GM's automatic headlights, again...
 

Just got an Impala last night (company car... not actually mine, mine
is at a dealership somewhere because someone who was supposed to do
some paperwork was on vacation... but I digress) ANYWAY... any doubt
in my mind that the automatic headlights are a bad idea has now been
erased. When you leave the vehicle, the lights stay on for 30 seconds
or so... SO... when you look back at it to check to see if you left
your lights on it freaks you out for a minute, until you tell yourself
"oh, it's just the automatic lights"

BUT...

what if you really *did* leave them on?

talk about an incentive to never manually turn on your headlights, even
when they may be needed... (rain, etc.)

And of course, this "feature" is difficult to defeat...

nate

N8N wrote:
> Just got an Impala last night (company car... not actually mine, mine
> is at a dealership somewhere because someone who was supposed to do
> some paperwork was on vacation... but I digress) ANYWAY... any doubt
> in my mind that the automatic headlights are a bad idea has now been
> erased. When you leave the vehicle, the lights stay on for 30 seconds
> or so... SO... when you look back at it to check to see if you left
> your lights on it freaks you out for a minute, until you tell yourself
> "oh, it's just the automatic lights"
>
> BUT...
>
> what if you really *did* leave them on?
>
> talk about an incentive to never manually turn on your headlights, even
> when they may be needed... (rain, etc.)
>
> And of course, this "feature" is difficult to defeat...

I agree...it is distracting and really serves no purpose. I do know
that the women (those in my life anyway) like it a lot though. It
gives them what I would call a false sense of security.

N8N wrote:
> Just got an Impala last night (company car... not actually mine, mine
> is at a dealership somewhere because someone who was supposed to do
> some paperwork was on vacation... but I digress) ANYWAY... any doubt
> in my mind that the automatic headlights are a bad idea has now been
> erased. When you leave the vehicle, the lights stay on for 30 seconds
> or so... SO... when you look back at it to check to see if you left
> your lights on it freaks you out for a minute, until you tell yourself
> "oh, it's just the automatic lights"
>
> BUT...
>
> what if you really *did* leave them on?
>
> talk about an incentive to never manually turn on your headlights, even
> when they may be needed... (rain, etc.)
>
> And of course, this "feature" is difficult to defeat...
>
> nate
>

At least it helps you socialize - you get to talk to the people
that tell you 'hey, you left your lights on!'

N8N wrote:
> Just got an Impala last night (company car... not actually mine, mine
> is at a dealership somewhere because someone who was supposed to do
> some paperwork was on vacation... but I digress) ANYWAY... any doubt
> in my mind that the automatic headlights are a bad idea has now been
> erased. When you leave the vehicle, the lights stay on for 30 seconds
> or so...

On my jeep I can manually override this if I choose by quickly switching the
lights from AUTO to OFF and back to AUTO after I shut off the engine. Maybe
it'll work for you too.

N8N wrote:

<snip>

> what if you really *did* leave them on?
>
> talk about an incentive to never manually turn on your headlights, even
> when they may be needed... (rain, etc.)
>
> And of course, this "feature" is difficult to defeat...
>
> nate

My wife drives a '97 Bonneville with automatic headlights. I am just
wondering, how do you deal with the lights not coming on when you're in
"Lights on while wipers in use" areas? I also drive a GM car ('00
Sunfire) but the lights are manual, a "disadvantage" I prefer.

Eric

On 21 Jul 2005 04:45:46 -0700, "N8N" > wrote:

>Just got an Impala last night (company car... not actually mine, mine
>is at a dealership somewhere because someone who was supposed to do
>some paperwork was on vacation... but I digress) ANYWAY... any doubt
>in my mind that the automatic headlights are a bad idea has now been
>erased. When you leave the vehicle, the lights stay on for 30 seconds
>or so... SO... when you look back at it to check to see if you left
>your lights on it freaks you out for a minute, until you tell yourself
>"oh, it's just the automatic lights"
>
>BUT...
>
>what if you really *did* leave them on?

On my GM car, the lights turn on and off automatically based on
ambient lighting conditions - it's impossible to "leave them on."

On my Tacoma, the lights are manually controlled, but if you leave
them on a timer shuts them off automatically after a minute or so.

On 21 Jul 2005 06:26:40 -0700, "Eric Near" > wrote:

>N8N wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>> what if you really *did* leave them on?
>>
>> talk about an incentive to never manually turn on your headlights, even
>> when they may be needed... (rain, etc.)
>>
>> And of course, this "feature" is difficult to defeat...
>>
>> nate
>
>My wife drives a '97 Bonneville with automatic headlights. I am just
>wondering, how do you deal with the lights not coming on when you're in
>"Lights on while wipers in use" areas?

There is a manual override. RTFM. :)

Eric Near wrote:
> N8N wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> > what if you really *did* leave them on?
> >
> > talk about an incentive to never manually turn on your headlights, even
> > when they may be needed... (rain, etc.)
> >
> > And of course, this "feature" is difficult to defeat...
> >
> > nate
>
> My wife drives a '97 Bonneville with automatic headlights. I am just
> wondering, how do you deal with the lights not coming on when you're in
> "Lights on while wipers in use" areas? I also drive a GM car ('00
> Sunfire) but the lights are manual, a "disadvantage" I prefer.
>
> Eric

That's my whole gripe... normally I would just turn the lights on
manually... but in this car you might not notice if you turn them on
manually and then *leave* them on... not cool.

I guess I may have to train myself to check the headlight switch every
time I leave the car...

nate

JohnH wrote:
> N8N wrote:
> > Just got an Impala last night (company car... not actually mine, mine
> > is at a dealership somewhere because someone who was supposed to do
> > some paperwork was on vacation... but I digress) ANYWAY... any doubt
> > in my mind that the automatic headlights are a bad idea has now been
> > erased. When you leave the vehicle, the lights stay on for 30 seconds
> > or so...
>
> On my jeep I can manually override this if I choose by quickly switching the
> lights from AUTO to OFF and back to AUTO after I shut off the engine. Maybe
> it'll work for you too.

no such position. Switch has "auto" "park" "on" positions, no "off."

Which is another gripe that has already been discussed here... :/

nate

N8N wrote:
> Just got an Impala last night (company car... not actually mine, mine
> is at a dealership somewhere because someone who was supposed to do
> some paperwork was on vacation... but I digress) ANYWAY... any doubt
> in my mind that the automatic headlights are a bad idea has now been
> erased. When you leave the vehicle, the lights stay on for 30 seconds
> or so... SO... when you look back at it to check to see if you left
> your lights on it freaks you out for a minute, until you tell yourself
> "oh, it's just the automatic lights"
>
> BUT...
>
> what if you really *did* leave them on?

My parent's Grand Caravan has this feature. However, only the headlights
stay on, not the parking and side marker lights. So it's easy to tell
the difference.

>
> talk about an incentive to never manually turn on your headlights, even
> when they may be needed... (rain, etc.)
>
> And of course, this "feature" is difficult to defeat...

Ulf

>
> nate
>