Daytime Running lights?

[Ric]

We have had our new FFH about a week. It's a great car. A few thing I can't figure out. First, there are no daytime running lights? My wife wants this. Second, when in park we hear a buzzing type sound from the engine compartment? I'm going to check with the dealer on both items. Looking for imput so I know what I'm taking about. As far as MPG, we have 300 miles on so far, city/highway mixed. We have an average of 34 MPG. Seems low. The manual says it will improve after break in and our driving techniques improve. We do love the car :hyper:

[jeff_h]

One of the dealers I visited printed out the applicable pages of the Fusion ordering guide, and this showed the available options in package or as free standing options. On that guide it said that daytime running lights was available only on fleet orders. The date on that guide was 8/1/12, don't know if the info has changed or not, but I doubt it.

 

On the buzzing, I can sometimes hear something like this but only very quietly and audible from outside the car but I've never heard it from the inside.

[Fastronaut]

New Hybrids have a noise generator to ensure that pedestrians can hear the "engine" when on electric only power. Not sure if that's what you're hearing or not.

[Scott029]

I have heard that the dealers can activate the DRL's in all fusions. The canadian cars have this activated at the factory but all cars

have the daytime running lights, the dealer just needs to update a chip? I guess it only takes < 15 minutes if they know what they are

doing. I am going to have my dealer do this before I take delivery.

[Ric]

Today I was at my dealer to have the drl's turned on. The dealer was "NOT" able to turn the DRL's on. It's not that they don't want to. They tried and could not. Told me there was no option in the computer configeration to turn them on. They are checking with Ford Tech for an answer. For those who have had the drl's turned on in their 2013 Fusion Hybrid, please advise. Further, I contacted Ford regarding the drl's.

 

Here's the reply:

 

Hi, this is Jennifer from Ford Motor Company's Customer Relationship Center. I received your email inquiring how to turn on the daytime running lamps of 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. I appreciate the time you have taken to write us and consider our assistance regarding this matter. Rest assured that I have looked into this for you.

I have checked our resources and I see that your vehicle is not equipped with a daytime running lamps. It is optional for fleet vehicles only.

Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.

[Ric]

Today I was at my dealer to have the drl's turned on. The dealer was "NOT" able to turn the DRL's on. It's not that they don't want to. They tried and could not. Told me there was no option in the computer configeration to turn them on. They are checking with Ford Tech for an answer. For those who have had the drl's turned on in their 2013 Fusion Hybrid, please advise. Further, I contacted Ford regarding the drl's.

 

Here's the reply:

 

Hi, this is Jennifer from Ford Motor Company's Customer Relationship Center. I received your email inquiring how to turn on the daytime running lamps of 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid. I appreciate the time you have taken to write us and consider our assistance regarding this matter. Rest assured that I have looked into this for you.

I have checked our resources and I see that your vehicle is not equipped with a daytime running lamps. It is optional for fleet vehicles only.

Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.

 

Update: Received a call from my dealer. They contacted Ford and found out a computer update is coming to turn on the drl's in vehicles without it. They will let me know when they can turn them on. They did update my blind spot program while it was in the shop.

[Scott029]

My dealer tried turning the DRL's on in my new car too. They have done this with other Fusions & other models

but they said they couldn't do it on the new Fusions. The tech spent alot of time with the car, online and with Ford tech people and said that he's pretty sure it can't just be activated in this car. Anyone with any more info?

[hybridbear]

Update: Received a call from my dealer. They contacted Ford and found out a computer update is coming to turn on the drl's in vehicles without it. They will let me know when they can turn them on. They did update my blind spot program while it was in the shop.

 

Ric,

 

Please let us know once your DRLs get turned on, we would like to have this feature activated in our Fusion too. Thanks.

[hybridbear]

We have had our new FFH about a week. It's a great car. A few thing I can't figure out. First, there are no daytime running lights? My wife wants this. Second, when in park we hear a buzzing type sound from the engine compartment? I'm going to check with the dealer on both items. Looking for imput so I know what I'm taking about. As far as MPG, we have 300 miles on so far, city/highway mixed. We have an average of 34 MPG. Seems low. The manual says it will improve after break in and our driving techniques improve. We do love the car

 

I hear the buzzing too. I assume it is realted to the hybrid battery and components. Our 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid would make buzzing noises too when parked so I'm used to it now.

 

Did you ever find out any more info from dealer?

Edited February 7, 2013 by hybridbear

[JSKershaw]

I hear the buzzing too. I assume it is realted to the hybrid battery and components. Our 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid would make buzzing noises too when parked so I'm used to it now.

 

Did you ever find out any more info from dealer?

The buzzing sound could be the fan where the battery is located. It most likely turns off once the battery cools down.

[shaggy314]

Law signed, but not yet REQUIRED. Ford has it on the Focus, but not Fusion.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_warning_sounds

[acdii]

yeah, I hate that. I had a Hyundai Veracruz that was quieter than the Prius I traded it in on. There were times where I wound up turning off the engine because I thought it wasn't running when in fact I had already started it.

[jcg1005]

Maybe this is a dumb question... I have just ordered by Fusion Hybrid Ti. I am currently driving a 2011 Fusion Hybrid (for sale if anyone is interested!), and had the DRL activated before I took delivery. In August 2011, we bought an Edge off the lot at our dealer, and asked for DRL to be turned on, which they could not do.

 

However, on the Edge, when you have the headlights in Auto, the front marker lights ONLY come on as soon as you put the car in drive, as DRL would. They also DO NOT work like this if you have the headlights set to OFF.

 

Anyone know if their Fusions are behaving in this way?

[hybridbear]

Maybe this is a dumb question... I have just ordered by Fusion Hybrid Ti. I am currently driving a 2011 Fusion Hybrid (for sale if anyone is interested!), and had the DRL activated before I took delivery. In August 2011, we bought an Edge off the lot at our dealer, and asked for DRL to be turned on, which they could not do.

 

However, on the Edge, when you have the headlights in Auto, the front marker lights ONLY come on as soon as you put the car in drive, as DRL would. They also DO NOT work like this if you have the headlights set to OFF.

 

Anyone know if their Fusions are behaving in this way?

 

That's interesting behavior on the other Fords, unfortunately the 13 FFH doesn't do that. There are just no driving lights period :(

 

Hopefully Ford will soon issue a software update that will allow them to be turned on

[jcg1005]

I would accept either functionality. I actually don't mind it being controlled by the switch as in our Edge. It gives people the choice either way.

 

Making these available for activation is something I really want to see. Elsewhere someone posted about being a fan because of being near Canada, and I am in that boat as well. Huge fan of DRL when implemented properly.

 

Just my opinion, but an improper implementation is how Chrysler is doing it, where the headlight on the side with a turn signal goes out while the signal is on. Makes it look like the vehicle has a headlight out. I get that they are attempting to make the turn signal more visible, but it seems easier to do this another way.

[acdii]

I would rather just have the fogs on. Car looks badass with just fogs.

[hybridbear]

Just my opinion, but an improper implementation is how Chrysler is doing it, where the headlight on the side with a turn signal goes out while the signal is on. Makes it look like the vehicle has a headlight out. I get that they are attempting to make the turn signal more visible, but it seems easier to do this another way.

 

I agree that the Chryslers that do that look silly...

[MXGOLF]

I believe my car came with the DRL's as my car was purchased through my companies fleet contacts with Ford. I will double check tonight after work.

[MXGOLF]

I do have the running lights. :)

[jcg1005]

I do have the running lights. :)

 

Lucky!

 

I don't know why they restrict it to fleet orders. I know that right in the order guide the dealers get it says that the option is "For Fleet Orders Only". :(

[neod192]

I do have the running lights. :)

Maybe that's the answer to your low MPGs :-p

[jcg1005]

Haha! Anything that takes power does, in theory, lower MPG! :)

[storksb]

Having the ability to enable DRLs would be nice, can't understand Ford's reasoning for not enabling it. Any thing that makes the car safer and more visible is worth having in my opinion. On my previous GTI the DRLs were the HID headlamps they looked way cool.

[jcg1005]

Not to beat a dead horse, but in this thread, someone mentions a software update that would then allow DRL to be enabled. I just had my car at the dealer, and they could NOT do it as of yet.

 

Anyone have anything to add? Sure would like them enabled.

[aaronj1159]

I think I would like that too. At the absolute minimum I wish I could get the threshold that turns on the auto lights modified so they come on in "brighter" conditions than they do now.