what happens if you leave the headlight switch on?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(spchaser @ Oct 4 2007, 09:50 PM) [snapback]521581[/snapback]</div>

Yes, provided you turned off the car and then opened the driver door - at which point the headlights will go out.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(spchaser @ Oct 4 2007, 11:50 PM) [snapback]521581[/snapback]</div>

I would think it would be fine. I have turned the car off with the headlights on before,nothing wrong except the "oh yeah" they were on when i shut er down.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Oct 4 2007, 09:53 PM) [snapback]521583[/snapback]</div>

+1. I have left the headlights on too many times to count. But if you turned the car off, the lights will automatically turn off when you exit the car.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 4 2007, 09:53 PM) [snapback]521585[/snapback]</div>

Out of curiosity, where does the drain come from? The switch? If it is the switch, what about the switch causes the drain? I don't recall any illumination of the switch, so I am trying to understand where the drain would occur.

 

I typically leave the switch on so I have 'daytime running lights' on when I fire it up again. Is there anything wrong with doing that?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 5 2007, 11:39 AM) [snapback]521752[/snapback]</div>

There is a small amount of logic circuitry running to support the switch, and it draws a little current. The logic circuitry is the part that figures out if the car is on or off, and whether the driver's door has been opened.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Oct 5 2007, 08:47 AM) [snapback]521757[/snapback]</div>

But is the logic circuitry dedicated to the light switch? Or, shared between all of the electrical functions of the car? I was under the impression that it was shared.

 

*waiting anxiously to find out whether there is a drain or not*

i never leave the lights on, but my husband always does.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lianimal @ Oct 5 2007, 11:50 AM) [snapback]521825[/snapback]</div>

I leave the headlight switch in the on position. Have since I bought the car. The lights turn off when you open the drivers side door, after you've shut the car down. No problems with battery drain, car starts right up.

I left the car for two weeks on a trip a couple weeks after we bought it.

It's a good design. Driving with your lights on is proven to reduce accidents.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveLeePrius @ Oct 5 2007, 01:07 PM) [snapback]521833[/snapback]</div>

This is still hotly debated. Studies in North America have been inconclusive in demonstrating safety advantages of daytime running lights. This doesn't mean they don't work, but it does show that it's far from proved.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Oct 5 2007, 10:20 AM) [snapback]521840[/snapback]</div>

And insurance companies vary in their position on Daytime Running Lights (DRLs). Some give a discount for the feature; others don't.

 

According to the manual and documentation, there is a minute power drain on the system when the sks is active. If the vehicle is not to be used for "weeks", it recommends the system be disabled. As for the lights, as others have stated, as long as you left them on, shut your car down, and exited the vehicle (in that order) you should be fine. Your only worry would be if you turned your lights back on after exiting the vehicle somehow (throught the window or by climbing in/out one of the other doors.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lianimal @ Oct 6 2007, 02:50 AM) [snapback]521825[/snapback]</div>

It's the reverse with me. My wife always leaves the lights on after coming home after dark. However, I have caught myself with leaving the lights on, but after shutting down the car, no problems.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tojo @ Oct 5 2007, 10:35 AM) [snapback]521846[/snapback]</div>

It's easy to do. I know, I did it:

1) Drove to destination with headlights on acting like DRLs.
2) Powered-down the car and exited via driver door.
3) Opened rear hatch to apply sunscreen, hiking boots, paraphernalia . . .
4) Closed hatch, locked car, walked about 20 feet, looked back, saw passenger side rear window open.
5) Entered through front passenger door (SKS), fired-up the car, rolled up window, powered-down car, closed door, locked car, hiked away.
6) Upon returning, an hour or so later, I notice the lights had been on the whole time.

Do Oh! My bad. -_-
Thankfully the HIDs didn't suck all the life out of the 12 volt battery. The SKS worked just fine, so I entered the car, turned off the lights, powered-up the car and drove away happy and wiser.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Oct 5 2007, 09:40 AM) [snapback]521816[/snapback]</div>

It probably is, however the severely mileage obsessed will count the fraction of a milliwatt used by the logic circuitry.

 

The HID headlights are supposed to be rather expensive so I dont leave mine on all the time. If I had regular headlights I probably would leave the switch on for daytime running lights.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hoop @ Oct 6 2007, 07:57 PM) [snapback]522289[/snapback]</div>

Hmm, good point. I didn't think of that.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hoop @ Oct 6 2007, 05:57 PM) [snapback]522289[/snapback]</div>

HID lamps tend to last almost forever. Non-HID bulbs last considerably shorter.