| deanking |
I left my interior light on and two days later I came out to a dead battery. Someone please tell me that this is a setting somewhere. Every vehicle I have owned for the last 10 years would not have allowed this to happen.
If it is not a setting, is anyone aware of something I can attach inline to the battery that prevents this? |
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| Figgen |
This is available for $ 50.00 CDN
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/p...fromSearch=true
Eliminator Intelligent Battery Guard
Sale: $49.99
Reg: $69.99
Product #11-3001-4
An innovative accessory that easily installs onto any 12V car battery
Protects the driver from getting stranded with a dead battery and protects the vehicle against theft
Continually monitors the battery charge and automatically isolates the battery from the electrical system if it detects that the power is falling below the level that is required to start the engine
Ensures that there is always enough power to start the engine
Lengthens the life of the battery by reducing the number of times your battery is completely drained
Provides an early alert that an electrical problem may exist in your car or that your battery is beginning to fail through repeated automatic disconnects
Eliminates battery damage from faulty automotive electronics
Prevent vehicle theft by pressing the "arm/"lock" button on the remote control when you leave the vehicle. This will arm the system and isolate the battery from the electrical system so that your vehicle cannot be hot-wired
Never be stranded by a dead battery again
Easily installs onto the battery of any car, truck, SUV, van or RV using a wrench and screwdriver
If you think it's an issue install it and leave the remote in the glove box. If your away for an extended period you can manually disable the battery, although this may cause you to need to reset all your presets. |
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| deanking |
Thanks for the idea Figgen.
I called my dealership. A battery saver is NOT a standard feature on a 07 X but WAS on the 06. This is my first legtimate gripe with the car. While an add-on can help this problem, all it does it shut-off the battery which affects the memory settings. A built in system turns of the offending accessory so it never gets to that point.
The website that Figgen gave is not accessible without a Canadian zip code. The product is exclusive to a company in Canada. There are US versions. The Battery Brain is made by the same company. There is also this: http://www.prioritystart.com/
I like the prioritystart because it doesn't mount on top of the battery. It also doesn't require intervention to re-enable. |
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| G. COLTON |
In my 04 it depends upon which lights are on and why they are on. If if is a door or tailgate the lights go off after a specific time. If I have turned something on, either on purpose or accidently, then they do not go off.
It is very bad not to have at least the opening lights go off. Preferable all go off after specified time. If you need them on then turn on againl.
Like you said, other vehicle manufacturers are smarter on this subject.
G |
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| deanking |
I think my Accord shuts everything off if I forget. I am still struggling to understand this. I feel I must have missed something.
Further reading reveals what G Colton indicated: if you manually turn on the switch up front or in the cargo area, you need to manually turn it off. I left on the switch up front. If you use the tap lens method on an individual light, they turn off on their own. I need to train myself never to use that switch. If it wasn't so ugly, I would probably put tape over the switch.
I am still going to get one of the battery protection devices. |
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| Figgen |
OOPS
My bad on the postal code needed
Use
T2P 4C4
to take you to the site |
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| deanking |
If you leave the front light switch in the middle position, kids can press the back seat lights and they will never go out (until the battery dies). I suppose if you drive everyday this is not a problem. I don't so it is a problem for me.
If you move the switch to the left:
a) It looks out of place
b) The rear lights can't be activated at all
I researched the heck out of it and decided to go with the Battery Brain Platinum. Crutchfield is the only company that seems to sell it. It is a slightly different US version of the Eliminator Intelligent Battery Guard that Figgen suggested. The one feature that this model has that none of the other Battery Brains have is that it claims to still allow enough power through so that memory settings don't fail. I don't quite understand that magic but I will post again once I get it.
I noticed on another forum post that somebody replaced all their interior lights with LEDs. I'd like to get more info on that. |
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| Louise_Luvs2run |
Hi,
I'm wondering if there is a setting that I"m not aware of, but one of my pet peeve with the car is that when I turn off the engine of our '06 MDX, the lights won't shut off automatically.
There is not even a little "beep" to alert us to the fact that the lights are on.
Needless to say the batterie has died several times. I always carry booster cables in my car. I have a honda accord which at least alerts me to the fact that the lights have been left on.
Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated. |
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| Fabvsix |
| I think the OEM batteries are under rated.....I also don't leave my headlight switch in "auto" mode as it is using power while you sleep.....I've not had any issues so far, but do intend to "upgrade" the battery to a higher amp battery from Sears..... |
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| Louise_Luvs2run |
Thanks Fabvsix
I had no idea that my headlights were in "auto mode" (how embarrassing ...)
I would rather have a beep or a signal or auto shut off of the headlights....
You post is helpful.
Thanks! |
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| Fabvsix |
| I ALWAYS recommend to fill your bath tub or hot tub and READ the manual as it has VERY informative information including this....I think there is something else that can drain the battery, but I maybe thinking of my 05 which had something to do with the "auto mode" for the windshield wipers which is NOT on the 07 models anymore....... |
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| deanking |
I am hoping that Fabvsix is right about the OEM batteries being underpowered. I installed a battery saver device that cuts off the battery if total available amps falls below some pre-set level required to start the car. I am finding that the device is going off about twice a week (causing my clock to reset and my radio to need a code). There are many possibilities here:
1) My battery was permanently damaged by going dead twice
2) The auto shut off device is malfunctioning
3) The battery was barely strong enough to do it's job and the parasitic drain of various things is enough to cause it to dip below the "safe" level
I am going to have the dealer do a check on the battery to make sure it is working order (for a 6 month old battery). After that, I may end up replacing it.
I would just like to take this opportunity to once again complain about what a poor design job Acura did in this area:
1) If left in auto mode my HID headlights come on just because I open my door to get in (why, why, why)
2) There is no built in battery saver feature (removed for the 07 model) |
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| keveyem |
I'm planning to park my 07 MDX for about 3 weeks, and being so tech intensive, I'm kinda scared that the battery might run low. Do you have any pointers for long term parking?
Thanks |
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| Louise_Luvs2run |
keveyem, my only recommendation is that you be absolutely certain no lights are on.
I have parked my MDX for at least 3 months (we have 2 residences, FL and VA and we shuffle cars between the two locations depending upon the needs) and did not have any problem restarting the car upon my return.
And that is with a weak battery because it has been completely drained so many times.
Which brings me to my next point. Today for the first time I made absolutely certain that the handle for the headbeam was on auto. I turned off the engine, got out of the car. The lights were still on. I figured there may be a 1 or 2 min. delay. Went to a store. 10 mins later upon my return, my headligths were still on. Could it be that there is a problem with my car? |
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| keveyem |
I guess so. Most of the times my headlights are on "Auto" unless its raining and it shuts off automatically in a minute.
I think there is a personal setting to control this behavior, I vaguely remember my dealer saying it, but I may be wrong.
The reason I'm scared is, with so much technology inside and the on board computer controlling everything, it sucks up power even when its switched off. |
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| Louise_Luvs2run |
You bring up a good point. My MDX does not have the NAV (which I now sooooo deeply regret not buying) and therefore is more likely to use less energy.
Although, one could argue that when it's off it's off no matter what the computing power available when the NAV is on...javascript:smilie(':confused:')
confused.
It's very anoying when the battery goes completely dead. You have to reprogram the clock, and enter the security code to have access to the radio again. |
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