To fix fault: Switch, off. Switch, on.

Cars are beginning to act like PC's;

Owners across the country and around the globe have posted anguished cries to Internet forums about electronic gremlins that stop windows from rolling all the way up, that unexpectedly dim the interior lights, that drain batteries or that make engines sputter. While most automakers have had problems, quality rankings for some - particularly technology-intensive German luxury brands renowned for engineering - have plunged.

"It's these transient things that tend to drive people nuts," Mr. Mills said.

As long as they don't start acting like Yul Brynner's character in Westworld.