HID Lights went off!!

TimV-W · 5th November 2007, 16:44

Driving home from a FW party on Saturday night, lights on auto, and the headlights switched off without warning. Was on a motorway so could still see but I wouldn't want it happening on an unlit country road.

The only thing of note was that we had just been overtaken by a Clio sport going fast and with lights on HB which lit up the inside of the car as it passed.

Any one else experienced random auto lights?

Tim

robbo51 · 5th November 2007, 17:00

Did they switch back on again or did you have to do it manually??

TimV-W · 5th November 2007, 17:49

Jane was driving and immediately grabbed the stalk and turned to 'on'. Don't really know if they would have come back on on their own.

Also the dash lighting flicked to 'daylight' i.e. the brightness increased and the Sat Nav screen changed from night to day colour scheme (causing temp loss of night vision).

Munro · 5th November 2007, 19:22

On auto, at dusk, mine come on and off as you drive under trees. Other drivers must think I am flashing my lights at them. I prefer not to use auto lights.

robbo51 · 5th November 2007, 20:04

I like them and I'm not concerned about other drivers at all

TimV-W · 5th November 2007, 21:24

Mine do the same at dusk and in tunnels or under trees.

This was pitch black at 23.45 and pretty unerving if it hadn't been on a lit section of motorway.

Reminds me of when I was 18 and had a brand new Honda 250RS. First night out I came thrapsing off a lit dual carriageway over the brow of a hill and downhill into a completely unlit section of twisty road. Flick high beam and oh sh*t main fuse to H.lights blew. Concentrates the mind riding at plenty mph down a twisty road in the pitch black I can tell you.

Took Honda three months to diagnose a short on the HB switch to the handlebar - by which time I had done the same thing three more times.

Fortunately I discovered that the pass switch still worked so I could hold it down until I came to a stop.

Twenty five years on and Honda are at it again!!

cylon2007 · 5th November 2007, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbo51

I like them and I'm not concerned about other drivers at all

Nice attitude

Type S Bournemouth · 6th November 2007, 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbo51

I like them and I'm not concerned about other drivers at all

I assume your being sarcastic there!! ??

Kremmen · 6th November 2007, 06:58

I have known an accident occur when driving under trees near a junction where the auto lights have just come on and the car waiting to pull out sees the lights as an indication to pull out.

I know that flashing lights is not in the highway code but it can put you at risk.

Then you'll be bothered about other drivers!

Trekker308 · 6th November 2007, 07:12

I find the tales above unnerving to say the least.....

Makes owning a Sport model which assumes the driver will make the decision about when lights should be used a much safer option!

robbo51 · 6th November 2007, 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Type S Bournemouth

I assume your being sarcastic there!! ??

Actually no! I'm not being.
The lights coming on and off in and out of dark areas of road are a characteritic of the system. Its not as if the main beam in coming on is it!!
It should not bother other road users at all. So why worry??
If they were any less sensitive, everyone would moan that they didnt come on when they should.

medicsource · 6th November 2007, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbo51

If they were any less sensitive, everyone would moan that they didnt come on when they should.

Very true! Our Clio also has auto lights which don't really come on early enough if it is overcast and raining. The Civs are much better, if not a little on the sensitive side.

lee_g3 · 6th November 2007, 15:23

I have to agree with you medisource, currently have a megane and the lights don't always come on quick enough at dusk, so end up putting them on manually.

I assume that if you don't like the auto lights, they can be switched off though?

Unknownsoldier · 6th November 2007, 16:49

Yeah, just don't use em' if you don't like em', I like mine and and I'm thinking of modding them so the side-lights come on all the time (like Volvo's, you should just require a fuse in the right place). In a black car it's a safety thing with me (for the same reason I won't buy green cars, where I live you'd never get seen by anyone).\

Tom

tomtank62 · 8th November 2007, 13:13

It would be nice to understand just how the system works. I drove to work on Tuesday morning into bright sunshine but the auto lights stayed on most of the way. The following morning, which was a greyer day the lights switched off 5 minutes earlier than on the sunny day.

robbo51 · 8th November 2007, 18:08

It doesnt work by direct light.
Instead ambient light makes them go on.
Low morning sun will not turn them off unless the surrounding (ambient) light gets brighter

TTDegs · 8th November 2007, 19:03

indeed - otherwise they would go off at night by the lights of the oncoming traffic - which would be fun...

clever stuff!

(though at times not quite clever enough

- short bridges etc etc as has been bought up numerous times in here before)

5th November 2007, 16:44	#1 (permalink)
TimV-W Valve Cap Join Date: 24th May 2007 Posts: 37 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Lights went off!! Driving home from a FW party on Saturday night, lights on auto, and the headlights switched off without warning. Was on a motorway so could still see but I wouldn't want it happening on an unlit country road. The only thing of note was that we had just been overtaken by a Clio sport going fast and with lights on HB which lit up the inside of the car as it passed. Any one else experienced random auto lights? Tim

8th November 2007, 18:08	#16 (permalink)
robbo51 Type S GT Civinfo guru Join Date: 1st July 2007 Location: Bingley, W.Yorks Posts: 2,811 Thanks: 36 Thanked 25 Times in 23 Posts	It doesnt work by direct light. Instead ambient light makes them go on. Low morning sun will not turn them off unless the surrounding (ambient) light gets brighter Last edited by robbo51; 9th November 2007 at 15:45.

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This thread is about: Lights went off!!, it's in Lights at the Honda Civic forum Civinfo; Driving home from a FW party on Saturday night, lights on auto, and the headlights switched off without warning. Was on a motorway so could ...

5th November 2007, 17:00	#2 (permalink)
robbo51 Type S GT Civinfo guru Join Date: 1st July 2007 Location: Bingley, W.Yorks Posts: 2,811 Thanks: 36 Thanked 25 Times in 23 Posts	Did they switch back on again or did you have to do it manually??

5th November 2007, 17:49	#3 (permalink)
TimV-W Valve Cap Join Date: 24th May 2007 Posts: 37 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Jane was driving and immediately grabbed the stalk and turned to 'on'. Don't really know if they would have come back on on their own. Also the dash lighting flicked to 'daylight' i.e. the brightness increased and the Sat Nav screen changed from night to day colour scheme (causing temp loss of night vision).

5th November 2007, 19:22	#4 (permalink)
Munro Supporter Rocketship door handle Join Date: 10th August 2007 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,032 Thanks: 21 Thanked 16 Times in 12 Posts	On auto, at dusk, mine come on and off as you drive under trees. Other drivers must think I am flashing my lights at them. I prefer not to use auto lights.

5th November 2007, 20:04	#5 (permalink)
robbo51 Type S GT Civinfo guru Join Date: 1st July 2007 Location: Bingley, W.Yorks Posts: 2,811 Thanks: 36 Thanked 25 Times in 23 Posts	I like them and I'm not concerned about other drivers at all

5th November 2007, 21:24	#6 (permalink)
TimV-W Valve Cap Join Date: 24th May 2007 Posts: 37 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Mine do the same at dusk and in tunnels or under trees. This was pitch black at 23.45 and pretty unerving if it hadn't been on a lit section of motorway. Reminds me of when I was 18 and had a brand new Honda 250RS. First night out I came thrapsing off a lit dual carriageway over the brow of a hill and downhill into a completely unlit section of twisty road. Flick high beam and oh sh*t main fuse to H.lights blew. Concentrates the mind riding at plenty mph down a twisty road in the pitch black I can tell you. Took Honda three months to diagnose a short on the HB switch to the handlebar - by which time I had done the same thing three more times. Fortunately I discovered that the pass switch still worked so I could hold it down until I came to a stop. Twenty five years on and Honda are at it again!!

6th November 2007, 06:58	#9 (permalink)
Kremmen Krem de la Krem Civinfo guru Join Date: 7th January 2007 Location: West London Posts: 2,415 Thanks: 3 Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts	I have known an accident occur when driving under trees near a junction where the auto lights have just come on and the car waiting to pull out sees the lights as an indication to pull out. I know that flashing lights is not in the highway code but it can put you at risk. Then you'll be bothered about other drivers!

6th November 2007, 07:12	#10 (permalink)
Trekker308 ..with Superchips please! Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 29th July 2006 Location: Ringwood Posts: 337 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I find the tales above unnerving to say the least..... Makes owning a Sport model which assumes the driver will make the decision about when lights should be used a much safer option!

6th November 2007, 15:23	#13 (permalink)
lee_g3 Valve Cap Join Date: 2nd November 2007 Location: Trowbridge Posts: 22 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I have to agree with you medisource, currently have a megane and the lights don't always come on quick enough at dusk, so end up putting them on manually. I assume that if you don't like the auto lights, they can be switched off though?

6th November 2007, 16:49	#14 (permalink)
Unknownsoldier Comedian/Smart Ase Civinfo guru* Join Date: 22nd September 2007 Location: Kent, UK Posts: 2,265 Thanks: 37 Thanked 17 Times in 17 Posts	Yeah, just don't use em' if you don't like em', I like mine and and I'm thinking of modding them so the side-lights come on all the time (like Volvo's, you should just require a fuse in the right place). In a black car it's a safety thing with me (for the same reason I won't buy green cars, where I live you'd never get seen by anyone).\ Tom

8th November 2007, 13:13	#15 (permalink)
tomtank62 Supporter Wheelnut Join Date: 21st December 2006 Location: Harrogate. North Yorks Posts: 61 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It would be nice to understand just how the system works. I drove to work on Tuesday morning into bright sunshine but the auto lights stayed on most of the way. The following morning, which was a greyer day the lights switched off 5 minutes earlier than on the sunny day.

8th November 2007, 19:03	#17 (permalink)
TTDegs Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 4th August 2006 Location: Cardiff Posts: 5,638 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	indeed - otherwise they would go off at night by the lights of the oncoming traffic - which would be fun... clever stuff! (though at times not quite clever enough - short bridges etc etc as has been bought up numerous times in here before)