Drive modes run amok — @Lexus creates an answer

Too many drive modes

In November (2024) we reported that our two main drive mode pages held over 90 drive modes and every manufacturer update adds more. The number now exceeds 105 and does not include another 25 modes related to electric vehicles (EVs) and EV range extension.

Then Lexus got it right, although it took some doing. The Lexus symbols page, linked here, holds some 15 drive mode symbols, among them the outline of a vehicle with an A inside indicating Auto Mode. Its nine special drive modes combined into something any driver can use, an Auto Mode.

All those special drive modes are represented in drawings of a vehicle, tipped or vertical, riding a curved lines or hills and mounds and dots meant to be dirt all in green. One adds a cactus, likely to represent sand, but one could be on a beach!

Ford‘s new Bronco models use up to 14 G.O.A.T. modes (that’s Goes Over Any-type of Terrain), plus four trail turn assist symbols, four steering modes, three suspension settings and four exhaust modes, all associated with off road driving. That’s 28 in total!! We’re only showing two.

Just how much time off road will a driver need to truly understand the requirements for each bit of terrain?

Lexus and its Auto Mode turns the process over to the vehicle’s central computer. This may not sit well with purists, but in our opinion, Auto Mode, which senses the terrain, is the smart one, for the driver and the car.

Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.

At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble — a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.

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The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

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