DLR's

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I have seen them on every new car for the past few years. On my Mustang they are little LED things on the side of the headlamp. Most cars now have the row of LEDs somewhere on the lamp housing.
 
Oohh, gotcha. Good question, I am in the habit of turning on my headlight every time I drive. Problem is that it dims all the gauges too, so i can't read stuff like the radio station during the day. If I turn up the brightness, it's way too bright at night.

I wish I had DRLs, or at least some auto dimming mechanism.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I thought DLR's were going to be the future for new cars but the trend appears to by dying out. What happened?
it all depends on your locality. They were never mandated in the US, but i think (and please correct me if i'm wrong) they are mandated in Canada.

some models that are sold both places, it's as simple as a software toggle in the vehicle's computer.
 
I don't think any study has ever shown DRL saving even one life.Yet its cost millions in replacement bulbs all these years (what,since 1995?).
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
They were never mandated in the US, but i think (and please correct me if i'm wrong) they are mandated in Canada.

They are mandated here.

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I don't think any study has ever shown DRL saving even one life.Yet its cost millions in replacement bulbs all these years (what,since 1995?)

I tell you that I spent a lot more money replacing marker lights and tail light lamps in the taxi fleet than I ever did on headlights, even after the DRL era began. In fact, I have never had a burned out headlight (other than one that failed immediately upon install and was a warranty issue on the Audi) on a DRL equipped vehicle since their introduction.

On the other hand, I used to replace plenty of headlights in the taxis before. I'm guessing that during implementation, at least some of the manufacturers looked at increasing reliability and longevity, to avoid customer complaints. And remember, this defence of them is coming from a guy that wished all vehicles still had two or four sealed beam halogens the old fashioned way. In my view, bulb technology (for performance and reliability) has improved dramatically. The housing and lens issues are the real money pits.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I thought DLR's were going to be the future for new cars but the trend appears to by dying out. What happened?

I disable them on every vehicle i own except for motorcycles.
With every car using DRL it diminishes the visual safety aspect for bikes (per the ADAC test).
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I disable them on every vehicle i own except for motorcycles.
With every car using DRL it diminishes the visual safety aspect for bikes (per the ADAC test).

I tried to disable DRL on 2006 Volvo V70 but couldn't get it done. The Volvo uses low beam at full power therefore the bulb H11 burnt out quickly. The other problem is replacing low beam bulb is pain in the behind because there is no room to reach into the housing the remove old bulb and install new bulb.

The 2014 Honda Accord LX use high beam with reduced power, so that the bulb will lasted longer and there is some room to replace the burnt bulb. The EX version has LED row(s) for DRL.
 
Yes some are a PITA, on VW i found a fix that involves bending a pin over in the light switch.
Some claim there is a small PH screw under the light switch on the Volvo? If so turn it to the left to disable the DRL .
I read some clipping a green wire and another bending a switch pin like VW.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: Trav
I disable them on every vehicle i own except for motorcycles.
With every car using DRL it diminishes the visual safety aspect for bikes (per the ADAC test).

I tried to disable DRL on 2006 Volvo V70 but couldn't get it done. The Volvo uses low beam at full power therefore the bulb H11 burnt out quickly. The other problem is replacing low beam bulb is pain in the behind because there is no room to reach into the housing the remove old bulb and install new bulb.

The 2014 Honda Accord LX use high beam with reduced power, so that the bulb will lasted longer and there is some room to replace the burnt bulb. The EX version has LED row(s) for DRL.


Look near the light switch. You should find a tiny screw. Turn it.
 
The last 30 miles of rte 6 from Dennis out is 2 lanes, 1 each way. DRLs are advised by sign-age. Consider how many gray cars are out there with plastic bumpers. A slate gray car with no chrome or bright work , fades into the road surface in my rear views. Looks like the road. DRLs help me a lot. If the wipers are on, I turn on the head lights too.
 
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My wife has a 2012 Mazda3 and it didn't come with DRL's.
I disabled my DRL's on my VW using VCDS. VW took away the option to turn them on/off for the 2013 GTI. I added the missing option in the lights & vision settings on the dash. I have mine shut off and they don't default back to on when you start the car again.

GM studied DRL's extra fuel consumption and stated it was around $10 a year per vehicle. That was over 10 years ago when gas was cheaper. LED DRL's consume less fuel.

The EPA fuel economy test cycle allows manufactures to disconnect DRL's.
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv

GM studied DRL's extra fuel consumption and stated it was around $10 a year per vehicle. That was over 10 years ago when gas was cheaper. LED DRL's consume less fuel.

The EPA fuel economy test cycle allows manufactures to disconnect DRL's.


Such chicanery! The real money maker for DRLs and "infinite lights" modes is in the batteries and alternator replacements.

Pop's 2000 Jaguar goes through batteries like crazy, because some genius programmed ALL the lights to perpetually be on, robbing the battery of (low-RPM) amps to recharge itself. I'm surprised the alternator hasn't taken a dump, then agiain I'm not, it's a Denso alternator, the best in the world IMO.
 
My '03 Golf came with DRLs when new and after a few months I disabled them by taping over a pin in the light switch. In the next few weeks I noticed a number of times that other drivers would not see me as readily, nor react as smoothly as I had became used to.

Back in they went, and in subsequent cars without DRLs I use the headlights in daylight whenever I feel there is even a chance of not being easily seen.
 
Too bad the tail lights do not also come on with the DRLs. Too many cars going around at dusk and at night with their DRLs on, and the driver incorrectly thinks the headlights are on. Maybe the driver can see where they are going, but the back of their car is plenty dark.
 
DRL's are an excellent safety feature and I wish every vehicle had them.

Then we could turn our attention to red brake lights and only amber turn lights both front and rear.
 
Originally Posted By: 51Plymouth
Too many cars going around at dusk and at night with their DRLs on, and the driver incorrectly thinks the headlights are on. Maybe the driver can see where they are going, but the back of their car is plenty dark.

That's true, but in the pre-DRL days (and still with those driving pre-DRL vehicles) there was no shortage of people driving without lights at all.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Yes some are a PITA, on VW i found a fix that involves bending a pin over in the light switch.
Some claim there is a small PH screw under the light switch on the Volvo? If so turn it to the left to disable the DRL .
I read some clipping a green wire and another bending a switch pin like VW.
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Look near the light switch. You should find a tiny screw. Turn it.

Up until around 2004 Volvo had tiny screw near the light switch to turn off the DRL, after 2005 the only way is find a dealer know how and willing to run a software to disable the DRL.
 
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