Dear Car Talk:

I have a 2008 Lincoln MKX. Sometimes, when I use my key fob to unlock my doors, the front windows and sunroof open, too. Would that be an electrical problem, or something else?

-- Kathy

Nope. It's not an electrical problem. It's a failure-to-read-the-owner's-manual problem.

It's a feature. When you hold down the "unlock" button on your key fob, it opens the front windows and sunroof. It's supposed to do that.

It's designed for people who live in hot-weather climates. This is so that when you come back to your car in the parking lot, and it's 108 degrees out, you can release some hot air from the car before you have to get in.

That allows the temperature inside the car to drop from 190 down to a more reasonable 145 by the time you sit down.

And it allows the leather seats to drop from "quick sear" to only "third-degree burn."

So everything is working as it should, Kathy. And if you don't want to open the windows and the sunroof, just press quickly on the "unlock" button and let go.