Nayashewon Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Good evening everyone, My wife is out of town at school with our '98 Forester and she called to tell me that the Parking Lights and Tail Lights won't turn off even when the engine is off. The only way to turn them off was to pull the fuse. Anyone have any quick fixes for this or ideas on what the problem is? Thanks in advance for your help...............Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hondasucks Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Somewhere, probably on top of the steering column, is a switch for the parking lights. IT's marked with a P with some rays of light coming out of the P, kinda looks like p<, it's on. Flick it and it will shut the lights off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nayashewon Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 Somewhere, probably on top of the steering column, is a switch for the parking lights. IT's marked with a P with some rays of light coming out of the P, kinda looks like p<, it's on. Flick it and it will shut the lights off. Thank you. That did the trick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 If it makes you feel better, this question appears on this forum about every two to three months. Having done this myself, it makes me feel better too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nug Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 My next door neighbors had this problem for a month before I read that on here. They were happy. They gave me beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 My next door neighbors had this problem for a month before I read that on here. They were happy. They gave me beer. Making profit from info gleaned from the USMB is unacceptable... Unless you share Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 this info is easily accessable in the owners manual. You need to try taking a look at it first next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 this info is easily accessable in the owners manual. You need to try taking a look at it first next time. Amazingly enough, when a person buys a used car, often times the owners manual is missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 That sounds like a personal problem. Though I guess it's a good thing that subaru offers a free online owners manual when you setup your join my.subaru.com THat's free aswell, there's no reason not to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Clark Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Some owners manuals are/were not on that site. I bought one on ebay for my '96. And having the switch located there was still a stupid decision on the engineer's part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 yes i understand that but his (98 forester) is online, so as I said, no reason. As for it being bad engineering, I have to disagree. You've basically got a switch that if it's turned on will drain the battery. Would you place this switch somewhere where it's easy to access or easy to accidentally flip? Of course not. Would you however place this switch somewhere where it's easy to see if it's on or off (the red part when you flip it), without being in the way of the other controls? Lets face it, how often is your hand in that area? Maybe once every two weeks if you reset the tripometer to see your mileage, and even if it is in that area it's not a very easy switch to flip without noticing you did it unless you're a clutz and don't pay attention to what the other parts of your body are doing or noises they're making. But let me ask you Tiny, where would you have put the switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattocs Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 You sound pretty cocky...but that might be me... I hit it all the time. I wipe down my dash, wheel, etc with a soft cloth every few days. And I acctully drive my car...I reset the tripometer each time...so about twice per week. It happens...and some people misplace the manual...its all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howards11 Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I've done the same thing on my 2000 Forester. I had them on for about a day until my wife noticed that the lights were on. My one burning question: Why in God's name do they put the switch on cars bound for North America ? Wouldn't it be simple to make the switch inoperable for the North American version ? One of the fun reason of being a Subie owner. ~Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattocs Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I hate when people drive with their parking lights on...they are moving awfully fast to be parked :-p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 You sound pretty cocky...but that might be me... I hit it all the time. I wipe down my dash, wheel, etc with a soft cloth every few days. And I acctully drive my car...I reset the tripometer each time...so about twice per week. It happens...and some people misplace the manual...its all good. I sound cocky about this because I unlike most of the other people in america read instruction manuals. If this wasn't information that comes wuth the car then I wouldn't be saying any of the stuff with an attitude. But it's common sense that if there's a switch staring you dead in the face (and you can't discern what it does which obviously a lot of peoplre here cant, I mean come on, It's a big P with lines, hmm, kinda looks like a light symbol) you should probably find out what it does. Howard I don't know why they put the switches on our cars either, unless it's needed in some states, because obviously americans are too stupid to RTFM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Amazingly enough, when a person buys a used car, often times the owners manual is missing. Both my cars came with original owner's manuals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howards11 Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 I sound cocky about this because I unlike most of the other people in america read instruction manuals. If this wasn't information that comes wuth the car then I wouldn't be saying any of the stuff with an attitude. But it's common sense that if there's a switch staring you dead in the face (and you can't discern what it does which obviously a lot of peoplre here cant, I mean come on, It's a big P with lines, hmm, kinda looks like a light symbol) you should probably find out what it does. Howard I don't know why they put the switches on our cars either, unless it's needed in some states, because obviously americans are too stupid to RTFM! TWAWA: There isn't a state in the US that requires this switch. It's needed by the European market. Requirements for cars in the US is set by US DOT; not by individual states. In my humble opinion having the switch on autos sold in North America is a VERY DUMB idea. The placement of the switch isn't very bright either. ~Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 it's THAWA and where would you suggest the switch be placed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddythedog Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 it's THAWA and where would you suggest the switch be placed? If I had posted a question (and I have) about something that ultimately turned out to be obvious, using hindsight of course, and you treated me the same way with your reply, I'd certainly have a suggestion of where to put the switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 THAWA is right. If you can't work out what the switch is for, and don't bother to consult the manual or a Sube dealer, maybe you shouldn't be driving a car in the first place. Cocky? Provocative? Sure. I accept that people have switched it on and not known, but they can't blame Subaru for that. The switch placement is fine. Easy to see, easy to reach, and not flipped accidentally. Gen 1 Legacy fog and headlamp washer switches on the other hand....what are the doing hidden away behind the steering wheel and my left knee? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 If I had posted a question (and I have) about something that ultimately turned out to be obvious, using hindsight of course, and you treated me the same way with your reply, I'd certainly have a suggestion of where to put the switch. The 1990's called, they want their joke back. It's not about it being obvious, we all have those questions. It's about the question being answered in something you should have already looked through or read or found out what it does before you started using it. If you had asked something like what size wiper blades do we use no I wouldnt reply like this. That info isn't easily accessable in the owners manual. Also I totally agree about the fog/headlamp washers, that IS bad design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Clark Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Well, I can't see the 'effing switch when I'm sitting in the seat, and neither can my wife. It is not in view. The could have easily made the light switch a 4 position switch. I guess the cup holder is in a perfect place as well... Of course, I really don't give a rat's ***** where the switch is now, since I know about it, but don't act like Thawa Almighty when someone screws up and can't find it. I guess you've never made a mistake or asked, what others may feel, is a stupid question. And besides, owner and instruction manuals are for the weak... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Well maybe you need to move the steering wheel or something. 4 position light switch is a good idea depending how they implemented it, but I see that causing more confusion than necessary. Couldnt you just see the amount of topics saying "Why are there two parking light switches?" And like I just said in the post right above yours that you obviously didnt read: It's not about it being obvious, we all have those questions. It's about the question being answered in something you should have already looked through or read or found out what it does before you started using it. If you had asked something like what size wiper blades do we use no I wouldnt reply like this. That info isn't easily accessable in the owners manual. Also you're doing nothing but proving my point that Americans are too stupid to read owners manuals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THAWA Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Also I'd like to appologize to Nayashewon. I didn't mean to go bad on your topic, but this was the one that broke the camels back. I probably should've started my discussion in a new topic and appolgize for taking this one the way it did, I'll add no more negative comments to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Clark Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Move the steering wheel? where, into my lap? That's about where it would need to be to see the switch. And great Thawa Almighty, you can read a book, but can't use a tape measure to find out what size the wiper blades are... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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