Parking lights won't go out

I figure it's a bad relay. I thought the headlights had a timers. When I shut off the car the headlights go right out, but the parking light stays on. The only way I could find to disconnect was to disconnect the battery.

 

Thoughts?

Search, this is very common. Get your car washed today/wash your car today?

Wipe off your dash or steering column today?

It's so easy to forget about that damn switch on top of the steering column...

stupid switch

Ok yes, washed and detailed my car right before this started. Suddenly I'm starting to feel like I'm an idiot, what did I do (get's up and goes outside to look for a "switch").

 

 

 

EDIT: *sigh* found switch....That's just dumb.

yes i agree can someone please tell us what the reason behind having that switch is??

It's common on European cars. In countries where there aren't tons of street lights around, particularly in the countryside, people would run into each others cars especially when it was really foggy. These lights are meant to be left on at night or when there is poor visibility due to fog or snow storms. The lights use very little energy (ask me how I know). I had them on for two days straight till I figured it out.

don't feel too bad.. when I sold my leggy I got a phone call from the new owner basically accusing me of selling him a lemon with screwed up electricals that caused the battery to run flat etc etc as the lights would never go off.... there was embarassed silence on the end of the line when I explained the parking light switch.....

Yea I get why, but the location they chose is common for the hazards (in American cars) so I didn't even read, I just assumed.

The guy who sold me my car warned me of this also, but i do have to say -the search function is very efficient on this forum-

It's common on European cars. In countries where there aren't tons of street lights around, particularly in the countryside, people would run into each others cars especially when it was really foggy. These lights are meant to be left on at night or when there is poor visibility due to fog or snow storms. The lights use very little energy (ask me how I know). I had them on for two days straight till I figured it out.

 

It's a legal requirement here to be able to turn on the parking lights if you are parking by the road side where your car may be a hazard.

 

However I prefer that switch over how it works in the '10 I have now.

Wow, im so used to that switch that I don't even think twice about it, guess that's what I get for owning leggos since I could drive. I feel kinda bad, for a sec I thought somebody was trolling

It's common on European cars. In countries where there aren't tons of street lights around, particularly in the countryside, people would run into each others cars especially when it was really foggy. These lights are meant to be left on at night or when there is poor visibility due to fog or snow storms. The lights use very little energy (ask me how I know). I had them on for two days straight till I figured it out.

 

Wow, so there IS a sensible reason for them! Ever since I first went through the exact same thing as the OP, I've been trying to find a purpose for that switch.

 

Glad I finally know of one

 

So how DO you know the parking lights have very little draw?

well all cars have the parking lights..

its just because subaru has the heads lights turn off with the key.

so they put the swtich so one can turn the lights on with out leaving the keys in the ignition.

It's common on European cars. In countries where there aren't tons of street lights around, particularly in the countryside, people would run into each others cars especially when it was really foggy. These lights are meant to be left on at night or when there is poor visibility due to fog or snow storms. The lights use very little energy (ask me how I know). I had them on for two days straight till I figured it out.

:whore:This^

 

I just think the way Subaru does it is a bit confusing for new/unfamiliar owners. In my VW they were actuated by leaving the blinker stalk to the side you wanted on. If you wanted your left parking lights on, you pressed the blinker stalk down like when turning on your left blinker. This would leave the left parking lights and side-marker on.

First day I had my car I couldn't figure out how to turn them off. Fortunately, my roommate's parents had a Forester, so he walks out, flips the switch and leaves me sitting there like an idiot.