WHO READS OWNERS MANUALS? i GOTS TO KNOW

[sdk131]

I always go through the entire owners manual and other manuals when I get a new car. Can't say I read every single page, but certainly I read all of the details about the controls and maintenance schedules/fluid types/capacities, etc. It's also good to get a feel up front how the manual is organized when you are not in a hurry. Some manuals are great and very intuitive....others are like they were written by lawyers and you have to bounce between three sections to find a basic answer to a common question.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Where I got it is doing what you suggested. Here are two examples.

Not only are some assignments different, but so are some colors.

Sorry, those are indeed the same! Only the colors are different.
For example, AUX 12v+ is the same as "charge" - just worded differently.
Both pics show the exact same WIRING positions, the colors vary, but who cares as long as they go to the same place, and your examples do just that.
So those are the same. Marker and parking for example, are the same, and that's what is used for trailer TAIL, so if it's marked marker, that's also tail for the trailer.

 

[SwampNut]

Some manuals are great and very intuitive....others are like they were written by lawyers and you have to bounce between three sections to find a basic answer to a common question.

Yeah, for sure, over 50% of this manual is useless trash that I just skip over. I get why that junk has to be there, because people are idiots, but really, the idiots don't read it anyway. I wish there were some software that would parse a PDF and take out all that junk.

Long ago I had a pager with this on the second page of the manual (which I, of course, read):
WARNING! Do not eat the battery door.

How did that come to be?

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

Sorry, those are indeed the same! Only the colors are different.
For example, AUX 12v+ is the same as "charge" - just worded differently.
Both pics show the exact same WIRING positions, the colors vary, but who cares as long as they go to the same place, and your examples do just that.
So those are the same. Marker and parking for example, are the same, and that's what is used for trailer TAIL, so if it's marked marker, that's also tail for the trailer.

Well, as I remarked to Swampnut, I take your word for it that they are the "same", but to the unlearned, reverse and auxiliary sure don't sound like the same thing. And if "standardized", it would help if colors were, too. If the colors vary, why give colors at all? Just show position.

 

[DLAW]

Ah, interesting point, fair enough.



That's what "constant" means; always on. Every vehicle I've had leaves this connected to the battery at all times. If you leave your camping trailer connected and kill its battery, then your vehicle battery is dead too. Conversely, if you have a generator in your RV trailer, you can also charge the vehicle.

Interesting. Good to know! Thanks.

I'm surprised there wouldn't be a pin to provide power with run-only. This would match up nicely to the aux switch I have programmed to turn on with every ignition. Now I wish I had a 120v outlet in the bed. But since there is no such run-only 12v wire back there, I would need to run it myself. PITA! If anyone has a good article or thread on this doing this, I'll go ahead and save it for later.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Well, as I remarked to Swampnut, I take your word for it that they are the "same", but to the unlearned, reverse and auxiliary sure don't sound like the same thing. And if "standardized", it would help if colors were, too. If the colors vary, why give colors at all? Just show position.

Be careful - 7 PIN is not the same as 7 BLADE.......... that's where differences are. The good thing, they won't interconnect.
7 blades have standards as do 7 pin connectors.

 

[SwampNut]

I'm surprised there wouldn't be a pin to provide power with run-only.

Well, how big do you want to make the connector? But really what use would there be for an ignition-only power on any trailer? I can't come up with one, and I've had a few trailers. The whole thing with the batteries connected is easily managed with disconnecting it as needed. And pretty much everyone disconnects the trunk in camp.

I can see the confusing points about terminology and colors. The colors are extra stupid because while there's a recommended standard, lots of companies use random colors.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I can see the confusing points about terminology and colors. The colors are extra stupid because while there's a recommended standard, lots of companies use random colors.

Besides, aren’t they usually covered and stained with mud and trail dust anyway??

 

[SwampNut]

Besides, aren’t they usually covered and stained with mud and trail dust anyway??

I only go to the clean malls.

 

[DLAW]

Well, how big do you want to make the connector? But really what use would there be for an ignition-only power on any trailer? I can't come up with one, and I've had a few trailers.

I'm using it for non-trailering reasons. But If I were to make something up, I would say daytime running lights, like amber lights on the sides, or soft red on the back?

I used it to power an inverter in the bed to run Christmas lights....so I'm not allowed to complain about missing functions.

 

[#HuckleberryJeep]

I’m always shocked at the number of people that buy expensive vehicles and don’t read the manual. The minute I get home, I sit in the driveway and read through while trying everything out.

 

[Strider62]

Cover to cover. Right away. Maybe, as somebody else said, it's just an old Army habit, but I've found with every vehicle manual that when I read the thing all the way through I find at least one thing that makes go "whoa! I had no idea it did that!"

 

[KurtP]

Cover to cover. Right away. Maybe, as somebody else said, it's just an old Army habit, but I've found with every vehicle manual that when I read the thing all the way through I find at least one thing that makes go "whoa! I had no idea it did that!"

SF guys will still find a way to break it. If it’s something mechanical, you’ll throw the keys at your charlie. If its your uconnect youll throw your keys at your echo.

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

I’m always shocked at the number of people that buy expensive vehicles and don’t read the manual. The minute I get home, I sit in the driveway and read through while trying everything out.

When all else fails, read the instructions.

 

[SwampNut]

When all else fails, read the instructions.

I often use this "gentle" line with my customers who ask something that was already answered if they had read... "The instructions for this feature are noted in the center section of page 2... Also the rest of this document contains a lot of useful information on the other features of your system..."

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