Cascade Crew

[Al Hasse]

Due to the sloppy roads, I took my mother to work tonight in her car. I noticed the lights weren't very bright except on high. When I got home, I shone the lights on the garage door to see what was up. I do believe the low beams are out and she has been night driving with the stock DRL system. While shining the lights on the garage door, I put the switch to what should be the low beam position, then pulled the park brake lever - lights went out.

Is the dimmer switch for the 2000 Dodge Stratus in the same place on the column as ours? I'm going to have to get that fixed before I let her drive it again at night, especially since her night vision isn't all that great.

[Al Hasse]

Wow, that's an expensive switch.

I think I've figured it out though. More operator error than anything. Highs were on (maybe I turned them on trying to figure out the funky switch) and the twist knob thingy to turn the lights on went to high when I turned it all the way. The dimmer switch, on the same lever, you pull toward you to operate, all I had to do was pull on that to turn the highs off and the lows on.

Why can't the auto makers keep things like this standard through all makes/models? It gets frustrating sometimes to relearn all the controls of all the different vehicles you drive over the years....

[chevymad]

Al thats a combination switch. It basically does everything lol. Thats why its so spendy. And yes, there should be some standardization. You would be amazed at how many times i've had to teach older people how to work their car. Usually the heater system or such.

Talking about standardization, its pretty funny when you get into an early 60s car with an automatic. Those came before the PRNDL indicator was standard. I think most were RPND, and there were several rigs that didnt even have park! Even in the late 60s the heavier pickups had no park.