Adrian_L Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Sure.......and cars are designed by funky, passionate engineers with pictures of Ferraris on their walls who ignore management and lawyers to realize their vision!!! Do you really think Honda or VW are any better?? However, I basicaly agree with you, but have a somewhat different anti-new car philosophy which has more to do with technology excluding the consumer from the (necessary) repair and maintanence process. While I love my wife's C-max (the first new car we have ever bought), we're basically helpless if anything goes wrong---the polar opposite of my relationship with my glorious '66 Volvo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Sure.......and cars are designed by funky, passionate engineers with pictures of Ferraris on their walls who ignore management and lawyers to realize their vision!!! Do you really think Honda or VW are any better?? However, I basicaly agree with you, but have a somewhat different anti-new car philosophy which has more to do with technology excluding the consumer from the (necessary) repair and maintanence process. While I love my wife's C-max (the first new car we have ever bought), we're basically helpless if anything goes wrong---the polar opposite of my relationship with my glorious '66 Volvo. Yes, I do think they are better. I have had Hondas and my wife currently has a VW. By the time I need to decide on my lease, I will know if the VW is reliable enough. I like the engineering on Honda, Ford, Mazda, and VW. But currently I'm not sure I'd prefer any of the Mazdas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian_L Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Our family never had any problems with the Hondas we have owned in the past. I just think they've gone a bit bland over the years. Toyota was bland from the start. I thought I was getting a stomach ulcer from the problems we had with VW/Audi. I heartily recommend the "mechanic test"---ask your mechanic (or 2 or 3) what they think of VW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Our family never had any problems with the Hondas we have owned in the past. I just think they've gone a bit bland over the years. Toyota was bland from the start. I thought I was getting a stomach ulcer from the problems we had with VW/Audi. I heartily recommend the "mechanic test"---ask your mechanic (or 2 or 3) what they think of VW. A bit late for me on VW, my wife has a 2014 Passat TDI. Time will tell, but I'm budgeting a bit more for maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okashira Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 I also find the inability to turn off the DRL But, you can use FORScan to turn them off for a drive-in purpose. Open the Body Control Module, add the control options for the headlights and set them both for 0%, and just leave it open. obob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnOhio Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 My sel I can turn the headlight switch off. I can then start the car and headlights will stay off. I noticed this a couple of times after being serviced. The service tech will turn them off while they work on the car inside the service bay. Smiling Jack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugblndr Posted September 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 I also find the inability to turn off the DRL But, you can use FORScan to turn them off for a drive-in purpose. Open the Body Control Module, add the control options for the headlights and set them both for 0%, and just leave it open. Thanks, I will give that a try later tonight. Not ideal, probably won't count on it for use at the drive-in, but I will definitely test it out on my Canadian model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 (edited) I also find the inability to turn off the DRL But, you can use FORScan to turn them off for a drive-in purpose. Open the Body Control Module, add the control options for the headlights and set them both for 0%, and just leave it open.They removed the option for DRL control from the BCM for the 2014 model. I don't know if they put it back in for 2015, since it is operator selectable. Selectable in the US, not Canada, BTW. Edited September 8, 2015 by stevedebi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPL Tech Posted September 14, 2015 Report Share Posted September 14, 2015 Perhaps make a set of covers for the headlights.Running the headlamps on for 1.5 hours during a movie would completely kill the battery. I killed the battery enough to not be able to start the car with the lamps on for only 30 minutes or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flychinook Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 I'm late to the game here... but doesn't pressing and holding the start/stop button for a few seconds, with your foot NOT on the brake, put it into accessory mode? Thought I saw this in the manual somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raadsel Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 (edited) I'm late to the game here... but doesn't pressing and holding the start/stop button for a few seconds, with your foot NOT on the brake, put it into accessory mode? Thought I saw this in the manual somewhere. It is more an "ON" mode without the engine running than an accessory mode. The SEs with a physical key have a three position switch; accessory, on, and start. Accessory only has things like the radio turn on, it doesn't turn on things like the dashboard displays. When you switch the key to "On" it turns on the rest of the electronics, such as the dashboard displays but the car is not started. Start is just like a starter in a normal car, it is spring loaded, so you push against the spring to start the car and then let it go back to the On position. The push button only has one "position" which is on. Depressing the brake pedal, while pushing the button, is essentially like pushing the key to the "start" position. There is no accessory mode. Edited May 3, 2016 by raadsel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flychinook Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 It is more an "ON" mode without the engine running than an accessory mode. The SEs with a physical key have a three position switch; accessory, on, and start. Accessory only has things like the radio turn on, it doesn't turn on things like the dashboard displays. When you switch the key to "On" it turns on the rest of the electronics, such as the dashboard displays but the car is not started. Start is just like a starter in a normal car, it is spring loaded, so you push against the spring to start the car and then let it go back to the On position. The push button only has one "position" which is on. Depressing the brake pedal, while pushing the button, is essentially like pushing the key to the "start" position. There is no accessory mode. Ah, ok. Mine is an SE (just got it last week!), so I wasn't able to test it for myself. For what it's worth, I did find a thread in the Fusion Hybrid forum saying that the radio can be powered on while the car is off, and it will stay on for about two hours. May help for the drive-in situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Ah, ok. Mine is an SE (just got it last week!), so I wasn't able to test it for myself. For what it's worth, I did find a thread in the Fusion Hybrid forum saying that the radio can be powered on while the car is off, and it will stay on for about two hours. May help for the drive-in situation. I'd like to know just how to do that... I only recently started playing around with the radio with the car "off" and on my 2013 Energi it seems you only get 10 minutes before it shuts off and further it seems that after you've turned the stereo back on twice(maybe 3x) then it "shuts off to save battery" and I guess requires the car to actually be turned "on" before it will let you use the radio again? Which would REALLY suck at the drive-in since I've also got DRL's which Ford apparently requires to be on any time the car is on, never mind if you're driving or not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 I'd like to know just how to do that... I only recently started playing around with the radio with the car "off" and on my 2013 Energi it seems you only get 10 minutes before it shuts off and further it seems that after you've turned the stereo back on twice(maybe 3x) then it "shuts off to save battery" and I guess requires the car to actually be turned "on" before it will let you use the radio again? Which would REALLY suck at the drive-in since I've also got DRL's which Ford apparently requires to be on any time the car is on, never mind if you're driving or not...The Ford dealer can turn off the DRL for the 2013 model year. They might charge for the service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 The Ford dealer can turn off the DRL for the 2013 model year. They might charge for the service.So if I made it to the drive-in with my Energi fully charged I wonder how much battery I'd burn through sitting in "ON" for 4-ish hours... Wonder how hard it is to unplug the headlights... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian_L Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 So if I made it to the drive-in with my Energi fully charged I wonder how much battery I'd burn through sitting in "ON" for 4-ish hours... Wonder how hard it is to unplug the headlights... Might be easier to just pull the headlight fuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Might be easier to just pull the headlight fuse. I've yet to try it and find it hard to believe, but I've heard reports that even doing that somehow doesn't turn them off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automate Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Which would REALLY suck at the drive-in since I've also got DRL's which Ford apparently requires to be on any time the car is on, never mind if you're driving or not... DRL for my Fusion Hybrid don't come on when the transmission is in Park. Only when you put it in Drive do they come on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 DRL for my Fusion Hybrid don't come on when the transmission is in Park. Only when you put it in Drive do they come on.I had it on my 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, and that is the way they worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 DRL for my Fusion Hybrid don't come on when the transmission is in Park. Only when you put it in Drive do they come on.That's how every other car I've had worked as well. and/or there was a parking brake off function and/or a specific switch for "drl off". Not so on my 2013 Cmax Energi. If the car is "on" (even if it's just a single button press without the brake and the car isn't even ready to drive) those stupid headlights are on... I like DRL's, but if I didn't think it would be like $100 for the dealer to turn them off, I think I'd have it done. Sometimes I just want to park and NOT have my headlights on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 That's how every other car I've had worked as well. and/or there was a parking brake off function and/or a specific switch for "drl off". Not so on my 2013 Cmax Energi. If the car is "on" (even if it's just a single button press without the brake and the car isn't even ready to drive) those stupid headlights are on... I like DRL's, but if I didn't think it would be like $100 for the dealer to turn them off, I think I'd have it done. Sometimes I just want to park and NOT have my headlights on...You can check in with your dealer. It takes only a minute to turn them off - they might do it for you cheap or free. Mine would have done it for free, but the 2014 doesn't have the setting. 2015 and later have it selectable in the left hand driver settings screen. The setting is in the Body Control Module. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtb9153 Posted June 5, 2016 Report Share Posted June 5, 2016 Yeah, that really bites. Time to retire the C-Max for our drive-in nights. Portable radio is okay for warm nights but doesn't do much good up here during spring or fall as sometimes some heat or defogging of windows is necessary. Every post I read on here said to just start with the emergency brake and the lights won't come on and the car would start and stop as required. DRL's have been mandated here since 1990 and I've never had an issue with any other keyless ignition vehicle until this one. :swear:Drive-in's do not exist anymore in my area so its not an issue but now that you mention it that would be a pain if I was a regular customer of drive-in's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestevens Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 When I bought my 2013 SEL used it had a former life as a fleet vehicle and as a result the headlights operated much like motorcycle lights when I first bought it. If the engine was "on" then the lights were on, the headlight control knob on the dash was non responsive. I took the car back to the service department a few days after buying and for $35 they reprogrammed the BCM to allow full control of the headlights by the switch on the dash - Off, Park, On and Auto. This DID disable my DRLs so I'm not sure if that's allowable in Canada but I would much prefer the ability to control the lights rather than have them always on. The houses are close together and there are times when the car is parked at night or in the morning when it's nice not to wake up the neighbors. If it's particularly dark, cloudy, glare/dusk, etc. I just switch them on when needed. Just wanted to mention it so you would know there IS a setting in IDS somewhere to control this, you might want to check with your ford service department to see if there is anything they can do to help if it bothers you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 When I bought my 2013 SEL used it had a former life as a fleet vehicle and as a result the headlights operated much like motorcycle lights when I first bought it. If the engine was "on" then the lights were on, the headlight control knob on the dash was non responsive. I took the car back to the service department a few days after buying and for $35 they reprogrammed the BCM to allow full control of the headlights by the switch on the dash - Off, Park, On and Auto. This DID disable my DRLs so I'm not sure if that's allowable in Canada but I would much prefer the ability to control the lights rather than have them always on. The houses are close together and there are times when the car is parked at night or in the morning when it's nice not to wake up the neighbors. If it's particularly dark, cloudy, glare/dusk, etc. I just switch them on when needed. Just wanted to mention it so you would know there IS a setting in IDS somewhere to control this, you might want to check with your ford service department to see if there is anything they can do to help if it bothers you. Hehe, I've started monkeying with the Ford IDS and Forscan, etc. I'm taking a break at the moment cause this little annoyance is causing me too much frustration! I even found out that those DRL's are forced on if you're plugged in charging and turn the car "on". Love DRL, but can't fathom why they would not give SOME sort of option to turn them OFF. Anyway, I've tried Forscan and Ford's IDS. The IDS software is SO INCREDIBLY OBTUSE... (like go click through a drop down on the left, but it won't actually do anything until you go click a checkmark on the bottom right...) But with either software, all I can find is about 5 or 6 programmable items in the BCM. Things like "trunk illumination enabled" "Drive wipe pause time", etc... Nothing about the DRL's. Everywhere else I've seen it says there should be an "Exterior lighting" option in there. I have yet to find it. Not sure if my car just has it in a completely different spot that I've yet to find, or it requires some slightly different hardware/software to talk to it or if there's something else weird about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwstnsko Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 It sounds like Ford's implementation of DRLs is consistent with Canadian laws for DRLs. Cars in the US can have DRLs that have more elaborate logic, but in Canada they have to be on anytime the car is on. I 'd bet that Ford has just opted to implement one set of DRL logic for both markets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.