep the seat belt alarm from annoying you, I am not sure what will.

[oejeffrey]

So you are not wearing your seatbelt and looking for a way to bypass your seatbelt alarm ?? Hey thanx A$$HOLE !!! I work in a E.R. and I love the idea of walking out and telling someone that a family member died. Doctors don't always get to make that call. Ohh and with out that seatbelt you most definitely can picture your head going through the windshield with a head on collision !! Thanks a lot you jerk for making my work load that much more !!!

[whizmo]

As Jay said, the Honda engine has very low torque at low RPM and is geared very high for fuel efficiency. This combination causes it to need to disengage the torque convertor lock-up on even slight grades and downshift to 4th or even 3rd on moderate grades. This can give the feeling that the car is slowing down on steady throttle and will cause considerable "hunting" on mild grades if you have the cruise on. Nature of the beast and one of the things I dislike about the car.

If this slow-down behavior happens on dead-flat roads, you may have a problem.

- Mark

[N_Jay]

Originally Posted by oejeffrey

So you are not wearing your seatbelt and looking for a way to bypass your seatbelt alarm ?? Hey thanx A$$HOLE !!! I work in a E.R. and I love the idea of walking out and telling someone that a family member died. Doctors don't always get to make that call. Ohh and with out that seatbelt you most definitely can picture your head going through the windshield with a head on collision !! Thanks a lot you jerk for making my work load that much more !!!

And I was wondering if my post was too blunt.

BTW, your unbolted body bouncing around can also kill a passenger who had the sense to buckle up.

Oh, and once more tidbit. It is much easier to lose control of the vehicle when you have to hold yourself in place during even a minor accident or mishap. i.e a minor incident become a major accident!

[haileyian]

especially if your head's made of cement, lol

[belundy]

You guys never fail to entertain....N_Jay, go figure that you'd ever be accused of moderation. You're slipping, man!

[N_Jay]

We love Trolls almost as much as we love belundy.

[theirishscion]

I don't know why y'all are so fixated on this person wearing their seatbelt. You do realize that we suffer a perennial shortage of organ donors in this fine nation, a point my Orthopod-ex-father-in-law was quick to remind me of (immediately after enquiring as to the status of my life insurance) whenever he saw me astride my UJM. Or donor-sled as they're affectionately known in his trade.

I'm pretty sure someone on forum can dig him out the correct fuse number to pull to disable those nasty explosive airbags (they go off with the same force as a shotgun blast dontchaknow!)

[N_Jay]

Because some of us has seen the sad results.

And don't forget, for every brain dead organ donor, we wend up with 5 to 20 brain damaged people.

[osudelt69]

Originally Posted by N_Jay

Because some of us has seen the sad results.

And don't forget, for every brain dead organ donor, we wend up with 5 to 20 brain damaged people.

People who dont wear their seatbeat are already brain damaged! You guys harrassing him wont change darwins theory of evolution or this guys stupidity.

[belundy]

We trolls have a nose for fluffy data...5 ~20 brain dead versus dead-dead? Now that's a variance. Where did you pull that from?

Would you guys feel as intensely for mandatory breathalyzer tests before one can start their cars? How about technology that disables handset use of cell phones in the car? How about GPS devices that cap your car at the speed limit or automatically applies the brakes at yellow lights?

Anyone here race dirt bikes? Driven 100+ down a long stretch of road? Lit M-80's and threw them quick? Had a few too many, but drove anyway? Bungee jump? Take the blade guard off of their table saw? Mow wearing sandals? Text while driving? Flip someone off in East Texas?

So who here doesn't have (or had) some habit that rest of would find blindingly stupid/careless? Prefer a viscous dope slap and accusations that Neanderthal is your father, or a friendly admonishment?

I am not known for being subtle/gentle, but this looks like a pile on....

[theirishscion]

Originally Posted by belundy

We trolls have a nose for fluffy data...5 ~20 brain dead versus dead-dead? Now that's a variance. Where did you pull that from?

Would you guys feel as intensely for mandatory breathalyzer tests before one can start their cars? How about technology that disables handset use of cell phones in the car? How about GPS devices that cap your car at the speed limit or automatically applies the brakes at yellow lights?

Anyone here race dirt bikes? Driven 100+ down a long stretch of road? Lit M-80's and threw them quick? Had a few too many, but drove anyway? Bungee jump? Take the blade guard off of their table saw? Mow wearing sandals? Text while driving? Flip someone off in East Texas?

So who here doesn't have (or had) some habit that rest of would find blindingly stupid/careless? Prefer a viscous dope slap and accusations that Neanderthal is your father, or a friendly admonishment?

I am not known for being subtle/gentle, but this looks like a pile on....

Honestly, here in Houston, I wouldn't mind the breathalyzer option, certainly as mandatory after the first offense (It's been my privilege to hang out with a number of friends of Bill W. over the years, and it's one thing that really seems to work for even the most recalcitrant drunk) but them I'm eurotrash and we grow up with an effectively zero tolerance for drink driving to begin with. It's not socially accepted over there by my generation like it is over here.

I don't think we need added technology legislation, vis-a-vis speed, red lights, cell phones etc. What I'd like to see instead is some actual police enforcement of distracted driving laws. Probably not going to happen, speed is a much easier metric to measure so that's what they're going to stop us for, but I'm quite tired of playing dodge-the-unpredictable-SUV on the way home every night, only to be pulled over every few years while driving safely and predictably but very slightly over the speed limit. Mooo! Time to be milked!

Mandating bluetooth in new cars would add less than $10 to the manufacturing cost, and would probably help a whole lot though. Seems like a no-brainer, considering the talk of mandating backing cameras and the now-mandatory TPMS systems. T'would be pragmatic at least.

As regards the dumb-list;

• race dirt bikes. Check, and I have the busted shoulders and knees to proved it. Frequently without a helmet as well, way back when, though not any more (ATGATT now)
• 100+ Check, both legally and illegally, though obviously many years ago and continents away ;-)
• M-80s. Nope, my late father nearly blew his hand half ways apart building handguns as a teenager. He instilled in me a healthy respect for black powder.
• Driven drunk? Nope, though I've certainly driven with 'drink taken' as they say in Ireland. Not over the limit but not dead sober either. I've ridden motorcycles for enough of my life to really appreciate sober drivers.
• Table saw in Digit Delete mode? Sure, though again I have a close friend who's been through the whole 'whoops!' process there, and lacks an opposable thumb on one hand for his trouble. The guard goes back on when the job is done. If I could justify the expense, I'd love a SawStop
• Bungee jump. F**k no! Do I look mental to you?!? My wife has though She wants to jump out of a plane for her 30th b-day, mad hoor that she is.
• Mow in sandals. Hell no.
• Text while driving. Yes. <hangs head in shame>
• Flip someone off in East Texas. Not so's they could see me

So yes, I've done and enjoy my fair share of stupid and dangerous things over the years, I hear what you're saying and I take your point about abuse vs. admonishment.

Here's the thing though, we've had 30 years of friendly admonishment. Just the same as we don't, as a society, accept the risks associated with drink driving and legislate heavily against it. I think the time for friendly admonishment has largely passed.

Here's a suggestion; try an approach like Texas had for motorcycle helmet use (which was recently repealed now I come to look it up). That is to say, if you can demonstrate adequate health insurance to cover your medical care in the event that your dumb ass gets knocked off your bike and you wind up a veggie in a bed, then sure, knock yourself out, don't wear a helmet. So, translated to seatbelt use. If you have $300,000 or more available in a health insurance policy (that doesn't explicitly forbid this, and this might be a sticking point) then sure, don't wear a seatbelt, get a sticker from the DMV (like your donor card) to put on your licence (and associate with your license plate) permitting this and go enjoy your freedoms, you crazy diamond. Otherwise, just buckle the hell up. Failure to buckle up resulting in, say, $1000 fine, no appeal, to be paid into a fund to help cover the costs of unbelted motorists' medical treatment and public education campaigns.

This way, the public can be financially protected from your stupidity, you have an avenue to legally pursue your particular preferred flavour of stupidity, and everyone else can just get on with their lives and not have to pay you any more attention.

The only alternative that I can think of off the top of my head is to have first responders check for seatbelt use, and if there's no evidence that you were wearing one, load the gurney back up and call the coroner, and I just can't see that flying, not even in Texas

Of course, I also think getting your motorcycle endorsement should automatically make you a mandatory organ donor as well, but that's just crazy-assed liberal me.


Dermot (donning his asbestos undies)

[N_Jay]

Originally Posted by belundy

We trolls have a nose for fluffy data...5 ~20 brain dead versus dead-dead? Now that's a variance. Where did you pull that from?
....

Out of my ass, based on 4 years of ambulance service and 35 years hanging out with lots of EMS, ER and Trauma center friends.