shelter

Hi everyone, being a reader for a while but first time posting.

Weird thing happend to my 08 Civic DX sedan today...

I parked the car, used remote to lock the doors, walked back home. When I came out again a few minutes later, I noticed that my lights (i think its the DRLs, I mean the amber ones to the outside of the big white headlights) are on. I went around to the back, the back lights were on too.

So I thought I must forgot to turn off the lights (although I didn't think I would turn them on as its really sunny). I tried to get in the car to turn it off, but found that my remote couldn't unlock the doors. The remote couldn't start the engine either, as I tried that too, so basically it's not working.

I unlocked the door with the key, got in, and found that the lights switch was indeed off. But the lights are actually on, with the little green icon for lights on the panel was on as well, and........no I couldn't turn them off.

A bit more info: I did a bit google, found that most were saying that if lights don't go off, it's usually the plastic/rubber round thing above the brake panel that's broken/worn off, and most people got it fixed with a coin and some gum. I checked it, it's all good, so it's not the case for me.

I thought with the block heater cable plugged, the battery wouldn't die. but turns out that I'm wrong, it's used up, I can't even start the car with a key now

So....I just wanted to see if I can get any help from you guys here, before bringing it back to the dealer...plus it's sunday tomorrow

Thanks alot, for any input

Lewis

ezone

I assume it wouldn't start because the battery was weak?
Charge up the battery using a regular charger. If the battery acid freezes, it will be junk. Once it is charged again, it should start the car (as long as the problem described isn't what is keeping the car from starting).

Disconnect all your aftermarket remote start controls. Get up under the dash and find the non-factory wiring and boxes. Return the wiring to original. See if your light issues are gone and the car can start.

Your dealer will send you away since this is not a problem with factory parts.
Go to whomever installed the remote start and see what they want to do.

I'm betting your aftermarket remote start unit has gone to crap or there is some wiring problem with it.
That's the only common denominator I can think of here.


The info about the rubber pad on the brake pedal was for when the brake lights stay on. You have the park lights stuck on, not DRL or brake.


The block heater is only a block heater, unless someone wired a battery charger to it. Doubt it.



HTH

shelter

Thank you~. The battery's dead coz the lights couldnt be turned off. I'm just afraid that tomorrow after I get some friend to jumpstart it for me, the problem is still there, then the battery will die off again....and its sunday tomorrow.

it's funny how this happened all of a sudden....i'd expect things like this to happen after a hit or a repair or ... some sort of event

i bought the car as a lease-return from the dealer, the dealer installed the remote for the original owner. so I guess I'll have to bring it back to the dealer......

hopefully fixing the whole remote system wont cost my total net assets.

ezone

Of course. The problem isn't fixed, so the problem should still be there.

The battery needs to be disconnected and put on a charger for at least an hour (or continuously if you leave it hooked up and there is a constant drain on it)......

Just running the car for several minutes will only give a "surface charge", not a deep charge.

If it is DEAD and sits in below freezing temps, it will freeze and most likely be damaged or ruined once that happens. So you can expect to need a battery...sooner, if not immediately.
Maybe your block heater has a battery warmer connected to it? That could save it.

Google for how to charge a car battery or something like that.


What you'd expect is not always the reality. Especially when dealing with cheaply sourced electronics.

Things break on their own, with or without human intervention.


Good luck.