Couldn't find this in a search.

So, last night I went to my car, turned on my map lights looking for something, and ran quickly back into the house while forgetting to turn them back off.

Only after turning on the car this morning did I noticed that the map lights were on (that's when I realized that I left them on last night).

I quickly turned them off and realized that they were only warm to the touch, not hot as if they've been on the whole night.

However, they should have felt cold if they shut off after 10 minutes of me turning them on without the engine running.

This got me thinking. Will the lights (interior dome, map, and even head lights) automatically shut off if accidently left on without the engine running?

My previous cars dating back to the early 2000s had this feature to save the battery, so I will be surprised in the Fit doesn't have it.

 

Be surprised, there's no auto-off on any lights, until the battery dies. And a couple of days with the map lights left on will drain the tiny Fit battery.

 

Wish we could make the headlights automatic..

 

you have to admit, we have a very pretty chime to remind us they're on.




as for the map lights......... they are super easy to forget and leave on. i think it's because they're not very bright to begin with.

 

I don't mind the chime. I just wish I didn't have to turn them off and on. They would just be automatic.

 

This is important.

 

Thanks for the info. Is this a Honda thing or Fit thing? I mean, do other Honda models provide that feature?

We are talking about a feature that's been around for over 10 years.

 

So have leather seats and sun roofs but not every car has them. Perhaps it has a lot to do with how much the car costs.

 

Maybe these things have been around, but not on any car I've ever owned. Then again, I've never owned a "luxury" car.

I put LEDs in my interior lights (map, dome and trunk light). This way, if I DO forget, they draw MUCH less current, and won't drain the battery as fast. They look cool, too.

 

On my '07 Sport, the dome light (no map lights on '07) turns off automatically. The headlights don't and the rear cargo area light doesn't either.

 

Don't ask me why but that comment made me laugh so hard I almost spit out my lunch. I guess I never saw that feature as luxury but more of a technology feature (which I assumed Honda attempted to stay on top off).


Can any confirm if its a Honda or Fit issue?

 

whaap sees the bottom line and also remembers when cars had metal dashboards and a choke. We've all come to expect so much these days as standard. It all comes at a cost and the Fit doesn't cost much, so corners are cut. Canadian Fits have heated side views USA doesn't, I wonder do their lights go off?

 

you have bought the least expensive car Honda makes. They have the technology, they just choose not to raise the price by $3 to put it in. Realize they also make Acuras with every single bell and whistle available.

Be happy you got power windows.
My pet peeve is no one brought up climate control. Setting the climate to a temperature is pretty much a "standard" feature that has trickled down to all levels these days.

 

Not on the cars I've been driving. The only car I've ever had with climate control was a 1980 Toyota Cressida, not exactly a low level car.

 

And I can keep myself "more" comfortable with "less" hassle with the manual climate controls of the Fit compared to the auto climate controls of my past 4 vehicles (two G35's, CL Type S, Intrepid). Sometimes technology is used to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

 

Well said and so often the source of undue concern to the end user.

 

You can set the roof dome to shut off automatically in the sport model and it's a great setting. Comes on when you open up and fades out after a minute. It's just a switch on the light itself to set that. But the maps and & HL's, no. And you gotta be careful because leaving map lights on can demand a jump start if they go long enough. And about the HL's, be careful with them as well. You can accidently leave the running lights on and that will DEFINITELY run you down in a couple hours. Been there, when I first got the car. I didn't turn the HL's fully off and not realizing the pleasent chime was warning me, I got screwed. I sure would love glove compartment lights too.

Dan

 

I added a small relay thats energized with the ignition switch. It breaks the connection between the "micu" and the combo switch. Now when I turn off the ign., all the lights turn off.

 

As my first post, i say you should make an article about this mod!

 

My Altima's map lights did not automatically shut off either, nor did the headlights when they weren't in auto mode. I've made the mistake with that car once of leaving the map lights on overnight and fortunately didn't wake up to a dead battery. Never did that again.

As other posters have said, I am sure this was a cost-cutting feature on Honda's part. Not sure if my wife's Civic has an auto shut-off feature...

The topic of technology in cars brings up an interesting discussion point. Probably better suited to another thread, and I don't mean to derail this one, but I think it's appropriate for here.

I am all for technology in automobiles that gives the driver greater control over the vehicle. Let's take our FITS for example. The MacPherson strut front/Torsion beam rear suspension is a very simple setup. Yet I find it to be very communicative and it provides very direct yet predictable handling. This makes it very easy to find the limits of the car, increasing driver confidence. I've found it much easier to find the limits of the FIT's handling than in the other vehicles that I've driven, even my "technologically superior" (on paper) Altima. This is automotive technology as it should be.

Below I present an example of everything that is wrong with automotive technology:


I like Mercedes, and no doubt the E-Class is a very nice automobile. But:

- PARKTRONIC: Whatever happened to learning how to parallel park? You know, using proper judgment of the dimensions of your vehicle and all. I know many manufacturers offered parallel parking assist features first, but still...

- Blind Spot Monitoring: Another feature found on many other cars. What happened to adjusting your mirrors properly and checking them before merging? If your side-view mirrors are adjusted properly, you won't have blind spots!

- Attention Assist: This is where I give the E-Class flak. Whatever happened to waiting until you were properly rested and alert before getting in the car?

The driver becomes used to these automated systems, then he/she gets lazy in their driving habits as a result. "Who cares that I'm exhausted and should get some sleep. I really shouldn't be driving, but its OK because the car will just wake me up." "Why should I bother to check my side view mirrors before I merge? The car will beep if someone's there."

And then when those systems fail....what are you going to do?

Automotive technology should make the driving experience more comfotable, enjoyable, or a combination of both. It should not "automate" the process of driving, nor should it take responsibility out of the hands of the driver.

I'll finish by saying that I wish the FIT had dual-zone temperature control! I'm always hot and my wife is always cold.

/rant