Daytime Running Lights

[Cavman]

Does anyone know if the Daytime Running Lights can be disabled? I know on my BMW they could program them to be ON or OFF at the dealer before you took delivery of the car.

It seems like I have seen RXs on the road without Daytime Running Lights but I am not 100% sure about that.

Thanks in advance.

[silvercorvette]

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread...019#post2785019

[Cavman]

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread...019#post2785019

Thanks. That sounds pretty intense. Didn't realize it would be more than just a change at the dealer. Thanks for the info.

[silvercorvette]

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread...019#post2785019

Thanks. That sounds pretty intense. Didn't realize it would be more than just a change at the dealer. Thanks for the info.

Most if not all dealers will not do it, but it may sound like a lot of work but it reaqlly wan't all that hard to do.

[Jim Nazium]

Does anyone know if the Daytime Running Lights can be disabled? I know on my BMW they could program them to be ON or OFF at the dealer before you took delivery of the car.

It seems like I have seen RXs on the road without Daytime Running Lights but I am not 100% sure about that.

Thanks in advance.

You might want to check the legality issues in your area. As well, ask yourself the reason why you want to de-activate vs there benefits or what you believe to be the disadvantages.

Cheers,

MadloR

[Gryphon]

Caymen, no criticism, but just wondering why you wish to disable the DRLs? I doubt that they have any noticeable effect on fuel mileage.

Tom

[LAG JR]

Does anyone know if the Daytime Running Lights can be disabled? I know on my BMW they could program them to be ON or OFF at the dealer before you took delivery of the car.

It seems like I have seen RXs on the road without Daytime Running Lights but I am not 100% sure about that.

Thanks in advance.

The best place to disable the DRL's is at the Lexus dealer.

I am glad to find someone else who does not care for them.

[Jim Nazium]

If it is a Federal State law, where you live, then no dealer in there right mind will agree to disable them. I am not sure about the state laws in the US of A, but I know it Canada it is a requirement. I do agree that some vehicles execute the DRL feature better than others. I hate them on my M5, but it is the law. I personally do not mind them on my RX 400H, but I will be changing the Halogen High Beams with something in the 4300K range so as to match the following... :D

HID Fog / Driving Lights

I haven't decided whether to go with SilverStar or some other "Name Brand" like PIAA.

Cheers,

MadloR

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

If it is a Federal State law, where you live, then no dealer in there right mind will agree to disable them. I am not sure about the state laws in the US of A, but I know it Canada it is a requirement.

. . . . . . . snip

Cheers,

MadloR

Nazium, the way things work here in the U.S. ... if it's a Fed law, then it IS the Law. State laws can't run counter to fed law (supposedly we were supposed to learn that in our High School civics class in the U.S.A. ... but, you know how that goes). And yes, the Feds require DLR's on NEW cars only, not older ones. But often, the local sheriff, or individual state's highway patrols are lax on enforcement (heck, they can't keep speeders and drunks and drug runner in control, so why sweat the tiny stuff?) when it comes to DLR's. Then there's evidence from recent reports that show NO discernable reduction in accidents on the newer cars with DLR's ... so not much incentive for law enforcement to find DLR's as a crime wave issue ;) .

So, that being said, don't expect to get the lights and siren pulling you over for installing a DLR switch (that's what we did, about a year ago, after finding info on the lexusownersclub site ... the search tool is a wonderful thing :P ). It's not like the cops keep a HUGE catalogue of all the model years that manufacturers instaled DLR's on. Without a big book, they know who to cite or who not to cite. And as you said, your dealer aint NEVER gona put a switch in for you ... simply because the factory didn't do it.

Why did we add a switch? Simple ... I see no need to have the DLR's running and draining the batteries needlesly if (for example) I want to leave the ignition on and I get out to gas up, or go into the post office, or pull over for a couple minutes. So it's not MUCH of a drain ... and so what if it's not much of a ding on the mpg ... and so what if the bulbs will only last a little longer ... it's just a little thing that some folks simply want to do. I'd rather use that bit of battery power to run the AC a few seconds longer on a hot summer day maybe ... rather than needlesly flashing my DLR's :D

[Jim Nazium]

I am not up to snuff on US law, as I mentioned, not being too sure about the laws state by state. But up here in Canada it is a law, and has been for a very long time.

As for there effectiveness, it HAS been proven an advantage, DRL's work. You will spot a vehicle at distance better with the high beams on SOONER, than an identical vehicle with High Beams off... especially on bright days or early evening and / or late afternoons.

Also keep in mind, that I think DRL's are even MORE important for Hybrid vehicles. On many occasions when driving in public places such as parking lots, the 400H is being propelled on battery power, hence SILENT. Hence, pedestrians, children, elderely, have to rely solely on sight, due to the very quiet nature while cruising on Battery only. This is not to say that accidents won't happen, but you have to believe that the Highbeams "on" cannot hurt, especially when driving on battery power alone, it can only help.

I am not going to debate on whether someone should or should not de-activate DRL's, nor am I going to debate on whether or not there is an actual fuel savings. To each his own, much like those who believe in using Super Unleaded for better fuel economy etc...

As for being pulled over, probably not, but I am of the belief to never give an officer a REASON to pull you over. Also, if you ARE pulled over for i.e. speeding or some other infraction, they may decide to throw the book at you.

Cheers,

MadloR

[RX400h]

Also keep in mind, that I think DRL's are even MORE important for Hybrid vehicles. On many occasions when driving in public places such as parking lots, the 400H is being propelled on battery power, hence SILENT. Hence, pedestrians, children, elderely, have to rely solely on sight, due to the very quiet nature while cruising on Battery only. This is not to say that accidents won't happen, but you have to believe that the Highbeams "on" cannot hurt, especially when driving on battery power alone, it can only help.

I tend to agree. Even with the lights on, some pedestrians are startled when they notice a large vehicle moving without any noise. And I believe the lights are LEDs, which last almost forever while drawing very little current. Surely there are other, more important things to worry about in life....

Dave

[1990LS400]

I guess I've always been a car "safety nut". As a child in the 1950s, I "forced" my dad to buy seat belts for the family car long before they were required in the U.S.; got the family car equipted with halogen headlights in the early 1960s before I could even drive; had high mounted Hella stoplights on our cars over five years before they were required in the U.S.

People in my family has been driving with either headlights on or with DRLs since the late 1960s after the early studies on DRLs came out of northern Europe and back when driving with headlights on during the day was illegal in some states. It has been a very effective stategy.

If you do not like DRLs for yourself, please be kind and use them for the benefit of others. I'm getting on in years and I need all the help I can get, LOL.

My Dad is 85 and still (perhaps dangerously) driving. You REALLY, REALLY want him to be able to see you coming so he doesn't pull out in front of you and kill you both.

I love DRLs and consider them one of the best passive safety devices ever!

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

As for there effectiveness, it HAS been proven an advantage, DRL's work. You will spot a vehicle at distance better with the high beams on SOONER, than an identical vehicle with High Beams off... especially on bright days or early evening and / or late afternoons.

Cheers,

MadloR

I sure agree with the whole aspect of NO lights vs HEADLIGHTS. Heck the 400h's HID's are WAY bright. On the other hand, The DLR's on the 400h are pretty anemic. If I remember, I think I read that they're 12v elements that actually only receive 6v ... thus the dull yellow. But HID's vs the DLR's ? Now we're talking a whole different ballgame. But as to running strictly DLR's ?? It's just what I read ... and recently, the 'benefit' (strictly DLR's ... no headlights), according to the so called 'experts' , they say the benefit is as anemic as the DLR beems. I'll bet they'd make a difference if you put some REAL beams in there !

Now I'm kind of curious. Are the Canadian DLR's dull also? Or does Canada beef 'em up.

[retired00]

And yes, the Feds require DLR's on NEW cars only, not older ones.

It's not Federal law, nor state for DRL's, per the iihs:

2 | Where are DRLs required?

Laws in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden require vehicles to operate with lights on during the daytime. There are two types of laws. Canada's requires vehicles to be equipped with DRLs. The other type of law (in effect in Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) requires motorists to turn on their headlights if their vehicles do not have automatic DRLs. In 1972, Finland mandated daytime running lights in winter on rural roads and a decade later made DRLs mandatory year-round. Sweden's law took effect in 1977, Norway's in 1986, Iceland's in 1988, and Denmark's in 1990. Hungary has required drivers on rural roads to operate with vehicle lights on since 1993. Canada requires DRLs for vehicles made after December 1, 1989. No US state mandates DRLs, but some require drivers to operate vehicles with lights on in bad weather.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Jim Nazium]

DRL's are Halogen powered, for the obvious reasons. HID's do not work with the same concept as a filament bulb, same concept as putting a dimmer switch for Neon lights, it just won't work.

I believe most manufactures lower the overall output voltage to the high beams (most common form of DRL's, as they are also aimed more up and forward than low beams) by 2-3 Volts. The actual "dingier" beam is caused by the Temperature range of the bulb and in all honesty a 16Volt output to the same temperature range bulb will not appear any "cleaner" or "whiter" than say 12 volts or even 8-10 volts to the very same bulb. Trust me, long before HID were of fashion/available I always modified my vehicles to improve the "North American" standard. In Europe, they have long been ahead of us in headlamp design (E-spec) and layout.

On the weekend I will try to getting around to swapping out the High Beams (god willing, I am helping someone renovate THERE home for free hehehe) for something like the Sylvania Silver Stars. I never liked the "look" of HID with the crossbreading of Halogen bulbs giving the mismatched look.

Cheers,

MadloR

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

And yes, the Feds require DLR's on NEW cars only, not older ones.

It's not Federal law, nor state for DRL's, per the iihs:

Whoops! My bad / mis-spoke. Should have said legalized DLR's ... not required (and what is iihs ? I'm not familiar with what that stands for).

BTW, Wikipedia has a nice article on U.S. dlr history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_runni...p#United_States

[Gryphon]

Madlo, I use the Silver Stars in my Porsche but they are VERY short-lived.

Tom