FRS Auto Off Headlamps - False Advertising?
 

The lack of auto-off (auto-cut) headlamp function has been brought up a few times on here. The FRS is advertised as having "projector beam headlamps with auto off" as a standard feature. This is listed on the official scion website, their print brochures, dealer websites, and even the factory-printed window sticker that comes with the car. Several dealers that I've contacted have confirmed that the US-spec FRS does NOT come with auto off headlamps.

I'm surprised such an egregious error in the Scion marketing materials has not been corrected in the 7+ months this car has been available. Since toyota is liable for false advertisement (and basically fraud), has anyone been able to receive compensation/install the auto off function for our cars? I smell a lawsuit coming...

Just leave them on. It's an auto off feature I like to call "letting the battery die."

But seriously, I never saw any advertising like that.

Why does it matter if it has them or not?

Via my Note 2

Its listed as a standard feature, shouldn't it come with the car?

Is this something changed recently or by territory? I ask as when my key is out and lights on around 30-40 seconds they shut off.

Maybe only Canada has it, mine goes BEEEEEPPPP when I turn off the car and open the door without turning off the headlights.

I am pretty sure if you leave them on and turn the car off and lock the doors once they will go off after a time period.

No hit the lock button twice and pow off they go.

sent from a Galaxy SIII...

American here, and mine does the exact same thing. I know this because I left it on while getting lunch and came back to see the lights still on and my dashboard going BEEEEEEP.

Same here, in America.

That feature is available on the Toyota 86 variant

No such option here in Canada :bonk:

How hard is it to turn your lights off? You cant possibly forget, considering it makes a really annoying sound.

It's not hard to turn the lights off. That being said, it's also not hard to have an auto-off feature. I say it every time this subject comes up, but it's a valid point. My twenty five year old Celica had auto off headlights. It was triggered by the same door jam switch as the dome light. How has that become too difficult to do now?

As for the OP - never really noticed the official standard feature list. If it's really in print then lead the charge.

Yeah my 6th gen Celica had it as well.

But on the other hand what if I wanted to keep my headlights on once I got out of my car, e.g. to light up something on/near the road? Not sure how that would work with auto off headlights as I never had the need to do it when I had my Celica, but it may happen.

If it was like my old one, you just turned the headlight switch off and back on again (with the ignition off) and then they'd stay on until the battery died.

The only thing I can see "egregious" about this headlight "issue" is the proposing of a lawsuit because of it. Did you suffer any personal injury to yourself or your property because of it? No? Sorry.

Just because you are too (insert colorful adjective here) to turn your lights off when the car is beeping loudly at you to do so is you're own fault. Read the owner's manual.

Now, that said, out of all of the minor "issues" an quirks with the FRS/BRZ/GT86, there is only ONE that I could think of that may be worth litigation and that is the failure of the ECU to COMPLETELY disable the ABS/TCS/VSC when the button has been held for 5 seconds. Search "the Pedal Dance" to find more detailed information.

This in my opinion is a safety issue for a car that has been claimed to have been set up for drifting and track use that could result in a high-speed crash under the right circumstances. If you're one of those types just looking for a reason to sue someone, that would be the one that I would go after.

Scott

Features that enable laziness should be burnt anyways.

Well, no. There are grounds for some complaint. It is in fact currently listed as a standard feature on the FR-S (just checked for myself). That means we paid for it in the base-price of the car. If they didn't want to install it, that's fine. But it shouldn't be listed as installed.

Would it be ok for them to say they gave you floor mats and charge the extra money for them but not do it? Why not just charge everyone for the Bespoke sound system but install the base unit?

Conversely, how much would it cost to have a dealer install an auto-off function in the car? I'll bet it'd buy a few tanks of gas at least.

Directly from the Scion.com website under Exterior features, although not sur its lawsuit worthy...

I've emailed Scion. We'll see what they say.

Mine shut off after a while of being on. It takes more than a few minutes, but it does shut off. I might time them tonight.

I am doing my absolute best to not sound rude but...

<deep breath>

According the US Scion FRS Service Manual document version 6.4 A From 201203, Document ID RM000004NUM00RX, Titled;

LIGHTING (EXT): LIGHTING SYSTEM: CUSTOMIZE PARAMETERS (2013 FR-S)

These are the settings that can be changed by the dealer by connecting to your ECU.

Light Auto OFF Delay - Default 30 s - "Keeps the headlights on for a certain period of time after turning the ignition switch off and closing all doors with the low beam headlights on."

Setting options: OFF, 30 s, 60 s or 90 s

Summary:
Go to the dealer and have them change it!!

You're welcome!

Scott

Hey that's excellent thanks. I've followed these threads, but must have missed this being posted. Though obviously it's not the "default" position if most people's don't do it. Plus you know... you could have posted this in your earlier rant a few posts ago and it would've ended things right then. ;) :D

Thanks, Scott. I'll relay this information to my dealer and hopefully they can resolve this issue.

I can turn off my headlamps perfectly fine without your comment on my apparent laziness, thank you.

Its no trouble. This literally took me 5 minutes to dig up in the service manual.

Its not uncommon to have some "variance" in some ECU changes even in similar cars from the manufacturer.

Scott

Screw the auto off feature... I want those damn headlights off the special edition FR-S with the Led DRLs >_<

I might just go to the dealer and have them do that tomorrow! I got used to auto off lights in my tC for 8 years.

Most toyota have auto light off features when you open door or turn key off they go off. Even in my old 92 -94 camrys did it also 05 tundra

I want to install manual window roller bars so that I can furiously wind them up and down manually because yes auto features are for lazy asses!

Either my default setting is wrong or this info is wrong. Mine stay on regardless. Just timed it for 3 minutes two times and they did not shut off at all.

Also, this is all that it says in my FR-S manual:

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/73/img9914h.jpg

My headlights being on reduces my fuel economy? :paddle: tf

Just heard back from Scion and this is what they say:

So - twenty minutes?! That seems kind of crazy but it's what they claim. I'm going to go test it now and we'll see - but no mention of the option for changing the timing at all. I'll be curious if anyone gets the dealer to do this.

Edit: Yup - twenty minutes on the dot. Good to know. With that in mind though, this calls into question the service manual since twenty minutes is a far cry from 30, 60 or 90 seconds.

I found no record of the 30/60/90 second claim anywhere in my manual.

That is because you CLEARLY don't understand the difference between a service manual and an owner's manual.

The owners manual is for every day people like you. The service manual is for technicians like I used to be. Take the info I gave you to the big boys in the service department and stop wasting your time with customer service.

Scott

Now that's an oxymoron...

The manual warns you not to leave the headlights on longer than necessary without the engine running yet the auto-off is 20 minutes.

:lol:

Or you can change it yourself.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34502

This guy doesn't know what a service manual is. Do you really think its a good idea for him to be messing around in his ECU?

Scott

I doubt it....

However, just saying it seems one can do it themselves. Just disseminating info.

I downloaded techstream online free of charge. (do at own risk) and changed the settings myself. It worked like a champ. Now My lights turn off after about 30 secs and also I turned off the ugly running daytime lights but if you are not computer literate or have no idea what you are doing then just simply take your car into a dealer. The comment that I saw about waiting twenty mins for your lights to turn off is BS. That just simply sounds like a lazy dealer or either they have lack of knowledge about the cars that they are selling because they can simply adjust the settings for you.

Thank you for being condescending. A little respect goes a long way. :sigh:

You also said the default setting was 30 seconds, which is not the case. Maybe it's different for those who drive automatics.

That is a two way street. I took the time to post the information as presented in the service manual and you called me out for being wrong. I didn't have to help in any way, shape or form but I did and I turned out to be right.

Nice try at jabbing at me for buying an auto. Real classy and speaks volumes about your character.

I wish you the best with your endeavors and I hope you're a bit more appreciative to people who try to help in the future.

Scott