Some of you may recall, i ordered a LE and pick it up next week from the dealership but in the meantime, ive been digging around this site, searching and reading. Ive realized how exceptionally popular the trail is, something i could easily ibtain here in florida and at a lesser price than the LE. Out of curiousity, i started comparing the two and while there are a few features on the trail i would like to have, like locking rear and part time wwd vs full time, on avg, even with the premium pkg, there are enough features missing that the LE was the right choice in my case. One of the things that really surprised me was the lack of auto on-headlights on all models incl premiums. This is very strange to me. I havent manually turned lights on or off in 20 yrs. i rent cars too, never had one without this feature. Maybe not a big deal to most of you but i found it very strange and cant i agine why it wouldnt be std on all models but certainly the premiums.
Automatic headlights
- Thread starter Rdfish1
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Vrrooom
New member
The only features that the trail premium doesn't have that I feel it needs to have are the auto headlights and keyless start. This is available in almost every other car out there.
Langzaiguy
New member
I have a Corolla with auto headlights and I've always hated it. I'm smart enough to know when I want them on/off. I don't like something imposing itself on me. Sometimes it annoyingly fluctuates between on/off and can't make up its mind.
There are also times where my vehicle is running and I may not want the lights on--drive in movies, camping, etc.
Maybe an auto-option would be a good middle ground.
There are also times where my vehicle is running and I may not want the lights on--drive in movies, camping, etc.
Maybe an auto-option would be a good middle ground.
All trim levels have automatic OFF lights.
Simply turn on the lights. They automatically turn off after you leave the truck. Or you can turn them off/DRL or whatever with the switch. I like them this way. However, my wife swears you can leave a door open and they will still automatically turn off before the battery drains. Not so sure...
Simply turn on the lights. They automatically turn off after you leave the truck. Or you can turn them off/DRL or whatever with the switch. I like them this way. However, my wife swears you can leave a door open and they will still automatically turn off before the battery drains. Not so sure...
You'll get used to it quickly enough. It's not like you're going to come out to a dead battery if you forget to turn them off. They will shut off automatically. There's also a nice green idiot light that will tell you if you're driving with them on during the day.
I don't even usually run with DRL on, but that could be a setting you'd use as the Daytime Running Lights are more than adequate well into the early morning or late evening light. I personally love having the flexibility.
Hmm my 2014 Limited definitely has automatic headlights, maybe its different for Canadian vs. US models?
blakjack23
New member
The auto headlights is an option. You can also manually turn them on and off.
blakjack23
New member
No, all US Limiteds have an auto headlight option. The OP is saying its weird that only the Limited trim level has it.
That was one of the few things I didn't like about my '07 sport....no auto headlight option. And one reason I got a Limited this time.
Bimmer-Bob
New member
I, too, think it's strange that the Premium trim levels don't have auto on/off headlights in 2014/15.
I believe they were meant to, but then the feature got axed by the bean counters to reduce costs. I say this because the 2014 T4R vehicle brochure lists them as standard on the LE, but also on the SR5 Premium & TE Premium. The website had the same info.
I complained to Toyota about it, and they eventually offered an apology and a retroactive $150 service credit. Also, the website abruptly changed to show the feature as "N/A" on the Premiums. It was a while before I finally paid out of pocket for service, so I filed the claim only a few weeks ago. We'll see if they come through with the $150 check, although what I really would've liked is a retrofit (I know, fat chance).
I believe they were meant to, but then the feature got axed by the bean counters to reduce costs. I say this because the 2014 T4R vehicle brochure lists them as standard on the LE, but also on the SR5 Premium & TE Premium. The website had the same info.
I complained to Toyota about it, and they eventually offered an apology and a retroactive $150 service credit. Also, the website abruptly changed to show the feature as "N/A" on the Premiums. It was a while before I finally paid out of pocket for service, so I filed the claim only a few weeks ago. We'll see if they come through with the $150 check, although what I really would've liked is a retrofit (I know, fat chance).
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On my LE I don't even use the auto headlights at all. I turn them on and off manually. For some reason, I really dislike the way the light sensor works. Early morning or evening the lights turn on and off every 15 seconds like they can't decide if it's dark enough or not. Driving at highway speeds the lights would be off and then flick on for two seconds while I drive under an overpass only to turn back off immediately. Very annoying since the entire dashboard is also changing brightness.
I know that light sensitivity is a customizable option at the dealership and I plan to take care of it next time I go.
I know that light sensitivity is a customizable option at the dealership and I plan to take care of it next time I go.
03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
Toyota does not make auto lights standard so that more people will buy the Limited to get the options they want. More money for Toyota if they upsale to Limiteds. If they made all the Limited features available on the other models the Limited would have too low of sales to keep it in production. If they made more options for the SR5 and trail with limited features the dealers would have to guess what features its customers would want and would probably guess wrong. Then the 4runners would set on the lot longer because the customer wanted a SR5 with full time 4x4 and the dealer ordered part time 4x4 etc. At least the way it is you look at the brochure and see what each model has and if you do not like it you find a different vehicle. Personally I would love having a Trail with all my limited features. The problem with leaving the lights on on a SR5 or trail is that the dash lights will not be bright enough during the day without adjusting them. I had this problem on my SR5 4th gen.
I dont disagree, the on amd off can be annoying. I dont know where the sensor is on the LE, yet, but on my tahoe, when on the rare occassion this is a problem, ive tossed my hat or a hand towel over the eye on the dash and it makes them stay on or i would just turn them off manually. A manual setting is usually an option for those who prefer not to use the auto but seems like a simple and std feature to provide on all models
Anyway, none of these things are a big deal but since this forum has so many Trail enthusiasts i started to wonder if i was missing something so it made me go back and line the LE and Trail premium up side by side and this auto light feature was something i noticed and was surprised. The other thing i noticed, at least in florida, virtually all trail premiums come with kdss and the msrp on them is within 2300$ of my LE. While there are people who dont want or need the LE for various reasons, this exercise made me feel better about plopping down over 40k for a fancy limited when i realize how many extra features i am getting for the 2300$, features i like. Im sure there are plenty of non kdss premium trails out there and in that case, the differential would be more like 4k so that becomes more meaningful which might have made my decision slighly harder but i still like the direction i went.
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cbreze
Member
I don't understand the value of having this auto headlight feature. Glad my 12' SR5 doesn't have it. Can someone explain the value of having this. I'd rather be in charge of my own lights. I do recall back in the 60's when Cadillac came out with a high beam auto dimmer. Now that was nice, but this I'm having a hard time understanding why someone would get a limited over a trail because of this feature. Maybe get a Google car and call it a day.:lmao:
No one said they are getting a limited over a trail bc of this feature...in my case, what i said was, i wondered if i was missing something given the popularity of the trail on this board so i lined them up. What i decided was, i didn't miss anything and i am reassured that i went in the right direction after re-reviewing the two side by side. In the process, i just happened to notice the auto light feature was missing, something that to me is like having power door locks and windows. Do you need them, no, and many years ago a lot of Toyotas didn't have them but they are nice to have. I put the lights in the same bucket
It was just an observation, I've rented some pretty sorry cars but they still had this feature. Its just a matter of what you get used to i suppose.
High_Country
New member
I ended up with a Trail and through my research knew going it that it wouldn't have auto headlights. I completely agree that it seems ridiculous (yes, a strong word, but hey....it's the internet) the new 4Runners - all of them - don't have this feature.
The wife had to borrow my car to go out of town (it's 5 years newer than her GMC Terrain) and I had to explain to her she had to manually turn the headlights on and off. She looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my nose. It's just something the industry has passed. Imagine having to pull a choke or pump a pedal now! Haha....
I understand it was likely driven by dollars, price-point, value of the dollar compared to the yen, all that junk, but I'd rather have automatic headlights instead of a....hitch cover....or....wiper de-icer.
I love my 4Runner and would buy it again, but this particular point is frustrating.
The wife had to borrow my car to go out of town (it's 5 years newer than her GMC Terrain) and I had to explain to her she had to manually turn the headlights on and off. She looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my nose. It's just something the industry has passed. Imagine having to pull a choke or pump a pedal now! Haha....
I understand it was likely driven by dollars, price-point, value of the dollar compared to the yen, all that junk, but I'd rather have automatic headlights instead of a....hitch cover....or....wiper de-icer.
I love my 4Runner and would buy it again, but this particular point is frustrating.
cbreze
Member
Funny but I rarely even heard about this feature until buying my 4RUNNER and coming in here. I never drove a car with this feature and yet everyone seems like it is so normal and so abnormal not to have it. But since I've been driving toyota truck type vehicles since 1974 guess that explains it. Rented many cars since then also and never had this either. Loved the choke on my old 51 Willys tho, now that was a "must have" feature. ��
