Question from a non leaf owner

[LeftieBiker]

I guess I'm just old-fashioned, but I don't let my car make important decisions like that for me. My SV has auto headlights, and I never use them.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Me too. Old. I turn 'em on and off by hand. Heck, I even get up to change the TV channel. Really freking old!

 

[Nubo]

I guess I'm just old-fashioned, but I don't let my car make important decisions like that for me. My SV has auto headlights, and I never use them.

I'm like that about a lot of "auto" features that they tack onto cars these days. But I have to say I have become fond of the auto headlights. I park in a parking structure. The light level is not low enough to need headlights to see, but low enough so I think they are important for to BE seen. And so you don't turn them on reflexively due to darkeness, but by a rational choice. And I would occasionally forget. But with Auto they come on appropriately every time. I still check the indicator when it starts getting dark to make sure they've come on.

I think it's a good feature as long as I can still turn them off when I absolutely want them off, and turn them on when I absolutely want them on.

 

[Rat]

I'll add my single data point. Range has nothing to do with my choice of headlights usage in the Leaf. My wife and I both use our Leaf as our main car whenever possible and we still only put ~6000 mi. on it per year. I'm retired so have no commute and 20 miles is a long day for our Leaf. I always turn on the headlights near dusk or other times when it's dark (e.g. stormy weather). Except I have found a few times when I did not because I didn't realize they were off. The dashboard lights are so bright anyway it's not obvious I have them off when it is first starting to get dark. We park in the garage and the overhead light goes on when we push the garage door opener button, so it is plenty light in the garage when we start up. Occasionally in really brightly lit parking lots or parking garages at malls I've had the same issue. It's so bright when I start I fail to notice my lights are off until I get out into the dark streets.

 

[2k1Toaster]

I like to drive with the headlights always on, but the Leaf is annoying. Either I manually turn them on and off every time, or put them on auto. In auto, the ambient light sensor is not sensitive enough even on maximum to turn them on at anything other than darkness. I am thinking of painting over the little light bubble to force them always on in auto.

In the Prius, you just leave them ON all the time. When the car shuts off, the lights shut off, even with them in the ON position. If you want to have lights on with it off for some reason, then you just rotate the stalk anytime to ON again and all is well. It makes much more sense.

 

[finman100]

My '14 SV headlights work very much like my '04 Prius.
Light switch turned to the on position, lights are on all the time.
Turn car off and lights stay on...then...
For the Prius, open door and lights go off.
In the Leaf, open door and wait about 30 seconds and lights go off. it may be longer but they do turn off! and I'm not in the auto headlights position. I'm using the 'all the way on'/manual position.

Power either car up and the headlights turn on.

I also have the auto head light function, but rarely use it. Seems the Leaf's light sensor is set differently then my personal "light sensor" (eyeballs, to be specific!)

 

[JPWhite]

In the Prius, you just leave them ON all the time. When the car shuts off, the lights shut off, even with them in the ON position. If you want to have lights on with it off for some reason, then you just rotate the stalk anytime to ON again and all is well. It makes much more sense.

The LEAF can be left on all the time if you so choose. The time between turning the car off and the lights going off can be changed. Check your manual. I reduced the timeout such that by the time I was ready to enter work the lights would be off when I glanced back to check.

JP

 

[evyna]

My 2014 SV doesn't have auto, what the heck! Also I'm pretty sure the front lowbeams on mine are halogen.

Hardest thing for me here in Florida is drivers who don't turn them on when it rains, which is really often, and suddenly there's a gray car somewhere with no lights on a gray road with gray skies

 

[2k1Toaster]

In the Prius, you just leave them ON all the time. When the car shuts off, the lights shut off, even with them in the ON position. If you want to have lights on with it off for some reason, then you just rotate the stalk anytime to ON again and all is well. It makes much more sense.

The LEAF can be left on all the time if you so choose. The time between turning the car off and the lights going off can be changed. Check your manual. I reduced the timeout such that by the time I was ready to enter work the lights would be off when I glanced back to check.

JP

Doesn't seem to work on my MY2013.

In Auto mode the time setting on the MFD controls the lights after power-up. If I keep them in the ON position, as soon as the door opens I get a continuous tone saying to turn off the lights. If I ignore the warning and close the door, the lights did not shut off over 5 minutes after exiting and locking the car. This is NOT like the Prius and definitely inferior.

 

[JPWhite]

In the Prius, you just leave them ON all the time. When the car shuts off, the lights shut off, even with them in the ON position. If you want to have lights on with it off for some reason, then you just rotate the stalk anytime to ON again and all is well. It makes much more sense.

The LEAF can be left on all the time if you so choose. The time between turning the car off and the lights going off can be changed. Check your manual. I reduced the timeout such that by the time I was ready to enter work the lights would be off when I glanced back to check.

JP

Doesn't seem to work on my MY2013.

In Auto mode the time setting on the MFD controls the lights after power-up. If I keep them in the ON position, as soon as the door opens I get a continuous tone saying to turn off the lights. If I ignore the warning and close the door, the lights did not shut off over 5 minutes after exiting and locking the car. This is NOT like the Prius and definitely inferior.

Sorry misunderstood/misread. By 'leaving them on' I thought you meant in Auto mode. Just re-read. Got hold of the wrong end of the stick

Yes in ON position they stay on.

 

[nerys]

I do not turn on my headlights at all except in more than "drizzle" rain or at night or when driving away from a horizon sun (to make it easier for people driving toward me INTO the sun to see me)

my reasoning is simple. the LED's are over driven (I very much doubt they are 10watts. probably 30watts)

IE they get hot and heat destroys led's. don't want to burn them out as they are NOT cheap to replace.

 

[TimLee]

I do not turn on my headlights at all except in more than "drizzle" rain or at night or when driving away from a horizon sun (to make it easier for people driving toward me INTO the sun to see me)

my reasoning is simple. the LED's are over driven (I very much doubt they are 10watts. probably 30watts)

IE they get hot and heat destroys led's. don't want to burn them out as they are NOT cheap to replace.

So you care more about maybe having to replace the LED headlight in ten years than breaking the law and having less safety than if you had the lights on :?: :shock: