[J. Bond]

So, we were out driving in our Insight, running errands, when three things happened that completely flummoxed us.

Here are the three mysteries.

1. The Case of the Disappearing Symbols

The LKAS and ACC green indicators disappeared en route. Vanished! Gone. That was upsetting, and made us think that we are about to experience a software meltdown. Plus, we had no idea how to turn them back on.​

2. The Case of the Indicator That Never Changed

We turned on the headlights for the first time, and the dashboard symbol never changed as we switched the headlight setting from parking lights to auto to headlights. That behavior confused us greatly; it gave us no feedback as to what we had selected; and we could not tell whether we had our headlights on or not. It then made us think the indicator system was broken.​

3. The Case of the Lit-Up Garage

When we returned home and pulled into our garage, the back of the garage was lit up like a Christmas tree, even though we had turned off our lights—and confirmed that by looking at the stalk control and seeing it in the OFF position.​

We finally figured out all three mysteries (I think). Two of them we’ve decided are inherent flaws in the Insight’s interface design.

I wonder how you all, members of the Honda Insight Detective & Enforcement Agency (H-IDEA), would solve the cases!

Hope they provide some fun!

 

[insightfully]

so, we were out driving in our insight, running errands, when three things happened that completely flummoxed us. Here are the three mysteries.

1. The case of the disappearing symbols

the lkas and acc green indicators disappeared en route. Vanished! Gone. That was upsetting, and made us think that we are about to experience a software meltdown. Plus, we had no idea how to turn them back on.​

2. The case of the indicator that never changed

we turned on the headlights for the first time, and the dashboard symbol never changed as we switched the headlight setting from parking lights to auto to headlights. That behavior confused us greatly; it gave us no feedback as to what we had selected; and we could not tell whether we had our headlights on or not. It then made us think the indicator system was broken.​

3. The case of the lit-up garage

when we returned home and pulled into our garage, the back of the garage was lit up like a christmas tree, even though we had turned off our lights—and confirmed that by looking at the stalk control and seeing it in the off position.​

1 - Missing Symbols: Did the "Main" button accidentally get pressed while driving? It turns both the ACC and LKAS dash symbols on/off.

2 - Headlight Indicator: I learned from @AMCooper63 in this post on Auto High Beams that the headlight indicator is connected to the dashboard light sensor, and only shows up in dark conditions. Were you in bright light conditions when testing your headlights?

3 - Extra Lights: Did you back into your garage and see reflection from the daytime running lights (always-on when all other lights are turned off at stalk)?

 

[Wifey'sInsight]

#3 extra lights. It's a "safety" thing. When the car is put in park and shut down, the headlights and taillights stay illuminated for a set time (there is a setting for it). Even if you adjust the stalk, if the car was shut off before that adjustment then the pre-set timer applies.

I frequent drive in movies, so I have had to figure out how to shut the lights off completely while keeping the car on. If you ever need to do this.

Put car in park, engage parking brake.
Turn stalk to off
turn car off
turn car back on.

 

[insightfully]

#3 extra lights. It's a "safety" thing. When the car is put in park and shut down, the headlights and taillights stay illuminated for a set time (there is a setting for it). Even if you adjust the stalk, if the car was shut off before that adjustment then the pre-set timer applies.

I frequent drive in movies, so I have had to figure out how to shut the lights off completely while keeping the car on. If you ever need to do this.

Put car in park, engage parking brake.
Turn stalk to off
turn car off
turn car back on.

Great summary! It kind of reverse-engineers the daytime running light conditions, which state they come on when car is powered on AND headlights are off AND parking brake is released. By restarting the car with the parking brake off, the daytime running lights stay off.

I normally run my headlights manually, so haven't experienced the "Headlight Auto-Off Timer" like those who leave the stalk control in the AUTO position. I assumed that the default Auto-Off Timer was 0 sec, but found it's actually 15 sec. This surprised me; it's something I'd turn off as my own preference, if I ever used the AUTO headlight control.

If headlight timer adjustment desired, there are two menu paths for adjusting this setting (gotta love/hate Honda's duplicate path options):
- from the left selector on the steering wheel: VEHICLE SETTINGS --> LIGHTING SETUP --> HEADLIGHT AUTO OFF TIMER
- from the center infotainment screen: SETTINGS --> VEHICLE --> LIGHTING SETUP --> HEADLIGHT AUTO OFF TIMER

 

[Mr. Natural]

I like the timer. I lights up my garage long enough for me to get in the house. And I run the lights on Auto all the time. Set it and forget it.

 

[insightfully]

I wish AUTO was the last/final setting on the stalk, rather than the 3rd (out of 4) setting. For those who 'set and forget' it's no big deal where the AUTO is placed. Those who manually control the lights have to flip past AUTO to turn the headlights on.

It's very old school, but I prefer leaving my car only after I know everything is off/secure. The headlights being off give me that confirmation - since the daytime running lights turn off only once the car's power is off and parking brake set. Otherwise, I'm one of those people who would run back out later, feeling like I left something on. With the car being so quiet, a few people have posted about leaving the car on accidentally overnight, which I'm trying to avoid.

 

[andrew28]

I wish AUTO was the last/final setting on the stalk, rather than the 3rd (out of 4) setting. For those who 'set and forget' it's no big deal where the AUTO is placed. Those who manually control the lights have to flip past AUTO to turn the headlights on.

It's very old school, but I prefer leaving my car only after I know everything is off/secure. The headlights being off give me that confirmation - since the daytime running lights turn off only once the car's power is off and parking brake set. Otherwise, I'm one of those people who would run back out later, feeling like I left something on. With the car being so quiet, a few people have posted about leaving the car on accidentally overnight, which I'm trying to avoid.

I don't use the AUTO headlight either. I find that AUTO turns on the lowbeams even though the daytime running light is good enough in certain situations like a cloudy day. Also when I get stuck in traffic right underneath a bridge it would turn on the lowbeams. Definitely would had been nice if they made AUTO the last switch.

I wish Honda would make that locked beep sound louder. It's fine on a quiet street but on a busy loud street I can't hear the beep really well when walking away. So I end up running back to the car again after having second thoughts.

 

[Verdier]

I wish AUTO was the last/final setting on the stalk, rather than the 3rd (out of 4) setting. For those who 'set and forget' it's no big deal where the AUTO is placed. Those who manually control the lights have to flip past AUTO to turn the headlights on.

It's very old school, but I prefer leaving my car only after I know everything is off/secure. The headlights being off give me that confirmation - since the daytime running lights turn off only once the car's power is off and parking brake set. Otherwise, I'm one of those people who would run back out later, feeling like I left something on. With the car being so quiet, a few people have posted about leaving the car on accidentally overnight, which I'm trying to avoid. [img= class=inlineimg]/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Good ergonomical advice for Honda. I think Honda should have an internal timer when the engine is left on and not moving for a while. In my Ford the car will warn you of auto shut off after about 15 to 20 minutes of just running idle. You have to click on a dialogue to keep the car on. I could see this being annoying in some small cases, but at least you won't leave your car on all night.

 

[Wifey'sInsight]

At least we have a selection for off. Some car manufacturers allow a toggle style off, but not an off position.

 

[insightfully]

I wish Honda would make that locked beep sound louder. It's fine on a quiet street but on a busy loud street I can't hear the beep really well when walking away. So I end up running back to the car again after having second thoughts.

I try to watch for the amber light flash as I walk away, even if I haven't heard the beep. It has saved me a return trip a couple times... though it still throws me off if the flash and the beep don't happen at the same time as I walk away.

 

[J. Bond]

1. LOSS of LKAS, ACC INDICATORS.

Insightfully, right on target as to #1; it's that $#^& Main button.

It's all too easy to inadvertently hit the Main button and it's too sensitive. I've hit it a couple of times now when I've wanted to beep the horn. The issue is that, unlike our previous Honda, there is no horn control along the "spoke" from the center to the rim of the steering wheel. Now that I know what the issue is, and getting used to having to hit the center for the horn "toot", it's less of a problem. Still, having to take the hand off the steering wheel and move it all the way to the center is inefficient and delays issuing a warning to other drivers. Of course, a weak, clownish "toot" defeats the purpose of a warning, anyway!​

2. LIGHT INDICATOR ISSUE

As to #2. It was a rainy day. I've posted what I think is the inherent interface design issue here. See

https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/3...ikes/2484-honda-insight-design-defects-2.html

The Insight simply doesn't display the right indicators on the dash and they don't correspond to what setting the driver has chosen on the stalk!

I've suggested a redesign there, so that the symbols on the dash vary and correspond to the headlight setting on the stalk. Now, if the indicators change depending on whether it's dark out or not, that simply compounds the problem. The feedback and indicators should be identical, showing the driver what the setting is, independent of whether it's dark out or not!

Note: We avoid Auto, but it should display an A for Auto, along with a changing symbol on the dash for what the car has decided to do with the headlights.​

3. THE LIT-UP GARAGE WITH THE LIGHTS OFF!

#3, I think you all are right. It's the daytime running lights -- I think!

We enter the garage straight in, so we were seeing the front running lights lighting up the back of the garage. I'll have to drive the car down the block and have my wife see if the lights are on.​