Preconditioning: Why does it turn parking lights on?

[apbolt]

Now that winter is coming, I will again be using preconditioning to heat my car. But one issue I have had with the feature is that it turns on the parking lights. The problem is I live in an apartment community and many people who pass the car when the lights are on tend to call the management to tell them someone left the lights on in their car, and they call me. Then I have to explain to them that it is intentional and the car won't die. I don't like it when I park it in the city either where it draws unnecessary attention. Does anyone know why the Bolt does this? My Tesla friend tells me his parking lights don't turn on when he preconditions.

 

[DucRider]

Sounds like you are:
1) Talking about the parking lights and not the hazard lights (the hazard lights flash)
2) Are using remote start and not preconditioning. Try using the MyChevrolet App to precondition

 

[GetOffYourGas]

My wife used to have a Civic with an aftermarket remote start. It would also turn on the parking lights, just to indicate that the car was on. It would be nice if we could disable this feature, though.

 

[apbolt]

Sounds like you are:
1) Talking about the parking lights and not the hazard lights (the hazard lights flash).
2) Are using remote start and not preconditioning. Try using the MyChevrolet App to precondition

1) Yes, I meant parking lights. I edited the thread to reflect that.
2) I am using the app for preconditioning. The app has remote commands to turn on/off parking lights, but it doesn't do anything if preconditioning is in progress.

 

[GernBlanston]

Sounds like you are:
1) Talking about the parking lights and not the hazard lights (the hazard lights flash)
2) Are using remote start and not preconditioning. Try using the MyChevrolet App to precondition

Hey, Duc. Do you even own a Bolt? Pre-conditioning turns on the park lights, and there is no "remote start."

 

[saintyohann]

Some states require the lights to be on if the car is on. There is no way to disable it.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Sounds like you are:
1) Talking about the parking lights and not the hazard lights (the hazard lights flash)
2) Are using remote start and not preconditioning. Try using the MyChevrolet App to precondition

Hey, Duc. Do you even own a Bolt? Pre-conditioning turns on the park lights, and there is no "remote start."

You can "precondition" through the app or "remote start" through the key fob. These are the terms that Chevy uses.

 

[apbolt]

Some states require the lights to be on if the car is on. There is no way to disable it.

Are these rules for ICE cars though? It would make sense why you would want the lights on in a gasoline car when it is preconditioning. I believe if Tesla doesn't have to turn on the lights, the Bolt shouldn't have to either. If the rule varies from state-to-state, we should have a setting to keep the headlight on/off when preconditioning.

 

[SparkE]

Chevy calls it "remote start" and not "pre-conditioning" in the manual (using key fob). I did a quick 'search' thru the pdf version of the 2019 owner's manual and ...


Page 40 of the 2019 manual (Keys, Doors, and Windows -> Remote Start) says :

Remote start will automatically shut off after 20 minutes unless a time extension is done. When the vehicle starts, the parking lamps will turn on.

Instruments and Controls -> Vehicle Personalization -> Remote Lock / Unlock / Start

Pg 148-49 describes how to modify for lock/unlock, but not for remote start.


Details on finding digital copies of the owner's manual can be found here :
http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8353

 

[iwatson]

This is true of all GM cars with remote start (or remote pre-conditioning if you prefer that term). GM cars with an internal combustion engine will start the engine and pre-condition the cabin heat or A/C and the lights will illuminate. As for our all-electric Bolt EV the car powers on and begins pre-conditioning the cabin and the lights illuminate. My Chevy Volt works the same as my Bolt. If you start from the phone app there is a warning that pops up to make sure you don't start your vehicle when it's unsafe or illegal to do so. Unsafe would be starting an ICE Chevy inside a garage where the CO would build up inside an enclosed space. Some communities have laws against pre-starting or idling a vehicle unattended.

This feature works the same across the entire GM family of cars regardless of type of propulsion and therefore the terms used to describe this feature are standardized terms that apply to all. Although the Bolt EV does not have an ICE, the term remote start is used to describe remote "power-up". When powered up the Bolt is considered remotely started.

As for the lights, there is no way that they can be disabled by the owner/user. It's possible, I guess, that there is a way that they can be disabled by the dealer.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Chevy calls it "remote start" and not "pre-conditioning" in the manual

Yes. And confusingly, they call it "preconditioning" and not "remote start" in the app. As far as I know, they are the same function.

From the Manual:

In the App:

 

[apbolt]

Unsafe would be starting an ICE Chevy inside a garage where the CO would build up inside an enclosed space. Some communities have laws against pre-starting or idling a vehicle unattended.

This is what annoys me, that GM is treating the Bolt like yet another ICE car in their lineup, and gives the impression they don't really care about EVs. It becomes another reason to buy a Tesla instead of Bolt. It seems like a simple enough thing for GM to add an option in the app just for Bolt to keep the headlights off with preconditioning (and can we also set the temperature while we are at it?). Then it is up to the customer to follow local laws.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Unsafe would be starting an ICE Chevy inside a garage where the CO would build up inside an enclosed space. Some communities have laws against pre-starting or idling a vehicle unattended.

This is what annoys me, that GM is treating the Bolt like yet another ICE car in their lineup, and gives the impression they don't really care about EVs. It becomes another reason to buy a Tesla instead of Bolt. It seems like a simple enough thing for GM to add an option in the app just for Bolt to keep the headlights off with preconditioning (and can we also set the temperature while we are at it?). Then it is up to the customer to follow local laws.

Headlights during preconditioning seems like a pretty minor annoyance. Hardly a sign that GM doesn't care about EVs. More likely it is GM meeting the largest number of local laws with the least amount of effort.

 

[GernBlanston]

Headlights during preconditioning seems like a pretty minor annoyance. Hardly a sign that GM doesn't care about EVs...

Exactly. If this is the worst thing that happens to you all week, you're doing quite well.