[Xenon]

From the description in the blog, it sounded like the headlights needed to be on in order for flash-to-pass to work.
Turn off your headlights... and then try to flash-to-pass... Do they work then?

I have reduced intensity low beams for DRL's so yeah it works for me.....But my car is a Toyota.

 

[TimR]

I called it!

Someone needs to email this guy and point out his stupidity to him. Let's keep a lookout for an apology too, although I doubt he'll give one.

I already posted a reply to his Blog....no doubt they will misplace it.

 

[TimR]

Owners manual page on the subject:

 

[mgescuro]

Owners manual page on the subject:

Aaahh Haaa!!!!

For vehicles with HID, the low beam headlamps must be on to activate high beam headlamps

That SHOULD NOT be the case -- ever!
Flash-to-pass should be active at all times -- not just when the low beams are on.

 

[TimR]

Aaahh Haaa!!!!

For vehicles with HID, the low beam headlamps must be on to activate high beam headlamps

That SHOULD NOT be the case -- ever!
Flash-to-pass should be active at all times -- not just when the low beams are on.

Thought you would like that

Interesting that is only on the HID vehicles though...probably because cycling HID's is tough on the ballast I hear?? Only once in 20 years have I seen anyone flash to pass me, so hardly a deal breaker IMHO.

 

[mgescuro]

Thought you would like that

Interesting that is only on the HID vehicles though...probably because cycling HID's is tough on the ballast I hear?? Only once in 20 years have I seen anyone flash to pass me, so hardly a deal breaker IMHO.

Well... now that that is settled... why are Saabs capable of flash-to-pass with HID, even when the car is off? I swear I've done it at the dealership. Or am I imagining that? I remember flashing the beams because you can actually hear the lamps activate and fire. Thought that was kind of cooll. Anyhoo...

I can easily get flash to pass once a week, when I had a long commute. I am also a avid user of flash-to-pass... or "flash in annoyance"... or "flash the idiot"... or "flash because you're about to switch lanes and into a car you don't see."

I'm a firm believer in flashing high beams.

 

[TimR]

I'm a firm believer in flashing high beams.

Can get you in a lot of trouble too, some gangs use the next person that flashes them as their next target for initiations. They drive around with their lights off for that exact reason.

 

[jlmartin99]

I've driven a couple and the details are still lacking in quite a few areas, not just this one. The biggest issues by far are still engine refinement and transmission shifting.

GM has global aspirations for this car but they still don't seem to get that people who are German car customers will expect the same kind of details in a car trying to compete with them that they are used to. Like a flash-to-pass feature that works intuitively and like the cars they buy.

Hi TriShield,

I hear you, but I am not sure in general luxury buyers are as detailed as you would believe or would particularly agree. I really think if someone is happy with their luxury brand, they really are not serious about changing their luxury brand from Cadillac or any other brand. Something must drive them to look to another brand model. And for the details that most of us talk about here on GMI, simply is not crossed shopped from what I can tell. Luxury buyers simply buy for the most part on their perceptions.

A girl friend of my wife BMW's 3 Series was having trouble and she felt it was time to replace it. She called and said she was at her BMW dealer and was planning on leaving based on prices being quoted. I think she would have preferred to remain with BMW, but they ticked her off. First, they talked down to her and she is an executive and she simply told the sales rep what to do with his offer and walked out, she gave him a price if he was serious. But based everything I could see, the BMW sales rep really was not out of line with the price being quoted.

Based on her requirements Porsche is where she ended up. It had nothing to do with any detail of anything, but how she was treated and her perception of BMW. Her comment was, BMW must be nuts if they think I am going to pay over $50,000. for a 3 Series. I just laughed when my wife told me that. I said, she has not checked out prices of late at BMW right? Anyway, in her mind why would she pay that for BMW, and mind you I do not agree with her thinking here, but in her mind BMW is cheap compared to Porsche, her words not mine. I commented, in my view no, BMW is a stellar product and it is up to you if you find value in it over another brand, but I like their products. She commented, you do not own any right? I said that is correct, but that is not because I did not like their product, I do. In fact BMW’s 545i was second choice to my Cadillac STS V8, I like both products, I just preferred Cadillac’s overall design over BMW, but I still like the BMW product very much.

So she said I will end up with a Porsche Cayenne. I ask my wife, how did she go in for a BMW 3 AWD and come out of Porsche with a Cayenne? She said the sales rep was a person she had talked with before and she had wanted to pick up a new 911 in the spring and had heard that 911 came in AWD. The Porsche rep told her that it was not what they had discuss in what she wanted in a sports car and suggested she consider the Cayenne for now and when winter passes come back for the 911 in the spring and she agreed.

In her mind BMW was not worth it, to put it mildly and Porsche ends up to two sales versus one BMW sale. It had nothing to do with any details in her case other than she did not value BMW’s product for its price. I simply did not agree with her from where I sit, but as I have said before it really does not matter what I think when it comes to luxury buyers requirements, they have their own as I have mine. And that is as it should be. I see no logic in her decision and the more conversations I have with luxury buyers, the more I conclude there are very few luxury customers that detail evaluates their luxury car purchases to any great degree. That is not to say there are not luxury buyers whom really have detailed requirements and look hard at their luxury brand of choice, but I have come to believe they are uncommon and rare.

I detailed my luxury cars based on my requirements and I have very happy with my purchase of two Cadillac models and I cross shopped other luxury brands in detail, but I am not common in the luxury buying market. I would suggest, most of what we discuss on GMI is lost on most luxury buyers; it just does not come into their frame of reference, simply not important.

JLM

 

[mgescuro]

Can get you in a lot of trouble too, some gangs use the next person that flashes them as their next target for initiations. They drive around with their lights off for that exact reason.

True. But I stay out of those areas. So my chances are less.
That still doesn't deter my from flashing to pass. Especially when some grandma driver is going 50 in the fast lane.

I've driven a couple and the details are still lacking in quite a few areas, not just this one. The biggest issues by far are still engine refinement and transmission shifting.

GM has global aspirations for this car but they still don't seem to get that people who are German car customers will expect the same kind of details in a car trying to compete with them that they are used to. Like a flash-to-pass feature that works intuitively and like the cars they buy.

Most of CTS's details, I'm willing to live with or overlook, though it is lacking a few options that should be available. The loose steering, I might be able to adapt to. The one I cannot live with is engine refinement. I've only driven the base CTS. I haven't tried the CTS w/ DI.

GM/Cadillac needs to find a way to insulate or eliminate the wheezy growl that comes from the 3.6L engine. It filters into the cabin and is noticeable outside when revving.

I'd need more time to discern the transmission shift patterns. So I can't say.

She said the sales rep was a person she had talked with before and she had wanted to pick up a new 911 in the spring and had heard that 911 came in AWD. The Porsche rep told her that it was not what they had discuss in what she wanted in a sports car and suggested she consider the Cayenne for now and when winter passes come back for the 911 in the spring and she agreed.

911 Carrera 4 is AWD. I am not following.

 

[paul8488]

Doesn't bother me that you need to have your lights on for flash-to-pass work on the CTS... I always drive with my lights on and it's been proven that people notice vehicles from much further away when they have their lights on. People who drive with their lights off aren't really concerned with being as visible as possible, so why does it matter if they can't flash to pass?

 

[sigma]

Frankly, I think the omission of a dipstick and a temp gauge on a 3-series is a much bigger deal than this.

FAKES...SHOOTS...For the THREE... AND ITS GOOD!

Does anyone in the US actually know what pass to flash is? I've never seen it used and the few times that I've done it, I've gotten the bird because people thought I was blinding them.

 

[PAULSTS1]

While the reviewer is nitpicky, he has a point! While I wouldn't disqualify a car because of the lack of a "Flash to Pass" system per se, I find the omission of it, a luxury nuisance, especially a car designed for European markets. I hardly ever use the horn, but I flash to pass often, especially on the freeways when my V8, wants to really get going and then appears one of those pesky Toyota Prius vehicles (an annoying bubble glass hybrid, that litters the California highways, recently) in front of me. My high intensity headlamps always convince those drivers to retreat to the slow lane (for dear life).

That statement that GM needs until 2010 to re-introduce something that has been a staple for more than 10 years past is weak, ludicrous and should be embarrassing. It's that kind of rational/excuse; and other wait until 2010 or beyond statements has me courting other choices. We all already know; GM has parts bins full of flash to pass switching turn signal stalks. Again it's the Bean Counters at work! Won't GM ever learn?


:drive:

 

[Odin]

Aaahh Haaa!!!!

For vehicles with HID, the low beam headlamps must be on to activate high beam headlamps

That SHOULD NOT be the case -- ever!
Flash-to-pass should be active at all times -- not just when the low beams are on.

If I'm understanding you right, why would you want to flash your high beams when your already in high beam? I only use highbeam when I'm on a dark country road, and not behind another car (out of courtesy) Just don't see the use of it.

On the other hand I do see why you would want to high beam flash when you are in low beam.

 

[A Bum In A Bus]

Now you know why CR is, and always will be, a herd of jerks.

 

[Threadkiller]

This might have been worth mentioning, but harping on it really makes one look like a colossal dork. The only people I've seen using this feature are jerks who are going far too fast.

 

[Z16monte]

According to the article, The CTS uses HID on both HI and LO beam. Probably accomplished with a single bulb and a movable reflector the change focal points. HID bulbs are not instant on and there'd be a delay between the time you flashed and the bulbs actually flashing. Not to mention it probably wouldn't flash very bright. They function like flourescent or mercury vapor lamps, a few seconds to get to full brightness. Bulb life is severly compromised by turning them on and off as well. Most cars that use HID have a halogen HI beam to use for flashing.
Ed

 

[Ambalanche]

:blink:
I don't understand. The 9-5 has had HID and flash-to-pass for quite some time.

I thought GM cars were undergoing a reevaluation in which they were conscientiously removing the areas where parts fit and exposed screws could be seen, so parts would flow more nicely. They were also removing the "dummy plastic" fill-in parts, so it doesn't look like your car is missing a feature.

Apparently something got missed.

This day in age, flash-to-pass should be a given.
I would chalk this up to GM cost cutting.

I would be concerned that my car doesn't have that feature. Then again, I"m nitpicky.
I wouldn't buy a car that has projector headlamps with halogen foglamps. it's a very tacky look.

That is Pure BS! I own an '08 CTS and until I read this namby pamby thing from you guessed it, consumer reports, I had no Idea I didn't have it! I've had my car for 2.5 months. I wonder why they didn't mention that when you touch the stalk down or up the turn signals will flash three times so you don't have to actually take the time to make them click then click them back up. Really, cost cutting. Give me a break! I thought they were going to say the stalk broke or something, that would be cause for alarm, but I can see CR not giving the CTS a reccomendation based on this alone. After all, it IS an American car!

BTW, good luck finding ANY car that has HID's (if that's what you meant) with HID fogs.

 

[Titanic]

It's a lame reason not to buy a car, and to make such a big deal of it when you know how much influence your publication has is despicable.

However, when you buy a car in this segment, certain things are to be expected.

For example, our '07 SRX:

2 glove compartments and 0 of them are illuminated.
The steering wheel doesn't telescope and has only about three notches for rake adjustment
The cruise control doesn't have a cancel button
The key and FOB are the same used for the Pontiac G6 (and every other GM car I've owned/rented)

I could go on.

 

[Ambalanche]

Most of CTS's details, I'm willing to live with or overlook, though it is lacking a few options that should be available. The loose steering, I might be able to adapt to. The one I cannot live with is engine refinement. I've only driven the base CTS. I haven't tried the CTS w/ DI.

GM/Cadillac needs to find a way to insulate or eliminate the wheezy growl that comes from the 3.6L engine. It filters into the cabin and is noticeable outside when revving.

Loose steering? Loose steering? Uh, try again!

 

[eaton53]

Can get you in a lot of trouble too, some gangs use the next person that flashes them as their next target for initiations. They drive around with their lights off for that exact reason.

And just because you're not in "one of those areas" doesn't mean anything.... I've had rural police officers tell me not to do it.

I can easily get flash to pass once a week, when I had a long commute. I am also a avid user of flash-to-pass... or "flash in annoyance"... or "flash the idiot"... or "flash because you're about to switch lanes and into a car you don't see."

I'm a firm believer in flashing high beams.

So you're the guy I keep slowing down in front of on purpose....