i have a 2009 GEM and i have a question… with the key off should the horn and lights and windshield wiper work?? i have taken the key out and everything still works but then later i took the key out and the wiper would only go very slow then stop…and not start back up…put the key back in and turn it on everything works like it should … turn the key off and take it out and everything still works …kinda confused as to why it would work if the key was off and out …
also forgot to tell yall its a ES…
hi nosgsxr… there is a delay period when all your power seems to be on after the key is turned to the off position… I’m not sure why but am often told in a parking lot ‘your lites are still on’ by a passer by… the system powers down and the turn signals… wipers and the lites blink about 3 times and go out… I leave my lites on all the time as I want people on the road to see me
Bob
so i guess what im asking about is ok then i was just woundering because if i did take it somewhere and go inside then one of the basterd kids around here get in it and start flipping switches will it run down my batterys …kinda a dumb way to do it but i guess thats the way it is…lol thanks
I never thought of that… don’t think the car would move at all or go too far and you’d have to be pretty quick to get too far from the car before it went totally off… if you have those kind of kids around carry a bat in the bed… where are you… I want to make a note not to drive in your neighboorhood… or just ‘hood’
Bob
Lol bob u hit the nail on the head…I’m in Crime Bluff AR. Also known as pine bluff the kids around here don’t even know who their parents are so they don’t care about anyone elses property. I don’t plain to get too far away from the car but just in case
Thanks
Mine stays on for about 30 secs. after I turn the key off. A luxury benefit!
I tell people it’s a modern car with all the whistles and bells of an expensive car… of course the next question… does it have a heater… sure I have a Coleman heater what can go wrong with propane flame in a plastic car…
Bob
Lol I got the same heater …lol
trade photos with you
this is my heater… a Coleman… sits in a toilet flange that I found at Home Depot and holds the propane bottle… I placed it just to the right of the break handle on the passenger side…
Bob
i will get some pics and get it up … mine is a “lil buddy” heater that seats at about a 45 angle
Like mine, I believe the models sold in Northern states were required to have heaters to defog the windshield. It is ducted and works well but it really sucks up the juice! It also has a fan position. The switch is back lit red when heating & blue when just the fan.
that’s called a ‘stock’ heater… not sure how hard to convert it into a car that didn’t come with it… have seen one or two come for sale on eBay… with the soft doors and a jacket I’m good into the mid 30’s without using the heater… if it’s that cold I figure I don’t need to go out or I take my ‘big boy’ car
Bob
[QUOTE=eS GEM Colo;13185]that’s called a ‘stock’ heater… not sure how hard to convert it into a car that didn’t come with it… have seen one or two come for sale on eBay… with the soft doors and a jacket I’m good into the mid 30’s without using the heater… if it’s that cold I figure I don’t need to go out or I take my ‘big boy’ car
Bob[/QUOTE]
You are correct, it was an option from Gem. As I recall it was about $500. They come up for sale on occasion. While it is nice & neat an LP gas heater wont kill the battery. I store my Gem for the winter (now) so I only use the heater to defog the glass in the fall & spring.
before Gemcarmechanic-Dennis posted a NAPA #… I was looking for turn signals that are in grill of the east coast cars… called GEM/Polaris customer service for a part number… the lady asked for a zip code… I gave her a NY zip… she said that the only thing could find that was mandatory in NY were the hi/low lights and a heater… then she said a heater… that’s strange they don’t put them in GEMs here… I said where are you and she said north dakota… I said it doesn’t get cold there… right? guess the east coast has a better law lobby…
I love my car too much to park it for more than a day or two… my insurance agent said I could suspend my insure for the winter if I garaged my car…I’ll never use that perk
Bob
Living in NY I have those state required ugly turn signals in the front cowl and reflective tape where they are usually found. They are the standard oval pop-in grommet truck lights, the screws you see just hold the lens on. They could be easily added to any Gem that wanted them. I will be changing mine out to LED’s over the winter.
I got a pair of the turn signals from NAPA… then found that the needed to have a hole cut in the hood… don’t give me anything sharp and especially a cut that must be perfect… I’ll sell them if anyone wants a pair… in my GEM parts that didn’t work… I ended up finding lights I wanted on eBay like these
1 Amber Light 3 LED 2 x 4 Surface Mount CLEARANCE Marker Trailer camper Tail | eBay
for a good price… they only took a couple of holes for the bolts and look great and work well… I feel safer
Bob
Nice job with the lights. :nod:
I hear ya on the cutting thing. I use a spiral cutter (roto-zip) to cut out holes in fiberglass when needed. It always makes me nervous as one slip and it could destroy it.
I went to a body shop and the guy there said he’d rather not cut into the car… the lights I put on were less work and cheaper in the long run
Bob