2013 lane departure warning and blind spot monitor

[UncleSpud]

I just bought a '13 Accord EX-L-V6 Sedan and I'll be taking delivery in a couple of days (it's being trucked in to my dealership, so I've yet to drive it). I test drove a similarly equipped sedan, but I have the following questions:

Is it possible to defeat the audible warning on the lane-departure system? If not, I'm going to find it terribly annoying.

Why did Honda place the blind-spot monitor on the passenger side of the car, and not the driver's side? There's a small convex portion of the outside driver's side mirror, which is better than nothing, but just barely.

I happened to buy from a salesman who had been on the job for one day and he couldn't answer my questions.

Thanks in advance.

[RyRy]

Originally Posted by UncleSpud

I just bought a '13 Accord EX-L-V6 Sedan and I'll be taking delivery in a couple of days (it's being trucked in to my dealership, so I've yet to drive it). I test drove a similarly equipped sedan, but I have the following questions:

Is it possible to defeat the audible warning on the lane-departure system? If not, I'm going to find it terribly annoying.

Why did Honda place the blind-spot monitor on the passenger side of the car, and not the driver's side? There's a small convex portion of the outside driver's side mirror, which is better than nothing, but just barely.

I happened to buy from a salesman who had been on the job for one day and he couldn't answer my questions.

Thanks in advance.

You can turn the LDW off - button by your left knee.

Honda did not put LaneWatch on the driver's side because they thought looking to the left into the mirror and looking to the right at the iMID was counterintuitive.

- Sent from my EVO -

[UncleSpud]

Originally Posted by RyRy

You can turn the LDW off - button by your left knee.

Honda did not put LaneWatch on the driver's side because they thought looking to the left into the mirror and looking to the right at the iMID was counterintuitive.

- Sent from my EVO -

Thanks--one last question: is the LDW automatically turned on every time the car is started?

TIA

[fw_fw]

Originally Posted by UncleSpud

Thanks--one last question: is the LDW automatically turned on every time the car is started?

TIA

Nope, once you turn it on/off via the switch it holds that setting until you switch it again.

[KH]

Originally Posted by UncleSpud

I just bought a '13 Accord EX-L-V6 Sedan and I'll be taking delivery in a couple of days (it's being trucked in to my dealership, so I've yet to drive it).

I happened to buy from a salesman who had been on the job for one day and he couldn't answer my questions.

Thanks in advance.

I would ask for someone else to do the delivery with you.. The part where they explain all of the features is helpful when the person knows what they're talking about.

[ulflyer]

UncleSpud: I totally agree with you on the camera, that it should have one on the left side also which would be helpful with high speed merging onto freeways as well as lane changing. I hope it will later be offered as an add-on.

[II Kings 9:20]

Guys, set your mirrors the proper way and you'll never have a blind spot with or without a camera. You can also do this in a parking lot with a car in your blind spot sitting still. Adjust the mirrors so you can see the car that is in your blind spot. Always double check to ensure the mirrors have not been moved. You'll know with experience.

I learned this many years ago and is the way it is done in racing. Some people in my instruction course at Mid-Ohio learned this for the first time there. It takes some getting used to. I even converted wifey.

I always check before take off as I buckle up and back out of the garage because you never know if a mirror somehow got moved. Cameras and mirrors are still no substitute for manually checking over the shoulder before lane changing. I ALWAYS manually check and use the properly set mirrors/camera as an indicator. If all is clear, do an over the shoulder check. If there is a grill up in my face as I look in the mirror, I don't bother to shoulder check since there is a car already in the blind spot. "Trust but verify": R. Reagan

Oh, and BTW, the LDWS alarm is so quiet as is the very ineffective FCW that both systems are nearly useless if the radio is loud or you are sleepy. The LDWS is effective to catch you if you are inattentive but will never wake you up if you fall asleep. A rumble strip in the seat like Caddy or steering wheel like Infiniti/Audi would be helpful. Also a driver selectable setting to mute the radio when either LDW or FCW alarms would be great.

[RyRy]

A couple things come up when I think about putting LaneWatch on the driver's side:

How would you manually select the camera you want - pressing the button twice?
Honda is totally right - you can't be looking in 2 different directions just to make a lane change, especially at freeway speeds.
Cost - this is obvious - it may be a cheapo camera but multiply it by however many millions and...

Kings is right - adjust your mirrors and take advantage of that little convex mirror thing.

- Sent from my EVO -

[ltxi]

Originally Posted by II Kings 9:20

Guys, set your mirrors the proper way and you'll never have a blind spot............

X2....and it can be done in seconds, anywhere, upon getting into the car if you know how. Some cars are better for this, some cars are worse. (I drive a lot of business rentals) I quickly discovered the 2013 Honda's mirrors are at the top of the "best" list. The side camera is entertaining for awhile, sometimes useful, often annoying, and nowhere near really necessary.

And....first "mod" to my car was to rip out the rear vision intrusive, rear seat head rests. Almost never human back seat passengers...YMMV.

[II Kings 9:20]

Originally Posted by ltxi

X2....and it can be done in seconds, anywhere, upon getting into the car if you know how. Some cars are better for this, some cars are worse. (I drive a lot of business rentals) I quickly discovered the 2013 Honda's mirrors are at the top of the "best" list. The side camera is entertaining for awhile, sometimes useful, often annoying, and nowhere near really necessary.

And....first "mod" to my car was to rip out the rear vision intrusive, rear seat head rests. Almost never human back seat passengers...YMMV.

I am tending to agree on the side camera though I like it but it will never eliminate my need to do a quick over the shoulder glance.

Funny I complained for many years that US model cars (import and domestic) did not have rear head restraints while the Euro models did.

My 1970 Euro 300SEL 6.3 had rear head restraints, rear shoulder belts, and child locks on the rear doors. I remember being at an auto show and pointed out that the 3 series did not have rear head restraints and the rep said "its because it blocks visibility to the rear". There was no reply when I said "in Europe, they have had rear head restraints for 15 years" and when someone is sitting there, their head blocks the view even more".

My 87 300 E had flip down rear head rests via a dash button. Rear seat passengers had to manually flip them up. Anytime someone sat back there I insisted they flip up along with buckling up. They do provide very useful whiplash protection and would recommend re installing when you do carry backseat passengers.

[DisneyEcho]

Originally Posted by ltxi

And....first "mod" to my car was to rip out the rear vision intrusive, rear seat head rests. Almost never human back seat passengers...YMMV.

Me neither, and when I do I'll get the headrests out of the trunk. I left the middle one in place because it is short and doesn't block the view. The other two are in the trunk, under the cover that hides the spare tire. There isn't enough room under the cover for it to lie flat with the headrests there now, so when I'll have something else in my trunk (hardly ever) I'll take them out of there and have them on top of the cover in the trunk. Until then they won't roll around. I'll take one or both out as needed whenever I have one or more rear seat passengers.

(Edited to add...)
Hmm, I might just move that shorter middle headrest to the passenger side and see if it doesn't block the view. I NEVER have more than one passenger in the rear seat.

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[ltxi]

Wife's Civic SI has functional head rests that tuck down into the seat back when not in use. Chev Avalanche's sit above the seat back seat cushion but are out of of line of sight. '99 Accord coupe had rudimentary non adjustable rear head rests. New Accord sedan's blocked my rear corner(s) vision and had to go. They now gather dust on a garage shelf. No one I actually care about ever rides in the back seat of my car for more than mile anyway.

Other of my annoying opinions to inflict on the uncaring....
.. LDW can be really funny. Other than for amusement and long haul driving across such as the plains of Kansas it's gone into the trash bin
..Compounding on my yesterday comment, lane watch is headed for the dumpster as well for u&c use. Running at speed in moderately heavy traffic today it distracted me from what I was actually doing. I didn't like that, not at all.
..Collision warning stays on...on normal... for those times when the momentary distraction comes at just the wrong time.
..Switching to the Sport 18's from the as equipped 17's not only improved handling, but steering feel as well...noticeably.
..Adding the rear Sport badge decreased performance

[II Kings 9:20]

Originally Posted by ltxi

Wife's Civic SI has functional head rests that tuck down into the seat back when not in use. Chev Avalanche's sit above the seat back seat cushion but are out of of line of sight. '99 Accord coupe had rudimentary non adjustable rear head rests. New Accord sedan's blocked my rear corner(s) vision and had to go. They now gather dust on a garage shelf. No one I actually care about ever rides in the back seat of my car for more than mile anyway.

Other of my annoying opinions to inflict on the uncaring....
.. LDW can be really funny. Other than for amusement and long haul driving across such as the plains of Kansas it's gone into the trash bin
..Compounding on my yesterday comment, lane watch is headed for the dumpster as well for u&c use. Running at speed in moderately heavy traffic today it distracted me from what I was actually doing. I didn't like that, not at all.
..Collision warning stays on...on normal... for those times when the momentary distraction comes at just the wrong time.
..Switching to the Sport 18's from the as equipped 17's not only improved handling, but steering feel as well...noticeably.
..Adding the rear Sport badge decreased performance

You might consider setting FCW to long. It is a camera based system not long range radar. Even on long, it is unlikely to warn you in time and if it does, consider yourself blessed if you hear the soft alarm over the radio. It is a great idea rather poorly executed on the Accord but makes for great commercials.

[ltxi]

Revisiting how it actually functions and what I care about it for, you're right. Thanks for that. Appreciate it.

[DisneyEcho]

Originally Posted by DisneyEcho

Hmm, I might just move that shorter middle headrest to the passenger side and see if it doesn't block the view. I NEVER have more than one passenger in the rear seat.

Just checked my coupe's middle passenger rear seat headrest and found that the two rods that connect it to the seat are closer together than the headrests for the outer passengers, so can't move the middle headrest to either side.

And I modified how I have the two outer headrests stowed in the trunk until needed: Instead of putting them under the spare tire hatch and having it bulge up because they are too big, I raised the back hinging part of the cover and put then rod-down like in the picture below. They don't roll around this way.

(Looking down into my coupe's trunk)



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