The reason Honda does not offer Day Time Running Lights

[vertrkr]

There are a few reasons for this, here's the two main ones. Honda is very sensitive about mpg averaged over their whole fleet for CAFE qualifications and so forth. When you have your lights on it actually reduces your mpg by about a 1/10th mpg as the engine has to work slightly harder turning the extra load on the generator/altenator. I also learned Honda only charges the battery during decceleration, apparently they've been doing this for the past 15 years, pretty smart. The other reason is DRLs have never been proven to make a difference as a safety feature.

[laserfan]

Hmmm, I didn't know they were building alternators with air conditioner compressor-type clutches these days. That can be the only way they could control the alternator's drag on the engine, yes?

[vertrkr]

Originally Posted by laserfan

Hmmm, I didn't know they were building alternators with air conditioner compressor-type clutches these days. That can be the only way they could control the alternator's drag on the engine, yes?

I have no idea how they do it but I'd think it would be more electronically controlled. The extra load would only be present when they tell it to charge the battery so I don't think a clutch would be needed.

[Whaleya]

I disagree

If Honda is concerned about MPG a bigger draw is the heated windshied that can't be turned off and a hundred other items on the typical truck or car that affects MPG much more then DRL. For example, how about the lack of insulation so the A/C unit is trying to keep a giant tin can cool in the blistering heat?

DRM have been proven and are required in many countries and on many roads within the US as well.

My guess is that someone at Honda doesn't like DRL, but instead of saying this, Honda has come up with some feable excuses instead.

[vertrkr]

Originally Posted by Whaleya

I disagree
If Honda is concerned about MPG a bigger draw is the heated windshied that can't be turned off and a hundred other items on the typical truck or car that affects MPG much more then DRL. For example, how about the lack of insulation so the A/C unit is trying to keep a giant tin can cool in the blistering heat?

I think they do what they can within reason or rather without making the truck too expensive. Certainly they could make the whole thing out of carbon fiber but that's an extreme example. I'd love to get better gas milage but not at the expensive of having to pay more, 35k is plenty. AS for the windshield heater element, that only comes on with the outside temp is like 35 degrees. Who knows if it stays on after you start driving but I'd guess it would turn off after a bit. I'll try to find that out.

As for DRLs, I don't agree with Honda on the safety aspect of them, so I'm going to add my own. Either from Hamsar or I'm investigating what it would take to get the stock ones from Honda that they ship with the Canadian models. Pretty sure I'm going to have to buy the parts from a Canadian dealer, I'm trying to find out what's needed to convert the US model to Canadian for the DRLs.

[laserfan]

I absolutely cannot imagine an electrical accessory drawing enough current to impact the engine operation, unless of course something is amiss. The alternator, like the a/c compressor when running, by virtue of the belt(s) puts a drag on the engine and THAT affects the engine performance and MPG, just like wind or tire pressure or bed loading or anything else that drags on the engine.

But DRL affecting spark? I don't think so, at least not (even) to the tune of 1/10 mpg.

But I'm willing to buy the argument if the alt. has a clutch or magnetic brake or something.

Hey Whaleya, do you recognize this? "B as in B, and S as in S!!!!" (from an ex-fellow MNesotan)

[vertrkr]

Originally Posted by laserfan

But DRL affecting spark?

Spark? did I miss something here? not sure anyone mentioned spark or what you mean by that. At anyrate, don't shoot the messenger, I'm just relaying info when I asked the quesiton to a senior Honda engineer.

[swampler]

My guess would be that the electrical accessories require more power, thus causing an increased load on the alternator. This in turn requires more engine power to keep the alternator charging at the appropriate level.

[The Great Tristano]

Originally Posted by laserfan

I absolutely cannot imagine an electrical accessory drawing enough current to impact the engine operation, unless of course something is amiss. The alternator, like the a/c compressor when running, by virtue of the belt(s) puts a drag on the engine and THAT affects the engine performance and MPG, just like wind or tire pressure or bed loading or anything else that drags on the engine.

Every current affects engine operation, however unnoticeable it may be. Horsepower is nothing more than an obscure measurement of power, so if an engine produces 255HP, every load carried by the engine has to tap into that same 255HP. I agree that there wouldn't be a huge difference, given the other mechanisms like A/C or power steering, which would certainly overshadow the piddly little draw of DRL.

However, DRL is just such a diverted solution to safety issues. With people yapping on their cell phones, steering with their knees, and fiddling with the DVD player to appease their "A.D.D." kids...is it really that drivers can't see other cars, or is it that one or the other isn't looking?

[MountainBiker]

Check this out: If daytime running lights were mandatory in the U.S., and all vehicles had them, how much extra gasoline would that use each year?