[thx1200]

Hello! I'm wondering if anybody has any ideas on how one might modify the factory daytime running lamp (DRL) system such that the headlight indicator on the dash is NOT illuminated when the DRL is on.

The current behavior is as follows:

Headlights off / DRL on: Dash indicator ON / Speedo illum OFF
Parking lights on: Dash indicator OFF / Speedo illum ON
Headlights on: Dash indicator ON / Speedo illum ON

I want it like this:

Headlights off / DRL on: Dash indicator OFF / Speedo illum OFF
Parking lights on: Dash indicator OFF / Speedo illum ON
Headlights on: Dash indicator ON / Speedo illum ON

The reason is that at dusk, I sometimes forget to turn on my headlights because the DRLs ARE the headlights, so visibility is the same for me, BUT my rear lights will not be on, so it actually is less safe because somebody behind me might not see me. I only begin to notice when it gets dark enough that I can't see my speed since the light behind the speedo doesn't turn on until you are in parking light / headlight mode.

 

[Carlarm]

With DRL the rear lights are on all the time as well as the headlights. When you turn your headlights "on" the only thing that changes are the speedo and dash illumination. Then when you turn your ignition off the headlights will remain on and you'll get warning bleeps to turn them off.

Oh, and don't disable your DRL unless you want them off permanently. I did this once and had to take my smart back to the dealer to get them back on again; they had to reflash the software.

 

[Padawan]

With DRL the rear lights are on all the time as well as the headlights. When you turn your headlights "on" the only thing that changes are the speedo and dash illumination.

Correct.

 

[jetfuel]

...Carlarm...how did you disable the DRL??
jetfuel..like to know

 

[Carlarm]

Daylight Running Lights

How to Turn off DRL:

1. Engine off
2. Pull the high beam lever
3. push "unlock" on the key remote
4. car beeps - DRL is disabled!

To turn on, press "lock" in step 3.

EXCEPT pressing "lock" in step 3 does not turn them back on again!

 

[thx1200]

With DRL the rear lights are on all the time as well as the headlights. When you turn your headlights "on" the only thing that changes are the speedo and dash illumination. Then when you turn your ignition off the headlights will remain on and you'll get warning bleeps to turn them off.

Oh, and don't disable your DRL unless you want them off permanently. I did this once and had to take my smart back to the dealer to get them back on again; they had to reflash the software.

The taillights are on with Smart's DRL? I've never seen a car do that before. I'm going to have to go play with my Smart tonight and see. that eases my mind at least with the concern they might not be on at dusk.

As for the disable/enable steps. Are other Smart owners experiencing the same problems (turning them back on) or was that just a quirk with your car?

 

[Carlarm]

I haven't seen anyone else complain about not being able to turn DRL back on again. But I suspect no one else tried turning them off. I don't know if it makes any difference, but my smart didn't originally come with DRL; I paid $75 for the dealer to install this software option.

I turned them off to see if it made any difference in my gas mileage and whether I seemed to be less visible on the road. I didn't see any difference in MPG. Neither did I see any apparent difference in behavior of other traffic. Never the less I felt uneasy with them off much like I do when I don't have my seat belt buckled.

 

[nickinsacramento]

Tailights are on with DRL's, but I'm pretty sure that the license plate lights are NOT ON with only the DRL's active.

 

[jwight]

Tailights are on with DRL's, but I'm pretty sure that the license plate lights are NOT ON with only the DRL's active.

Quick trip to the driveway; the license plate lamps are on, as well as the little orange "peanut" bulbs up front. Of course, low beams and tail lights also. Interior lights are not on, which is my first clue as it gets darker to turn on the headlights.

 

[SmartChip]

I like the factory set-up. Don't worry- Be happy. Quick fix small piece of black tape over dash icon. easily reversible. Cheerz, SmartChip

 

[cworet]

DLR Lights

I have a 09 with the automatic head lights and windshield wiper.I went to the dealer to have the DLR turned on and was told that it couldn't be done because i have the automatic sensors.Is this a fact?I would rather have the DLR on for safety reasons.Anyone know if this is so?

 

[SmartDigger]

I have a 09 with the automatic head lights and windshield wiper.I went to the dealer to have the DLR turned on and was told that it couldn't be done because i have the automatic sensors.Is this a fact?I would rather have the DLR on for safety reasons.Anyone know if this is so?

Sad but true You can do what I did.... webelectric.com

 

[thx1200]

Carlarm - I'm tempted to try it when I take my Smart in to get the HVAC thermostat calibrated (mine is a litle bonkers - separate thread). If I get a chance, I'll let you know.

jwight - That's fantastic! Then I have nothing to worry about. Just hard to read my speedo until I turn it on, but everybody can still see me and I'm in compliance with the law (re: license plate light). I just falsely assumed the DRLs only turned on the front lights, like a lot of other models.

SmartChip - Black tape? lol. I wouldn't ruin my baby like that. As I stated, I didn't want the headlight indicator to go away completely. I just was under the false assumption that the taillights didn't come on with the DRLs and wanted an indicator for myself to know when that is the case. But since it seems the DRLs basically just turn on all the lights, all the time, well heck, I have nothing to worry about.

 

[Black-ohio-brabus]

I wanna get DRL added but my dealership said it cost 200.00!

 

[jwight]

I wanna get DRL added but my dealership said it cost 200.00!

Cincy? More like $75 - 100 (and that's too high IMHO.)

 

[thx1200]

I haven't seen anyone else complain about not being able to turn DRL back on again. But I suspect no one else tried turning them off. I don't know if it makes any difference, but my smart didn't originally come with DRL; I paid $75 for the dealer to install this software option.

I turned them off to see if it made any difference in my gas mileage and whether I seemed to be less visible on the road. I didn't see any difference in MPG. Neither did I see any apparent difference in behavior of other traffic. Never the less I felt uneasy with them off much like I do when I don't have my seat belt buckled.

Interesting side note. I installed the 451 cruise control this wekeend. After reconnecting my battery, my DRLs no longer worked! I followed the instuction for re-enabling them and voila! They came back. Glad you posted that before my install. ;-)

My guess is that some electrical transients from the surge when reconnecting the battery terminals back up caused the "DRLs are on" bit to get flipped. It's not uncommon for cars to act a little wacky after reconnecting the battery as the computer figures things out. That said, it seems the static RAM the Smart uses is a bit more suseptible to getting bits flipped than others. When I installed my amp for my stereo, the transmission did the three bars thing after connecting the battery back up. I did the "teach-in" process in the manual and it came back, so I just assumed the computer got confused about the state of the transmission.

 

[jetfuel]

Interesting side note. After reconnecting my battery, my DRLs no longer worked! .

..interesting!!!...I disconnected my battery last night to clear a CEL (don't ask) and my DRL came back up upon start...

jetfuel ... see clearly now...

 

[TMACK]

Daylight Running Lights

How to Turn off DRL:

1. Engine off
2. Pull the high beam lever
3. push "unlock" on the key remote
4. car beeps - DRL is disabled!

To turn on, press "lock" in step 3.

EXCEPT pressing "lock" in step 3 does not turn them back on again!

This from a 07Jun09 thread/post:
Drl switch function
<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->Confirmed: On a 2009 Passion Coupe with "factory option" DRLs, with the engine off, the high beam stalk pulled and held, the LOCK fob depressed results in a single beep. The DRLs are now turned off.

To turn on, the same procedure, (engine off again; this does not work with the engine running), pull and hold the beam stalk and depress the UNLOCK for again another single beep. The DRLs are now turned back on.


Now, let me get this straight: I was under the impression that for $50 I was getting discrete runnng torches installed. Are y'all implyng that what I got for my money was just someone at the factory or dealership doing a soft switch-on of a hardware feature all Fourtwo's have

 

[thx1200]

This from a 07Jun09 thread/post:
Drl switch function

<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->Confirmed: On a 2009 Passion Coupe with "factory option" DRLs, with the engine off, the high beam stalk pulled and held, the LOCK fob depressed results in a single beep. The DRLs are now turned off.

To turn on, the same procedure, (engine off again; this does not work with the engine running), pull and hold the beam stalk and depress the UNLOCK for again another single beep. The DRLs are now turned back on.


Now, let me get this straight: I was under the impression that for $50 I was getting discrete runnng torches installed. Are y'all implyng that what I got for my money was just someone at the factory or dealership doing a soft switch-on of a hardware feature all Fourtwo's have

Distinct torches? No. A bit disappointing, I agree. That said, IMHO it's better than automatic lights because, frankly, what's the point of ever turning them off? Why ever want to make yourself less visible? :-D

$50 enabling fee? Well, yes, technically, but it's unclear if just anybody can enable them on any 09 Smart, but I'm betting no as well.

It appears that the "DRL" program cannot be enabled on a non-DRL Smart by performing those procedures (but this is based on the many reports of "it didn't work for me" posts I see in the forums when searching). So, I think it only works if you bought the DRL option. That means that although that procedure is good for enabling/disabling if you have them, it doesn't give you them if you haven't paid -- well, unless they messed up and programmed the computer to allow you to enable them in the first place. :-D

 

[thx1200]

..interesting!!!...I disconnected my battery last night to clear a CEL (don't ask) and my DRL came back up upon start...

jetfuel ... see clearly now...

First time for me too. I have disconnected my battery a total of eight times now during various mods/tweaks/etc regarding my stereo and now cruise control. Of those times, one time the transmission got confused and needed to be taught-in and right after installing 451, the DRLs disabled. It was probably just random luck, but at first I thought the 451 wasn't compatible with DRLs. Clearly, that's not the case, but I was worried.