Offical DRL (Day Time Running Lights) Thread

[Thunderturd]

What are DRL's?

DRL's are the lights that turn on automatically when you start your car. They are currently standard on: GM, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Saab, Volvo, Volkswagen, Suzuki, and Subaru cars and trucks.

Why have DRL's?

DRL's are designed to make you easier to see during the day. They were originally created in other parts of the world that do not have very much ambient light compared to the USA in the 70s.

Why not have DRL's?

This answer could be different for everyone. Some may want to turn them off because they do not like the looks of them or agree with a number of people that say they are unsafe because the cars with them on make the cars without them harder to see. In Canada auto makers can put the DRL's on the high beams and the limit on DRL can be up to 7000cd. With that being said what do you do when a car with bright head lights is driving at you? By human nature you focus somewhere else most likely off the road!

What about the laws?

Right now there is no law requiring or banning DRL's.

What can I do if I want to have DRL's on my car that didn't come with them from the factory?

GM sells a kit that will convert your car to have DRL's. To purchase contact your local GM dealership.

How to disable your DRL's. (On Grand Prix's, other makes follow the link)

The easiest way to do this is to remove the panel on the driver side dash and unplug the 2 wire harness with the heat sink around it. Once unplugged (can be hard for big handed people) tape up the ends of the wires and your are FINISHED!

For an alternative method and other makes follow the link below:
DADRL - How To Disable DRLs





Side note: I will get pictures up sometime soon.

[SuperSport]

When I bought my car, I pulled it in the driveway, opened the side door on the dash, and removed that plug.


There is no point for DRL's in the US.

[Iron Indian]

I love DRLs and I think its a very good safety feature that all automakers should follow suit IMO.

This coming from a guy who used to be on the road alot, 6,000 miles a month to be exact (for my company). You definatly notice the DRL cars on gloomy days...

[Mad Monkey]

thats my question.. they install DRL's for a saftey reason, not to annoy drivers...

sure on a nice sunny day they are useless. but on a gloomy day like indian said, comes it handy big time.

I work early mornings occasionally and having the day times on other cars really makes a diff knowing where they are. I HATE seeing a car without DRL's on.

[tod1d]

I've seen a lot of 04+ gp's with just amber lights on during the day yet I can't get my car to do the same

[flash527]

I've seen a lot of 04+ gp's with just amber lights on during the day yet I can't get my car to do the same

they should stay on automatically when your car is in gear unless someone disabled yours before you bought it, or they're malfunctioning.

[SuperSport]

When its dusk or dawn, people should be responsible enough to turn their lights on. Now cars have merge alarms, cars that slow down when you get too close to another car...people starting to realize that the car can do more for them, therefore they're being more careless, and less responsible.

Dont want to start arguments, just dont like all the automatic crap on newer cars nowadays.

[tod1d]

they should stay on automatically when your car is in gear unless someone disabled yours before you bought it, or they're malfunctioning.

so your saying all of these other 04+ gp's I see with just their amber lights located in the fog light area on during the day are malfunctioning? I can't have my car do the same no matter how much I play with the light stock

[SuperSport]

so your saying all of these other 04+ gp's I see with just their amber lights located in the fog light area on during the day are malfunctioning? I can't have my car do the same no matter how much I play with the light stock

The 04's and 05's lit up the amber parking lights. The 06, 07 and 08s light up the low beams.

This is the same with the old malibus too, the 04 and 05 lit up the ambers, the 06+ use the low beams. CTS as well. GM must have done something to make them all low beam across the board starting in 06.

[Thunderturd]

Woah lots of arguing I just wrote this while I was bored as work to use as a reference because I see often people asking about them.

[Iron Indian]

When its dusk or dawn, people should be responsible enough to turn their lights on. Now cars have merge alarms, cars that slow down when you get too close to another car...people starting to realize that the car can do more for them, therefore they're being more careless, and less responsible.

Dont want to start arguments, just dont like all the automatic crap on newer cars nowadays.

People aren't generally that smart though, at least around here. On Gloomy days I have my headlights and fog lights on. If you don't see my 4 HID 6K lights on, you better not be driving at all...

[tod1d]

The 04's and 05's lit up the amber parking lights. The 06, 07 and 08s light up the low beams.

This is the same with the old malibus too, the 04 and 05 lit up the ambers, the 06+ use the low beams. CTS as well. GM must have done something to make them all low beam across the board starting in 06.

that makes sense, thank you

what would it take to make my 07 behave like an 04-05?

[tod1d]

that makes sense, thank you

what would it take to make my 07 behave like an 04-05?

wow no answers for that question

[ricardo23]

yees, i finally got it.. thanks man.. i really helped me out.. now i gotta figure out how to change the dash color lights.. from red to blue.. if anyone knows how to.. lemme know..

[Thunderturd]

Go slow and take stuff apart and resolder in LEDs

[Mad Monkey]

Ist there a red overlay on the dash? With white lights behind it?

[tod1d]

now you guys have gone off topic

[Thunderturd]

No one was complaining until you said something.. There is no problem here.

[Mad Monkey]

off topic? off the topic of knowingly disabling a very useful saftey feature??lol sorry ... People leave your DRL's alone unless you have a show car that doesnt drive on the road! They installed them for a reason!

[tod1d]

this thread went off topic once the dash lights were mentioned

I'm hoping to have an answer as to what it takes to make my 07 drl behave like the 04-05 do