New FFH: Daytime running lights and buzzing sound?

[Derf]

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

[neod192]

Daytime running lights are only available on fleet vehicles (have to order 6 or more). I asked about that as my Gti has them... No idea about the buzzing sound.

[hermans]

Daytime running lights are only available on fleet vehicles (have to order 6 or more). I asked about that as my Gti has them... No idea about the buzzing sound.

And all cars going to Canada.

[JSKershaw]

Are you sure the buzzing sound is coming from the hood?

 

It could be the fan that helps keep the battery cool in the trunk/back seat area. Another possibility it could be coming from the speakers for the sound cancelation system that comes with the hybrids.

[Iggnutts]

What's the deal with no daytime running lights? I asked about that when I ordered and was surprised to hear that they would not be available. Does it burn to much electricity?

[JSKershaw]

I think it depends where you live. Here in Canada all cars are required to have Daytime running lights. So I know for a fact that all Fusions being sold in Canada have them.

[vincep5]

My civic hybrid used to buzz too. From forums I learned it was the hydraulic pump for the brakes. Are there any hybrid specific forums for the FFH? You might get better answers from those

[akirby]

DRLs are not required in the U.S. and most mfrs don't offer them here. Their safety benefits are minimal at best and most buyers simply don't care about them. It may be possible for the dealer to activate them. This used to be possible on all Fords but not on some of the newer ones.

[elle]

My civic hybrid used to buzz too. From forums I learned it was the hydraulic pump for the brakes. Are there any hybrid specific forums for the FFH? You might get better answers from those

 

Yup, my Prius buzzes under the hood at odd times. It came with a tag explaining the noise, so I never worried about it. I guess it's something all hybrids do.

[scott029]

DRLs are not required in the U.S. and most mfrs don't offer them here. Their safety benefits are minimal at best and most buyers simply don't care about them. It may be possible for the dealer to activate them. This used to be possible on all Fords but not on some of the newer ones.

 

I don't have any proof but how can daytime driving lights have little safety benefits? What's your source? Most of my recent cars have have had them (except the Fords) and that was one item I really wanted. Our '10 Fusion does not have them, it has the automatic lights witch I think are worthless. They don't come on when it's already quite dark and they seem to never come on when the fog is pretty thick. Also there is nothing inside the car to tell you when they are on. You can state DRL's do very little but common sense & observations of other cars that have them makes me believe I'm safer with them than without! JMO

Edited November 25, 2012 by scott029

[kpeex]

Your 2010 Fusion probably does have DRLs available by dealer activation. This thread may help you. I kept it bookmarked in case I bought a 2010. I'm currently driving an "invisible silver" Honda:

 

http://www.fordfusionforum.com/index.php?/topic/1087-drl-turn-on/

 

One source cited in some other threads was this:

 

http://www-nrd.nhtsa...Pubs/811029.pdf

[scott029]

Your 2010 Fusion probably does have DRLs available by dealer activation. This thread may help you. I kept it bookmarked in case I bought a 2010. I'm currently driving an "invisible silver" Honda:

 

http://www.fordfusio...87-drl-turn-on/

 

One source cited in some other threads was this:

 

http://www-nrd.nhtsa...Pubs/811029.pdf

 

Thanks for the info. Too bad the '10 Fusion is getting traded in this week on the '13 FFH. Does anyone know if this can also be done on the "13 Fusions?

[expresspotato]

DRLs are not required in the U.S. and most mfrs don't offer them here. Their safety benefits are minimal at best and most buyers simply don't care about them. It may be possible for the dealer to activate them. This used to be possible on all Fords but not on some of the newer ones.

 

I live in Canada and have found DRL's do add a good amount of safety when driving. Surrounding vehicles are much more obvious and my vehicle is more obvious to other drivers.

 

Multiple studies indicate daytime running lights work. According to a series of studies conducted in Norway, Denmark, and Canada, daytime running lights:

• Reduced daytime crashes between 6-11%
  
• Reduced left-hand turn crashes by 34%-37%
  
• Reduced crashes involving pedestrians by 28%
  
• When crashes did occur, the severity of the crashes was lower on vehicles with daytime running lights (slower speeds)
  

 

Those crash reduction statistics are huge! 34%-37% reduction in left hand turn crashes? That is an astounding amount for a mere switch in a car to have the lights on.

[akirby]

Studies in Canada where they're mandatory only show a very small improvement in accident rates (a few percentage points) which makes it hard to say definitively that they help (could be other factors affecting the improvement).

 

Look at the facts. They only help to prevent an accident when a vehicle is turning left into oncoming traffic or pulling out into oncoming traffic at an intersection in the daytime. If the driver looks properly there is no accident. If the driver doesn't look at all then DRLs would not help anyway.

 

I believe almost all such accidents occur because the driver never looked at the oncoming traffic at all so DRLs wouldn't matter. I find it very hard to believe that a driver would look and not see a car in broad daylight but would see said car with DRLs on.

 

On the contrary, I love the auto headlights on all my Fords. They work great. And having the lights turn on automatically preventing someone from driving after dusk without lights is a far better safety feature. You're much more likely to have an accident at dusk without lights than in broad daylight without DRLs.

[expresspotato]

You have a very strange opinion against safety akirby.

[jeff_h]

You have a very strange opinion against safety akirby.

 

Here's a link with some simple stats, BLUF is that there's a small percentage of prevention gained by using DRLs. Personally I don't care for them, when I need lights I'll turn on my lights.

 

http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/drl.aspx

[akirby]

The NHTSA researched this in 2008. They chose not to make DRLs mandatory. Read for yourself. The NHTSA did not find the same 38% improvement as other studies.

 

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811029.pdf

[akirby]

You have a very strange opinion against safety akirby.

 

Why? Because I don't believe hype and look at facts instead?

[elle]

I drive with my headlights on all the time. Can't see what advantage DRLs would give me over that.

[-Strike-]

I think the danger up here now, is having a vehicle without day time running lights. There's been many cases driving my older car without them, that I almost have to turn them on so people pay attention and see me on the road. Been cut off, and pulled out infront of so many times. And, this is in broad day light. People here I think now rely too much on seeing the headlights of other vehicles, and when a vehicle doesn't have them, they dissapear and are un noticed.

 

Even myself, I can spot a vehicle without them so easily, and the car just isn't as noticable on the road, oncoming or what ever - They seem to vanish amongst the sea of DRL's.

[akirby]

I drive with my headlights on all the time. Can't see what advantage DRLs would give me over that.

 

The big advantage to doing that is you get both headlights and taillights which means you never have to worry about forgetting to turn them on at dusk.

[akirby]

I think the danger up here now, is having a vehicle without day time running lights. There's been many cases driving my older car without them, that I almost have to turn them on so people pay attention and see me on the road. Been cut off, and pulled out infront of so many times. And, this is in broad day light. People here I think now rely too much on seeing the headlights of other vehicles, and when a vehicle doesn't have them, they dissapear and are un noticed.

 

This I agree with.

[expresspotato]

Why? Because I don't believe hype and look at facts instead?

 

The facts clearly state a large reduction in avoidable collisions with the use of DRL's. Left hand turn crash reduction of 34% and 37% is a fact. Overall daytime crashes reduced between 6% and 11% is a fact.

[scott029]

Why? Because I don't believe hype and look at facts instead?

 

Maybe you just like to look at the facts that help support your opinions.

[Zoomzoom5]

I think the danger up here now, is having a vehicle without day time running lights. There's been many cases driving my older car without them, that I almost have to turn them on so people pay attention and see me on the road. Been cut off, and pulled out infront of so many times. And, this is in broad day light. People here I think now rely too much on seeing the headlights of other vehicles, and when a vehicle doesn't have them, they dissapear and are un noticed.

 

Even myself, I can spot a vehicle without them so easily, and the car just isn't as noticable on the road, oncoming or what ever - They seem to vanish amongst the sea of DRL's.

 

An observation I've noticed is that those vehicles with DRL's, the rear lights aren't on at all. So when it starts to get dark, many drivers don't turn the headlights on (since many DRL's are the low beam headlights...newer cars are starting to have LED strips or a dedicated "extra" lights, that is the DRL and isn't bright enough so it does require turning the lights on for low and high beams) and nearly ran over someone because they can see just fine, but didn't turn their light switch to on so I didn't see their dark grey vehicle in the pitch black with light fog. This is an isolated incident, however, others have had similar occurrences. I hope I explained myself okay.