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Isn't it comforting when you realize you're not the only one?
I feel a little smarter this morning, knowing I'm not the only one who's totally overwhelmed reading their car's manual. Emails from car-manual-challenged readers have inspired me to dig into our 2016 Toyota Navigation and MultiMedia manual today (and not to lay my head down on my pillow tonight), until I figure out why, when I'm at home talking on my cell phone and my husband pulls into our driveway, suddenly I can't hear the person on the other end of the phone. But my husband can clearly hear both sides of our conversation--because it's streaming through our car's audio system.
Yes, I admit my car's 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 Navigation and MultiMedia 304-page manual scares me, but I declare here and now that it's not going to win this round! I may not get to bed until 3 a.m., but by golly, tomorrow when my husband pulls into our driveway, and I'm talking on my cell phone to my friend, I will be in charge of our conversation, not my car!
"Suzanne, I laughed out loud at your story today about the upgrade in your car to a Toyota 2016 Avalon. About one month ago, we upgraded our 'ride' from a 2007 Toyota Camry to a Nissan Quest 2014. Every week we get in the car and find something new. We have had to search the book so many times, ALL the pages are bent down to mark things. I agree with you about the class, I just need 8 hours to try and understand all of this stuff. We had to order disks to upgrade the Nav system. It has been a challenge! I told my husband, who knew people have been driving with all these gadgets for so long, imagine what a 2019 car has on it!! Thank you for a great way to start my day. Laughter IS the BEST medicine. I have been reading with you for about 12 years now. Love every minute." -- Kathy K.
"I can definitely relate to your woes with the navigation and entertainment system in your car. I have had my 2015 Toyota Corolla for over four years and I like to think I am pretty tech savvy, but I am still learning new things about the system. I love to read, but the 300 plus page manual is not my idea of fun. I have been frustrated with how the radio kept going in and out of clarity while in 'HD mode' since I bought the car and told a friend of mine this. She was recently in the car, pushed a few buttons on the touch screen and showed me how to turn off the HD feature...who knew? Only took four years! Maybe in another four years I will have it all figured out! Thank you again for your stories," -- Rashel W.
"[Your] piece hit home..we leased a new Jeep almost two years ago and still haven't figured it out. We didn't get a manual, just an online link to it. I guess when you don't buy the car, you don't get the manual! Ha. Have a great day Suzanne!" -- Amy F.
"I remember something like this in the early 90s when I was teaching and I had to take a course in computers and programming. After finishing the course I frustratedly mumbled quite loudly "I don't want anything to do with computers until they are voice activated." In 2014 I got my first iPad , followed in 2016 by Alexa, and 2017 by Alexa with a screen--all voice activated. So, maybe your 2026 car (since you seem to keep a car 10 years) will be totally voice activated." -- Karen
Suzanne Beecher
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* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT, by Sally Roesch Wagner, with an introduction by Gloria Steinem. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading today and enter for your chance to win.
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