Retained Accessory Power

[Bogie]

I believe the System Engineer missed this opportunity:

Accessory power is retained for 10 minutes after key is removed from ignition or until driver side door is opened.

In consideration that the windows must be lowered and you must exit the vehicle (open the driver side door!) to raise the top, it would be nice to be able to raise the windows after raising the top without having to re-energize the accessory circuit (by inserting key in ignition and turning to accessory).

Hence, disabling the accessory circuit when the driver door is opened was a bad engineering choice for this car.

Does anyone know what mechanism is used to send the "door open" signal that cuts the accessory circuit and if the mechanism can be disabled without disabling any other important functions? If possible, I would like to disable that mechanism so that I can raise my windows after raising my top without having to re-engage the ignition key.

[Ron Lebert]

I just leave the key on in acc. Have to climb back in to latch roof & raise windows. I love this car soooo! much, very little bothers me.

[mbeardsley]

I agree, this was a design mistake.

They should have made it ten minutes, or until the drivers door is re-closed after being opened.

It would make the whole "put top up and close the windows" thing a bit simpler.

While I do love the car, I am amazed at all the little things like that which they got wrong on this car. All simple things (like window control placement) that GM has known how to do for decades.

[SUNNY_SKY]

Just do it the easy way (which is what I do):

when the top is down & car still running...

1. pull up both windows

2. THEN turn off the car

3. get out & open both car doors

4. raise the top

5. close both doors.

Done.

I understand you seeing this as a 'minor' inconvenience, but regarding the retention of accessory power, it was probably designed that way for safety/security and to prevent battery rundown.

I noticed that if I leave my radio on and turn off the ignition and remove the key, the radio will still be on, but once I open the door it turns off. Doesn't bother me.

On an old Mercedes we had, you could turn the radio on without having the key in the ignition, but the windows wouldn't go up or down...you had to have the key in for that.

Also notice on some cars that you can adjust the power seats without having the key in the ignition...BUT you can't roll up/down the power windows.

So regarding the inability to adjust the power windows without the key in the ignition, it is probably 'universally engineered' that way across all car manufacturers.

[etw98]

I had a motion sensing alarm installed. The guy who did the installation added an automatic window up feature when the alarm is activated. So what you want should be possible.

[plausibledenial]

Another one of those little design flaws that they probably didn't even consider when creating the car. Designer=people and people are not omniscient.

I've just learned to turn the key to accessory when I get out to put the top up - that way I can finish the song I was listening to while putting up the top. Shouldn't be a necessary work-around, but what can ya do?

Here's hoping that it gets fixed for next model year.

[Im Fastr]

All good points. I think the simplest fix the engineers could do would be to have the windows automatically go up if you hit the lock button (on the key fob) twice. I have seen many vehicles that do this and don't know why it isn't a feature on more.

But the reality is that the car is so stupidly kewl that it really doesn't matter.

[YellowSky]

i pop the top and reach behind my head and pull the top up n latch never leave the car!

[Blue Sky Redline]

Originally Posted by YellowSky

i pop the top and reach behind my head and pull the top up n latch never leave the car!

Ditto, but I have long arms too

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by Im Fastr

would be to have the windows automatically go up if you hit the lock button (on the key fob) twice. I have seen many vehicles that do this and don't know why it isn't a feature on more.

Automatic up windows are a liability concern.

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by SUNNY_SKY

Just do it the easy way (which is what I do):

when the top is down & car still running...

1. pull up both windows

2. THEN turn off the car

3. get out & open both car doors

4. raise the top

5. close both doors.

Done.

That is actually how I do it.