[baobay]

I have a 2011 Touring Elite. I have the headlights in Auto mode. I noticed that the headlights switch on automatically when the van is parked and I open any door. Can I prevent that from happening and still keep the headlights in auto mode?
Thanks.

 

[bar10dah]

To my recollection, no. At least, not on the EX-L. Your Touring Elite may have additional settings. Look up the autoheadlights section of your owner's manual...

Any reason why you wouldn't want them to come one? I like being able to hit unlock on the key and have the lights light up the walkway as I'm approaching the van at night.

 

[baobay]

To my recollection, no. At least, not on the EX-L. Your Touring Elite may have additional settings. Look up the autoheadlights section of your owner's manual...

Any reason why you wouldn't want them to come one? I like being able to hit unlock on the key and have the lights light up the walkway as I'm approaching the van at night.

NO problem with them coming on, but I am worried about the battery. The stupid warning comes on all the time and I figured if I can avoid having the lights come on it may help in keeping the bettery charged longer.

 

[artkwan]

@ bar10dah -

How would one go about programming the Touring Elites to do thta, meaning to have the headlights on when the doors are unlocked?

Thanks in advance.

 

[thewilson6]

I had something sort of similar happen last night on my EX-L...we had just gotten back from a baseball game and I unloaded all of the kids and went inside. I had to go back out to grab something and noticed the headlights were still on- I had them set on Auto but they didn't go off. Tried locking the doors and they remained on. So I restarted the car, moved the switch (or whatever you call it) from auto up to manual and back to auto and turned the car off. It was fine afterwards and was fine this morning when I returned home from school drop-off.

ETA: I have a 2011 now. I just haven't gotten around to fixing my signature yet. I just didn't want there to be any confusion that I might be referring to a 2008 model.

 

[bar10dah]

@ bar10dah -

How would one go about programming the Touring Elites to do thta, meaning to have the headlights on when the doors are unlocked?

Thanks in advance.

Owner's manual?

 

[RichNY]

90% certain that this is one of the settings available through the Elite's computer. Check out the owner's manual. Should be in there (if I remembered exactly what to do, I would post it - sorry).

 

[Tony Cantu]

Honda Odyssey Elite Headlights on when door Open

I bought a Honda Odyssey Elite 2012 last month and the lights remain on when we turn the van off or flash on when we open the passenger door. We hate that and we cannot find a damn way to disable this. We had a 2006 Odyssey Touring and it did not have this malfunction.

How do you disable the headlights going on when the switch is in Auto??? We are inclined to return this crap and get our old Honda Odyssey back. The Auto feature turns the lights on after dark so we want to keep the switch in Auto.

Anyone knows how to disable the headlights flashing on when the door is opened or when you turn the van off they remain on unless you open and close the door??? Someone really SUPID in Honda was a smartass and did this. The problem is if you are in a parking lot or somewhere at night you are advertising to anyone, including theives, YOU ARE THERE!!! Note that these imbeciles at Honda turn the headlights when you unlock the door too and when you open it!!! So everyone knows you are there at night!!!

Anyone, please help on how to disable this Honda Smartass imbecile headlight flashing...

 

[baobay]

I bought a Honda Odyssey Elite 2012 last month and the lights remain on when we turn the van off or flash on when we open the passenger door. We hate that and we cannot find a damn way to disable this. We had a 2006 Odyssey Touring and it did not have this malfunction.

How do you disable the headlights going on when the switch is in Auto??? We are inclined to return this crap and get our old Honda Odyssey back. The Auto feature turns the lights on after dark so we want to keep the switch in Auto.

Anyone knows how to disable the headlights flashing on when the door is opened or when you turn the van off they remain on unless you open and close the door??? Someone really SUPID in Honda was a smartass and did this. The problem is if you are in a parking lot or somewhere at night you are advertising to anyone, including theives, YOU ARE THERE!!! Note that these imbeciles at Honda turn the headlights when you unlock the door too and when you open it!!! So everyone knows you are there at night!!!

Anyone, please help on how to disable this Honda Smartass imbecile headlight flashing...

As far as I know, the only way to do it is to get the headlights out of auto mode. It's strange why they did that...

 

[evel333]

I never noticed that. I like pressing buttons and flipping switches for everything, so I don't put anything on "auto."

 

[BigBoat]

The clunky auto headlight feature is the same for all trims (except LX). The only setting that you can change (on Touring models) is for how long you want the headlights to remain on after the key is off and the driver's door gets closed (0, 15, 30 and 60 seconds). The EX, EX-L ones have 15 seconds as the default.

Having said that, it does not mention anything about being in AUTO mode and unlocking and opening the driver's door in the dark, which also turns the lights on, but try setting it to zero seconds, it may actually do what you want.

See owner's manual (2011 models), page 93 and 115.

 

[manfrotto]

Auto-Off

Hah...I never knew that leaving headlights on "AUTO" means the headlight would come on the moment you unlocked the Odyssey or that they'd stay on after engine off when you open the door. Neat!

On the other hand, I can't trust the auto feature because (a) sometimes, the sensor isn't calibrated correctly, (b) the headlights come on-and-off briefly (like I'm flashing someone) when I go underneath an overpass, and (c) in NJ, it's "wipers on, headlights on" and sometimes, it's raining without being dark enough for the sensors to engage the headlights. Don't want to be ticketed by P.D. for not following that rule.

 

[02maxse]

Just picked up our new Touring Elite yesterday and I have the same issue of the headlights coming on every time the drivers door is opened. I have the auto off timer set to 0 secs, so the lights come on when the door is opened and go off when the door is closed. Only way I found to prevent it was to take it out of auto - which defeats the whole purpose of having the auto function in he first place. This was bugging me last night because I do not want the HID's to burn out prematurely with all the ON/OFF cycles every time the door is opened and closed. So this morning I go into the garage and open the drivers door - lights stay OFF. I turn on the ignition and the headlights come on. Turn off the ignition and close the driver's door - lights go off (timer set to 0 secs). Open the drivers door again, and the lights come on again! So there must be a timer that controls the lights coming on with the door for a set period after the ignition is turned off. Wherever that is, I'd like it turned off too.

 

[BigBoat]

I have the auto off timer set to 0 secs, so the lights come on when the door is opened and go off when the door is closed.

I was wondering if somebody tried it... so, it does not help much it seems

 

[jdskycaster]

Someone really SUPID in Honda was a smartass and did this. The problem is if you are in a parking lot or somewhere at night you are advertising to anyone, including theives, YOU ARE THERE!!! Note that these imbeciles at Honda turn the headlights when you unlock the door too and when you open it!!! So everyone knows you are there at night!!!

Anyone, please help on how to disable this Honda Smartass imbecile headlight flashing...

I can think of two ways to rectify:

1. Move the switch to manual
2. Park the van in a safer neighborhood

Seriously though this could be a heads up to a thief looking for an ody owner except at least three other GM vehicles I have ever owned do the same exact thing. Unlock the doors and the lights come on. This is a useful feature for finding your way in the dark to your vehicle as well. Just depends on how you view it or what part of town you live in.:rollingeyes:

JD

 

[02maxse]

Unlock the doors and the lights come on.

JD

It'd be fine if the lights come on when the door is unlocked. However, these come on every time the door is opened

 

[kulas138]

Just switch the Light stalk to Off whenever the engine is turned off.

 

[02maxse]

Just switch the Light stalk to Off whenever the engine is turned off.

yeah yeah, that's what I do now, but then I needn't have ponied up the extra dollars for automatic headlights if I can't use it.

 

[jdskycaster]

In that vein you could also just purchased a lower level trim to avoid it and saved thousands. I for one have been waiting many years for Honda to put auto headlights on the EX-L level trim. Something that has been long overdue and finally has arrived.

Normally top-level trim buyers love gadgets. And the more gadgets you have the more likely you are to be upset that they do not work the way you would like. Just ask Ford owner's with "MyFord Touch."

JD

 

[kulas138]

yeah yeah, that's what I do now, but then I needn't have ponied up the extra dollars for automatic headlights if I can't use it.

Maybe you're reacting a bit on what you said. Of course you can use it, meaning it's working as it should. It's just that the way it works doesn't suit your taste. Automatic headlights are supposed to perform to its intended purpose, that is, when the light becomes too dim while driving, it activates. But the point of discussion on this thread is how this feature is supposed to perform when the engine is not running (meaning parked).

As Jay Leno once put it, this country (United States) has become so lazy that even that simple headlight switch on a vehicle has become so burdensome that it takes a lot of effort for the driver to lift their hand and reach for it while driving. It's very simple: if a driver got even a simple hint that the road condition is a bit dark for their own safety, by all means turn on the headlights.