(RANT) Very irritated with computers in vehicles!!!!!!!!

[two-bit]

I am getting very sick of computerized B.S. that is supposed to be the "newer and faster" way to make a more efficient vehicle.
In the past 72 hours i have had to trouble shoot not only the systems in the trucks i work on. But i have also had to work on both of the Day Drivers here with electrical issues.
I am getting very frustrated with the auto industries use of 18 to 22 ga wiring to control relays that are feeding 6 ga wiring. I understand the use of relays. However, running up to 10 amps thru a 22 ga wire is not cutting it. These idiots behind the design computer seem to make EVERYTHING disposable.
What ever happened to making something that will last more than 10 years, or three work seasons.

I'm about ready to dump the day drivers, and find my wife a nice old early 60's 4 dr Fairlane or Comet. Put a 289 in it, a nice four speed trans, and tell her to drive it.
Three things i know for sure:
1) I could rewire the entire car almost entirely with my eyes closed. Unlike the newer piles i've had to deal with.
2) Pound for pound, if she gets into an accident it will have less damage, and she will be safer in it than the plastic, soda can piece of crap she's driving right now!
3) My wife would get to drive something with some class, some style. Instead of the blah, blah, blah, cookie cutter she's in right now.

Rant over.
Thanks for listening.
Two-bit

[wildcard]

I don't even attempt to work on my wifes car.

[hazelnut]

I have to agree that the new cars and trucks are disposable. but the thing that chaps my hide is they put all this electrical stuff on it and say that they can tell whats wrong with by doing a scann, Bologny. I had a 06 powerstroke that was scanned 8 times and and nothing could be found wrong with it, let 2 shops work on it and the only thing they did was empty my pockets. when newer cars and trucks run like they should their great, but when they break you might need to take out a second morgage to fix them.

[AlleyCat]

I deal with this stuff daily. It sucks now and it's only going to get worse. The integrated systems are mind boggling. Even worse is the engineers keep coming up with new ways to keep us from defeating these systems. However the engineers are not solely responsible for these nightmares as they only design what consumers and government agencies demand. I don't need a warning light to remind me to fill the washer jug on occasion or adjustable comfort zones for each seating posisition or a radio that gets every station on the flippin planet but apparently enough people do to make these things worth while. Same goes for heated mirrors on light vehicles, a trans that's all but impossible to feel it shift, a 3rd brake light, heated steering wheels or seats that have more adjustments than a stray dog has fleas. I'm in process of rewiring a couple things opn my 96 F150 DD. First is to rewire the cargo light so it works like one does in bump. The current setup turns the dome light on at the same time. This is silly since I can't check a load a night without trashing my night sight.

Hazelnut, it's sad to see how many nice rides get scrapped due to electrical issues.

[fordman]

i see so many of those unibody GM's come into the junkyard every week.

[fordman]

i was thinking about this last nihgt on the way home. soem computers that check stuff only look for codes being thrown. so they wont tell you anythign. unless the light is on. however my brother in law has a snapon comuter reader. and it will show you actual readign of the sensors and tell you wheather or not they are in tollerance or close to the bad tolerance range. so it is those people who check it dont have the correct compuiters to check out systems completely. that is all it is.

[AlleyCat]

Even if you have all the right equipment to diagnose these things they are a nightmare. At work we are constantly reflashing engine computers because the latest flash file corrects problems the last one couldn't. Most vehicles now have multiple microprocessers that talk to one another via a data link. Sometimes they aren't talking the same language.