thedman Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Hopefully this wasn't posted somewhere else. Since the owners manual for the 2013 C-Max Hybrid is very vague I was wondering if anyone knew if I left the headlights in the on position all the time (not the auto position) if they automatically go off after a certain time after I turn the vehicle off and lock it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian_L Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 I left them on once and noticed they were still on when I went back to the car 10 or 15 min later. My guess is that the energy management system would shut everything off when the battery got down to a certain voltage threshold. Like when you leave the radio on after turning the ignition off. Now I just leave them on "a" (auto) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill-N Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 Hopefully this wasn't posted somewhere else. Since the owners manual for the 2013 C-Max Hybrid is very vague I was wondering if anyone knew if I left the headlights in the on position all the time (not the auto position) if they automatically go off after a certain time after I turn the vehicle off and lock it. They are supposed to go off automatically to save the 12V battery. And, like Adrian, I just leave the switch in auto position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) I wonder if the 2013 has different headlight functionality than the 2015. On the 2015 SE, when the headlight knob is turned to the [ETA: second from the right click], for the headlights to be 'on', my headlights turn off as soon as the car is turned off, but the parking lights stay on. The parking lights turn off once I lock the car. Edited August 20, 2015 by Red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I wonder if the 2013 has different headlight functionality than the 2015. On the 2015 SE, when the headlight knob is turned to the left, for the headlights to be 'on', my headlights turn off as soon as the car is turned off, but the parking lights stay on. The parking lights turn off once I lock the car.On my 2014 Energi, the parking lights come on any time the doors are open at night. They shut off when I close the doors. I believe the "auto light" feature is selectable (how long the lights stay on after turning off the car). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbharvest Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 I would like to add my experience in my SE with headlights on. I cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at Annapolis once in a while. The SHA now requires that headlights be on when crossing. I didn't know if mine were on during the daytime on the AUTO setting, so I turned them ON, crossed the bridge, parked the car, went to a meeting all day, and came out to find that they had stayed on for six hours (according to the lot attendant who watched the whole event unfold), until the battery went stone dead. It was my first opportunity to use the FORD roadside assistance, as I'd always been a AAA member before, and they were there quickly and jumped my car in two seconds. My advice is to only use AUTO for your headlights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinytop Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Auto does not turn my lights on as early as I like for safety in dusk. I don't run them all day for mileage reasons. So as I have for most of my life I turn them on when I want them off and turn them off when I exit the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted August 20, 2015 Report Share Posted August 20, 2015 (edited) . I didn't know if mine were on during the daytime on the AUTO setting, so I turned them ON, crossed the bridge, parked the car, went to a meeting all day, and came out to find that they had stayed on for six hours (according to the lot attendant who watched the whole event unfold), until the battery went stone dead. My advice is to only use AUTO for your headlights! That's annoying. It seems that either the functionality changed for the 2015's, or I just have Cmax that acts differently from some others. I did a re-test by parking (in broad daylight) to face into the windows of my workplace so I could see my headlights in the window reflection. With the car on, I turned the headlights to "on" (single headlamp icon with straight lines out of it), I saw the headlights light up in the window reflection. As soon as I turned off the car (before I even took out the key) the headlights turned off. When I opened the door, no warning chime sounded. I don't know what the double headlights with eyelashes mean? When I had it to that setting, I didn't see my headlights turn on, but when I opened the door, I then heard a warning chime. Edited August 20, 2015 by Red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raadsel Posted August 20, 2015 Report Share Posted August 20, 2015 That's annoying. It seems that either the functionality changed for the 2015's, or I just have Cmax that acts differently from some others. I did a re-test by parking (in broad daylight) to face into the windows of my workplace so I could see my headlights in the window reflection. With the car on, I turned the headlights to "on" (single headlamp icon with straight lines out of it), I saw the headlights light up in the window reflection. As soon as I turned off the car (before I even took out the key) the headlights turned off. When I opened the door, no warning chime sounded. I don't know what the double headlights with eyelashes mean? When I had it to that setting, I didn't see my headlights turn on, but when I opened the door, I then heard a warning chime. If I understand correctly, you are talking about the parking lights (double headlights with eyelashes). The switch positions are Off, Parking Lights, On, and (if equipped) Automatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted August 21, 2015 Report Share Posted August 21, 2015 Heh... of course.. the parking lights. I didn't see them light up in the window reflection when I turned to that setting in the daytime, but I do see them reflect on the garage now that it's night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djc Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 (edited) Yesterday was drizzly and dark all day and most people had their headlights on. My C-max headlights were set to "auto", but the lights did not come on. Someone flashed their lights at me so, for the first time, I turned my headlights to "on". Today I came out to start the car and it was stone dead. It was so dead it would not allow the auxilliary socket in the console to be used to charge the battery with my Stanley SimpleStart. So I had to open the hood and use a standard plug-in battery charger. An hour later it was still taking 7 amps charging current, but it started right up. My hard-learned lesson is that, in at least some 2013s, headlights never go off when set to "ON". However auxilliary socket does turn off, and won't connect again if 12V battery is too low. Perhaps this is controled by module firmware; I may test it again after recall 15E03 "powertrain control module reprogramming" next week (though I would think Body module would be the one controling headlight behavior). Edited December 11, 2015 by djc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wab Posted December 12, 2015 Report Share Posted December 12, 2015 Strange or coincidence. I've left our 13 auto headlights on several times, no problemsWe've had 1 dead battery after 2 years and 30+K miles.I figure it was caused by a poorly maintained (me, I never charged it) and poorly designed charging system. Our dealer replaced it.I've charged the new one a few times. Takes longer to take a charge than any other car we've owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Yesterday was drizzly and dark all day and most people had their headlights on. My C-max headlights were set to "auto", but the lights did not come on. Someone flashed their lights at me so, for the first time, I turned my headlights to "on". Today I came out to start the car and it was stone dead. It was so dead it would not allow the auxilliary socket in the console to be used to charge the battery with my Stanley SimpleStart. So I had to open the hood and use a standard plug-in battery charger. An hour later it was still taking 7 amps charging current, but it started right up. My hard-learned lesson is that, in at least some 2013s, headlights never go off when set to "ON". However auxilliary socket does turn off, and won't connect again if 12V battery is too low. Perhaps this is controled by module firmware; I may test it again after recall 15E03 "powertrain control module reprogramming" next week (though I would think Body module would be the one controling headlight behavior).Do you have a setting for turning on the lights when the wipers run? I'm not sure about the 2013 menus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelM Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) My 2013 has the Lights on with wipers setting. However the lights only come on with the wiper turned to low or high setting. The lights do not come on if the wipers are left in the rain sensing mode. Even if the rain is coming down in sheets and the sensing wipers are wiping like crazy.It may work differently if you have intermittent wipers as opposed to the rain sensing. Edited December 14, 2015 by MichaelM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Use a hat. We had this discussion in 2013 over DRLs. In "auto" mode, if you cover the sensor at the base of the windshield, the headlights come on. I keep a hat in the car, so I just throw it over the sensor when I want headlights on in daytime. No issues with them staying on, and it fixes the auto wipers-with-no-lights. Frank scottwood2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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