Dimmer DRLs?

4338 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by mrv, Mar 29, 2003

tdonoughue

Discussion Starter · Mar 27, 2003

I would like a mod that dims the DRLs so that they are more like normal DRLs.

I have a copy of the post on instructions to install the relay to turn the DRLs off and will probably trek off on my own to try to install something to tone them down. But why re-invent the wheel (or the DRL, as the case may be)?

Input appreciated.

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jdbower

· #2 · Mar 29, 2003

Any reason why?

I'm guessing that you may be stuck with the DRLs as they are or with dim headlights. Is there any reason why you want this? I doubt it will have any effect on the mileage or battery life and if anything the dimmer bulb will probably not live as long.

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tdonoughue

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 29, 2003

Re: Any reason why?

jdbower said:
I'm guessing that you may be stuck with the DRLs as they are or with dim headlights. Is there any reason why you want this? I doubt it will have any effect on the mileage or battery life and if anything the dimmer bulb will probably not live as long.

My thought was to improve gas milage, provide longer bulb life and prevent the 'are the lights on' confusion. Why would running less electricity through the headlights not have this effect?

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jdbower

· #4 · Mar 29, 2003

A dimmer bulb may burn the filament at the wrong temperature, causing more wear and shorter bulb life. I doubt you'll see anything worthwhile as far as increased mileage is concerned; the bulbs don't use THAT much power

.

As for the "your lights are on" issue, I drove my old 4Runner with them on all the time thanks to the neat Toyota feature that turns them off when you open the door. With my ML the DRLs are just the low beams like the Prius seem to be. People should hopefully get used to it eventually. Until then, you can always sneak into funeral lines...

If you're still interested, I suppose you could disable the DRLs and install some low power fog lights hooked up to any switched power source in the engine compartment.

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tdonoughue

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 29, 2003

jdbower said:
As for the "your lights are on" issue, I drove my old 4Runner with them on all the time thanks to the neat Toyota feature that turns them off when you open the door. With my ML the DRLs are just the low beams like the Prius seem to be. People should hopefully get used to it eventually. Until then, you can always sneak into funeral lines...

I had totally missed the funeral line benefit! 8)

Unfortunately, on the Prius you need to still turn the headlights off. People have long reported excessive draining of the battery on the Prius if the headlight switch is left on, even with the lights actually off. Why, of course, remains a mystery...

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Phyton

· #6 · Mar 29, 2003

Daylight Option May Get Me a Fine!

My 2002 Prius is the first car that I've owned with the daylight lights option.

Frankly, I'm afraid they are going to result in my getting a ticket?

How? Well, I have a habit of getting in the car at night at a mall, movie parking lot, etc. and hey, the lights are on, right? So I drive off into the night.

Twice, I have had folks pull up beside me on the dark freeway honking their horns. I finally realized that I was DRIVING AROUND WITH NO TAIL LIGHTS.
(Dummy!) Because it was in the daytime mode!

I am gradually adjusting...... (blush)

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tdonoughue

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 29, 2003

Re: Daylight Option May Get Me a Fine!

Phyton said:
How? Well, I have a habit of getting in the car at night at a mall, movie parking lot, etc. and hey, the lights are on, right? So I drive off into the night.

I would love to say I have never done the same thing. Would love to, but can't.

Recommendation: look for the green headlight on the dash. Once you get used to looking for that at night, it becomes much easier.

Second recommendation: *NEVER* leave your dimming switch all the way up. Even if the display is a little hard to read for a little while, it is well worth the reminder when you are in the car and see, oh, my, that display sure is bright.... I wonder--oh! Headlights...

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mrv

· #8 · Mar 29, 2003

tdonoughue said:
jdbower said:

As for the "your lights are on" issue, I drove my old 4Runner with them on all the time thanks to the neat Toyota feature that turns them off when you open the door. With my ML the DRLs are just the low beams like the Prius seem to be. People should hopefully get used to it eventually. Until then, you can always sneak into funeral lines...

Click to expand...

I had totally missed the funeral line benefit! 8)

Unfortunately, on the Prius you need to still turn the headlights off. People have long reported excessive draining of the battery on the Prius if the headlight switch is left on, even with the lights actually off. Why, of course, remains a mystery...

2001 Prius. I've always used "poor man's DRLs" - leave the headlight switch on all the time, just make sure to turn the car off, then open the driver's door. (won't work if you exit out the passenger side, or if you open the door and THEN turn the lights on.)

I've never had a battery problem. Then again, I've never left the car for longer than a week. Just make sure that if you're leaving for a long trip or won't use the car for a long time to turn the headlight switch off before you go. (There's still some power in the circuit when it's left on.)

The one time I've had a 12v battery almost go flat (turn the car on and get the white screen of death - wait a bit for the car to start) was when my husband was driving the car. Out of habit, he turned the lights off. He opened the door, and then realized that I usually have the headlight switch on all the time, so he turned the lights on. Luckily, a nice neighbor knocked on the door to tell him that his lights were on, so he went out to turn the lights off and tried turning the car on. It was moments away from needing a jumpstart.

On an aside - a previous car I had did not chime if you left the lights on when you turned the car off/exited. So that I wouldn't forget the lights on (no little icon on dash), I got myself into the habit/muscle memory that whenever I turned the light switch on, I put a clothespin onto the ignition key. When I turned the lights off, I took the clothespin off. Having that clothespin there when you go to take the key out of the ignition when exiting the car made it very obvious that the headlights were still on. With my Prius, I'm just used to checking the dash before going anywhere to make sure that the lights I expect are there. I make sure that the brake light is out, the door ajar light is out, and that the little green headlight light is on, before I put the car into gear. I'm looking at the dash anyways to make sure I go into the right gear, so it's no trouble to look... (and I have driven a mile or two with my parking brake on in my early days of ownership...)

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