Things i dislike about the Kona

This thread seems to get fairly sporadic traffic, but maybe it's the best place
to put this ... the button shifter is a pretty stupid design, and like in other
prior-art setups, the Park button should have been placed farther away
from where we can keep hitting it by mistake. I decided to fix mine.

That page also indexes into a growing set of fixes, hacks, explorations, etc
that I've been doing with the car over the last month or so. Still in process...
but it's like the old "tear your Prius apart" days all over again!

_H*
Very well done , thanks for the link.
One question, when you pulled the switch panel left side of the dash, you said the VESS wiring was there but no button. It is my intention to add a momentary contact switch off pin 7 c/w a 200 ohm 1/4 watt resistor to ground to temp disable the VESS sound as indicated here:
https://insideevsforum.com/communit...al-engine-sound-system.5821/page-6#post-78003
(see the link to mikeselectricstuff diagram). Does this make sense to you and is the diagram and wire colors/ pin config the same as your tech manual?
Also how hard was it to pull the lower dash as I can't contorty myself to get under there to remove the switch module.

BTW there is a thread about modifications :
https://insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/modifications-and-tweaks.5009/
Do you mind adding your link
https://insideevsforum.com/communit...dislike-about-the-kona.6079/page-3#post-80335
to this thread as it would be easier to find ,
Thanks... electriceddy
 
Last edited:
I've read about the switch-and-200-ohm thing but not looked into it for
myself so far. I don't understand why the resistor would be needed, as
it is a separate switch on its own and not part of a resistor-ladder
matrix like the lights or audio. Maybe they force it to be "ladder style"
to detect shorted conditions or something?

I'll update the other thread as well, thanks for the encouragement ... I've
got a bit more in the pipeline, too. I'm actually looking for other Kona
forums where the most tech-geeky owners hang out, to possibly join...
I know about mykonaev.com and speakev.com and a couple of others
but it's hard to tell where the richest content might be.

_H*
 
Just a small thing, but I don't like it that the radio doesn't shut off when I turn the power off. I've actually left the car on by mistake more than once because of this (and an annoying beeping sound lets me know). If the radio turned off, then I'd know the car was off.
 
Just a small thing, but I don't like it that the radio doesn't shut off when I turn the power off. I've actually left the car on by mistake more than once because of this (and an annoying beeping sound lets me know). If the radio turned off, then I'd know the car was off.
Mine turns off when I put it in park then open the driver's door.
 
I dislike how aggressive (2 or 3 email, along with 4 phone calls in just 2 weeks) SiriusXm is in trying to get me to subscribe to their service even though I still have 3 months to my free trial. I know that is not technically the Kona's fault but I never had SiriusXm before the Kona so....
 
I also dislike that when I turn on the heating of the steering wheel, it is the whole steering wheel that is heating up instead of just the two spots where your hands are supposed to be (at 10h10) if the steering wheel was a clock. Heating up the whole steering wheel is just a waste of energy.
 
I dislike how aggressive (2 or 3 email, along with 4 phone calls in just 2 weeks) SiriusXm is in trying to get me to subscribe to their service even though I still have 3 months to my free trial. I know that is not technically the Kona's fault but I never had SiriusXm before the Kona so....
Tell them to stop calling and then block their number.
They are worst than bill collectors.
 
I dislike how aggressive (2 or 3 email, along with 4 phone calls in just 2 weeks) SiriusXm is in trying to get me to subscribe to their service even though I still have 3 months to my free trial. I know that is not technically the Kona's fault but I never had SiriusXm before the Kona so....
It's easy. Log into your account on their website and go to preferred contact options. Disable phone and email it whatever your options are and you're good to go.
I also dislike that when I turn on the heating of the steering wheel, it is the whole steering wheel that is heating up instead of just the two spots where your hands are supposed to be (at 10h10) if the steering wheel was a clock. Heating up the whole steering wheel is just a waste of energy.
Your hands are supposed to be at 9 and 3 o'clock. But when you turn and grab over and grab a different position your hands would freeze into place. That's why they heat the whole wheel. [emoji12]

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk
 
It's easy. Log into your account on their website and go to preferred contact options. Disable phone and email it whatever your options are and you're good to go.
Your hands are supposed to be at 9 and 3 o'clock. But when you turn and grab over and grab a different position your hands would freeze into place. That's why they heat the whole wheel. [emoji12]

The 10 and 2 was what they taught us before there were airbags. If you get in an accident and your hands are 10/2, you will likely end up with broken wrists.

I had Sirius in my old car, so I just transferred my plan over to the Kona. Every so often I call up and ask to cancel. The reason given is that it is too expensive - they immediately come up with another plan which is far cheaper. I wish the cable companies would roll over this easily.
 
The 10 and 2 was what they taught us before there were airbags. If you get in an accident and your hands are 10/2, you will likely end up with broken wrists.

Some of us remember a time before there were seat belts even. :)

I never knew the recommended position for the hands was changed to 9/3. Will be hard to change a lifetime of driving at 10/2. Might just be easier to disable my airbags. ;)
 
HaHA. I think 8 and 4 is a better position as 9 and 3 is difficult to hold on properly because of the wheel spoke. Also the heating works at 10 and 2 and 8 and 4 mainly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: R P
At 8 and 4, the point of your elbow is facing downward which might impact your ability to do a sharp turn rapidly. You need your elbows to be facing outward, not downward. ;) But to each his own. Just pointing that out as a safety measure.
 
I also dislike that when I turn on the heating of the steering wheel, it is the whole steering wheel that is heating up instead of just the two spots where your hands are supposed to be (at 10h10) if the steering wheel was a clock. Heating up the whole steering wheel is just a waste of energy.
Our Toyota Highlander doesn’t heat up the top of the steering wheel. Personally I like that the Kona heats the whole thing.
 
Back
Top