I don’t recall a vehicle that irritated me so much. Not because it’s a bad vehicle, mind you; it’s quite comfortable, roomy, powerful and well-equipped.
But the Nissan Quest LE I’m driving this week, with its power-sliding side doors and power opening and closing tailgate, is simply driving me nuts.
Every time you open the tailgate, either with the keyfob or manually, the power assist steps in and lifts up the door at a frustratingly slow pace. And while it rids you of the little patience you have left (I have two kids), an audible signal beeps, and doesn’t stop beeping until the tailgate is fully open. Yeah, that’s to warn everybody around the vehicle that a door is being opened at 0.1 km/h and that it could be dangerous if you don’t stand back. Are you kidding me?
Same deal when you close it with the button on the edge of the tailgate or with the keyfob. Luckily, the door won’t resist if you shut it manually, saving you a precious amount of time.
But the power-sliding side doors WILL resist, though. And they, too, open slowly, although it’s a little quicker than the tailgate. You can’t just open a side door by yourself; the power assist will not let you. And while you’re waiting for them to open: beep beep beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… Hey, does anybody have a hammer?
Why must we put up with such aggravating warning signals? Because carmakers must avoid being sued by people who could get injured by a sliding door that’s moving as quickly as a snail. Put an arm or a finger inside while the door is closing by itself, and it will stop and re-open immediately if it senses the slightest resistance. So what’s the problem?
But it’s not the Quest’s fault. Besides the annoying beeping, Nissan’s van is a pleasant vehicle to drive. And I found a switch on the dash that turns off the power assist, but it affects both the tailgate and the sliding doors.
“Hey! Dad, how come the power door doesn’t work anymore??” God help me.
But the Nissan Quest LE I’m driving this week, with its power-sliding side doors and power opening and closing tailgate, is simply driving me nuts.
Every time you open the tailgate, either with the keyfob or manually, the power assist steps in and lifts up the door at a frustratingly slow pace. And while it rids you of the little patience you have left (I have two kids), an audible signal beeps, and doesn’t stop beeping until the tailgate is fully open. Yeah, that’s to warn everybody around the vehicle that a door is being opened at 0.1 km/h and that it could be dangerous if you don’t stand back. Are you kidding me?
Same deal when you close it with the button on the edge of the tailgate or with the keyfob. Luckily, the door won’t resist if you shut it manually, saving you a precious amount of time.
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| Photo: Michel Deslauriers/Auto123.com |
But the power-sliding side doors WILL resist, though. And they, too, open slowly, although it’s a little quicker than the tailgate. You can’t just open a side door by yourself; the power assist will not let you. And while you’re waiting for them to open: beep beep beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… Hey, does anybody have a hammer?
Why must we put up with such aggravating warning signals? Because carmakers must avoid being sued by people who could get injured by a sliding door that’s moving as quickly as a snail. Put an arm or a finger inside while the door is closing by itself, and it will stop and re-open immediately if it senses the slightest resistance. So what’s the problem?
But it’s not the Quest’s fault. Besides the annoying beeping, Nissan’s van is a pleasant vehicle to drive. And I found a switch on the dash that turns off the power assist, but it affects both the tailgate and the sliding doors.
“Hey! Dad, how come the power door doesn’t work anymore??” God help me.