Dark Car Feature

[jmr061]

Thanks...they are charging me $150 to reprogram it for two hours..does that sound right?

Charging you 2 hrs for a total of $150 to enable dark car and nothing else?

It literally takes 15 minutes to do and that includes having to grab the equipment, power up the computer, get IDS running, hooking up and actually doing it. Granted it is at a dealer so you have to include time to do paperwork etc.

So a realistic charge would be .5 to 1 hour (some dealers charge a minimum of 1 hr). To charge you 2 hours of labor is a complete rip off. $75 an hour is pretty low for labor though. Most are $100-$125.

 

[Rayray808]

Charging you 2 hrs for a total of $150 to enable dark car and nothing else?

It literally takes 15 minutes to do and that includes having to grab the equipment, power up the computer, get IDS running, hooking up and actually doing it. Granted it is at a dealer so you have to include time to do paperwork etc.

So a realistic charge would be .5 to 1 hour (some dealers charge a minimum of 1 hr). To charge you 2 hours of labor is a complete rip off. $75 an hour is pretty low for labor though. Most are $100-$125.

Tnx...I pick it up tomorrow and will ask for details of the job order

 

[Sgt1411]

Thats another feature that should be in the left side DIC settings for the preference of the owner, without going to the dealership.

 

[13Sport]

Thats another feature that should be in the left side DIC settings for the preference of the owner, without going to the dealership.

+1 .. why DRL's, and Dark Car aren't user accessible options is beyond me. I understand not making it an option on Canada cars where DRL is required, but on cars that don't come factory equipped I should be able to enable it without having to pay a tech to plug in a computer.

 

[Rayray808]

Got it back yesterday and I LOVE the dark car feature..I switched out my interior lights with LED's and it helps to not get lit up after turning my Ex off..they still charged me $150, saying it took over an hour to reprogram the computer..I didn't feel like asking for "proof" so I just left it at that..

 

[SHAD0W]

Got it back yesterday and I LOVE the dark car feature..I switched out my interior lights with LED's and it helps to not get lit up after turning my Ex off..they still charged me $150, saying it took over an hour to reprogram the computer..I didn't feel like asking for "proof" so I just left it at that..

$150? Ouch! But as long as you're happy with the end result, and feel it's worth it. I keep getting asked by other Ex drivers how I disabled the lights from turning on upon exit/entry. At first I say "it's magic..." Then I give em the scoops.

 

[expoman55]

Dark Car?

In my 2010 Expy i just turned into purchase this Xsport.. I could turn down the courtesy lighting and all the way down turned off interior lights and all the way put them full on ... Is what I understand this is NOT able to be done manually on the x sport?

 

[Rayray808]

I had the dark car feature installed last month and I love it..None of the interior lights, the trunk light, nor the touchscreen or dash light comes on when I turn the engine off...you can manually turn on the lights via the button below your headlight switch

 

[SHAD0W]

I had the dark car feature installed last month and I love it..None of the interior lights, the trunk light, nor the touchscreen or dash light comes on when I turn the engine off...you can manually turn on the lights via the button below your headlight switch

Yes, it's nice to have control over the interior lights.

 

[expoman55]

Perhaps a dumb question.. does anyone here know where to get the software to do this? I hate having to go to the dealer whenever I want to change something at the computer level...

 

[PIUtility]

Perhaps a dumb question.. does anyone here know where to get the software to do this? I hate having to go to the dealer whenever I want to change something at the computer level...

The computer dongle of sorts is $3k alone

 

[jmr061]

The computer dongle of sorts is $3k alone

A legit purchase of the VCMII will run $1200-$1500 and then the software license for IDS is $700 a year.

Then you don't have to go to the dealer to enable/disable dark car.

 

[expoman55]

Dark Car

A legit purchase of the VCMII will run $1200-$1500 and then the software license for IDS is $700 a year.

Then you don't have to go to the dealer to enable/disable dark car.

Yea ok never mind LOL

 

[Exploder82]

Had to get an oil change. The dealer changed to dark car mode for me for $10. Should be free.

 

[billyfromhill]

I currently own a 2014 Police Interceptor Utility that does not have the dark car feature enabled. Right now when I open a door the tail lights, licence plate lights, parking lights, turn signals, instrument cluster backlighting, radio and climate control backlighting, power window backlighting, headlight switch backlighting, lock switch backlighting, and map lights all come on and stay on until I start the car or approximately 30 seconds pass after closing a door. Also, when I turn the vehicle off and withdraw the key the instrument cluster backlighting, radio and climate control backlighting, power window backlighting, and map lights all come on for approx. 30 seconds.

What exactly does the dark car feature disable if I turn it on with IDS?

 

[peterk9]

I currently own a 2014 Police Interceptor Utility that does not have the dark car feature enabled. Right now when I open a door the tail lights, licence plate lights, parking lights, turn signals, instrument cluster backlighting, radio and climate control backlighting, power window backlighting, headlight switch backlighting, lock switch backlighting, and map lights all come on and stay on until I start the car or approximately 30 seconds pass after closing a door. Also, when I turn the vehicle off and withdraw the key the instrument cluster backlighting, radio and climate control backlighting, power window backlighting, and map lights all come on for approx. 30 seconds.

What exactly does the dark car feature disable if I turn it on with IDS?

Your thread has been merged with this existing one. From what I gather reading the above, the feature disables all interior lights.

Peter

 

[reserved50]

only issue I found with dark car enabled is no auto interior lights when you open the door unless you push the light button to turn them on. To me that's not a big deal compared to the exterior lights lighting up the vehicle like a Christmas tree for no reason. With dark mode enabled you still have the radio and power windows working after shutting the car off for a certain period of time or until you open a door like before.

Other option is to buy one of those add a fuse devices in place of the factory interior light fuse and run a switch to it to have auto or off modes(could just pull the fuse permanently also), but the exterior lights will still illuminate<--- if you aren't familiar with wiring don't do this.

 

[SurrealOne]

Please keep in mind some BCM programming can be done without a trip to the dealer and save you lots of $$$$ I have turned on my DRL's and I'm pretty sure you can also do the Dark Mode. All you need to do is invest in the ODB 2 device and you will also need a laptop.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...scan-update-allows-module-programming.442848/

 

[Machine090767]

I know this is in the 2011-2016 Gen 5 section, But the Gen 4's have a feature where if you turn the Instrument dimmer wheel all the way to the left (past Indent) it sets the dash lights to a low glow and disables all the interior lamps and Illuminated entry feature.
I wonder why they don't have this for the Gen 5's?