Community Forums

budh9534 · 10-06-2021, 08:45 PM

The DW does most of the driving of her 2002 Fleetwood motorhome on an E-450 chassis. She is used to driving her Ford Explorer with headlights on always, including the daytime using headlights in auto and covering the Explorer’s ambient light sensor.

But for the motorhome, it’s a simple “pull the knob to turn on headlights” which she has used nearly every time she has driven on our present trip.

But she’s forgotten to turn off the headlights three consecutive times after driving and turning off the engine. I caught the errors, these times, but not might get so lucky in the future.

Any thoughts on how to create a reminder to the driver to turn off the headlights after turning off the engine?

jrollf · 10-06-2021, 08:50 PM

Install a headlight warning buzzer. They make a nice nagging buzz sound if the lights are on and the key is off.

Funny thing is a lot of people remove them [emoji16].

Vibeman · 10-07-2021, 04:55 AM

I have a class A on a Ford F-53 chassis and one of the first things I noticed after purchasing it was that it did not have an audible alarm for headlights on/ ignition off. Since I am now aware of it, I have not left them on since, but would be interested in a simple solution too.

raeburn2000 · 10-07-2021, 06:09 AM

I am constantly forgetting to turn off the headlights every time I park. I usually notice them when setting up and have to ask the DW to turn them off AGAIN for me. She’s always so glad to assist.

Argosy · 10-07-2021, 09:18 AM

The good part is even if the battery is killed it's only takes a flip of the switch to start the engine.

And easy fix would be to wire a relay to the battery and headlights, use ignition power to close the contacts.

Black-Bear · 10-09-2021, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argosy

The good part is even if the battery is killed it's only takes a flip of the switch to start the engine.

This is something I didn't know until recently, and I'm sure many RVers are not aware of.

Most rigs have a spring-switch that temporarily connects the coach battery to the house batteries.

Handy for when you run down your chassis battery and need to start the engine, but it also works in reverse: you can start the generator by using the chassis battery.

Just wished I had known all this back in the 90s when I left my headlights on late at night in a deserted parking lot in the Canadian Rockies...