2005 Outback dash light always-on feature - turn off?

[Pete Grey]

I know this is similar to another thread, but my question is slightly
different.

The dash lights appear to be on all the time, regardless of the lighting,
etc.
I would prefer to shut this off entirely. I've found myself driving along
several times at night now, with no lights on, because my dash is
illuminated.
Usually I've caught this after awhile, by noticing other things aren't, such
as the radio controls.

I asked my dealer, and they said "just leave the lights on all the time and
let ignition-control them".
How lame is that for a response.

Anyone know of a way to shut these off?

Thanks,

-pete

 

[LB]

I share the same concern. On many occasions I was driving at night with only
day time running lights.
While I think Outback 2005 is an excellent car, it's pretty lame in the
"user interface" area .

 

[fubar'ed transmission]

I share the same concern. On many occasions I was driving at night with only
day time running lights.
While I think Outback 2005 is an excellent car, it's pretty lame in the
"user interface" area .

Daytime Running Lights have got to be one of
the dumbest ideas to come down the pike
since "New Coke". The only type of motorized
vehicle which should use any type of a
DRL is a motorcycle, by virtue of it's small
moving profile at a distance. Putting DRL's
on a 4-wheel automobile or truck is about
as useful as the proverbial tits-on-a-bull.

DRL's greatly shorten headlamp life
and also can cause a reduction of as much
as 3 MPG fuel economy, as the alternator
must supply extra current to power the
headlamps (usually around 15 Amps !!)
which results in more drag/torque required
to turn the pulley of the alternator. (similar
to the effect of dynamic braking on a
commuter railcar)

Fortunately there are ways to disable
DRL on most cars which will leave you
with a 'normal' type headlamp switch.

For most Subaru's, it is very easy to disable DRL.
Just unplug the Ballast Resistor which is usually
silver in color and mounted on the passenger side
tower strut and your headlamp switch will behave
like that of a "normal" car.

For more info go here: http://www.lightsout.org/disable.html

See also: http://nordicgroup.us/drl/ for a technical discussion of DRL.

(Finally, please do not tell me that DRL's are some kind
of a "safety device or feature". This notion is utter Bean Soup. ; )

 

[Bonehenge]

(Finally, please do not tell me that DRL's are some kind
of a "safety device or feature". This notion is utter Bean Soup. ; )

I won't, I'll just agree to disagree. <G>

Barry

 

[MDCORE]

(Finally, please do not tell me that DRL's are some kind

of a "safety device or feature". This notion is utter Bean Soup. ; )

This has been argued here ad nauseum.
People really seem to get berserk over DRL's- me, I'm glad to have them.

And I do think they are a valuable safety device (anything that improves your
visibility is).

I know however, that nothing will change your mind.

Just as you won't change mine.

Dukephoto

 

[CompUser]

@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>, (e-mail address removed)
says...

DRL's greatly shorten headlamp life
and also can cause a reduction of as much
as 3 MPG fuel economy,

Say it ain't so, Joe!!! What the heck are ya
driving?!?!?!

as the alternator
must supply extra current to power the
headlamps (usually around 15 Amps !!)

The current flowing thru the DRL circuit should
be much less than the current flow for normal
lamp illumination. E=IR, Ohm's Law, tells us so,
and Mr. Ohm's loves us. Since R is significantly
higher in DRL operation, I will be commensurately
less.

which results in more drag/torque required
to turn the pulley of the alternator.

More than no DRLs/less than regular headlite
operation. Do you lose, oh, 8 MPG when you turn
your regular headlites on?

For most Subaru's, it is very easy to disable DRL.
Just unplug the Ballast Resistor which is usually
silver in color and mounted on the passenger side
tower strut and your headlamp switch will behave
like that of a "normal" car.

Also very easy to find during accident
investigations ;-) "Your claim has been denied
due to owner/operator defeat of safety devices".

 

[busterb]

Also very easy to find during accident
investigations ;-) "Your claim has been denied
due to owner/operator defeat of safety devices".

What B.S. !!!! The few accidents I've had involved calling in a claim
and waiting for a check. Since DRL's are not required devices there
is no consequence for disabling them.

 

[Pete Grey]

I don't think this has to do with the DRLs, although I'll try that route to
see if they're tied to one another.

I'm talking about the daytime-dash-lights in this case, which I'd call an
un-safe feature:-]

-pete

 

[Sniper]

I'm talking about the daytime-dash-lights in this case, which I'd call an
un-safe feature:-]

-pete

Pete,

Can you explain a bit more as to why you consider this an "unsafe"
feature????

Thanks

 

[tcassette]

I bet you also don't turn on your headlights during rain or when there is
the slightest bit of daylight. ("Hey, I can see the road just fine, so why
should I waste all that gas and bulb life.") Every day on my work commute,
I barely see at least one driver who thinks lights are not for safety
either. When someone smacks into you head-on because they didn't see you,
you may just have time to change your mind.

 

[Mischa42]

I have a 2005 Legacy wagon, and it has a nifty feature that lets you turn
the dashboard lighting off OR on during the daytime. The dash lighting
comes on automatically when you turn on the headlights, then shuts off
when you turn them off. That leaves the dash very dim in limited light
(cloudy day, dawn and dusk, etc.). It's a button on the center console
next to the temp/gas mileage/gas remaining LCD screen, and has a little
"flash" symbol like a sunburst.

That feature isn't on the Outbacks?

As for the DRL issue...EPA says the gas mileage diff is more like .5 mpg.
I'll admit that that number adds up, but I'm guessing that being a
slightly less agressive driver would save you more, and IMHO the DRLs are
certainly not making me LESS safe.

 

[Mischa42]

I have a 2005 Legacy wagon, and it has a nifty feature that lets you turn
the dashboard lighting off OR on during the daytime. The dash lighting
comes on automatically when you turn on the headlights, then shuts off
when you turn them off. That leaves the dash very dim in limited light
(cloudy day, dawn and dusk, etc.). It's a button on the center console
next to the temp/gas mileage/gas remaining LCD screen, and has a little
"flash" symbol like a sunburst.

That feature isn't on the Outbacks?

As for the DRL issue...EPA says the gas mileage diff is more like .5 mpg.
I'll admit that that number adds up, but I'm guessing that being a
slightly less agressive driver would save you more, and IMHO the DRLs are
certainly not making me LESS safe.

 

[jMon]

My wife's 2004 Honda Civic LX has this "feature" too. She hates it.
If her car had DRLs, no doubt she'd drive half the time without any
other lights on.

Jay M
Hillsboro, VA
2003 Baja

 

[Guest]

I have a 2005 Legacy wagon, and it has a nifty feature that lets you turn
the dashboard lighting off OR on during the daytime. The dash lighting
comes on automatically when you turn on the headlights, then shuts off
when you turn them off. That leaves the dash very dim in limited light
(cloudy day, dawn and dusk, etc.). It's a button on the center console
next to the temp/gas mileage/gas remaining LCD screen, and has a little
"flash" symbol like a sunburst.

That feature isn't on the Outbacks?

Yes, it is on the 2005 Outback and I don't find any problem with the
dash lighting system at all.

I think there is some confusion in these postings about what "dash
lighting" is.

With the headlights OFF, the essential instrument lighting is on at
all times at a fixed brightness, as is the center display of audio,
fuel consummption etc.

With the headlights ON, the instrument display brightness is dependent
on the little dimmer roll switch on the left, but the center
audio/computer display is very subdued until you press the little
button described above by Mischa42.

As for DRLs, for years on new cars sold in Canada they have been
required to be on all the time, after statistics proved conclusively
that they reduced accidents significantly on several test sections of
highway.

 

[Pete Grey]

Absolutely.

If the dash lights are on, as well as the headlights in DRL-mode, it's
really easy to think your headlights are on period.
I've driven home several times at night now, without realizing this.

In this mode, my tail lights are not illuminated, which is a *big*
problem:-]

-pete

I'm talking about the daytime-dash-lights in this case, which I'd call an
un-safe feature:-]

-pete

Pete,

Can you explain a bit more as to why you consider this an "unsafe"
feature????

Thanks

 

[JW]

And I do think they are a valuable safety device (anything that improves
your
visibility is).

It doesn't improve my visibility whatsoever to have my lights on in the
daytime. The best it could possibly do is allow someone else to see you
but then again if they are so blind they can't see you without your lights
being on, they have no business driving. They will be aiming for you
anyway and you have just made their target easier to get a fix on! Far
from being "valuable" it would seem to be much more a liability. Common
sense tells you when you need to have light on or not but then if you are
admitting to be entirely without common sense, yes, I can see where we
need to put lights on your vehicle which are on all the time. A warning
to others that the driver is entirely lacking in any common sense.
Similar to that idiot alarm we require in our area; the one which requires
all idiots to make sure their radio is able to be heard for a city block
to warn everyone in the area that an idiot is behind the wheel of that
car. Works well here! Yep, we out to make it part of the driving test to
require lights on the cars of those individuals which are completely
unable to think for themselves. Then we ought to pass a statewide tax in
order cover the expense of a proficiency test for having those who give
the tests that they are able to determine whether or not their candidates
pass or fail a common sense test! Next thing you know you'll have us
re-electing Bush!

 

[MDCORE]

Subject: Re: 2005 Outback dash light always-on feature - turn off?

From: JW (e-mail address removed)
Date: 11/20/2004 9:43 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id: <opshsm6icfwbhgk8@localhost>

To which you responded:

It doesn't improve my visibility whatsoever to have my lights on in the
daytime. The best it could possibly do is allow someone else to see you
but then again if they are so blind they can't see you without your lights
being on, they have no business driving.

If it allows someone else to see better, then obviously it IS improving your
visiblity- if only by definition of visibility. And common sense.

They will be aiming for you
anyway and you have just made their >target easier to get a fix on!

Why would they be aiming for you? Paranoia is a terrible affliction.......

Far from being "valuable" it would seem to be much more a liability. Common

sense tells you when you need to have light on or not but then if you are
admitting to be entirely without common sense, yes, I can see where we
need to put lights on your vehicle which are on all the time. A warning
to others that the driver is entirely lacking in any common sense.

I find people that rant against DRL's to be lacking in common sense, but you
don't seem to agree.

Similar to that idiot alarm we require in our area; the one which requires
all idiots to make sure their radio is able to be heard for a city block
to warn everyone in the area that an idiot is behind the wheel of that
car. Works well here!

And as a good, law abiding citizen, you probably comply.

Yep, we out to make it part of the driving test to require lights on the cars

of those >individuals which are completely

unable to think for themselves. Then we ought to pass a statewide tax in

order cover the expense of a proficiency >test for having those who give

the tests that they are able to determine >whether or not their candidates
pass or fail a common sense test!

I think you'd fail.

Next thing you know you'll have us
re-electing Bush!

It's too late- you've already succeeded.

dukephoto