Any way to turn off these? | FerrariChat

Any way to turn off these?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by fanatic1, Jul 27, 2005.

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  1. fanatic1

    fanatic1 Guest

    Nov 1, 2003
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    columbus
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    philip
    A lot of the new cars have daytime running lights........anyway to turn these off? If I pull the fuse, I can't use my "normal nightime" headlights.......anyone done this?
     
  2. shiggins

    shiggins Formula 3

    Nov 20, 2004
    1,280
    I don't know. Why do you want to do that? it might be against the law. Seems foolish to me.
     
  3. fanatic1

    fanatic1 Guest

    Nov 1, 2003
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    philip
    It's not against the law. Not in the US anyway. It creates a lot of glare, annoying to other drivers, wastes fuel, burns out the headlamps much faster and puts more strain on the alternator. Also it's impossible to pull up to someones house, and out of courtesy turn off your lights, so you don't shine them into their living room, and when pulling onto a military base, it is required to turn off your lights so the gaurds can see into the vehicle. None of this can be done with DRL's. So there are legitimate reasons.
     
  4. DMC

    DMC Formula 3

    Nov 15, 2002
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    Dean
    Depends on the car. Sometimes you can just pull a relay to prevent them from turning off. It's harder to disable on GM cars.
     
  5. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

    Oct 17, 2004
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    Luis
    Yeah from what io heard daytime running lights don't work too well anyway. There is no evidence that it saved anyone from a single accident
     
  6. CMY

    CMY F1 World Champ

    Oct 15, 2004
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    In most GM cars, there's a module you can buy (from aftermarket suppliers) to by-pass this and retain normal headlight function. Not sure if it would wise to DIY, but it probably could be done.

    C.
     
  7. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    Otto
    Leave the damn thing alone
    IT BURNS FUEL? are you for real? come on that is a load of bunk and DTRLs have been proven to save lives because you see the car with them on hundreds of feet before you see one without. why do you think they are standard on motorcycles?


    On GM vehicles the switch for the headlights goes clockwise to turn on the regular lights if you rotate it to the left you turn the dtrl off. Usually if you just pop on the "park" lights it will also disengage.

    All cars sold in Canada and most european countries require the DTRL the US has been fighting it for years. Never did understand why.
     
  8. infraredline

    infraredline Formula 3

    Mar 15, 2004
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    John
    If you've been having trouble seeing 4000 lb shiny objects in the middle of the day, get glasses. For someone with reasonably good vision, a car that is too far away to see (on a dry day, without its lights on) is a car that doesn't need to be seen. It can only serve as a distraction from closer and more immediately important objects.

    It also makes it more difficult to determine what kind of vehicle is approaching and at what speed. For example if you see two pinpoints of light on the horizon, that could be a large truck (far away), small car (closer), or two motorcycles.

    You can't even tell if you're in plain view of the police because the glare of the headlights (slightly) reduces the eye's ability to pick up important details, such as a black hood with a white top, a light bar or reflective paint. It's an outrage!
     
  9. JaguarXJ6

    JaguarXJ6 F1 Veteran

    Feb 12, 2003
    5,533
    Black Hawk, CO
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    Sunny
    Bingo!! Motorcycles are the ones that benefit from it the most. Twin lights are supposed to help the retina judge approach speed by the change in separation over time. A single light, especially a bright one, is harder to judge.

    However, they do consume the tiniest amount of fuel. If you multiply that out by the number of vehicles, especially in the US compared to Canada, you will find out that its a very measurable amount for all non-two wheeled automobiles.

    Read these two links in this order. At first, its proven that it might use up to two gallons per vehicle here in the US depending on the bulbs, but this second link proves that the actual consumpton is much less, but still measurable, and therefore, still $$$ spent.

    http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question424.htm
    http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/3714

    Sunny
     
  10. XR4Tim

    XR4Tim Formula 3

    Jun 1, 2005
    1,503
    Medina, OH
    There is a way to turn them off in some newer GM vehicles (at least the '99+ trucks and SUVs). I don't remember the exact procedure, but it involves pressing the "dome override" button, and the brake pedal in a particular sequence.
     
  11. taber

    taber Formula 3

    Mar 4, 2005
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    San Francisco
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    Norman
    Aren't the lights used for DTRLs supposed to run lower wattage, thus making them last longer?

    I know all Volvo's after 2001 have the headlights on when the car is taken out of park. What's great about Volvo is, or at least the dealer near me, is that when the lights in the front of back blow, they'll just pop in new ones no questions asked. Even though the warranty is up !
     
  12. fanatic1

    fanatic1 Guest

    Nov 1, 2003
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    philip
    I did it, it was really easy. There's a relay under the hood. I just unplugged it and no more DRL's. All you people who expound on their benefits. For those who want DRL's, just turn on your freakin lights. Big deal, why do they have to come on, without our choice. If you want to be seen or like the security of the lights, just turn yours on. There are many situations where I DON'T WANT my lights on, I just don't think the manufacturer should tell me that where ever I go, whenever I move, my lights are on too.

    Anyway it was easy................'05 Subaru
     
  13. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    It is not my vision nor yours that I am worried about it its the 80 year old buick park avenue pilot who I really want to see me coming...
     
  14. fanatic1

    fanatic1 Guest

    Nov 1, 2003
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    if you want the 80 in the buick to see you..................turn on your lights. I just don't want mine on all the time. It's just something the industry is trying to cram down our throats.
     
  15. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    Not really
    it is not the industry, for the most part they fight every thing like this. gm did it all by them selves. Usually things like Airbags, seatbelts, and other thing have to be crammed down their throats.
     
  16. fanatic1

    fanatic1 Guest

    Nov 1, 2003
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    philip
    If GM did it by themselves, why do almost all other cars now have DRL's. It's not a law in this country, the Car Manuf. are doing it on their own, and it's not an option. Nor will any dealership disable them for you, or tell you how to DIY. It's just crazy, it's not required by law, yet the cars we buy all have them nowadays. I just don't like having no say at all in whether or not my car is equipped with DRL's or if I'm even able to turn them off. Sorry, I don't know too much about GM, but I can speak of nissan, subaru, and toyota.
     
  17. ashsimmonds

    ashsimmonds F1 World Champ

    Feb 14, 2004
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    you never hear about stuff that doesn't happen
     
  18. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

    Oct 17, 2004
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    That might be true but in all reality how would they save you from an accident anyhow? If you didn't see the car coming in broad daylight then you shouldn't be driving. It might only work on certain color cars and only in certain situations. Useless item IMO. Oh and by the way it would burn more fuel because it makes your alternator work harder to shoulder the load of the lights being on which strains the motor which then burns more fuel.
     
  19. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    Jul 26, 2004
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    Wouldn't the alternator spin at the same rate regardless of the current draw? Similarly, isn't a water pump is pushing water at the same rate whether the water is hot or cold?

    If you're worried about parasitic loss at the alternator, buy a racing-spec alternator.
     
  20. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    Jul 26, 2004
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    I was wrong. :)

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=135105868#post135105868
     

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