daytime running lights? [Archive] - LX Forums Modern Mopar Muscle

mascotdad

02-09-2009, 04:55 PM

Just bought an '08 Chrysler 300 Touring (brand new) for the Mrs. Asked dealer to turn on the running lights. Picked it up Sat, no DRL's. Salesman said can't do it, has to be hard wired. No one there to discuss with, decided to check here 1st. I think I know (from my 05 Magnum R/T) that it can be done via Starscan, BUT can it be done with this car? It Does NOT have split climate control or Auto headlight feature, so I guess I can't turn on "headlights with wipers" but if I recall correctly, they should be able to turn on the DRL's with Starscan. Right?
Thanks

The Unabomber

02-09-2009, 05:28 PM

Should be able to enable it via Starscan unless something has changed which I doubt.

Print this out and take it to them.

http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=19444&highlight=enable+drls

Tell the sales guy to hardwire his mouth closed when he dosn't know what he's talking about. ;)

mascotdad

02-09-2009, 06:34 PM

Thanks Unabomber, printed it out and will take it to the dealer.

rmfootball69

02-09-2009, 09:22 PM

Think this would work on the challengers?

The Unabomber

02-09-2009, 11:04 PM

Think this would work on the challengers?

It should. I can't see it being very much different if any.

fnkychkn

02-10-2009, 08:09 AM

The Unabomber

02-10-2009, 09:59 AM

i don't think anyone has successfully enabled DRLs on 2008 or 2009 models yet. some have tried but the starscan menu has changed and it is no longer an option.

lots of reading here for you: http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=20512

I thought a few people where able to get them working. They just had to get the dealer to downgrade the Starscan software so it was an available menu option? I might be wrong though.

fnkychkn

02-10-2009, 10:30 AM

I thought a few people where able to get them working. They just had to get the dealer to downgrade the Starscan software so it was an available menu option? I might be wrong though.
if they have, hopefully they'll chime in. i can't really say for sure if it can be done or not since all canadian vehicles come from the factory with this feature enabled and it cannot be disabled.

i'm thinking it might come down to getting chrysler to re-write the vehicle build config file to include DRLs and then getting the dealer to flash the new file to the vehicle. i've had to do this on an '08 Jeep when the owner moved to Canada from USA.

Buz-CCC

02-10-2009, 09:21 PM

if they have, hopefully they'll chime in. i can't really say for sure if it can be done or not since all canadian vehicles come from the factory with this feature enabled and it cannot be disabled.

i'm thinking it might come down to getting chrysler to re-write the vehicle build config file to include DRLs and then getting the dealer to flash the new file to the vehicle. i've had to do this on an '08 Jeep when the owner moved to Canada from USA.

When I bought my 2008 300C I called the service Dept and told them to enable DRL's when I picked up my car they were on and working like a charm.:banana:

fargo59

02-10-2009, 09:42 PM

from my understanding of it (bringing US vehicles across the border) you have to make a request to chrysler for them to add DRL's to your build configuration of your vehicle. let the request process, and then have the dealer do a vehicle configuration restore. this will set the DRL's into function. i have not done this on an LX, but it is how you do it on the newest sebrings, i would assume its the same process on 08LX's as well. hope this helps.

fnkychkn

02-10-2009, 09:57 PM

fargo59

02-10-2009, 10:01 PM

so its safe to assume this is the case across the board for all newer products.

fnkychkn

02-10-2009, 10:08 PM

it's never safe to assume. :)

rmfootball69

02-11-2009, 07:32 PM

When I bought my 2008 300C I called the service Dept and told them to enable DRL's when I picked up my car they were on and working like a charm.:banana:

Hey, what dealership was that? If i cant find any around here that can do it ill be sure to go over there and check it out. Id love to have em on my challenger. Also, i have seen it before and know i loved it but does anyone have a picture of that? I completely forget what it looked like, but had seen one before i got mine and said in my head i definitely have to find a way to get those on, cant find the picture right now.

2005rtmag

02-11-2009, 07:47 PM

I personally think that day time running lights is a waste of energy. Besides, it looks ridiculous to see lights on on a bright sunny day.

I understand it on motorcycles, because nobody looks for or sees motorcycles. Theirs needs to be on brights 24/7.

Buz-CCC

02-11-2009, 10:14 PM

Hey, what dealership was that? If i cant find any around here that can do it ill be sure to go over there and check it out. Id love to have em on my challenger. Also, i have seen it before and know i loved it but does anyone have a picture of that? I completely forget what it looked like, but had seen one before i got mine and said in my head i definitely have to find a way to get those on, cant find the picture right now.

Brown's Jeep Chrysler Dodge ask for Mike in service or Rich Sullivan, Service Manager Feel free to use my name Ed Jackson

Buz-CCC

02-11-2009, 10:18 PM

BCasey

02-12-2009, 01:23 PM

i find it much easier to notice someone in ur mirrors when they have DRL rather than nothing at all. a quick glace and i know theres a car there. when they dont got em i dont always notice them in my peripheral vision. I think theyre great

liltrk

02-12-2009, 03:20 PM

I find this interesting. I used to belong to a Cadillac forum (STS) and all the Canadians were trying to figure out how to turn the DRLs off.

BCasey

02-12-2009, 05:29 PM

personal preference i guess, i like em

1fastdad

02-20-2009, 05:30 PM

is there no way to turn them off? I just want my foglights on and not the DRL's....

blksleepr

02-20-2009, 05:42 PM

so if u run day lights its the brights that are on only or the orange ones too

Wetcoast

02-20-2009, 07:11 PM

if they have, hopefully they'll chime in. i can't really say for sure if it can be done or not since all canadian vehicles come from the factory with this feature enabled and it cannot be disabled.

i'm thinking it might come down to getting chrysler to re-write the vehicle build config file to include DRLs and then getting the dealer to flash the new file to the vehicle. i've had to do this on an '08 Jeep when the owner moved to Canada from USA.

Interesting! I'm in Canada and want the DRL off (HID's in place). If I go to a dealership and indicate that I'm moving to the US they'll reprogram for US spec and be able to turn off my DRL's (for a small fee)? Is this correct?

fnkychkn

02-20-2009, 07:26 PM

is there no way to turn them off? I just want my foglights on and not the DRL's....there's no legal way to do it. i'm not gonna say it can't be done because i know one of our big brained members will eventually prove me wrong. :not_worth

so if u run day lights its the brights that are on only or the orange ones toopower to the high beams is PWM (pulse width modulated) to achieve approximately 7 volts (IIRC). no other lamps illuminate for DRLs.

fnkychkn

02-20-2009, 07:28 PM

Interesting! I'm in Canada and want the DRL off (HID's in place). If I go to a dealership and indicate that I'm moving to the US they'll reprogram for US spec and be able to turn off my DRL's (for a small fee)? Is this correct?
not quite. pretty sure you'll have to go to a US dealer and provide them with a US address and phone#. i know chrysler asked me for this when i switched one from US to Canada.

SRT 666

02-20-2009, 07:32 PM

The DRL's are on the high side at low wattage right? I to have them to and dont care for them and i know when to turn lights on rain,snow fog ect.My car stays inside the city 99.9 percent so him beams are pretty well useless to me.I was just thinking of pulling the bulbs out!

SRT 666

02-20-2009, 07:34 PM

If my car was here i would check but it has been wrapped upunder the blanket in my girlfriends parents garage since november. I seen her once in december at christmas but tomorrow i am going to visit her!! And do a couple mods i have been stocking up with over the few months !! I wont sleep tonight!

2005rtmag

02-20-2009, 08:49 PM

Don't know why it would be illegal to turn them off. My 05 does not have DRLs. I don't think I would have bought the car if it had them.

fnkychkn

02-20-2009, 08:52 PM

Don't know why it would be illegal to turn them off. My 05 does not have DRLs. I don't think I would have bought the car if it had them.
i illegal to disable them in Canada.

hemiwagn

02-20-2009, 09:34 PM

i illegal to disable them in Canada.

I've only looked at the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and the Canadian Federal new vehicle standards. From that all new vehicles sold in Canada must be equipped with DRLs (and the std specifies a distance about how far the turn signal is from the high beam (lower voltage) drl -- which is why the drl goes out when you put your signal on, btw).

I have not found anything in the Ontario HTA that requires them or prohibits anyone from disabling them. Are they required to be tested for a used vehicle safety certificate?

fnkychkn

02-20-2009, 09:48 PM

fargo59

02-20-2009, 09:52 PM

while i have yet to see anyone get pulled over for not having them, it is something i check when i do a safety inspection. that said, i wouldnt mind setting up my fog lamps to be my DRL's.

hemiwagn

02-20-2009, 09:54 PM

i believe it's federally mandated and provincially enforced.
although i don't do safety checks, pretty sure they have to work.
a customer who brought his jeep from US had to have them enabled in order to get plates.

I should have mentioned imports. The fed stds cover them too, including DRLs, child seat anchors, metric gauges, and bumper impact standards. you need a Transport Canada sticker or approval before the province will licence your car.

it would make sense that drls have to work for a safety check.'
the one thing that has puzzled me is cop cars can have drl's off. (many of us have seebn that).
there is NO provision for that in the Ontarion HTA. So that leads me to believe that they can be disabled after initial sale or import. but you can't buy a car or import one without them working. subtle difference.

hemicanucksfan

02-20-2009, 10:32 PM

what if you were to install other lights that were wired to come on with the engine? could you then disable the high beam based lights considering you would have other lights on?

fargo59

02-20-2009, 10:42 PM

thats a very fine line. you'd actually have to go through the ontario highway standards act to get details. i DO know that neons used their fog lamps as DRL's from 03-05, so in theory, they should be acceptable, provided they are bright enough, and aimed properly. shutting the DRL's off is aparently possible, but from my understanding only on older models, and requires an older version of the star mobile client. running a relay triggered from either the ASD relay or the ignition/run circuit would give you a feed for the new DRL's while the engine is running or ignition was on.

Tbird100636

02-20-2009, 10:58 PM

Hmmmm...... something for me to try on wiTECH Monday...... I know on pre-CAN BUS cars, using the DRBIII Scanner besides using the actual menu option to turn them on and off, changing the country code in the BCM (Body Control Module, our LX/LC cars it's part of the CCN) will shut them off. I did this on a Canadian spec 2001 Caravan (RS). I changed the country code to US spec and they shut off. Sooo..... if there is an option to change the country code, changing it to US spec should shut it off, or vice/versa. Stay tuned...

fargo59

02-20-2009, 11:13 PM

i know in my case, i tried shutting OFF my DRL's with version 8.05 or so on the star mobile. it will allow the country code change, but not the DRL disable. i have heard of successful results with much older releases though (ex: 7.02)

hemicanucksfan

02-21-2009, 12:05 AM

yeah, but what are the odds now of finding a starscan that hasn't been upgraded?

fargo59

02-21-2009, 07:00 AM

you can roll back the software, i think i know of one in the area. if i had my own, id do it but not with the shop's star mobile.

Tbird100636

02-24-2009, 11:12 PM

Well, I haven't tried a 2008 LX with the wiTECH, but I tried a 2008 Avenger R/T (JS) with it. No option whatsoever to enable or disable DRL. The car I tried however had high beam DRL, but was a US spec car with a USA country code. This car was a DCX stock reduction unit with only 111 miles, so nothing could have been added to the car's electrical system.

Tbird100636

03-05-2009, 06:59 PM

Stay tuned, update following with pictures!!!

desquirrel

03-05-2009, 08:19 PM

When conceived, the idea was that people would notice other cars earlier. Humans presented with the same situations, ie: driving with other cars, would "zone out" things from conciousness. So when you make the left turn, you don't notice the distant car coming the other way at a high rate of speed and have an accident. The car with the lights on would be "different" so you would notice it earlier. Now with many cars having them, they don't do much anymore.

Tbird100636

03-05-2009, 08:42 PM

Ok, on a 2008 300C, an ex-Canadian spec. rental, the option was there to disable. The Country code had been changed to USA already, the speedo was US type, and disabling worked. It was not under vehicle preperation or customer preferences. It was in the TIPMCGW screen, under Misc Functions. Big screen shots by the way...

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x294/Tbird100636/DRL1.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x294/Tbird100636/DRL2.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x294/Tbird100636/DRL3.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x294/Tbird100636/DRL4.jpg

fnkychkn

03-05-2009, 08:51 PM

hey Dan. got a VIN for that car?

fargo59

03-05-2009, 08:56 PM

ive tried doing that to my own car, and it wont allow me to disable the canadian spec car's DRL's, even if the country code is changed first. granted, that was with star mobile client 8.05, not the witech client, if i bring the charger in tomorrow, i'll get a screenshot if i can. i loaded star mobile client 8.01 on my laptop as well as witech server, im hoping 8.01 is old enough to allow some of the previous options to enable/disable.