I want daytime running lights

A

Alpacamarc

New member
I know this seems backwards, when I ran a search every post was about how to disable DRL's but my '98 from the US doesn't have them. We've had them on all vehicles here in Canada for a long time now it seems and I find myself turning on my lights during the day and would rather the DRL system do it for me. I drive on a lot of single lane roads and pass a lot of slower vehicles (semis 'n such) and I like when there's no question that oncoming traffic can see me. Is this just a module I can purchase? Plug & play? Or is there more involved? Thanks.

,Marc
 
Register to hide this ad
Is turning on the light switch that difficult? Also after you turn the vehicle off with the lights on and open the door do they not shut off by themselves? They do on my 4runner and my old 91 camry.. If they do on your 4runner I wouldnt worry about trying to convert it..
But I haven't heard of anyone trying to DRL their non DRL vehicle.
 
if you really wanted to, you could run your parking lights hot all the time to give you a sort of drl. just rewire the power from the lights with a new fuse in line to run hot all the time, and run a ground through your ignition so its only on when the car is on. i think thats how you can achieve this?
 
Justin727 said:
Is turning on the light switch that difficult? Also after you turn the vehicle off with the lights on and open the door do they not shut off by themselves? They do on my 4runner and my old 91 camry.. If they do on your 4runner I wouldnt worry about trying to convert it..
But I haven't heard of anyone trying to DRL their non DRL vehicle.
Click to expand...

My headlights would stay on if I turned off the car, and there would be a warning tone to let me know I left them on. That being said I just dont get how people think DRLs are so helpful and safer. But yeah, simply turning them on yourself doesnt seem to laborious to me.
 
yep dlrs are stupid imo as well, if it's daytime and there's bad conditions turn your lights on, just another example how tech is making the human race just that much dumber.
 
Unfortunately the DRL system is not just a plug and play system, so you would have a hard time getting parts from a donor vehicle to put in yours. The wiring looms are quite different and there is an entire computer module dedicated to them. I can send you a schematic of the DRL system for a 2000 model if you are interested, let me know.

Don't worry about all the dumb yanks here who don't understand DRL's. They've got their own problems if something as simple as having headlights on annoys them so much.
 
techno said:
Unfortunately the DRL system is not just a plug and play system, so you would have a hard time getting parts from a donor vehicle to put in yours. The wiring looms are quite different and there is an entire computer module dedicated to them. I can send you a schematic of the DRL system for a 2000 model if you are interested, let me know.

Don't worry about all the dumb yanks here who don't understand DRL's. They've got their own problems if something as simple as having headlights on annoys them so much.
Click to expand...

Thank you... that was painful. I will look into alternative methods but thanks for the offer of the schematic.

I've grown used to the daytime running lights if anyone is that interested to know (or that offended that I would actually want them). It's not about being lazy, it's more about not always remembering to turn them on. I would like to think that everyone is a fantastic driver nowadays but we all know that's not true. For example if I'm passing a rig on a single lane hwy with my uber-powerful 3.4 I want to make damn sure that others know where I am (remember this is just an example, they serve a huge purpose IMO). Even in broad daylight on a perfectly beautiful day I'm not convinced that even a slightly distracted driver (god knows there are none of those on the roads :ybrick:) is always aware of everything going on. Please don't give me a hard time for trying to be a safe driver, you must have better things to do. :peace:
 
I figured I'd comment here since I have disabled my DRL's (at first using the ghetto e-brake method, now it's actually rewired properly). I find that DRL's can be useful in certain applications. Take my Acura RDX for example. It has DRL's, but they are a separate bulb independent of the headlights. (In the Acura's case, the DRL's are the high beam bulbs operating on low wattage [the projector HID headlights are low beam only]). This way it's obvious when you use your high beam flash that you are trying to get the attention of the other drivers headed in your direction. For this reason, I disabled the DRL's in my 4Runner (as well as the addition of HID's/ somewhat for looks, but that's another can'o'worms), simply because a low beam (basically DRL) to high beam flash will not be as noticeable as a no beam to high beam flash. If the 3rd gen headlight was multi-chambered and designed to accommodate a bulb for DRL and a bulb for low/high beams, I'd keep the DRL's enabled. Manufacturers are on the right track with DRL's, but some could've been designed more effectively than the 4Runner's. Although I can't tell you how many times I see people driving newer Subaru's, Honda's and Pontiac's at night with NO lights on (ahem...except their DRL's...apologies). Main beam DRL's with those cool always backlight Optitron gauges that are getting more popular in car still seem to confuse a LOT of the population...

And techno, having headlights on during the day isn't necessarily the best way to go either. This may just be one of my pet peeves, but it really pisses me off when people drive during the day with their lights on. While it may improve the ability of people to see you coming, it sure doesn't help the people behind you. It's harder to tell if you're hitting the breaks or not, and have been in the car with two separate people who rear ended the car in front, in the early or mid afternoon, simply because they couldn't tell if the car in front was breaking. Both cars involved had their lights on (and were operational) but again, it comes down to the drastic difference between a bulb being lit and a second filament brightening it a bit and a bulb switching from OFF to ON. Volvos and Saabs are guilty of this.
 
You can easily achieve DRL style lights by just always leaving your light switch on.
Once you turn the truck off and open the driver's door the lights will shut off automatically, and come back on when you start the vehicle again.
 
Thanks LINY, I'll give that a try. Something tells me though that the lights on my '98 don't shut off with the key (at least there's a buzzer to remind me, love that). I'll double check the next time I get in.

Kelly - that's a good point about the brake lights during the day... didn't even think of that.

Auto parts stores sell DRL kits for around $40 so I'll likely just pick one of those up. I would have preferred an OEM solution had there been a slick & easy one but it looks like aftermarket is the way to go for me.

Thanks for the ideas guys!
 
I have the DRL module out of my 4runner if you want it.

100_2090.jpg~original
 
Alpacamarc said:
Thanks LINY, I'll give that a try. Something tells me though that the lights on my '98 don't shut off with the key (at least there's a buzzer to remind me, love that). I'll double check the next time I get in.

Kelly - that's a good point about the brake lights during the day... didn't even think of that.

Auto parts stores sell DRL kits for around $40 so I'll likely just pick one of those up. I would have preferred an OEM solution had there been a slick & easy one but it looks like aftermarket is the way to go for me.

Thanks for the ideas guys!
Click to expand...

They won't shut off with they key, you have to turn the key off AND open the drivers door for them to turn off
 
I'll give it a shot tonight LINY.

smallfry - thanks for the offer but according to techno the wiring would be different from my '98 to your '00. If anyone knows otherwise please let me know.

,Marc
 
LINY4Runner said:
They won't shut off with they key, you have to turn the key off AND open the drivers door for them to turn off
Click to expand...

this changed from 98 to 99.

the only reason i know that is because i started out driving with my dads 2000 Limited which sometimes had the lights on and i just never turned them off. when i got my 96 Limited, the first day i had to drive to school with the lights on, i didn't turn them off and when i got out of school, my battery was dead and i had to get a buddy to jump me.
 
4Runner_mudder said:
this changed from 98 to 99.

the only reason i know that is because i started out driving with my dads 2000 Limited which sometimes had the lights on and i just never turned them off. when i got my 96 Limited, the first day i had to drive to school with the lights on, i didn't turn them off and when i got out of school, my battery was dead and i had to get a buddy to jump me.
Click to expand...

Hm, my '96 had the auto off feature (SR5 model). Even my '91 LS400 had it:cowboy:
 
I didn't read through everything but you could always just get some additional lights, mount them on your grill :biggrin2: and wire them so that they turn off when you turn your truck off. that way your rear lights arn't on.
 
HIDs + DRLs?

Good a place & time to ask as any...

I have some 9003 HIDs that I would like to put in my 2000 Ltd. With DRL, will the HIDs turn on or will this burn out the ballasts?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 373 (members: 3, guests: 370)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,310
Messages
3,554,080
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top