DRLs?

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by meaux61

From my smart dealership:
when you leave your lights in the auto mode, they will be illuminated during daylight driving.

Walter Francesco Grassi
Manager, Business Development
smart center Indianapolis
www.smartcenterindianapolis.com

Not true, they do come on when overcast but in "normal" daylight turn off
sorry karl

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by dancote

I asked and so far the word is no. I will continue to pursue this for both the safety aspect and the insurance premium reduction USAA offers for DRLs.

From reading the manual, it appears the DRL feature is definitely NOT available on our cars, and Ill make a guess that they are no longer programmable in Canada in the newer model as well.

One other thing I came across in the lighting section is that the fog lights only work with the exterior lights on (parking or low beams) and supposedly do NOT work in the AUTO mode!

[jediknight36]

Well if DRL is not available, do the lighst go off if you leave them on and lock the car? And has anybody asked smart about this?

[Dave777]

Originally Posted by jediknight36

Well if DRL is not available, do the lighst go off if you leave them on and lock the car? And has anybody asked smart about this?

I'm just assuming here, but I'd guess the smart is like any other car these days that will beep or chime at you if you leave the lights on and open the door with the ignition off.

If you want to drive with your lights on, turn them on.

[FWOIII]

Smart Card-I have the auto mode and at night when the lights are on, I can turn on the fog lights. I know the manual says that in order for the fog lights to operate you need to use parking or low beams. I don't know if by doing this it will hurt or not...

[Karl Roth]

my smart has the comfort package. there is a setting marked AUTO on the switch it will turn them on and off base on the light sensor.
You can also turn them on and off with the switch your option. The main thrust of this thread I believe is to qualify for insurance discounts you need to have the DRLs.
karl

[Harleyduo]

I know for a fact that the new 451 models in Canada do have DRL's. In fact, I'm pretty sure their country 'requires' it on new vehicles sold in Canada. That leads me to believe it's either just a software toggle that needs to be coded in to the computer chip or else they ship with a different computer chip altogether. My hopes are that eventually that situation will be able to to be remedied when the service providers get up to speed and on top of all the other nuances about these cars. So far, I have my service manager researching it but have not heard anything back, yet other than they don't know how to do it YET.

I hope everybody keeps asking our service departments so it becomes a commonly requested item.

[Old smart]

The Question at 1338 11FEB08:

"Mr. Ken Kettenbeil
Director, Communications
Smart USA

Dear Mr. Kettenbeil,

As Director of Communications, I hope you are the appropriate first contact for a comment directed to the technical side of smart USA. It concerns Daytime Running Lamps on the U.S. version of the 2008 North American smart. It is noted in the Operators Manual that they are mandatory in Canada and are therefore always “activated.” I interpret that as there are two modes, activated and not activated. The activated mode is presently reserved for Canada only. The DRLs are a known safety feature, and one that some insurance underwriters consider to reduce a customer’s premium. It does not satisfy the underwriters simply to say that one will manually turn them when driving; they expect a mechanism to activate them independent of the driver’s actions, as is done in Canada.

I believe it will be in smart USA’s interest, and definitely in the owners’ interests, to have a provision for activation DRLs on U.S. smarts.

I thank you for your time.

Best Regards,
D. B. Fisher
City of Williamsburg, VA"

The Answer at 1421 11FEB08:

"Hello Mr. Fisher –

Thank you for your note.

At this time daytime running lights are not mandatory in the United States. This is a feature we have discussed with the manufacturer (Mercedes Benz) and they are looking into options for future models.

I have passed your note to their technical team.

Ken Kettenbeil
Director, Communications
smart USA"

Film at Eleven ... or Twelve. Sounds like the Canada-only DRLs was M-B's decision. We might be looking at aftermarket stuff for the time being.

[strider63]

Thanks for the Information Old Smart
I have USAA insurance and they also asked about DRL function on the Smart.

[august8pm]

Originally Posted by Old smart

At this time daytime running lights are not mandatory in the United States. This is a feature we have discussed with the manufacturer (Mercedes Benz) and they are looking into options for future models.

I have passed your note to their technical team.

Ken Kettenbeil
Director, Communications
smart USA

I've kept quiet long enough: That is the most ridiculous, inexcusable oversight I can imagine. For all their talk of safety, they deliberately exclude a feature that prevents accidents and say they are "looking into options for future models"? You don't need an option: you have already have a solution! Now we have to search for an after-market SAFETY feature that doesn't void our warrantee? I am astonished and profoundly disappointed in the entire brand now. Wow.