Always on headlights

jamarimutt · 07-22-2004, 07:10 AM

I have seen a few posts suggesting that it's ok to leave the Prius headlights always on. Although I got used to this feature in my previous car, leaving the Prius' lights on should drain the battery faster, especially during city driving, and thus reduce mpgs due to more recent ICE use to charge the battery.

AlphaTeam · 07-22-2004, 07:23 AM

Having them on is such a great safety feature though. I know of 1 accident I could have avoided if my lights were on.

The difference can't be THAT much. Maybe on the high end 1 mpg. Not worth it for me. I'm cheap but not THAT cheap.

Alpha

pkjohna · 07-22-2004, 08:59 AM

My mpg's have gone up by 2-3 fairly consistently since I started turning of the headlights during the day. On a bright sunny day I don't feel like it's much of a safety issues but I do have to remember to turn the lights on for rainy or hazy conditions.

I'm no expert on electrical systems but when I look in the owner's manual at the fuses used to support the headlights vs A/C I have to assume the lights draw a good bit of juice.

PriusLover · 07-22-2004, 09:13 AM

I like how you don't have to turn them off every night - it doesn't have that annoying beeping that my other car has.

aarons12 · 07-22-2004, 10:32 AM

i wish they had just gone with an automatic sensor system... then we would have to worry less. however there is much to be said by having them on for safety reasons.

i suppose the ICE/mileage issue is mainly for short trips around town. probably not much difference at speed, when the ice is on all the time anyway...

DaveinOlyWA · 07-23-2004, 01:38 AM

i never saw an advantage to having headlights on in the daylight while driving around town.

i do feel that in the desert or other long stretches of highway, having headlights on makes a car easier to see especially in bright sunlight.

DaveG · 07-23-2004, 03:51 AM

Up here in Canada it's a law that all new cars must be equipped with daytime running lights. It really does make cars more visible.

That said, our Prius packages are all halogen bulbs rather than HIDs, so the bulbs are so cheap to replace that it's not really an issue to have them on all the time.

aarons12 · 07-23-2004, 07:47 AM

i have the HID's... cool, but a different issue with the replacements

randalla · 07-23-2004, 10:49 AM

I would like to see a modification made, from Toyota, Coastal Dave or some other enterprising entrepreneur that would enable the fog lights to be turned on independent of the HID headlights so that they could be used as daytime running lights.

DaveinOlyWA · 07-23-2004, 05:06 PM

would fog lights show up in bright daylight?

07-22-2004, 07:10 AM	#1
jamarimutt Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 972 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Always on headlights I have seen a few posts suggesting that it's ok to leave the Prius headlights always on. Although I got used to this feature in my previous car, leaving the Prius' lights on should drain the battery faster, especially during city driving, and thus reduce mpgs due to more recent ICE use to charge the battery.

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07-22-2004, 07:23 AM	#2
AlphaTeam Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 631 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Having them on is such a great safety feature though. I know of 1 accident I could have avoided if my lights were on. The difference can't be THAT much. Maybe on the high end 1 mpg. Not worth it for me. I'm cheap but not THAT cheap. Alpha

07-22-2004, 08:59 AM	#3
pkjohna Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 231 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	My mpg's have gone up by 2-3 fairly consistently since I started turning of the headlights during the day. On a bright sunny day I don't feel like it's much of a safety issues but I do have to remember to turn the lights on for rainy or hazy conditions. I'm no expert on electrical systems but when I look in the owner's manual at the fuses used to support the headlights vs A/C I have to assume the lights draw a good bit of juice.

07-22-2004, 09:13 AM	#4
PriusLover Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ashburn, VA Posts: 8 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I like how you don't have to turn them off every night - it doesn't have that annoying beeping that my other car has.

07-22-2004, 10:32 AM	#5
aarons12 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: long island, NY Posts: 705 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	i wish they had just gone with an automatic sensor system... then we would have to worry less. however there is much to be said by having them on for safety reasons. i suppose the ICE/mileage issue is mainly for short trips around town. probably not much difference at speed, when the ice is on all the time anyway...

07-23-2004, 01:38 AM	#6
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,661 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	i never saw an advantage to having headlights on in the daylight while driving around town. i do feel that in the desert or other long stretches of highway, having headlights on makes a car easier to see especially in bright sunlight.

07-23-2004, 03:51 AM	#7
DaveG Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 807 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: C Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Up here in Canada it's a law that all new cars must be equipped with daytime running lights. It really does make cars more visible. That said, our Prius packages are all halogen bulbs rather than HIDs, so the bulbs are so cheap to replace that it's not really an issue to have them on all the time.

07-23-2004, 07:47 AM	#8
aarons12 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: long island, NY Posts: 705 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	i have the HID's... cool, but a different issue with the replacements

07-23-2004, 10:49 AM	#9
randalla Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kensington, MD Posts: 344 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I would like to see a modification made, from Toyota, Coastal Dave or some other enterprising entrepreneur that would enable the fog lights to be turned on independent of the HID headlights so that they could be used as daytime running lights.

07-23-2004, 05:06 PM	#10
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,661 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	would fog lights show up in bright daylight?