Moonroof idea

[Mixed4u]

I've been thinking for a while about this. You know the sensor that they are putting on some of newer cars that cause the wiper blades to activate when it senses rain? This is no big thing, but I thought it might be nice to attach that sensor to the moonroof that would cause it to close if the vehicle was left unattended with the moonroof open to aid those of us who have been know to leave our moonroof open on ocassion and have had to run back to close it because it started raining.
...just a thought. I think it would be a good added idea, maybe someone from Toyota R&D will read this and agree with me. Who knows?

 

[Koz]

Good idea, all the window could be tied in.

Koz

 

[CVsGX470]

Great thinking...I would deffinitely be interested.

 

[nh00gts]

Wouldn't you have to get the sensor to activate a power source to close the windows?? The wiper sensors work when the car is running so how would you make the sensor work when the car is off??

 

[CVsGX470]

Wouldn't you have to get the sensor to activate a power source to close the windows?? The wiper sensors work when the car is running so how would you make the sensor work when the car is off??

I'm sure they could find a way. Ever notice you can remove a CD when the car isn't on?

Ever notice car alarms work when the car is off?

 

[boston_kevin]

This is a great idea, but all of those circuits for the windows and moonroof are only turned on when the key is active. You would either need to re-wire all of the windows and the moonroof to be powered on when the sensor is closed or when the key is in the "on" position. I suppose you could build a module that when the sensor is closed could trigger a relay to fake the ignition to be on the "on" position (kinda like a remote start without starting) then send a signal to close the windows and moonroof...

I'd just hate to come back to the car to find a bird in the car leaving presents all over because it chased a bug into the car then the car closed the sunroof...

 

[CVsGX470]

This is a great idea, but all of those circuits for the windows and moonroof are only turned on when the key is active. You would either need to re-wire all of the windows and the moonroof to be powered on when the sensor is closed or when the key is in the "on" position. I suppose you could build a module that when the sensor is closed could trigger a relay to fake the ignition to be on the "on" position (kinda like a remote start without starting) then send a signal to close the windows and moonroof...

I'd just hate to come back to the car to find a bird in the car leaving presents all over because it chased a bug into the car then the car closed the sunroof...

The next thing you know, thiefs would come with buckets of water to pour on your car so they could steal it!

 

[Northof49]

Does is sense incoming bird shit too??

 

[UoD]

The only problem is safety concerns. What if people are sitting in your parked car with their arms hanging out the window when it starts the rain? I imagine you could incorporate a warning buzzer before the windows start to go up --- but people would have to know to listen for it and also know what the buzzing sound actually means.

Don't get me wrong --- I think it is a great idea ..... I just think Toyota would be afraid of the liabilities associated with it.

 

[boston_kevin]

all of the windows on the 4runner have pinch sensors, so if someone has their arm out the window it would stop and reverse once it encountered any resistance.

 

[UoD]

But wasn't the remote auto-up on the rear window disabled on American 4Runners because of safety concerns? Why couldn't they just put a pinch sensor on that window and still give us auto-up ? Or is there a pinch sensor on that window?

 

[mtnracer]

Has anyone here modified their 4th Gen 4R to have an auto-up function for the rear window? That would be a cool mod.

But wasn't the remote auto-up on the rear window disabled on American 4Runners because of safety concerns? Why couldn't they just put a pinch sensor on that window and still give us auto-up ? Or is there a pinch sensor on that window?

 

[nh00gts]

I'm sure they could find a way. Ever notice you can remove a CD when the car isn't on?

Ever notice car alarms work when the car is off?

Yes but the car won't receive a cd when the power is off...might cause too much of a draw on the battery to pull the sunroof with no alternator power. then again the VW windows go up and so does the back window with no power on.

 

[UoD]

Our windows already operate when no key is in the ignition. If you stop your car and take the key out, you can still operate the windows until a door is opened.

 

[boston_kevin]

But wasn't the remote auto-up on the rear window disabled on American 4Runners because of safety concerns? Why couldn't they just put a pinch sensor on that window and still give us auto-up ? Or is there a pinch sensor on that window?

You mean without the key in the ignition? My rear window takes 1 push of the up button to raise it automatically (like the driver's window) to be fully closed... with the key in the ignition.

 

[UoD]

No --- I am talking about a remote up button --- on the key fob. The Japanese version has this if I am not mistaken.

 

[biglatka]

This is a good idea with the exception that you might have a safey hazzard if there were kids in the truck when the windows decide it's time to close. I believe that is why you cannot raise the back window with the remote.

 

[atomic punk]

Alarm systems with extra channels (like the Viper 791 that alot of us in here have) have a feature that allows all windows to be closed by pushing a sequence of buttons on the remote transmitter. Costs alot more, but I'm sure someone bought that option. Doesn't seem like that much trouble to tie in the moonroof to that too. Maybe someone in here who installs them can provide some info on that.

 

[alpha]

Alarm systems with extra channels (like the Viper 791 that alot of us in here have) have a feature that allows all windows to be closed by pushing a sequence of buttons on the remote transmitter. Costs alot more, but I'm sure someone bought that option. Doesn't seem like that much trouble to tie in the moonroof to that too. Maybe someone in here who installs them can provide some info on that.

Most modules that allow you to have window control through the remote will either control two windows to go up and down, 4 windows to go up, or 4 windows to go down..

 

[AlexJet]

Such things are exist on some high-end European and Japanese cars. I don't know why, but most advanced things which you can find in Europe is not available here. For example, those rain sensors were introduced in Europe more then 10yr ago in luxury vehicles. Right now you can find small budget cars with them. In North America not even Lexus has it. In correlation to Europe, Ford Focus or Toyota Corolla should have them a long time ago. I talked to some major car manufactures and was told that Americans are too conservatives to such things, they like simplicity and most moms wouldn't need it, ...bla-bla-bla.