How many people do you know who don't use the automatic headlights?

I do get tired of people telling me I've left my highlights on when I park the car at the mall

I prefer the light off. save the longevity of headlight bulb, It may little to help the environment but every small step will lead to bigger things. When I need to turn the light on when it get to dusk or rain, Its no big hassle. No offense, but I think the automatic headlight are just for physical challenge people who cannot the turn the light on at their discretion.

Given how many people I see who drive at night without headlights, I disagree that they are for physically challenged people who can't turn them on.

I mean, if that's the case, why not get rid of every technological innovation that has made life easier and safer?

As for saving the longevity of the light bulbs, I think you may be saving .000000001% of the light's life? I think just the fact of turning them on / off a few times will affect the bulb life much more than having auto-lights run them a bit longer.

In general I don't use the feature but my wife does. Since the car doesn't have daytime driving lights I like to turn on the lights when on the highway in the daytime or in poor light conditions that don't require headlights. It is mainly a safety thing that the car isn't smart enough to determine.

There have been NUMEROUS studies done in the past that have shown and proven that daytime running lights will reduce daytime injury crashes by three to 10 per cent.

3-10% is a huge figure when we think of how many hundred of thousands of accidents there are each and every single year.

Daytime running lights are mandatory on all vehicles manufactured and sold in Canada after 1990.

It's not hard to understand, regardless of having the automatic headlight option in your vehicle, everyone should ALWAYS be driving with their lights on.

It's like wearing your seat belt, it's a question of safety and lessening the odds in being involved in a crash.

I get tired of the morons who pull up to the starbucks when Im there, get out, and leave the automatic headlights to turn themselves off, when their lights are lighting up the entire store. Mind you there's about 10 feet between the couple parking spaces in front of the store, and the glass "wall" that makes up the front of the starbucks.....

3

Who cares?
I bet all those against dusk to dawn headlights also by pass power windows, just so they can crank them up & down manually. wouldn't want to be to lazy now..
Come on people... Go to your local wrench shop and have them cut a switch in so you can control the day time running lights while your at it, just to save the bulbs Burn life .

Either you use them on auto or you don't, what a dumb question in the first place!

Now here are two more important questions!

How many people actually use the delay on their wipers?

How many people are lazy enough to actually use the little button on their key chain to lock or unlock the car doors?

Geez!

Remember how my Father would say son your just spoiled. Thats how I feel we are getting when
I hear about how hard it is for us to turn on are lights, just spoiled

I totally agree. I just bought a Ford Fusion Hybrid (2010 model), and the thing does not have daylight running lights! It has every other imaginable toy, but no DRL....(they only put DRL in the Canadian models). Ford has a winner with this vehicle, but no DRL is a show stopper to me. Now, every time I get in this car, I have to turn the light switch to parking lights, and pull the switch to turn on the fog lights. Then, when I get where I'm going, I have to return the switch to off. How dumb is that?

Joel

I keep mine on Auto all the time, why not, works fine.

Your remarks make no sense to me, longevity of bulb, please. I could turn on by myself, but why? Doesn't make me physical challenge, another dump thing you say.

?

Mine has an adjustable delay setting which you can adjust the length of time they stay on when the car is off. It's a matter of safety and convenience, and usage seems like a no-brainer to me.

I`ve never touched my headlight switch nor my wiper
switch .
My lights turn off when I shut the motor off and the wipers come on automatically when needed . I bought this car in 2002 and it`s never failed me yet. I love it.

A bit surprised by the "automatic lights are for the lazy or incapacitated" crowd reaction here. I haven't had them for several years now, but could certainly use them when I'm renting cars, which is nearly weekly. Some cars have the fluorescent or other LED-type instrument panel lighting that naturally comes on whenever the car is started. If I forget because of my old-school days that the instrument panel lights would only come on when I activate the headlights, then I am apt to think the headlights are on simply because the instrument cluster is lit. That small bit of safety override seems to me to be worth what little electricity it uses.

Another safety feature is the automatic door lock when you put the car in drive. While we could, and would have to for cars without this feature, locking the doors isn't even as much safety from the outside as it is to keep the doors closed in a collision. Thus helping to keep the occupants from being thrown from the car. I'll take that 100% assurance of doors locked every time too.

If folks don't want to use automatic temperature controlled air conditioning, or radio pre-set buttons, or automatic trunk release, or any other "convenience" item, they certainly still have other devices not to use!

Count me in as a fan of the automatic lights. And like others pointed out, even if your vehicle is equiped with the feature, you don't actually have to use it.

Unless you drive a GMC Yukon/Tahoe like I do. The automatic feature cannot be defeated or turned off.

The DRL/automatic headlight issue has been debated for ages and will not be settled anytime soon. But I am one who counts himself as a driving enthusiast--not simply a "commuter" like most people on the road. I actually concentrate and focus on road conditions and don't yak or text on the cell phones like many people do. I like to have control over my headlights and I'm fully capable of using my own judgment to use my headlights correctly and safely--I actually prefer it. Automatic headlights do not work perfectly and are an unfortunate product of having to cater to the lowest common denominator.

I wish every vehicle came with them, daytime running lights as well. I have auto headlights on my Ford Excursion but no DRLs. DW's Ford Focus has regular headlights and no DRLs. I have auto headlights and DRLs on my Toyota Matrix but I have no way of turning the headlights off. It might as well not have come with an on/off switch. It makes it interesting approaching a guard post at a military installation at night. They never believe me when I say that I can't dim the headlights.

On our GM car has both and our Hyundai does not have automatic headlights, but does have an auto setting. On the GM car, we never touch the switch, but on the Hyundai, the car will let it get darker than I want it to before turning on the lights via the auto setting. So on that car, I often end up turning on the lights myself.

For those of you who never touch the switch:

When on out of town business trips or on vacation in a rental car that does not have automatic lights, have you ever taken off driving and only later realized the lights were not on?

I have a Hyundai, while there is auto lights, the sensor is so sensitive that it has to get real dark before the headlights come on. Often times, when I'm driving at dusk, I have to manually turn on the headlights. That's my only complaint, otherwise, I love the feature.

Only one car that I know has the auto headlights and she does use them. Her lights shut off really quick so she doesn't have the problem of people telling her she left the lights on.

As far as fumbling around, never had that problem with any car I've owned. I pretty much remember where every knob, button, dial, etc is located and could find them blindfolded.

I always use the automatic lights in the past three GM cars I've had. When I first got a vehicle with them I might have not used it if I knew how to switch them off. I didn't even realize it was possible until reading this thread. They are definitely a convenience and probably have saved me from a dead battery once or twice. Although I do turn them on manually when it rains during the day time since it is a state law where I lived previously.

A very good argument could be made for NOT using automatic headlights. It makes you lazy, you depend on a device to do for you what you should be doing for yourself. It won't turn on your headlights during rain/snow storms.

That said, why do you get upset with folks who don't use the feature? Are you one of those folks who know what is good for me better than I do? Do you think the rest of the world should conform to what YOU think is right?

Jack j

Well I can tell most of you folks don't live anywhere near the 45th.

I turn off my headlights to save the battery for starting!

I have them on my 2003 Camry. Problem is that if I don't use the auto feature and use the manual on-and-off, my warning buzzer does not sound if I forget them at ON.

For this reason, I use the auto.

NHTSA Just said it makes little difference to drive with light on during the day.

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=Do...

Some good info here against DRLs
http://lightsout.org

I have a minivan that has automatic headlights. I went to a drive in theater and it was sprinkling. So I turned the wipers on (but had the headlights set to off because we were at the theater). Then I discovered that Ford hardwired the lights on (no override) when the wipers are on due to laws some states have. Nothing pisses me off more than not having the ability to override a feature that is suppose to make life easier.

There is no control to turn off the headlights on my Chevy Malibu. But - if I engage the emergency brake at least one or two clicks the light will shut off. I never use this work-around while driving but if I am in a situation where I do not want to turn the ignition off and have the lights on, it is useful.

I had a weak battery and winters here can be harsh, next day couldn't start the car.

Using DRLs made my lamps die very quickly... I always turn on my lights when its getting dark or raining, so did not feel the need to have DRL on... thankfully it was easy to turn off by just bending a pin on the headlight switch!

It's filled with ideas I'd never have thought of. My problem with my Camry is that's there's some kind of evil spirit that occasionally likes to play games with me and move the light switch to off when I expect it to be on Auto.

A nice safety feature. It is nice when you get out of the car and you don't have to use a flashlight to walk up an unlit pathway to an entrance. I also like the feature that allows you to turn on the lights in the car when you lock /unlock the doors or sound the horn so that you can find your car in an unfamiliar parking lot.
Knowing that I have automaic lights, I try and avoid parking in front of residential or restuarant windows at night.

That must be really frustrating in areas with deer. When we lived in Philly you would need to wake the deer up by turning flashing your headlights at them so they would move out of your way.

Miss POI

I always leave them on. I have not found a reason personally where I would rather have them off.

Not to be rude but think about it....you bought a FORD!!!!

Both of my cars have auto headlights and I love it....never have to worry about turning them on and off on and off on and off...Those that say they don't like them probably don't have them or have them and don't know it...

My Toyota Solara and Highlander both have auto headlights. I usually leave the switch in auto mode but, if I have to use windshield wipers I switch to "on" so I'm sure I have both headlights and tail lights.

Why people would leave their headlights on after parking is a mystery to me. Mine turn off (Toyota) when I use the keyfob to lock the door. Push the lock button once and the doors lock (alarm activates) press twice and the lights turn off.

As a motorcycle rider I'm not a fan of DRLs. When the DOT required full time operation of motorcycle headlights (decades ago) I thought it was a good thing. More light up front makes the bike far more visible to auto drivers who otherwise tend to look right through the oncoming bike (then pull out in front of it). Now with DRLs on almost every car the bike just blends into the flood of lights coming down the road. The next time you see a news article about someone pulling in front of a motorcycle look for the line where the motorist says "I didn't even see him/her."

I would bet many people just say I did not see him/her just so that to not have to admin to; I thought I could make it when I pulled out in front of him/her.

After about a year of trucking, I finally learned that when the headlights are on when the vehicle is started the surge from the starter operating weakens the filiment and blows bulbs pretty frequently. Sounds strange, but I have far fewer bulb failures now!

... and I use 'em all the time. Both my vehicles also have DRL. Won't have a vehicle without them anymore.

The fine for driving at night without headlights is $169 in my community.

Don't ask how I know.

--

it's the dog's fault

I found myself waiting to see if they would shut off everytime I parked the car so I stopped using it.

That's why DRL is bad. Cars with DRL increase the frequency of on/off because it happens at anytime (day or night) you drive the car.

I dont use them, i installed HID's on my GTO and prefer them not to go on and off at times.

Like bridges

I got rid of my DRL's too

I like the fact that mine are always on. I drive a 2002 Toyota 4-runner and the lights are always on. No auto switch it needs to be on or anything. I like it because it its a nice safety feature. People will always see me comin!

What does this discussion have to do with GPS???? Seems more like a BS session....

Yep, and this is Open Talk where most Topics are welcome.

Well, this is my first American car since 1987, when I gave up on them. Thus far, I'm very impressed with it (except for not having DRL). Perhaps over the long haul your statement will make more sense, but for now, I'm not unhappy with my choice.

Joel

Anything that takes away from your control takes away from your awareness. technology doesn;t replace bad driving habbits

Our Toyota Matrix has them always on so never have to touch the switch or even think about them. Don't even know where the switch is. I did have to check to make sure the taillights did come on at night as this was the first car we owned that had DRLs.

When I drive my F-150 I still prefer to do the manual turn on the lights at night thing as it doesn't have DRLs. Just haven't gotten used to leaving the switch on Auto. That way I can also use my fog lights if I want.

My cars does have the auto headlights but I don't use it.

First I'd like manual control of the lights, not have it come on then off when you're in the garage and they shut off as you roll out into daylight.

Other than that, some places requires you to turn the headlights off when approaching the entry so they don't get blinded.

Auto is ok but it still has to be manually controlled/override.

My '99 Camaro Z28 headlights comes on automatically and there's no way to override it. I had to pull the daylight sensor from the dashboard and put a resistor in it to force it to manual mode.