Little-known feature on your car key you probably won’t know about…but will help you this summer
DRIVERS are only just realising a little-known about feature on their car key that could lend them a helping hand this summer.
Experts revealed a unique way to control their vehicle when standing outside.
The motoring group told Express.co.uk: “Standing outside your vehicle, hold down the unlock button on your car keys and the windows will start to unwind.
“Some cars may differ – so try holding down the unlock button once, releasing it, and then pressing down again to activate this remote feature.”
They also said that although “many car models” have the feature it is “unknown to most drivers”.
This clever trick could help drivers as it gets hotter as it could help cool a vehicle down before stepping inside.
On colder days, opening a window before driving off could help defog steamed-up windscreens.
Experts at motor retailer Dick Lovett said: “Holding the unlock button down opens the windows on your car (or roof, on convertibles), whilst holding down the lock button closes them.
“This is ideal during warmer months to avoid getting straight into a hot car. This trick works on many different models and is not limited to one manufacturer.
“All you’ll need to do is hold down the unlock button on the key fob, and your car windows will begin to roll down whilst you stand outside the vehicle.
“For some cars, you may be required to hold down the unlock button once, release, and then hold it down again before it will work.”
But, drivers must ensure they don’t accidentally hold down their key fob buttons when they are not intending to.
Leaving a car window open unattended is a bad idea as it risks vehicles being targeted by thieves.
It comes as parents driving with babies and newborns have been warned to check for this hidden, life-saving feature in cars.
Safety is paramount while hitting the roads, but it becomes even more important while travelling with young children.
Isofix mounts are an “imperative” hidden feature every parent must look out for while buying new cars, experts at Carwow say.
It is an international-standard attachment system built around rigid connection points to latch a child seat firmly onto the car’s seat, rather than using a seatbelt.
It also saves time trying to safely secure the seats, as the mounts are built-in.
Isofix mounts use metal anchor points built into the chassis of the car to securely hold the child seat – making it the most secure way to travel in a car with a bay onboard.
Other hidden features in cars
THESE are some of the most useful hidden features found in modern cars:
- Conversation Mirror – convex mirrors attached overhead to give drivers a view of the rear seats.
- Gas tank locator – an icon that pops up on the car’s dashboard to locate the gas tank.
- Driver Assistance System – assist drivers with the safe operation of a vehicle through a human-machine interface.
- Heads-up display – a transparent guidance system projecting all the vital driving information at the driver’s viewpoint.
- Blind-spot monitoring – a system that notifies the driver if another vehicle appears within their blind spot, avoiding risk of a collision.
- Tyre pressure monitors – a system fitted to a vehicle which constantly monitors the tyre pressures provides a warning incase of imbalance.