Has anyone taken their sonic to the drive in movies yet? I did this last weekend to find out that when it's on auxiliary so the radio plays, the gauges and radio are lit up full brightness. It cannot be dimmed in the aux position. has anyone found a way around this? I used the 10 minute time-out, but then had to keep turning the key on everytime it shutoff (or if i remembered, i'd just turn the key to reset the timer). The only other way i can think of getting around this is to throw a hoody or something over the lights so you're not being blinded by them, which is a ****y solution, imo...
your sonic at the drive in movies
- Thread starter ras42tbss
- Start date
Sonic_Boost
New member
Thats rather annoying. But you can turn the radio on without the key even in the ignition or maybe in the ignition and just not turned at all. One or the other, if not both
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Blue hedgehog
New member
But the radio still turns off after 10 min. Just use the key and bring the hoody or a towel. It will probably be less annoying than thinking about the radio every 10min.
I didn't think there were drive ins anymore. I haven't seen one in 30 years. Longer for one that is still open.
I didn't think there were drive ins anymore. I haven't seen one in 30 years. Longer for one that is still open.
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Blue hedgehog
New member
Ok. I don't know why mine does. But I know mine turns off. Whenever I wash the car, I press the power button, turn the radio up, close the doors and windows and get to washing. 10 or so min later the radio turns off.
I have a habit of not leaving the keys in the ignition. My Buick rainier has an aftermarket alarm/remote start that likes to lock the doors when you don't want them locked.
Fempunk
New member
Me too, my old focus would run out of battery if i left the key in the ignition for a long length of time. I told my son when the radio turned off we had to be done eating and get out of the car. It shut off the first time after the 10 mins, then he got mad and pressed the power button, we were in there for like a half hour more. Finally got him out n locked it n like i said, it stayed on still. Cant do that anymore lol
I'll just stick with this route, as just like you said, mine shuts off after 10 minutes. i don't have the mylink either.
PA still has a couple drive-in's that i know of, one luckily 20 minutes from me. 2 movies show for 8 bucks a person, 3 different screens each playing their own set. Sure beats going to a theatre and having a bunch of ignorant, disrespectful tennie boppers talking on their phones, yelling, snorting coke, and whatever else they do...
Swordsmith
242hp/252 ft-lbs BNR EFI
I have a 2012 with the connectivity package (the precursor to Mylink). The radio turns itself off every 10 minutes if the car is not on, but goes right back in if I press the power button, no need to muck about with the key. I end up waiting to pick up my girlfriend at work, or her kids at school, quite often exceeding 10 minutes, so I'm very used to the procedure. If I want most of the lights off, all you have to do is open and close my door, and then use that power button trick, which doesn't activate the dome light or anything, just the radio.
I imagine this would still be somewhat annoying for a drive in, have you considered bringing along a portable radio?
I imagine this would still be somewhat annoying for a drive in, have you considered bringing along a portable radio?
laborsmith
New member
te(e)nie boppers snorting coke: ah the good old days.
Laborsmith
sorry, couldn't help myself
Laborsmith
sorry, couldn't help myself
Swordsmith
242hp/252 ft-lbs BNR EFI
Tested the setup a little last night; the key is not to take the key out. When you do, the internal lights go back on. Leave the key in the slot, in the off position, and the lights go down fairly quickly, and then don't go back on when you turn the radio on. Of course again that is with the 2012 Connectivity Package, I have no idea if they changed that with Mylink.
I'm almost clueless now... went back to the drive in this past weekend. Pulled up, shut the car off, and didn't get out (open the driver door) and the radio stayed on for almost the entire first movie, roughly an hour n a half. So i thought i was onto something... between movies i had to get out to urinate, so when i came back i started the car and let it run a little, thinking that it would "reset" and let the radio on for a decent amount of time again... well this time it stayed on for about a half hour...
so in other words, throw a towel over the dash and leave the key on aux, or two "clicks" forward from now on...
so in other words, throw a towel over the dash and leave the key on aux, or two "clicks" forward from now on...
LorbeerTLC
Member
My Drive-In Solution!
Man, I never thought I would say this... but when it comes to this car, I long for the good old days when you could turned the key to "ACC" the only thing that came on was the radio, period!
No dash lights.
No instrument gauges/idiot lights.
No door chime telling you your keys are in the ignition when the door is open.
Etc.
I even miss the drive-in's old gray speaker box that hung off your window!
I took my Sonic to the drive-in and was completely taken off guard. There were so many hassles in trying to have my car dark and to also keep the radio on. With the rear seats folded while laying down and watching out of the back of my open hatchback (just like I did when I was a kid in my parent's old station wagon), the radio would suddenly turn itself off after 10 minutes!
I wasn't going to leave the key in the "ON" position (powering everything on), fearing it might run down the battery while I watched 2 movies. Plus, I'm not sure if that plays havoc with the ignition system, leaving it on over a period of time like that without the engine running.
So my answer? Pull out my old 1980's stereo "Boom :banana: Box" and make sure I have fresh batteries!
This gave me peace-of-mind! Now I can enjoy watching my movies without messing with my car's electrical system or the fear of draining my car's battery!opcorn:
Man, I never thought I would say this... but when it comes to this car, I long for the good old days when you could turned the key to "ACC" the only thing that came on was the radio, period!
No dash lights.
No instrument gauges/idiot lights.
No door chime telling you your keys are in the ignition when the door is open.
Etc.
I even miss the drive-in's old gray speaker box that hung off your window!
I took my Sonic to the drive-in and was completely taken off guard. There were so many hassles in trying to have my car dark and to also keep the radio on. With the rear seats folded while laying down and watching out of the back of my open hatchback (just like I did when I was a kid in my parent's old station wagon), the radio would suddenly turn itself off after 10 minutes!
I wasn't going to leave the key in the "ON" position (powering everything on), fearing it might run down the battery while I watched 2 movies. Plus, I'm not sure if that plays havoc with the ignition system, leaving it on over a period of time like that without the engine running.
So my answer? Pull out my old 1980's stereo "Boom :banana: Box" and make sure I have fresh batteries!
This gave me peace-of-mind! Now I can enjoy watching my movies without messing with my car's electrical system or the fear of draining my car's battery!
opcorn:
acamacho104
Member
I have and acc position on my car. It's between run and off. The Speedo and radio light up pretty bright but it doesn't turn off every ten mins.
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RMinNJ
Active member
On my 2012 I'm finding the stock radio blue light to be quite bright...it's much brighter than the speedo which I have dimmed all the way down. They should really be the same brightness else what is the point of the dimmer switch. Even the red tach needle is quite a bit brighter than the speedo.
mowcowbell
New member
Sounds like LorbeerTLC has the right solution. Just bring a portable radio so you don't have bright lights or risk a dead vehicle battery.
The last Drive-In in these parts closed over 10 years ago. Hard to get customers to sit in an open car when nighttime temps in the summer here barely get below 85F.
The last Drive-In in these parts closed over 10 years ago. Hard to get customers to sit in an open car when nighttime temps in the summer here barely get below 85F.
