1. I have just purchased a brand new 2004 Maxima SL model. It came fully loaded except for the navigation system. The car is equipped with an Auto-Lights option. Does anyone know if it is possible to disconnect this option?

2. I have always used Quaker State oil. Should I continue to use it in my new Maxima?

 

1 http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.ph...31&postcount=9

2 http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=227996

I take it you have an SL, correct? LS and LX do not exist.

 

I don't use my auto lights. I like to control when my headlights are on and off in addition to the fact I use my headlights a lot during the day when driving in the desert. I don't like the lights staying on after I shut the car off and leave it.

As for oil I have never liked Quaker State, use Castrol GTX 5W30, it's all you need.

 

that auto light $hit sucks, it activates when is too dark out, by then you atleast want the clearence lights on, but no lights till its pretty dark out. no likie.......I also don't like leaving the light on after I get out the car, I always stand there and wait for them to turn off.....

not for me........

 

you guys know we have a sesitivity control for when they kick on? we can also set the AUTO to shut off as soon as you close your door. you do know this right?

we can complain about the flaws in design, or work around it. I like the AUTO somwhat and leave it on that setting. you can just turn the **** to off before starting in-case they may go on and off, or find your setting.

 

I use Penzoil from the Jiffy Lube.....

 

this is my second car with auto lights and i love them. when i leave to go to work in the morning its pitch black out and its nice to have the way lighted for me. plus i like not having to turn the switch to ON when i get in when its dark out.

 

I never touch Quaker State....Mobil 1 when I can with all my cars, if it is dino oil, I like Castrol also.

As far as the auto lights, the sensitivity setting does not work at all for me...it is a nice feature, but they never come on when you need them. Guess a black sharpie over the sensor might help. Main thing with me is I am in the military and every day I drive to the base, need to dim the lights for the Security Police so they are not blinded....that kinda takes the auto setting out. Just my 2 cents.

 

NismoMax80,

Yes, I know you can adjust settings but I still don't like the auto feature. Though I dislike using headlights in the daytime but out here I have to most of the time. Certain roads like 95 between here and Vegas it's the law. When you boil it down I like to control when my lights are on and off.

 

that's cool nik. I agree the setup is far from perfect, but i've found my way to sorta like it. I absolutely agree on controlling the lights. Who wants thier HIDs dying prematurely?

 

I do like the auto lights, like Jeff said above it's good the have your way lit up as you leave your car, also for me having the remote start it's good when I am getting into my car at night (plus it trips people out when I remote start and those pretty HID's come on) I did darken the sensor cover so they come on when I want them to, but sometimes they do come on rather easily, like going under an overpass or something like that...no biggie I do feel a bit safer driving with my lights on, wish we had DRL's like the Canadian Maxima's...

 

I agree. I too am a control freak, which is why I bought a 6-speed rather than an automatic. The same with the lights -- I want to control them.

As for the motor oil, the oil recommendations (cited in 2 above) on the "fluids and lubes" section of this site are not simply personal opinions, but are based on multiple used motor oil analysis.

You will find that most Max owners on this site use synthetic motor oil -- I do. My personal recommendation is to change oil twice replacing it with Castrol GTX at 3750 miles and again at 7,500 miles. Then when you reach 11,250 miles you can change to Mobil 1 (or whatever you like in synthetic based on this thread's recommendations). Waiting this long before switching to synthetic allows your engine to get fully borken-in (the synthetic is too slippery for that). I made my swithch at 7,500 but would wait longer if I could do it over again.

 

Thanks guys. I'm new to this forum. Lots of good stuff. Hoped someone had a suggestion to permanently disconnect the auto lights. I've tried everything, pulled a fuse, and disconnected the light sensor. Nothing worked. I guess I'll have to live with it.

 

Has anyone tried this? I do it occassionally but habit makes me not do it.. Leave the lights in the full "on" position, not auto.. Mine turn off within a couple minutes of leaving the car (I have never timed it, i'm not sure if it is the same as the auto off feature in the navi)... Then they turn back on when i start the car, no switching between auto/to on which up here in seattle you never know when they will turn on in auto and when they wont. Plus i like to have them on during the day.

 

Why don't you just not use the auto feature? Am I missing something?

 

If I only could, I wouldn’t use the auto feature. The problem is, the auto mode is the first one on the switch. Lets say it’s getting dark, but not dark enough for the headlights to be on. If you want to turn your parking lights on, you have to go through the auto mode first. This will turn your headlights on momentarily (even with the lowest sensitivity setting). The same goes for turning the parking lights off. The idea is, to avoid frequently turning the HID headlights on and off because that’s what shortens their lifespan. My company car is a Ford. It's also equiped with the auto lights. I cant believe the engineers at Ford came up with the idea to place the auto mode on the other side of the "lights off" position. Guys, if anyone figures out how to disconnect the auto lights mode altogether, please let me know.

 

That's the point! Why not switch the order on the control switch? Go from off, to running lights, to auto, to on. Makes sense to me!

 

Got it, makes sense now...

 

Unfortunately you're gonna have to leave with this feature. I understand exactly what you're trying to say, and would have loved for Nissan to have designed the switch to be a little more logical in operation.

I really hate it when I go under and underpass and have the light turn on and then turn back off when I exit the underpass. I do not have any issues with mine turning on at dusk at the correct time.

 

If you really wanty to use the "PARK" lights to drive, turn to them before inserting the key.

Then wait to turn them off after you remove the key.

I've disabled my park lights. Down the road I want to rewire the fogs to come on with the parks then this is what I'll do.

 

O.K. Now that we beat this AUTO-LIGHTS issue to an exhaustion. Unless, someone figures out how to completely disconnect this feature, we will all have to learn how to live with it. Any suggestions for a good quality air/shade window vents for 2004 Maxima?

 

I think that Mobil 1 tastes better than Quarker State. Quaker State has too much of a fruity taste to me but that is my opinion. Mobil one is good with a nice steak just open the bottle and let it breath for about 20 minutes and then serve.
Automon

 

you say it tastes great..I say it is less filling.....