I left my lights in overnight

[Richard__G]

Cool move, not too proud of it.

Do the lights draw power from the 12v battery or the main battery?
As a precaution & assuming that if it was the 12v battery (and harkening back to the olden days of alternators charging batteries), I did some highway driving with no heat etc. for about 30 min. hoping to make up for some or all of whatever charge was lost.

Am i now safe, battery wise?

TIA - Richard

 

[Pianewman]

Which lights? Running/headlights automatically shut off after "x" number of seconds. They come on when you enter the car.

There's no point in turning these lights on/off. It's one of the comfort items of most modern cars.

 

[Richard__G]

Headlights/running lights. I'd stupidly turned them "ON" last night when fiddling with the setting to get my brights working on auto.

 

[Benito1283]

Headlights/running lights. I'd stupidly turned them "ON" last night when fiddling with the setting to get my brights working on auto.

And they were still on this morning?

 

[Richard__G]

Yup.

 

[SkyDog]

The 12 volt battery is charged by the car's main (big) battery. Since your car was still alive in the morning, I don't think there's anything to worry about.

 

[Pianewman]

Clarification: they were "on" prior to opening the door? You saw this from a distance?

 

[E90alex]

This is such a bonehead change by Tesla. I’m almost positive it used to automatically turn off even when set to “ON” and then just turn back on when you unlock the car. But now after an update at some point last year they will remain on indefinitely.

 

[MountainPass]

The HV battery will keep the 12V battery topped up, so it isn't a big deal at all. You could leave the lights on for days as long as your HV pack has enough energy!

 

[FatFalcon]

100% nothing to worry about. The headlights are run off the 'low voltage' battery, which in a gas car is only charged up when the engine is running. In an EV, that 'low-voltage' battery is charged up from the 'high voltage' battery any time it needs it, regardless of whether the car is 'on' or not. You would probably have the leave your headlights on for a full year before you killed the high-voltage battery.

 

[CCopperpot]

As a precaution & assuming that if it was the 12v battery (and harkening back to the olden days of alternators charging batteries), I did some highway driving with no heat etc. for about 30 min.

This really made me laugh.

but anyway, glad it's all ok. I've nearly done this myself so don't sweat it

 

[Mike728]

Interesting. There's an old thread on this, where the OP wanted to leave them on but couldn't. How did you get them to stay on?

Sometimes I want headlights staying on when I'm out of the car

I don't use the "keep headlights on for a while after exit" feature. All I want is to be able to manually keep headlights on when I'm the only person with the car and I need to step out and do something, like get the mail at the side of the road. Or shine my lights on a person changing a flat...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Pianewman]

This is such a bonehead change by Tesla. I’m almost positive it used to automatically turn off even when set to “ON” and then just turn back on when you unlock the car. But now after an update at some point last year they will remain on indefinitely.

Oops...never mind. My lights stay on "Auto" , so running lights when I unlock, headlights automatically on when sunlight disappears. I've never used the headlights "on" setting.

 

[FatFalcon]

This really made me laugh.

but anyway, glad it's all ok. I've nearly done this myself so don't sweat it

Hahaha oh man I missed that part. Great stuff...

 

[Richard__G]

The 12 volt battery is charged by the car's main (big) battery. Since your car was still alive in the morning, I don't think there's anything to worry about.

Phew, thanks!

 

[Richard__G]

Interesting. There's an old thread on this, where the OP wanted to leave them on but couldn't. How did you get them to stay on?

Sometimes I want headlights staying on when I'm out of the car

I don't use the "keep headlights on for a while after exit" feature. All I want is to be able to manually keep headlights on when I'm the only person with the car and I need to step out and do something, like get the mail at the side of the road. Or shine my lights on a person changing a flat...

teslamotorsclub.com

I believe in Lights, I'd just set it to ON.

 

[Richard__G]

This really made me laugh.

but anyway, glad it's all ok. I've nearly done this myself so don't sweat it

You mean there's no alternator? Hoo boy!

 

[Rocky_H]

I've never used the headlights "on" setting.

I believe in Lights, I'd just set it to ON.

My wife frequently reaches over while I'm driving, opens the controls, and turns my lights to ON. She is a big fan of headlights on all the time from reading articles many years ago about the higher visibility of cars with headlights on and statistically reduced accident rates from such. I've mentioned that's why DRL's became a thing and required, but that doesn't suffice, apparently.

 

[father_of_6]

I did some highway driving with no heat etc. for about 30 min. hoping to make up for some or all of whatever charge was lost.

LOL.

Was this an attempt at turning the energy created from burning gasoline back into electrons?

 

[Big Earl]

I believe in Lights, I'd just set it to ON.

The problem is that a recent software update changed the car's behavior.

Previously, you could set the lights to ON or PARKING and they would return to AUTO when you put the car in park and got out of the seat.

Now, setting the lights to ON or PARKING keeps them on until the next time you start the car (get in and press the brake).

This change results in inadvertently leaving the lights on when you get out of the car. Yes, there is an alert that lets you know the lights are on - presuming you have a working driver's seat occupancy sensor, which I do not.

As mentioned by others, the 12 volt battery will be recharged automatically by the high voltage battery. You can leave your lights on indefinitely without issue.