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Mazda CX-7 Automatic Lights

12 messages,  Last post on Nov 18, 2010 at 6:01 PM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda CX-7, Lights, SUV

    

Messages Page 2 of 2

#10 of 12 Re: 2010 CX-7 GT AWD - Automatic Lights [caliche67] by pctech

Nov 17, 2010 (4:02 pm)

Replying to: caliche67 (Nov 15, 2010 7:29 pm)
I don't know what year your CX-7 is, but my '07 has NEVER had this "courtesy lights" feature, nor is it mentioned anywhere in the literature! So, indeed, "what gives"?

#11 of 12 Re: 2010 CX-7 GT AWD - Automatic Lights [pctech] by caliche67

Nov 17, 2010 (8:22 pm)

Replying to: pctech (Nov 17, 2010 4:02 pm)
pctech:
 
When I refer to "courtesy lights", I'm talking about the regular headlights remaining "on" for some 20-30 seconds after shutting off the car, if the lights had been "on" while driving. You probably got the gist of what I was talking about but I just want to avoid any potential confusion.
 
Here's some background: I currently have a 2010 CX-7 GT AWD. At night, when the lights have been "on" and I shut off the car, the headlights remain"on" for another 20 or 30 seconds as a courtesy while you walk away from the car (to illuminate the path for you, so to speak). They were doing this when the setting for the automatic lights was set to factory setting (regular sensitivity). When I had the setting set to "low" sensitivity (due to the issue I had noticed about my auto lights turning "on" even in bright daylight), it seems as if I lost the 20-30 second courtesy feature; now when I shut the car off and if the lights were"on" they immediately shut off too (no more 20 seconds of them remaining "on"). I don't know if this is by design or if something got screwed up when the dealer changed the auto lights sensitivity setting.
 
Now here's the deal; I used to have a 2008 CX-7 GT AWD (which I traded in for the current one I have). On the 2008, my headlights also functioned as you're describing - they never remained "on" for the 20-30 seconds when shutting off the engine after they had been "on" while driving at night. Now I'm wondering, was this courtesy feature not included in the 2008 at all, or did I have the auto lights sensitivity set to "low" (without knowing it) and maybe they would have functioned as courtesy lights if I had changed the sensitivity to "regular". I say this because of what I have experienced recently with my 2010 CX-7 and the two sensitivity settings along with the courtesy lights feature. Do you follow what I'm saying?
 
And why do I say all of the above? Well, I also have a 2008 CX-9 GT AWD (still own it), and on that one the headlights do remain "on" for that same 20-30 second courtesy time, as I have on my 2010 CX-7. When I inquired in this same Mazda forum about why the difference in the "courtesy lights" feature between my 2008 CX-7 and 2008 CX-9 at the time, someone replied that it was one of the value-added "luxury" improvements of the higher-end CX-9 when compared to its "cheaper" cousin, the CX-7, but now I wonder if that was even true.
 
Maybe they only added the courtesy lights feature to the CX-7 in the 2010 model, I don't know, but it is a nice touch, especially in dark driveways at night. Why don't you inquire with your dealer to see if your 2007 CX-7 may be currently set to "low" sensitivity for the auto lights (is it a GT by the way?), and if so, then if the sensitivity were to be set (changed) to "regular", whether you would get the courtesy lights feature automatically? I wonder...
 
Oh yes, one more thing, with the 2008 CX-7 I had, I never had the issue of my auto lights turning "on" during bright daylight. They would turn on under tunnels or long underpasses and then turn off again after exiting those if bright daylight. With my 2010, I noticed that if they would turn on due to darkness, as soon as the darkness went away and daylight came out again, they would still remain "on". Kind of annoying.
 
I hope I didn't confuse you with all of this explanation. Thanks!

#12 of 12 Re: 2010 CX-7 GT AWD - Automatic Lights [caliche67] by pctech

Nov 18, 2010 (6:01 pm)

Replying to: caliche67 (Nov 17, 2010 8:22 pm)
Thanks for the lengthy explanation. I was not at all confused - I knew exactly what you meant in your first post. The '07 did not have this feature, as I said. It would be nice if it did! Whether set to hi or lo sensitivity, it does not exist. And it's also worth noting that there is very little difference in the "nuisance" illumination at either sensitivity.

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