I'm picking up my new Focus Active X this week. It's fully loaded but I've just realised that only the Titanium/X/Vignale come with LED read lights.

 

It's pretty important for me to have those LED positioning lights after coming from a Volvo XC40, anyone know if they're plug and play? Anybody upgraded their lights themselves?

I'm an old f a r t so forgive me. What are 'LED read' lights, & 'LED positioning' lights?

According to the brochure (for what it's worth) if you have specced LED headlights as an option, the rear LED are included. So you might get them if you went with either the LED or Adaptive option.

Aahhh, 'rear' lights, that makes sense. I thought it may have been the interior courtesy lights ('read', oldies called them 'map' reading lights LOL)

Mine has LED's all around, inside and out by ordering LED headlamps. 

The only thing I would like changed is to have rear lights on with DRL's as I believe front only DRL's are just too dangerous! I am sure a lot of folk don't realise they have nothing to light up the rear when they are happily posing around 🙂

8 hours ago, Rattus said:

Mine has LED's all around, inside and out by ordering LED headlamps. 

The only thing I would like changed is to have rear lights on with DRL's as I believe front only DRL's are just too dangerous! I am sure a lot of folk don't realise they have nothing to light up the rear when they are happily posing around 🙂

If you dont turn off auto lighting that wont happen.

11 hours ago, Rattus said:

Mine has LED's all around, inside and out by ordering LED headlamps. 

The only thing I would like changed is to have rear lights on with DRL's as I believe front only DRL's are just too dangerous! I am sure a lot of folk don't realise they have nothing to light up the rear when they are happily posing around 🙂

DRLs were developed by Volvo in the 70s. You're probably not old enough but it was quite common then to flash your lights at a Volvo to warn them that they had left their sidelights on LOL There was much research to show that it did significantly increase the visibility of cars in daylight especially when pulling out of road junctions, hence like so many Volvo safety advances, was adopted by car manufacturers worldwide. (They also did the first 3rd high level rear brake light).

Now, having rear lights on as well I must confess not being in agreement, in the understanding that if you cannot already see the car in front, you really shouldn't be driving!

 

 

Rear DRLs aren't a good idea.  During bright sunlight they make brake lights less noticeable.  If visibility is reduced by inclement weather you should have lights on anyway.  

3 hours ago, StephenFord said:

DRLs were developed by Volvo in the 70s. You're probably not old enough but it was quite common then to flash your lights at a Volvo to warn them that they had left their sidelights on LOL There was much research to show that it did significantly increase the visibility of cars in daylight especially when pulling out of road junctions, hence like so many Volvo safety advances, was adopted by car manufacturers worldwide. (They also did the first 3rd high level rear brake light).

Now, having rear lights on as well I must confess not being in agreement, in the understanding that if you cannot already see the car in front, you really shouldn't be driving!

 

 

I rather think you missed my point here. 

Too many people drive around at dusk, or in town at night with just front DRL's on totally ignorant of the fact that they have no rear lights on at all. There are a few manufacturers sorting this out, like Land Rover fo instance. I see that their newer models have rear lights always on with ignition.  It really is down to people knowing their car and being aware rather than just ju p in and assume.

I just switch mine away from Auto to ensure I have lights at rear during misty, rain, reduced visibility occasions.

Anyway, that's another thread...

Yeah, I am old enough to remember. I passed my driving test in '78...

Thanks though 😎

1 hour ago, Rattus said:

.... I passed my driving test in '78...

 

Wow, you must be ancient, I passed mine in 1979 LOL It's a wonder how we've survived at all without DRLs, ABS brakes, car radar sensors, high level brake lights, xenon bulbs, air bags etc etc...🤣

I thought I was an old timer passing in 1987. 😀

Passed mine in 1969

My mum's 81, she never passed (!) The driving test hadn't been invented when she got her license! LOL

4 hours ago, StephenFord said:

My mum's 81, she never passed (!) The driving test hadn't been invented when she got her license! LOL

Was she not from the UK?  Driving test was mandatory in the mid 30s...both my Nan's had to take one and they're older lol.

3 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Was she not from the UK?  Driving test was mandatory in the mid 30s...both my Nan's had to take one and they're older lol.

Northern Ireland as I understand, didn't adopt it till later...

1 minute ago, StephenFord said:

Northern Ireland as I understand, didn't adopt it till later...

Ah, yeah...I forget that's part of the UK.

There are also a lot of Irish in thier 70s that didn't pass due to a strike...in the end they just gave licences to everyone without a test to remove the backlog...

 

14 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Ah, yeah...I forget that's part of the UK.

 

Don't give it a second thought, easy done LOL 😀

On 7/13/2019 at 2:26 PM, StephenFord said:

Wow, you must be ancient, I passed mine in 1979 LOL It's a wonder how we've survived at all without DRLs, ABS brakes, car radar sensors, high level brake lights, xenon bulbs, air bags etc etc...🤣

😂😂😂

On 7/13/2019 at 2:26 PM, StephenFord said:

Wow, you must be ancient, I passed mine in 1979 LOL It's a wonder how we've survived at all without DRLs, ABS brakes, car radar sensors, high level brake lights, xenon bulbs, air bags etc etc.

I passed mine around 1965 (I'm so old I cant remember exactly 😄). Everything was so much simpler then . . . . . 🤔

I learned to drive with a crash gearbox;. Syncromesh 'twas but a dream! It wasn't so much a case of driving but more aiming in the general direction you wanted to go and hoped it'd make it out the other side... That and the gear stick having a habit of popping out when going downhill.

1 hour ago, Ennvoqation said:

I learned to drive with a crash gearbox;. Syncromesh 'twas but a dream! It wasn't so much a case of driving but more aiming in the general direction you wanted to go and hoped it'd make it out the other side... That and the gear stick having a habit of popping out when going downhill.

Crikey...you must be one of the oldest FOC members!  

I'm always interested in the old gearbox tech that never survived into modern day...pre-selector boxes and centrifugal clutches etc.

 

1 hour ago, Ennvoqation said:

I learned to drive with a crash gearbox

When I learned (1970) there were still a lot of new cars with no synchro on first so I was still taught to double de-clutch, otherwise you got a tremendous crunch when trying to select first while moving. Never got to try a 100% crash box, though some of the cars I drove had so little synchro they may as well have been!

Aye the car I first learned in was a Mini, you had to double declutch and play guessing games with the revs to get it in gear  Then I learned to drive Bedford trucks, those was terrifying.... Especially going down the M6 at 40mph (with tailwind) and then the gear stick pops out randomly. People wonder why I drive today with my hand on the gear stick. 😄

On 7/13/2019 at 2:26 PM, StephenFord said:

It's a wonder how we've survived at all without DRLs, ABS brakes, car radar sensors, high level brake lights, xenon bulbs, air bags etc etc...🤣

All down to our phenomenal driving skills, obviously!😀

We've rather strayed off the topic here (as usual) - there's obviously a need for an "Old Farts Memories" thread somewhere!