[gwar9999]

Is there any way to have some external/internal lights to come on when it's dark out after remote starting the Passport?

After the 3 flashes of the parking lights to indicate remote start was activated the only thing that appears to be illuminated is the dash screen and that's not nearly enough to see anything. My prior vehicle was far more visible in darkness after remote starting between it's parking lights being illuminated and the ambient lighting in the vehicle (wish the Passport had ambient lighting since the cabin is extremely dark at night-- with the non-conventional P N R D/S buttons the only one that is illuminated is the active one so I have to find the others by feel). Heck if I had purchased the black exterior I probably would've walked right into the tailgate by now!

I suppose I can get some sort of USB-powered light (assuming the USB is powered after remote start) to help the cause.

 

[ErnieD2]

Would leaving your headlights set to AUTO make those come on when you remote start? Sorry if I'm wrong on this, I don't keep my lights on AUTO. And I've only tried the remote start a couple times to see if it worked. Not I feature I use alot either. So not sure exactly how that would work. Let's see if others here can help? peace, e.

 

[cjay5000]

My lights are on AUTO but they do not come on when the car is remote started at night. Once remote started at night, no exterior lights are on, and only a few instrument lights are on inside. Ambient footwell, overhead, and cupholder lights are not lit. My USB tester says the dashboard USB port does not have power during a remote start.

 

[Jermboy777]

It may have been designed that way so the car doesn’t look like it’s running

 

[gwar9999]

Thanks for the details all of the above. Darn, guess I'm S.O.L. and destined to stumble into my Passport in the darkness. Guess next time I buy a car I'll need to do so at night to make sure it meets my weird tastes.

 

[TnTA2]

It may have been designed that way so the car doesn’t look like it’s running

Exactly. I think I read somewhere that it's probably by design, to reduce attempted thievery. I agree that having some lights on while in remote start mode would be beneficial under most circumstances, it's more secure to not give away the fact that there's an unoccupied vehicle idling nearby.

 

[Jermboy777]

Exactly. I think I read somewhere that it's probably by design, to reduce attempted thievery. I agree that having some lights on while in remote start mode would be beneficial under most circumstances, it's more secure to not give away the fact that there's an unoccupied vehicle idling nearby.

Yeah it might be nice to have the lights come on when the key FOB is within a certain range or have a setting you can change to have them come on when remote started at night, but i definitely prefer no lights so no one tries to like you mentioned steal it. You can always bump the lock button on your key FOB to flash the marker lights so you can at least see where the vehicle is if it is parked in that dark of a location.

 

[gwar9999]

I don't see what difference it makes regarding thievery. Even with the car remotely started you still can't drive it without the FOB in the car and the FOB sequence to start it, first locks the car.

 

[Jermboy777]

I don't see what difference it makes regarding thievery. Even with the car remotely started you still can't drive it without the FOB in the car and the FOB sequence to start it, first locks the car.

Someone sees a running car in a driveway or parking lot with no one in it and no one around they may think the key is in the ignition with the doors locked and could bust a window out to try to steal it. It’s not that someone could steal it but just trying to steal it I would rather avoid.

 

[gwar9999]

Oh, guess it depends where it's parked. 95% of my remote starting is when I'm home and the car can't even be seen from the street. So whether lights come on or not should be optional. I'm always a proponent of everything should be optional when it comes to tech. It's always interesting how some things are configurable and others aren't. Many years ago I drove a Grand Prix and it had this "feature" where if you had less than 35 miles left in your gas tank it would chime loudly.... every few minutes (and every time I started the car). No way to acknowledge it and have it stop, no way to disable it completely and no consideration that my roundtrip commute was under 5 miles so 35 miles was about a week for me.

 

[gwar9999]

Once remote started at night, no exterior lights are on, and only a few instrument lights are on inside. Ambient footwell, overhead, and cupholder lights are not lit.

My Elite doesn't have the ambient cupholder or foot well lights since I assumed they'd be standard on an Elite and my dealership didn't offer them to me (come to think of it, they pretty much only offered exterior options).
I'm surprised they're not included since my 2017 Escape Titanium had them with the added the ability to change the color. I see that they can be ordered online but the installation looks like a pain.

 

[gwar9999]

My Elite doesn't have the ambient cupholder or foot well lights since I assumed they'd be standard on an Elite and my dealership didn't offer them to me (come to think of it, they pretty much only offered exterior options).
I'm surprised they're not included since my 2017 Escape Titanium had them with the added the ability to change the color. I see that they can be ordered online but the installation looks like a pain.

I stand corrected the Elite does indeed have those ambient lights (foot wells / cupholder) they're just so dim it took me 2 weeks to even notice they were there. What were they thinking putting such puny LEDs in there?

 

[ErnieD2]

I was thinking, the Elite should come fully loaded with all that stuff. Yes, they are rather dim. Many, myself too, have replaced the overhead interior lights with a set that comes with about 9 or so. The new LED's really help illuminate the interior of the Passport. The footwells, cupholders don't seem so necessary then. About $12-$14 bucks and fairly easy to remove/install. I did the reverse lights too. Helpful for the backup cam at night time. Good luck.

 

[rls002]

My Elite doesn't have the ambient cupholder or foot well lights since I assumed they'd be standard on an Elite and my dealership didn't offer them to me (come to think of it, they pretty much only offered exterior options).
I'm surprised they're not included since my 2017 Escape Titanium had them with the added the ability to change the color. I see that they can be ordered online but the installation looks like a pain.

My Elite does have the illuminated cup holders. Could be a part if a package but nit sure actually

 

[gwar9999]

My Elite does have the illuminated cup holders. Could be a part if a package but nit sure actually

Yep, in my followup I finally noticed them 2 weeks after purchase. Just a shame the ambient lighting in the Passport is so gimped it's useless.

 

[gwar9999]

I was thinking, the Elite should come fully loaded with all that stuff. Yes, they are rather dim. Many, myself too, have replaced the overhead interior lights with a set that comes with about 9 or so. The new LED's really help illuminate the interior of the Passport. The footwells, cupholders don't seem so necessary then. About $12-$14 bucks and fairly easy to remove/install. I did the reverse lights too. Helpful for the backup cam at night time. Good luck.

I haven't been bothered by the overall interior lighting just the lack of legitimate ambient lighting. So rather than replace the map light, etc I wish there was an ambient light upgrade available.

I guess I haven't backed up at night yet in the Passport to notice the backup camera wasn't great. Once I try it I could be in the market for the reverse lights upgrade.

 

[EDB]

My Elite doesn't have the ambient cupholder or foot well lights since I assumed they'd be standard on an Elite and my dealership didn't offer them to me (come to think of it, they pretty much only offered exterior options).
I'm surprised they're not included since my 2017 Escape Titanium had them with the added the ability to change the color. I see that they can be ordered online but the installation looks like a pain.

You did not look at the accessories and standard equipment online on the Honda website before you bought it?

 

[gwar9999]

You did not look at the accessories and standard equipment online on the Honda website before you bought it?

There was no option for it, I guess because it was included, it's just that it's so lame it took me a couple of weeks to notice it was included. It's basically unambient lighting..

 

[rls002]

There was no option for it, I guess because it was included, it's just that it's so lame it took me a couple of weeks to notice it was included. It's basically unambient lighting..

I think the ambient lighting has much to be desired quite frankly. Nothing at all in second row. I really think it needs something else.

 

[SoundsGood]

I think the ambient lighting has much to be desired...

Yep. Agreed.