can you drive with no running lights (or headlights)?

[angelman]

I was in a drive through halloween thing last night and they asked us to turn off headlights. Turning off headlights is easy, but how about the DRL (daytime running lights?). Is that even possible while driving? I felt like a bit of a prick being that guy a) unable to operate his car as I frantically fiddled with various buttons and menus b) that guy that has his lights on.

Similar thing happened at the drive in cinema. Took me a while to figure out how to turn off all lights and stay in the car. At first I turned off the headlights and put the car in camp mode but they DRL stayed lit. The staff and neighbouring cars were pissed off with me and I felt like a right idiot as I tried to youtube a solution. Eventually I managed to get all the lights off while staying in the car and parked but it wasn't as trivial or obvious as a button saying "all lights off". I do think that, like the car wash there are a few operations people need to do that are not as obvious or simple as they should be especially for new drivers

 

[Akikiki]

Practice

 

[chrstna4]

If you want climate on but everything else off you could try Dog Mode in climate.

I had always been able to turn off headlights when I sat in my car after arriving home but not opened the door yet. Then, last weekend, I tried to turn off all lights on a daytime ferry (which they request you do) and I could not get the headlights fully turned off. I tried all the setting and “off” still had lights. Maybe there’s a spot for daytime running lights I missed (now that I think about it).

 

[hgmichna]

Eventually I managed to get all the lights off while staying in the car and parked but it wasn't as trivial or obvious as a button saying "all lights off".

How?

Does anybody know a way to drive with all lights off (short of taping the lights)?

 

[XLR82XS]

angelman said: PARKED. If it's in park the DRL turn off. There is no way to drive without the DRL.

 

[DOCAL]

Does anybody know a way to drive with all lights off (short of taping the lights)?

On my 2016 Model-S you can enable range mode to turn off the DRLs.
I don't know if that applies to the Model 3 too, and IIRC in some countries (Canada) DRLs are required by law, so can't be turned off.

 

[angelman]

angelman said: PARKED. If it's in park the DRL turn off. There is no way to drive without the DRL.

The first time I tried this the lights didn't turn off.. or at least not immediately. I am sure if we waited long enough they would turn off but I wasn't sure. When I manually turned off the headlights when parked then it refused to turn off the DRL. I had to put the car back into drive and then park it again and then the DRL turned off.. It was a bit weird. I felt like a real tool though when the attendant came round to see why I was being a douche and I tried to explain that I didn't know how to use my car properly.. I was one of those "Tesla bros".. haha

 

[hgmichna]

I don't know if that applies to the Model 3 too, and IIRC in some countries (Canada) DRLs are required by law, so can't be turned off.

I guess they are required when driving on public roads. But you can drive on private ground too, so I consider not being able to drive with all lights off is a mistake. There can be good reasons to do exactly that. Private nature reserves are just one possible example where you may have to drive with a night vision system. And it is easy to conceive of other cases where you want to drive in total darkness, like escaping from attackers.

I will never be content when using any important system over which I do not have full control. I guess one day, just like I have to root my Android phone, I will have to root my car to wrest control back from the manufacturer.

 

[TT97]

I also had a drive-through Halloween exhibit this weekend and when first asked to turn off the headlights; had no idea how to turn them off (for some strange reason, I kept looking on the stalk to turn off the lights). Setting the lights to "Off" turn on the DRL which was pointless. Luckily, they were fine with us driving with just the parking lights on.

 

[GtiMart]

Park alone doesn't close the drls for me. I think I need to omstep out of the car. Yes, it's mandatory in Canada.

Starting netflix or youtube does shut off all lights.

 

[sandman1330]

Anyone figure out a way?

This weekend I'm taking my son out to a dark sky preserve to do some astronomical observing. They request people come in with their lights off. In most cars, you can click the parking brake on just one click (enough to activate the microswitch but not enough to actually engage the brake), and this will turn of DRL. Obviously in a Tesla that's not an option.

I may fashion up some cloth headlight covers out of old T-Shirts or something and just drape them over the lights for the last kilometer or so...

 

[Perscitus]

We havent found a way since 2017... requested v9/10/11 feature, never happened.

 

[Markus Bauhan]

I noticed that the DR lights turn off e when you go to the media area (where you find Netflix, YouTube, etc). You don't need to select any of those apps. Just being in the menu turns off the lights.

 

[skygraff]

I noticed that the DR lights turn off e when you go to the media area (where you find Netflix, YouTube, etc). You don't need to select any of those apps. Just being in the menu turns off the lights.

But does that work while in drive? I’ll have to test it myself.

Would certainly explain the time I saw a 3 drive by me completely dark.

 

[Adam3]

But does that work while in drive? I’ll have to test it myself.

Would certainly explain the time I saw a 3 drive by me completely dark.

 

[msb175]

i've noticed as of recent, if you turn lights to "off" the DRLs also turn off. Not sure which update this came with, but they definitely turn off

 

[skygraff]

I noticed that the DR lights turn off e when you go to the media area (where you find Netflix, YouTube, etc). You don't need to select any of those apps. Just being in the menu turns off the lights.

There must be more to this because, even in park, my lights stay on.

I was able to get the DRLs off when I turned off the headlights while parked and could keep them off to at least 15mph but that had nothing to do with the Theater screen. No idea how I did that but good to know it can be done if I’m ever being tailed (just need time to put it in park).