DRL Disable but keep Auto Headlights

[SnowYeti]

Excellent mod.

Found this thread today and decided eh what the hell I'll do it on my 19.

Yesterday I installed led switchbacks and high beams, and was annoyed on how damn bright the highs are while running as DRLs. Well, problem solved!

Excellent, simple mod.

Now to do Antman's mod so i can get fogs running without low beams.

I did the same for the same reasons. Super simple mod and the Switch Backs are much better DRL to boot. Really a current look and function compared to stock. I just leave the light stock set to running lights. I also did the ambient light switch mod to dim the infotainment screen automatically. Though I am going to wire the fogs to my Switch Pros.

 

[q451990]

Just ran across this post, good research.

The idea is to break the electrical connection at the pin. I'm thinking I can just put some Kapton (generically polyimide film tape) over the pin and plug it back in. This tape is thin and insulates well.

This way you don't mess up your $100 relay or put mechanical stress on the connector with the bent pin being force to the side.

BTW The spec says "1 mil polyimide film & 1.36 mil silicone adhesive". 1 mil = 1/1000 of an inch in electronics. So that's about 0.059 mm thick total.

So all of these years later, I tried the Kapton tape. Maybe I'm not skilled enough to apply it correctly, but I tried several times. I could get the pin covered fairly nicely, but it would push off when I inserted the relay into the connector. I finally broke down, and bent the pin. I can confirm that the 2017 Limited has the same relay, and bending pin two disables the stock DRLs.

 

[LakeRunr]

Found this and tried it but I couldn't figure out how to remove the pin from the connector.

Seemed like a good mod which would allow to revert back to stock if you wanted to in the future.

14+ 4Runner DRL Disable Mod.pdf - Google Drive

Maybe if someone figures out how to remove the pin they can post on how they did it.

Just did this method. Easy following the PDF instructions. Thanks for posting the link. No more stupid DRLs!

 

[clarksky]

do you have the link for the Antman fog mod to which you're referring?

 

[Brick Sprickly]

do you have the link for the Antman fog mod to which you're referring?

Here ya go:
ANTMAN'S Thread - Page 2 - Toyota 4Runner Forum - Largest 4Runner Forum

 

[LT Ambrose 26]

Confirmed: Works on 2018 T4R TRD Off-road. Took less than 5 mins.

My 2018 TRD Off Road does not have auto headlights, so I noticed that when the lights are set to DRL only the low setting for the highbeams come on, no side markers. My hope was to have the side markers with no highbeams at all when set to DRL. Is this what you have done?

The picture attached is my headlight set to DRL.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Saker]

My 2018 TRD Off Road does not have auto headlights, so I noticed that when the lights are set to DRL only the low setting for the highbeams come on, no side markers. My hope was to have the side markers with no highbeams at all when set to DRL. Is this what you have done?

The picture attached is my headlight set to DRL.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

In the normal DRL mode, the High beams are on at a reduced voltage...9v.
This is achieved thru the DRL Relay.

So, your headlights are configured the same as mine..."No Auto Mode"

So, by bending the pin on the relay, that makes the DRL not function, then you can turn your lights on click past DRL and achieve what you desire.
No DRL, Parking or running lights on, no headlights lit...

I think this may be what you desire, if so....follow the examples in this thread as others have done.

 

[cb1111]

So my question is "why"

While DRLs are not required by the FMVSS in the US (they are required in Canada), all cars currently sold in the US come with DRLs and they are a definite safety feature.

I'm always surprised when I see a modern car on the car without DRLs. I regularly cross a road right before the crest of a hill and cars without DRLs are far more difficult to see.

Why would you want to disable a proven safety device?

 

[LakeRunr]

So my question is "why"

While DRLs are not required by the FMVSS in the US (they are required in Canada), all cars currently sold in the US come with DRLs and they are a definite safety feature.
...
Why would you want to disable a proven safety device?

Because they are NOT a "proven" safety device/feature, that's why. If you can't see a big old 4Runner on the road near you, you need to have you eyes checked.

 

[cb1111]

Because they are NOT a "proven" safety device/feature, that's why. If you can't see a big old 4Runner on the road near you, you need to have you eyes checked.

Actually they are. Studies in Europe, Canada (and in the US to a lesser extent) show a 5 to 10 % decrease in accidents. Here is another study.

As DRLs have become more prevalent in the US, we tend to expect them, so a car without DRLs becomes "invisible" in certain instances.

Expect to see a change in US regs in the coming years.

 

[LakeRunr]

Actually they are. Studies in Europe, Canada (and in the US to a lesser extent) show a 5 to 10 % decrease in accidents. Here is another study.

Correlation is not causation. Could it be that the vehicles that did have DRLs also had other, more-modern safety features? Anti-lock brakes, stability control, etc.? Could it be that consumers who deliberately purchased DRL-equipped vehicles were also more cautious drivers (buying primarily based on safety features)? I'm not asking you, because you have a clear bias...I'm showing that the cause of the accidents involving non-DRL-equipped vehicles was not studied, or part of their criteria.

As DRLs have become more prevalent in the US, we tend to expect them, so a car without DRLs becomes "invisible" in certain instances.

Don't use "we"...maybe you do, but a 1.5-2-ton car is never going to be close to invisible, if you're paying any attention to what you're doing on the road at all.

 

[Saker]

So my question is "why"

While DRLs are not required by the FMVSS in the US (they are required in Canada), all cars currently sold in the US come with DRLs and they are a definite safety feature.

I'm always surprised when I see a modern car on the car without DRLs. I regularly cross a road right before the crest of a hill and cars without DRLs are far more difficult to see.

Why would you want to disable a proven safety device?

It's a nanny feature.
:wtf:
It amazes me how we lived so long without some "regulation" to save us from ourselves! IMHO

 

[cb1111]

It's a nanny feature.
:wtf:
It amazes me how we lived so long without some "regulation" to save us from ourselves! IMHO

So are seatbelts, Center High Mounted Brake lights, ABS and airbags. Do those save lives?

 

[LakeRunr]

So are seatbelts, Center High Mounted Brake lights, ABS and airbags.

Wrong.

Seatbelts and airbags keep you from impacting the interior of the car (windshield, steering wheel, everything else) and seatbelts prevent a body from being ejected from the vehicle (fatal for certain) in an accident.

CHMSLs (Center High Mounted Stop Lights) exist because on some cars (and some situations) you can't tell the difference between a car with its taillights on and a car with its brake lights on. An additional light coming on when you slow down is a good signal to the driver behind you.

ABS is a game changer...allowing a driver to remain in control when their lizard brain tells them to stomp on the brakes. No human can modulate the brakes many times per second like ABS can.

These things are all in a completely different class than DRLs.

 

[Saker]

So are seatbelts, Center High Mounted Brake lights, ABS and airbags. Do those save lives?

[MENTION=390705]cb1111[/MENTION],
Nice over-reaching reply, do you work for the govt?

I commented only on the DRL feature, Maybe you didn't read it....so I will repost it for you again

It's a nanny feature.
:wtf:
It amazes me how we lived so long without some "regulation" to save us from ourselves! IMHO

 

[cb1111]

[MENTION=390705]cb1111[/MENTION],
Nice over-reaching reply, do you work for the govt?

I commented only on the DRL feature, Maybe you didn't read it....so I will repost it for you again

I guess we'll just have to continue to disagree on this.

IMO, most anything that makes it easier to be seen is a good thing.

 

[jp.vegas]

I guess we'll just have to continue to disagree on this.

IMO, most anything that makes it easier to be seen is a good thing.

Unless of course that's a light that's somehow brighter than the one it's replacing, like an LED low beam or something?

Good news: in the 2020 4Runner, DRL on or off is a selectable feature in the car settings portion of the entertainment system. No wires to cut or relays to mangle. Apparently Toyota understands that something not mandated is a feature not everyone wants or needs.

 

[Friggin Idiot]

I do wonder about the true "safety" of the DRL feature. Yes it improves visibility in daylight from the front of the vehicle, but does nothing for side or rear visibility.
Then there are the absolute morons who think because their "headlights" are on, they are automatic and drive around at night without anything more than their DRL's. The number of these morons is higher than one would think. I'm sure in rural areas people know to turn on their headlights, but urban areas which are overrun with streetlights it's a different story.
I work in the control tower at a large airport, and have to deal with the morons who pack their brains in their bags before leaving home while I'm just trying to get to/from my daily grind. On any given night time drive within 2 miles of the airport I usually encounter at least 3 people with their lights out (both figuratively and literally), running DRL only. Sure that's only 3 in probably 100 cars that I see in that distance, but remember 3 in 100 is also the average number of police/law enforcement to civilians for the country as well.
I'll bet this is probably the biggest drawback to the DRL as a safety feature.

 

[jp.vegas]

I do wonder about the true "safety" of the DRL feature. Yes it improves visibility in daylight from the front of the vehicle, but does nothing for side or rear visibility.
Then there are the absolute morons who think because their "headlights" are on, they are automatic and drive around at night without anything more than their DRL's. The number of these morons is higher than one would think. I'm sure in rural areas people know to turn on their headlights, but urban areas which are overrun with streetlights it's a different story.
I work in the control tower at a large airport, and have to deal with the morons who pack their brains in their bags before leaving home while I'm just trying to get to/from my daily grind. On any given night time drive within 2 miles of the airport I usually encounter at least 3 people with their lights out (both figuratively and literally), running DRL only. Sure that's only 3 in probably 100 cars that I see in that distance, but remember 3 in 100 is also the average number of police/law enforcement to civilians for the country as well.
I'll bet this is probably the biggest drawback to the DRL as a safety feature.

That's a good point. I see that all the time...DRLs on but no other lights so you can't see them until you're almost on top of them at night. Brilliant feature.

 

[cb1111]

Unless of course that's a light that's somehow brighter than the one it's replacing, like an LED low beam or something?

Good news: in the 2020 4Runner, DRL on or off is a selectable feature in the car settings portion of the entertainment system. No wires to cut or relays to mangle. Apparently Toyota understands that something not mandated is a feature not everyone wants or needs.

There are legitimate reasons for temporarily turning off DRLs - going through checkpoints is one example.

I do wonder about the true "safety" of the DRL feature. Yes it improves visibility in daylight from the front of the vehicle, but does nothing for side or rear visibility.
Then there are the absolute morons who think because their "headlights" are on, they are automatic and drive around at night without anything more than their DRL's. The number of these morons is higher than one would think. I'm sure in rural areas people know to turn on their headlights, but urban areas which are overrun with streetlights it's a different story.
I work in the control tower at a large airport, and have to deal with the morons who pack their brains in their bags before leaving home while I'm just trying to get to/from my daily grind. On any given night time drive within 2 miles of the airport I usually encounter at least 3 people with their lights out (both figuratively and literally), running DRL only. Sure that's only 3 in probably 100 cars that I see in that distance, but remember 3 in 100 is also the average number of police/law enforcement to civilians for the country as well.
I'll bet this is probably the biggest drawback to the DRL as a safety feature.

Absolutely correct. Some manufacturers are foolish enough to turn on the dash lights with the DRLs. That lulls the drivers into not realizing that the lights aren't on.

Canada has resolved this issue with this regulation which states:

(14) If the fuel level indicator, oil pressure indicator, engine coolant temperature indicator, battery charging indicator, automatic transmission control position indicator or speedometer indicator or their identifications are illuminated when the daytime running lights of a vehicle are in use, one of the following requirements shall be met:

(a) the lower beam headlamps shall be automatically activated in a steady burning state in less than 2 seconds if the ambient light outside the vehicle falls to less than 1,000 lux, and after being automatically activated, shall be automatically deactivated in less than 300 seconds but not less than 5 seconds if the ambient light outside the vehicle rises to more than 7,000 lux; or
(b) the tail lamps shall be alight.
______________________________
Germany and other European countries mandated that headlights be used during the day because they realized that the increased visibility reduced accidents and fatalities.