obob 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. In Canada it is against the law to be in park with the engine on for more than something like three minutes.https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/04/26/a_minutes_idle_could_cost_you_125.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi 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.The 2015 and later (US) models have the option to turn the DRL on and off. I imagine they simply removed that option from the driver setup menu for Canadian models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestevens Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 (edited) I wish I could tell you but I wasn't in the shop with the techs when they did the reprogramming. The only reason I knew you could even do it is because someone else here had mentioned it in another post. I'm not sure whether the setting had anything to do with DRLs or not - as far as I could tell originally when my headlights were on, they were on - not half bright or whatever trick they did instead of using separate light assemblies for DRLs on the 2013. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a special programming they did at the factory to just associate Engine On with Headlights On for rental car company and other types of fleet vehicles..of course I'm speculating. "stevedebi" seems to know, and responded in this thread - maybe that's where I heard about it originally. I understand that Canadian law is different. We won't be that lucky but you'd think that they could program it to respond to other input like parking brake applied. I had a similar issue with the HHR, there were courtesy lights under the rear view mirror that would illuminate when a door - including the back hatch, was open regardless of any other control settings in the car. I had to pull a fuse to get it to shut off. I would've liked to stretch out in the back and watch the movie but kind of a moot point anyway because the drive-in owner didn't want the hatch height to go about the roofline of the car anyway - I ended up just getting a folding chair and sitting outside the car to watch the movie. I think I'll bring a portable radio too, that way I don't have to worry about the battery running down. Edited August 3, 2016 by jestevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 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.You're telling me that parked cars in Canda that have the car "on" are required to have their headlights on? That sounds a bit much... Definitely wasn't true in 1991. I had a 1991 Isuzu Impulse RS imported from Canada and it still had the ability to be parked with the handbrake on and DRL's NOT on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 In Canada it is against the law to be in park with the engine on for more than something like three minutes.https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/04/26/a_minutes_idle_could_cost_you_125.html Yeah, but that's awfully muddy water there with hybrids and EV's etc... Are we only talking about combustible fuel engines idling? In that case, many hybrids will be able to sit there with the AC on without a problem. And all EV's and sometimes PHEV's as well... If that's not ok, then I'm assuming you're not allowed to sit and listen to the radio in your car either? Meaning all drive-ins are illegal? Or are they implementing requirements as to just how much power you're allowed to use while parked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 I wish I could tell you but I wasn't in the shop with the techs when they did the reprogramming. The only reason I knew you could even do it is because someone else here had mentioned it in another post. I'm not sure whether the setting had anything to do with DRLs or not - as far as I could tell originally when my headlights were on, they were on - not half bright or whatever trick they did instead of using separate light assemblies for DRLs on the 2013. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a special programming they did at the factory to just associate Engine On with Headlights On for rental car company and other types of fleet vehicles..of course I'm speculating. Yeah, my car's title is listed as "Fleet" but according to the data that was still in the GPS it looked like it belonged to a doctor in Ohio. Mine definitely has DRL's with reduced brightness. I can see when I pull in the garage one level and then they get brighter when it decides that the auto headlamps need to come on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwstnsko Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 (edited) You're telling me that parked cars in Canda that have the car "on" are required to have their headlights on? That sounds a bit much... Definitely wasn't true in 1991. I had a 1991 Isuzu Impulse RS imported from Canada and it still had the ability to be parked with the handbrake on and DRL's NOT on... The simplified guide I got to temporarily importing one of my car to Canada said they had to always be on and that it would fail the safety inspection if there was a way to turn them off, but more detailed investigations indicates that I was mislead and that is not the case. I stand corrected :) From the Canadian regulation Switching (54) Subject to subsections (55) and (56), daytime running lamps shall be on continuously when the engine is operating and the master lighting switch is not in the headlamps on position. (55) Daytime running lamps may switch off (a) while the automatic transmission control is in the park or neutral position; (b) while the parking brake is applied; or © after the engine is started but before the vehicle is set in motion for the first time. This leads me to believe the auto manufacturers are just keeping their systems simpler by leaving them on all the time. Ford has been doing this for quite a while. My 2005 Class-C Motorhome was built in Canada for the US market, but as such has DRLs that similarly cannot be turned off. It's really annoying when you are trying to pull in to a campground after dark and set up camp in a stealthy manner. Edited August 3, 2016 by cwstnsko obob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 This leads me to believe the auto manufacturers are just keeping their systems simpler by leaving them on all the time. Ford has been doing this for quite a while. My 2005 Class-C Motorhome was built in Canada for the US market, but as such has DRLs that similarly cannot be turned off. It's really annoying when you are trying to pull in to a campground after dark and set up camp in a stealthy manner. Some manufacturers might, but this is my first Ford and the first time I've run into this. There's always been some option for turning them off. Either with the parking brake or an actual "DRL Off" switch.Heck, even the newer Fords apparently have a menu setting for turning the DRL off or on as they have an instructional video for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 Yeah, my car's title is listed as "Fleet" but according to the data that was still in the GPS it looked like it belonged to a doctor in Ohio. Mine definitely has DRL's with reduced brightness. I can see when I pull in the garage one level and then they get brighter when it decides that the auto headlamps need to come on.I believe that one can order from fleet sales; it doesn't have to be for an actual fleet. Or at least that is my understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfplante Posted July 3, 2018 Report Share Posted July 3, 2018 Just called my dealer and they found a solution: turn the car off, just press the radio on button, not the starter button. The accessories are on, but not the car nor the headlights. I will be testing it in a drivein tonight, but in the garage, it all seemed to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livesmith Posted July 4, 2018 Report Share Posted July 4, 2018 I'm guessing you haven't tried this procedure for more than ten minutes and you're going to be pretty disappointed at the drive in. At least that's how mine is. What you describe gives me ten minutes then powers itself off to "save power". Then I can turn it on again for another ten minutes and it powers off. At that point I have to actually "start" the car (and the headlights will be on) to get anything more out of the sound system. I think the only way I'd take the C Max to the drive in would be planning on disconnecting the headlights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted July 4, 2018 Report Share Posted July 4, 2018 (edited) Yes,10 minutes is the maximum you will get after the 12 V battery age is reset to zero months (per my observation on a US model) before shutdown to save power. It will be a lot less like down to a few minutes as the battery ages to say 4 - 5 years. The "good" news is that with the FORSCan APP the battery age can be reset anytime that you want to and thus keep the shutdown cycle to around 10 minutes. :) The unknown though is we don't know the effect battery age has on charging algorithm for the 12 V battery and the life of the battery. Edited July 4, 2018 by Plus 3 Golfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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