Stealth Mode for Hybrid SE?

[WhiteKnight]

My prior vehicle had what I called stealth mode; if the car was started with the parking brake on all interior and exterior lights would not illuminate. Is there a way to replicate this feature in my cmax SE? The problem I have is that every time I start the car (put it in drive mode) the headlights come on. I can't figure out a way to stop this. I went so far as to pull Fuse 74 ("headlamp supply") under the glove compartment but that had no effect on the actual head lamps. 

 

I dearly miss this stealth mode feature, now that it is getting cold, and I would love to figure out a way to make my Cmax do it. 

 

 

 

 

[Bill-N]

Sounds like your car may have daytime running lights, a feature common to fleet and Canadian models.  There's software called Forscan that can change this setting (as can the dealer, of course).

 

 

Cheers.

[WhiteKnight]

Sounds like your car may have daytime running lights, a feature common to fleet and Canadian models.  There's software called Forscan that can change this setting (as can the dealer, of course).

 

 

Cheers.

 

Thanks for your reply Bill-N.

 

The first thing I did was go to the dealer and inquire about daytime running lights. My local dealer said that if the car had daytime running lights that was programmed at the factory and could not be changed on the SE, only on the SEL So that was why I was looking at another way to turn them off, like pulling a fuse.

 

I do have the Forscan app but I don't know how to use that to change the feature on or off on the SE.

[plus 3 golfer]

Dealer may be correct. The 2015 Energi (base has same features as the SEL) supposedly has an on/off selector in the left hand display.  Page through the menus in your left hand display. Someone with a 2015 SEL Hbrid can verify whether there is such a feature.  Fuse F74 is only for the high beams.  Pulling other BCM fuses under the hood like F3, F4, or F15 will likely disable a host of functions and maybe the BCM itself. :)

[plus 3 golfer]

The 2015 owner’s manual indicates that DRLs are either configurable via the left hand display or non-configurable - which to me indicates different models of the C-Max handle DRLs differently. I’d post on the FORScan forum as someone may know if there are certain data which can be changed to add the display screen (likely IPC module which is the gateway for driver vehicle configuration data from the instrument panel to other modules) and perhaps the BCM can then process the driver input from the display.

Edited October 12, 2019 by Plus 3 Golfer

[WhiteKnight]

The 2015 owner’s manual indicates that DRLs are either configurable via the left hand display or non-configurable .

 

There is no configuration option for the DRL on the left hand display in my 2015 cmax se.

 

I will try the forscan forum.  The other option I am thinking about is some type of exterior cover like one can make a cover for the grille. That would option would be less than ideal in many ways but is a last resort I suppose.

Edited October 12, 2019 by WhiteKnight

[Redshift]

There is no configuration option for the DRL on the left hand display in my 2015 cmax se.

 

My 2015 C-Max SEL does have the option of turning the DRLs on and off.

[jestevens]

As I posted before when I bought my 2013 SEL it was a former fleet vehicle - worked like a motorcycle - engine on, lights on..very annoying.  I had the dealer shop use IDS to reprogram the BCM to disable the lights..(now works via switch on dash).  The instrument cluster lights seem to be always automatic based on the sensor in the dash.  I don't know if there is difference in the BCM for SE vs SEL - sounds like there might be based on the option missing from the menu.

Edited October 15, 2019 by jestevens

[bookemdano]

FWIW I have a 2017 Energi Titanium and there is no option to configure DRLs in the left-side menu. I wonder though if that's because Ford added LED "Signature lighting" for the 2017 MY that is always on. Does that legally count as DRLs in Canada?

[WhiteKnight]

 

There is no configuration option for the DRL on the left hand display in my 2015 cmax se.

 

My 2015 C-Max SEL does have the option of turning the DRLs on and off.

 

This would confirm what the dealer told me.

 

My post about the topic on the Forscan forum generated lots of views but no replies. Searching through that forum the Cmax doesn't seem to generate much interest. I did some further internet research and there does seem to be people who have reprogrammed other Ford vehicles to turn off DRL but the procedures they were using to do so were, frankly, beyond my technological sophistication.

 

So I guess I am out of luck. It is disappointing.