'Is a Toy:' Can a Steering Wheel Become a Tray Table? Yes, It Can. Here’s How

Features can play a major role in a buyer’s decision to get a car. While many times the sales pitch focuses on practical details of the cars, including gas mileage, safety, and storage space, sometimes fancy features make or break a buyer’s choice. Even so, your car may have hidden features you didn’t know about. 

In a TikTok that’s generated over 3.6 million views as of this writing, DashDrive (@dashdrive1) showcases different tips and tricks that can be done to your car.

How Does a Steering Wheel Turn Into a Tray Table?

In the TikTok, these hidden features include the steering wheel placement, cabin air filter replacement, headrest placement, and getting back into your car when locked out.

The most shocking hidden feature is seeing the steering wheel turn into a tray table. While readjusting the steering wheel into a higher or lower position for driving is common, the table tray position is less common. This feature comes standard in some European Ford transit models, like the E-Tourneo Custom and E-Transit Custom. It is not currently available in the United States. However, there are aftermarket versions, many on Amazon, that are suitable for a variety of vehicles.

The Ford driver shows how the steering wheel itself can be positioned to lie flat. Once the steering wheel is horizontal, a flat insert can be placed directly inside the gap. The steering wheel has now transformed into a tray table for eating after a few quick adjustments. 

The next feature also involves the steering wheel. As mentioned, steering wheels can be lifted higher or lower based on the driver's preference. A new driver in a Volkswagen demonstrates this in the video by showing how a lever under the wheel can be engaged, allowing the wheel more freedom of motion.

Gallery: Ford Transit Custom (Oktober 2023)

Did You Know You Can Change Your Own Cabin Air Filter?

The next feature shown is the cabin air filter in the glovebox. The driver opens the glovebox and demonstrates that there is a lever far back in the upper right corner. By pressing this button, the driver gains access to a back panel that contains the cabin air filter. She then pulls out the filter, showing that it is in need of changing, but she does not place a new one. Instead, she puts the old filter back in the compartment, places the cover, and closes the glove box.

“Surely clean that thing before putting it back,” one TikTok commenter said. 

Changing a cabin air filter is typically an upsell during oil changes, but it is one of the easier DIY car maintenance tasks you can do. Doing this replacement ensures fresh air is being blown into your vehicle, and it should be done every 15,000 miles or once a year, Jiffy Lube reports. 

How Do You Get Into Your Car When the Remote Isn’t Working?

Nowadays, some car handles don’t have a plainly visible spot to insert your key directly. However, that doesn’t mean the keyhole doesn’t exist.

In the video, the Volkswagen driver demonstrates that there is a small hole under the door handle. She presses a button on her key fob to release the physical key, then inserts it into the hole under the handle. This causes a panel of the handle to pop off, allowing her to insert the key into the now visible keyhole.

Knowing this trick can be useful if your key fob is ever out of battery or not working. 

Did You Know You Can Also Change Your Headrest Position?

Next, the driver demonstrates that headrests can be removed and turned around. She presses a button on the side of the headrest to release it and allow her to pull it out. Then, she reverses the headrest and reinserts it. The change makes the headrest flatter, which may be more comfortable. However, this headrest hack raised some concern from a commenter.

“You can do that with the headrest but that wasn't intended, very unsafe,” they wrote.

Indeed, it’s important to have the headrest in the intended position because it protects passengers from whiplash, Edmunds reports. Any impact from a car crash, minor or severe, can potentially injure the neck. 

“The jolt from such an impact can cause your head to jerk back and forth like a bobble-head doll, leaving you stuck with more than just a damaged vehicle,” Edmunds states.

You Can Also Shade Your Eyes From the Sun With This Trick

Lastly, the driver shows that the sun visor that you can usually pull down to reveal a mirror can be moved by unlatching it at the top and swiveling it to the side, allowing you to shade your eyes in sunny weather.

Commenters Chimed In With ‘Technologia’

Viewers went to the comments section to comment “Tehnologia.” 

This is a reference to a past viral meme where backseat passengers are impressed with a car feature. The meme features the back center compartment automatically dropping down while the passenger excitedly yells, "Technologia!"

Motor1 has contacted @DashDrive1 via TikTok direct message. The story will be updated if they reply.