How to: Disable DRL on your 3rd gen. (earlier models)

[Little bruiser]

Yay! That seems to have done the trick. Snipped that wire and all my lights still work, but no DRL's.

I don't have to stare at that stupid Parking Brake light anymore, lol.

Well there you go brother! Glad to be of help. Hopefully other people find it useful too.

 

[tymoreland]

Well, I know this seems to be a pretty talked about topic on this forum as well as yotatech and when I was searching for info on how to do it, I found a lot of confusion as well as misinformation. I tackled the DRL disable and it was fairly simple so I thought I would snap a couple pictures and do a write-up. Might be nice to sticky this somewhere since it seems there are a lot of people interested in doing this.
From my understanding this will only work on earlier models of the 3rd gen 4Runner (1996-2000?). Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

The first thing you are going to want to do, is locate the battery.... should be easy enough. After you have found the battery you want to remove the nut that is closest the windshield on the battery tie-down bar. (Mine was a 12mm, you will want to hold onto the rod that the nut screws onto as it will be loose after you remove the nut.)

This is the nut:

After you remove the nut, you will see what I mean about the rod not being connected to anything on the other end. To make sure I didn't lose it, I just took the rod off and threaded the nut back on.

Rod and Nut removed:

Once you have this removed you should be able to lift up on the tie-down bar enough to slide the battery over about 6" away from the fender. This will give you plenty of room to work. There is a box hooked to the fender, and there is a clip right off of this box that you need to unplug.

This is the box:

Now, you may be able to reach down and seperate the clip on your own, but since I have bigger hands, I found it easier to just use a flathead screwdriver:

Once you have undone the clip then you should have a situation looking like this:

Your DRL's are now disabled and you can put everything back together and drive off into the daylight!!

This was my first write up ever so if it sucks.....


...Then BACK OFF!

perfect write up thanks!

 

[Leasebeast4r]

perfect write up thanks!

this worked perfect on my 2000 4runner. Disconnect it, tape it up to protect from dust/etc.. DRL's disabled. Headlights low beam/hi beam still work fine.

 

[GRNT4R00]

DRL Disable

Subscribing for future reference

 

[Tavo_D]

trd_4runnin, nice work! Good pictures too.

I will say this, to finish this mod off (if you have not already done so), you probably should cover up both plug ends to keep dirt and water out. I'd take some electrical tape (or something similar) and wrap the heck out of both of them. Then take two zip ties and tie one around each connector to hold the electrical tape on. (The heat from the engine will cause the tape to come off if you do not find a way to keep it secured.) Just a thought.

I disabled my DRLs on my '02 a while back...have loved it ever since. I will say, I wish disabling '01-'02s were as easy as disabling them on '00s. Granted sniping one wire under the dash is easy, but unplugging a connector in the engine compartment is much easier IMO. My wife has an '00 4Runner and sometimes just to mess with her, I unplug her DRLs when she's not around (haha, she always tells me to leave her 4Runner ALONE!).

To my knowledge, no one has yet to come up with a way to install a switch inline to turn off/on the DRLs on '00 4Runners. That'd be nice to be able to do so. So far, the write up mentioned earlier in this thread is the only way I know off on how to install a switch inline...but that's for us '01-'02 guys.

Majority of people looking to disbable their DRLs do not know there are 2 specific ways based on what year 4Runner they have. Not completely sure if '99s came w/ DRLs, but the '00 guys do it one way, the '01-'02 guys have to do it a different way. Being that I have since disabled my DRLs a while back, I get asked quite often by fellow YT members how to disable their DRLs on their '00 4Runner. Your write up (along w/ pictures) would help a ton if you could post it on YT under the "tech write up section". Hope you can find time to add this to YTs site!

Here's the tech section I'm refering to on YT: Tech Section

Here's how to submit tech articles: Tech Article Submission


Oh and for all those how are curious as to why the need to disable DRLs, here are just a few reasons in this YT thread:Why disable DRLs?

For many more reasons as to why disable DRLs, just search the terms "DRL" or "Daytime Running Lights" in either T4R.org or YotaTech.com. This topic has been heavily discussed on both sites.


Again trd_4runnin, nice write-up!

Let me start off by saying I'm not mechanically inclined in any way. I have 2001 4runner and I cut the black wire with the yellow stripe and my drl's are still on. Am I missing something? Any help would be appreciated. Just installed some led's and I would love for them to last me as long as possible.

 

[Rock Slide]

Let me start off by saying I'm not mechanically inclined in any way. I have 2001 4runner and I cut the black wire with the yellow stripe and my drl's are still on. Am I missing something? Any help would be appreciated. Just installed some led's and I would love for them to last me as long as possible.

Cut the Pin 12 Black/Yellow Stripe wire to disable the DRL "circuit" operation. A switch can be installed inline between the two separate Black/Yellow Stripe wires for manual DRL operation if desired.

Make sure you cut the Blk/Yel wire in Pin 12. You may have cut a Yel/Blk wire in another pin location.

 

[Rock Slide]

FWIW, Pin 12 is located in the picture below. Pay no attention to the other items mentioned...they're for another mod.

Also, you do not have to install a switch inline for Pin 12 like mentioned below. Just cut it, tape both ends and you're good.

 

[Chingpo05]

you guys go through a lot of trouble doing this cutting and all. I just unplugged my DRL box next to my battery, 2 pin wire, and it works just fine 2000 runner

 

[Rock Slide]

you guys go through a lot of trouble doing this cutting and all. I just unplugged my DRL box next to my battery, 2 pin wire, and it works just fine 2000 runner

We '01 - '02 guys don't have the drl box next to the battery like in a '00. Thus we HAVE to cut the wire at the drl module under the dash.

FYI, Toyota changed how drls were wired beginning in model year '01 4Runners.

 

[Chingpo05]

We '01 - '02 guys don't have the drl box next to the battery like in a '00. Thus we HAVE to cut the wire at the drl module under the dash.

FYI, Toyota changed how drls were wired beginning in model year '01 4Runners.

ahhhh, that blows, they kept it on many other of their vehicles though.

 

[stever1000]

Instead of disconnecting that plug, couldn't I just remove the fuse in the fuse box?

 

[Copper12]

Anyone in San Diego who can give advice

If you have successfully turned off you daylight running lights in a 2001 4Runner and live in the San Diego area, please let me know. I want to do this too, but am hesitant to cut any wires. I tried pulling out fuse 15, but that didn't work.

 

[KojiKP]

We '01 - '02 guys don't have the drl box next to the battery like in a '00. Thus we HAVE to cut the wire at the drl module under the dash.

FYI, Toyota changed how drls were wired beginning in model year '01 4Runners.

I've got a '00 so I just unplugged my connector. But the '01-02 people could just depin that wire right? That way if they ever want to go back to stock, just simply insert the pin back in.

 

[Rock Slide]

Instead of disconnecting that plug, couldn't I just remove the fuse in the fuse box?

Nope. Won't do.

If you have successfully turned off you daylight running lights in a 2001 4Runner and live in the San Diego area, please let me know. I want to do this too, but am hesitant to cut any wires. I tried pulling out fuse 15, but that didn't work.

There's quite a few posts on the interwebs about this. FWIW, you have to cut (or depin) pin 12 on the DRL relay box under the dash below the steering wheel. I've got photos of the process saved on my other laptop. I need to load them up some day.

I've got a '00 so I just unplugged my connector. But the '01-02 people could just depin that wire right? That way if they ever want to go back to stock, just simply insert the pin back in.

Why of course. That also works. I didn't mean to imply the wire must be cut for the mod to work...simply trying to inform the other member we don't have a box by the battery to unplug. Wish we did!

 

[Grosspoluter]

Thanks for a great write up
I’ve only had my 4runner for 5 months but the daylights were driving me batty

 

[dsms4ever]

Thread revival.....

2000 4runner with HID KIT (just retrofited d2s projectors).
I've long had the drl box unplugged next to the battery and it's always worked great...However, I added relays to turn off my led drl projector shrouds and demon eyes when my low beams turn on and guess what? As soon as I drop my parking brake and the vehicle is running, even if my low beams arent turned on(trigger wire into relay to open circuit disrupting power to shroud/demon eyes) some how shut off, and it's not until I turn off the engine to reset the circuit will the system work normally again with the car not running/parking brake engaged. The hid's don't trigger to be turned on with just my parking lights, and yet, my relay circuit I built is getting just enough voltage from the low beam harness(haven't tested it yet) to throw a wrench into things.

I am going to look into snipping pin #12 yellow black and see if that puts in the nail in the coffin to the entire drl plague but wanted to share this information in case anyone else runs across this issue if they build their own drl circuit for led projector shrouds or demon eyes and has an issue with them shutting off with the parking brake down and engine running. The circuit works beautifully with the ignition off or in the on position so I know it's all wired correctly and it's just the factory drl plaguing it!

If that doesn't work, do you guys think I could just throw a resistor inline on my low beam trigger wire in order for it not to activate the relay?

 

[dsms4ever]

I went out to look and pin #12 on a 2000 4runner is not black/yellow. Pin #2 is black yellow and one other reference confirms this is the one to cut prior to 2001. Is that correct?

 

[dsms4ever]

Pin #2 cut on my 2000 4runner and it solved the issue. But it’s onteresting that I had the box also unplugged near the battery! So maybe this will be of some value to some one doing a drl shroud on their projector retro fit who runs into the same issue

 

[Riplayne]

DRL fuse

My 02 has a fuse that says drl, Has anyone just tried to remove it?

I've got an 02 runner with the same DRL fuse, took it out, did nothing!!! Now trying to figure out what else DRL stands for in Yota speak?

 

[silveravnt]

Here in Canada we have to have DRL's. If your parked and don't want them to come on, pull your parking brake before you start it. If your on the trails and don't want the DRL's, pull your parking brake up one click before you start it; of course you will have the red brake light on the dash to deal with. Cheers.

Thank you! This method solves my problem 100%. I like to let the car warm up in my driveway but don't want to advertise that it's ready to drive off. I also spend a lot of time parked waiting in line and don't want to blind the driver in front of me.

Also great for viewing christmas lights in the park.

AND no cutting or added switches.