Can we disable auto lights when starting the car?

[Zarwin]

Somewhat related, but slightly off topic, sorry. Another tiny annoyance is that after stopping and putting the car in park, even if I manually select parking lights, they shut off as soon as my rear comes off the seat and I have to lean back in and turn them back on.

Periodically I park on the side of a gravel road on the end of a curve when visiting relatives. No street lights and out in the country, but people will fly down that road. I leave the parking lights on (using them for their purpose, weird) so people can see the car as soon as they start rounding the curve and slow down (and not fling gravel on it). Minor inconvenience, but it would be nice for the car to not make me get out before turning on the parking lights.

Edit: figured if someone from Tesla was taking notes on this thread, throw this log on the fire of requests

 

[mibaro2]

Somewhat related, but slightly off topic, sorry. Another tiny annoyance is that after stopping and putting the car in park, even if I manually select parking lights, they shut off as soon as my rear comes off the seat and I have to lean back in and turn them back on.

Periodically I park on the side of a gravel road on the end of a curve when visiting relatives. No street lights and out in the country, but people will fly down that road. I leave the parking lights on (using them for their purpose, weird) so people can see the car as soon as they start rounding the curve and slow down (and not fling gravel on it). Minor inconvenience, but it would be nice for the car to not make me get out before turning on the parking lights.

I would put the car in park using the ipad settings ( in the e-brake section). This will keep the car on in park even when you get out, and keep a/c, and lights on.

 

[ArtInCT]

I have a 2011 Volvo XC60 with the HID headlamps. THe way I have the car set up, the HID's are on all the time. Never had to change a bulb yet in 55K miles. I think perhaps, you may want to refocus your concern to some other component of the car.

 

[GaryREM]

Hmmm I believe the HIDs are D3S. These are around $100 ea.

As ArtInCt says, I think these concerns are overblown. I have never replaced an HID bulb on any of the cars I have had in the last 12 years. We did replace 1 halogen (which typically have way less life than HIDs) on my wives Toyota.

 

[Andyw2100]

Edit: figured if someone from Tesla was taking notes on this thread, throw this log on the fire of requests

Why leave it to chance? Just write to [email protected] with your suggestion.

 

[slcuervo]

I have a 2011 Volvo XC60 with the HID headlamps. THe way I have the car set up, the HID's are on all the time. Never had to change a bulb yet in 55K miles. I think perhaps, you may want to refocus your concern to some other component of the car.

Well, that depends. Having HID lights on all the time, assuming that they go on only once when you start the car, and then off when you stop it, is the most efficient way to use them. You can have them for many years / many miles without replacement.

However, if you keep switching them on and off, they will wear out very soon. Much sooner than you would expect. And it is exactly my problem, since my commute to work makes me drive through 20 tunnels/bridges/undergroudn passes where the HID lights go on for only a few seconds. 20 discharges of the ballasts per day are something to take into consideration...

 

[mknox]

Yes, they do work differently.
They are mandatory in Canada. I'll try it when I get home, but I bet the DRL's will still come on automatically in my case.
If true, interesting that they made this change for other countries.

AFAIK, the only difference is that in Canada there is no switch on the 17" screen to disable DRLs. Otherwise they work the same in Canada and the US. (The DRLs are the LED "eyebrows" that run across the top of the headlight assembly. These same LEDs dim down to "parking light level" when the full headlights come on, or during the day when you use your turn signal.

As far as the full headlights go, mine seem to be way too sensitive about turning on. They will flick on, then off again as I drive under bridges at freeway speeds. You'd think it would need more than a split second of reduced light to activate. They come on when I'm just a few feet into my garage as well. My old car would leave the headlights off for as long as it took me to pull in and shut the car off, but would eventually come on if I sat in the garage with the engine on for maybe 30 seconds or more.

 

[N4HHE]

I too have this same pet peeve. The life of an HID is measured primarily in the number of cycles on. Find it disingenuous those who claim to be "saving the world" with their EV so readily give a pass on wonton consumption with, "Its covered in prepaid maintenance."

I would wish for the headlights to remain off when mirrors are folded. When I'm out of the garage I'll unfold the mirrors and lights can come on then if they wish.

As for the annoyance of having to manually turn lights on/off? I do that a lot anyway. I want my headlights on under many conditions the automatic sensor doesn't.

 

[mknox]

I would wish for the headlights to remain off when mirrors are folded. When I'm out of the garage I'll unfold the mirrors and lights can come on then if they wish.

Yeah, but I don't want to get out of the car every time I want my lights off or on. :wink:

As for the annoyance of having to manually turn lights on/off? I do that a lot anyway. I want my headlights on under many conditions the automatic sensor doesn't.

Agree. I wish it would "remember" if I've left it in the manual ON, OFF or PARKING position. As it is, it seems to revert to full AUTO each time the car is re-started.

 

[slcuervo]

I wish it would "remember" if I've left it in the manual ON, OFF or PARKING position. As it is, it seems to revert to full AUTO each time the car is re-started.

That would be excellent. I sent a suggestion to Tesla for them to enable this.