NHTSA Complaint #10202236 — 2007 HONDA ACCORD

I AM AN OTR CDL-LICENSED DRIVER, AND, ON MORE THAN A FEW OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS, I HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL MODELS OF NISSAN AND HONDA VEHICLES CRUISING AT DUSK WITH THEIR DASH LIGHTS ON, BUT WITH NO EXTERIOR MARKER, PARKING, TAIL, OR HEADLIGHTS BURNING. THEY ARE VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN MIXED IN WITH OTHER NORMALLY-ILLUMINATED VEHICLES. WHEN ALERTED AS THEY PASS BY HORN AND FLASHING LIGHTS, THE DRIVER'S USUAL REACTION IS TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES, AND THEN TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS. IF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS CONFIGURED TO ACTUATE THE DASH LIGHTS SEPARATELY FROM THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS, THAT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM ALSO MAY BE WITH THE ALLOWABLE THRESHOLD SENSITIVITY OF THE TWILIGHT SENSOR. *TR