[Ithaca]

@ a4anurag, your creta ownership thread was a treat for all the DIY you had done. It served as a template for curious Creta owners who wished to jazz out their Cretas.

I understand you have purchased this vehicle for your father. I hope the DIY bug bites you here too and you carry out extensive changes to the Ertiga to let it serve as a template for curious Ertiga fans wishing to improve their ownership experience.

Congratulations on your Ertiga and wishing your father miles of joyous ownership.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by recshenoy

The left-hand side AC vent on the driver side looks undersized and sandwiched between HU and the instrumentation cluster. How is the air throw? Airflow is obstructed by the steering causing frozen left-hand fingers or there is sufficient adjustment to make the air flow towards face/body?

Some part of the airflow is directed towards the steering wheel but there is some adjustment possible to avoid frozen left fingers.

*******

Other points that I've noticed with usage:

• Blower gets too vocal and irritating from position 4 onwards.
  
  
• When the ACC is running in 'Auto' mode, if one switches OFF the A/C button manually, the ACC remains to be in Auto mode. In my Creta, if this is done, ACC goes into manual mode.
  
  
• When the A/C is running in the main ACC unit but the blower in the second-row vents is OFF, one can hear a fine hissing sound from the second row overhead vents. Could be the gas circulating inside the unit. Haven't experienced this in our older Ertiga hence mentioning.
  
  
• Find it bizarre that the Auto start/stop functions IF 'headlights ON', 'A/C ON'. Every start up would drain the battery considerably as I've observed the headlight bulbs flickering while the engine restarts. Have made it a habit to switch OFF the lights at traffic signals.
  
  
• Weird noises from the frame that holds the spare wheel are being heard inside the cabin. Will check if something is loose.
  
  
• After clocking 50% of the odometer at nights, the setup isn't that great, especially the high beam on highways (ORR) is lacking in terms of both, focus and luminosity. I'll blame this problem only on my Creta that is running on Morimoto HID's that I'm totally in love with causing any other halogen headlight to be
  
  
• Wipers: another vague decision to provide 22" & 16" setup that leaves a lot of empty area on the windshield. Feel like switching to a larger size blade so area covered is larger.
  
  
• Single press of the unlock button on the Key FOB or even on the door handle will unlock ONLY the driver's side door and NOT the whole car. For all doors to be unlocked, double press the unlock button or double press the button on the door handle. However, this can be changed and reprogrammed, as per the owner's manual to how one likes.
  
  
• The two lids that cover the storage bin in the boot, jump when going over a pothole or a bump at slightly higher speeds. Contents inside the bin too make their presence felt while going over undulations. Have to address this.
  
  
• As much as BHPian interc00led and I could search, we could locate only a 'single' horn in the engine bay placed near the coolant reservoir, just below the left headlight. Maybe there's another one hidden somewhere I hope. Shall get searching tomorrow again (cost cutting?!).
  
  
• One would need to have thin fingers to twist the bulb holder and access the front indicator bulbs. A tight location due to the grille and headlights merging. Low beam bulb is exposed to the elements of nature and engine heat whereas the high beam one is sealed with a dust cap provided.
  
  
• So far the HU has got stuck 4 times. Nothing works, need to shift into 'P' mode and switch off the car completely. Sometimes, the HU switches ON but there's no sound - radio/USB keeps playing songs.
  
  
• Thinking to use a Dremel sort of tool and grind off the rough edges on the steering wheel base (below the horn pad).
  
  
• Hill-hold assist works well on inclines like on shopping mall ramps, etc. Holds the car from rolling back for 3-4 seconds. Used to this feature as it is available in my Creta too.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

[*]When the ACC is running in 'Auto' mode, if one switches OFF the A/C button manually, the ACC remains to be in Auto mode. In my Creta, if this is done, ACC goes into manual mode.
[*]Single press of the unlock button on the Key FOB or even on the door handle will unlock ONLY the driver's side door and NOT the whole car. For all doors to be unlocked, double press the unlock button or double press the button on the door handle. However, this can be changed and reprogrammed, as per the owner's manual to how one likes.

Point 1 - It is the same in my father's Baleno as well. It keeps adjusting the fan speed to try and maintain the set temperature without the AC unit functioning.

Point 2 - Again same in our Baleno. I guess it is a safety mechanism to avoid theft attempts in Metro cities etc. Even the boot needs to be opened after unlocking twice with the remote.

[norhog]

With regaeds to the Smart Hybrid system, I would like to ask some queries and grateful if the people in the know answer it for enrichment of this forum.
Sorry I had posted in another Ertiga thread, request to the mods to delete it there.

1. How is this motor/ generator coupled to engine, gear, belt drive or chain.?
2. What type of motor is it, AC synchronous motor?
3. Is a inverter (IGCT or IGBT) type power drivers used.? Or is it a DC control system set up with DC motor/generator.
4. When the engine switches off during stops in traffic, how does the AC function. In Indian summer with 7 persons in the car, if AC is switched off for more than a minute, it will start to heat up in the cabin uncomfortably.
Or is the AC compressor driven by a motor, powered from the battery source.?

Thank you.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by norhog

1. How is this motor/ generator coupled to engine, gear, belt drive or chain?

By the drive belt

Originally Posted by norhog

2. What type of motor is it, AC synchronous motor?

DC.

Originally Posted by norhog

3. Is a inverter (IGCT or IGBT) type power drivers used.? Or is it a DC control system set up with DC motor/generator.

DC type setup

Originally Posted by norhog

4. When the engine switches off during stops in traffic, how does the AC function.

A/C doesn't work as soon as the engine stops during the start/stop function kicking in.

[norhog]

Dear Mr Anurag
Many thanks for your reply.

One last query, is there any maintenance suggested for the extra hardware on board. For example the motor/generator, any contact brush replacement routine or drive belt replacement routine.

Thank you in advance.

[mohansrides]

Anurag sir,

Great work. Thank you for taking the time to compile this detailed report of the initial ownership experience of the new Ertiga. As a prospective buyer of the vehicle, I find your efforts to be superbly helpful.

FYI, just today I finally took a test drive of the new Ertiga ZXI+ MT. The car is effortless to drive in the city. Gearing is smooth and precise; and the SHVS system assists driving in slow moving bumper to bumper traffic. But out on the highway, I found the motor to get really audible when revved. I also found it very slow to pull from a dead stop into higher speeds. Getting to even 100 took a long time and there were only 2 of us in the car. I am thinking that this motor will feel underpowered with a full load on the highway; more so on ghat roads. Overall I found the drive to be exactly like that if my Ritz. The second row bench is just an inch wider than that of my Ritz, and the boot accommodates the same 3 pieces of luggage that my Ritz does. In fact, after putting in the 3 pieces of luggage, there is a small amount of room left over in my Ritz’s boot than in the Ertiga.

In the second row, I found the center armrest to be very helpful for 2 passengers. But once it’s pushed back in place, it forms a big bulge that is an irritant for the middle occupant’s back.

Third row is great. Lots of room for 2 people. Legroom is quite good, and it gets infinitely better if 2nd row occupants are not too tall.

So overall, if I were to buy the Ertiga, I would essentially be getting my car with an extra of seats. That’s it.

[ani_meher]

Originally Posted by mohansrides

So overall, if I were to buy the Ertiga, I would essentially be getting my car with an extra of seats. That’s it.

... and an overdose of beige Ertiga is really an elongated Ritz. The seating height etc would be very similar. But it is not a bad thing, is it? I too see Ertiga as a 3BHK in price of 2BHK (3 rows in price of 2 rows of other sedan cars).

[porsche_guy]

Congrats on your new steed and that was an amzing and extremely detailed review from you! The Ertiga was always the go to product for anyone looking for an affordable MPV and MSIL has made the new generation just better! Although I really do wish that it had a more powerful diesel and a better AT.

Keep munching miles!

[a4anurag]

1st SERVICE UPDATE

First service = 1000 kms (@ Autofin NEXA, Balanagar)



Quoting my own post:

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Today while inspecting the engine bay casually, found a minor coolant leakage. Shall be getting it rectified at the 1st service.

Coolant leakage arrested


Got the 1st service done today at Autofin NEXA today. Dropped the car at 15:30 and received it in 2 hours. General checkup plus the coolant leakage was addressed at the service.

Odometer: 986 kms
Cost of Service: ₹68

Cost of the Service

[tarik.arora]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

1st SERVICE UPDATE

First service = 1000 kms (@ Autofin NEXA, Balanagar)

Attachment 1834733

I know it is too early to comment on but the average FE looks bad. I always thought that no matter what, a maruti will never dip below 10 kmpl. I know that its an automatic and the engine is yet to run-in, but still 8kmpl is too low for ertiga. Do you drive in a very crowded area?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by tarik.arora

I know it is too early to comment on but the average FE looks bad. I always thought that no matter what, a Maruti will never dip below 10 kmpl. I know that it's an automatic and the engine is yet to run-in, but still, 8kmpl is too low for ertiga. Do you drive in a very crowded area?

This car witnesses a lot of bumper to bumper traffic conditions plus at this time of clicking the image, FE was reset since we did a full tank.

Every time the fuel lid is opened, FE gets reset in the MID. As the car was just out of the 1st service, we got the fuel filled up. From the fuel station to home is 1.6 kms hence that low FE. FE will reach ~11 kmpl with use.

Driven aggressively, 8 kmpl too would be possible.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Every time the fuel lid is opened, FE gets reset in the MID.

That's a irritant in my books. There can be other reasons for opening the fuel lid (mistakenly, for cleaning the inside etc.)

[keshav1426]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

1st SERVICE UPDATE

First service = 1000 kms (@ Autofin NEXA, Balanagar)

Hi Anurag

Hows your number plate fitment coming along. Reason I ask is that my dealership is taking a lot of time to even register their own vehicle. Due to this, they don't do home visits for test drive and insist on customers to come and try out the car in their premises. I was just wondering if this is a general issue with all the RTO's ( New model , different engine spec ) which takes time to update in the RTO database.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by keshav1426

Hows your number plate fitment coming along. Reason I ask is that my dealership is taking a lot of time to even register their own vehicle.

Not done yet. Will go for registration in a few days after dealer confirms the new model update is done in the RTO's system.