Rear DRL’s

[Station]

Is it possible to have the rear lights as DRL’s ?

Never understood how a car can have front lighting on all the time, but not the rear.

On previous BMW / Mini cars I have been able to code the function in.

Thanks for any help

[flash22]

Yes they are called sidelights or rear fog lights, DRL's originally come from the Nordic countries for use in the winter with lower light levels so cars can be seen

[FROSTYBALLS]

Legally the intention of DRLs is to alert other road users - pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, etc - that a vehicle is approaching. They aren't intended to provide extra illumination for the driver.

Rear lights aren't needed to be illuminated in the same way, unless of course you travel everywhere in reverse.

[Vainona70]

Driving in foggy conditions with lights in auto, as many do, mean no rear lights. Therefore, the rear lights should be illuminated with DRLs.

It makes sense! ( & done on my previous Vauxhall & Volvo cars).

[Cyker]

You'd have to do what we did in 'ye olde days', i.e. manually turn on the side lights.

I also don't get why DRLs are front-only - The whole point of them is to make the car more visible, and also have the side effect of telling people the car is on and active (As opposed to stopped/parked), so it would have made more sense for rear lights to be on too, but that's what they went with.

I personally have never thought DRLs were a good idea as, while they make DRL-equipped vehicles more visible from the front, they make everything else less visible - non-DRL'd cars, motorcycles, cyclists, pedestrians etc., esp. in lower light levels where the high brightness of DRLs washes out the contrast of everything else around you.

 

[Station]

34 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Legally the intention of DRLs is to alert other road users - pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, etc - that a vehicle is approaching. They aren't intended to provide extra illumination for the driver.

Rear lights aren't needed to be illuminated in the same way, unless of course you travel everywhere in reverse.

Just a believer in the old adage of ‘be seen, be safe’.

Like you say, the front ones alert other road users and pedestrians.

So what about other vehicles approaching from behind - surely better to have lighting ?

Auto lights aren’t always reliable to switch on in conditions such as mist / fog.

I’m a bit OCD so don’t leave it to chance even with mild early morning mist and end up switching on the side lights to be sure I can be seen from the rear.

Cheers.

 

[Station]

17 minutes ago, Vainona70 said:

Driving in foggy conditions with lights in auto, as many do, mean no rear lights. Therefore, the rear lights should be illuminated with DRLs.

It makes sense! ( & done on my previous Vauxhall & Volvo cars).

100% Agree 👍

[Station]

1 hour ago, flash22 said:

Yes they are called sidelights or rear fog lights, DRL's originally come from the Nordic countries for use in the winter with lower light levels so cars can be seen

Yes, I understand rear DRL’s would be just side lights that illuminate when the vehicle is started with no further input from the driver - like the front ones do.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The legislation only covers frontal lighting. None of the new cars we've had since DRLs on all new vehicles became compulsory in November 2014, have had rear DRLs. 

As regards driving in poor visibility, surely it's the driver's responsibility to ensure headlights are used, whether or not the car has an auto lights function.

[SDR]

I've owned a number of VW Group cars over the last 25 years or so including one SEAT.   On that car the rear position lights (side lights) came on with the ignition along with the front DRLs.   AFAIK, this is standard for most, if not all, SEATs.

I thought that it was a good idea but have never made any effort to change set up on any other car to do the same.

[Station]

16 hours ago, SDR said:

I've owned a number of VW Group cars over the last 25 years or so including one SEAT.   On that car the rear position lights (side lights) came on with the ignition along with the front DRLs.   AFAIK, this is standard for most, if not all, SEATs.

I thought that it was a good idea but have never made any effort to change set up on any other car to do the same.

Thanks.

Yes, I had from new a 2015 Golf R and that had front and rear.

Also had a new Discovery Sport in 2018 and the same with that.

I did have to code my 2020 JCW Countryman along with my wife’s last 2 JCW hatchbacks - all very easy with BimmerCode via OBD2 port adapter.

I was hoping my RAV4 would be the same / similar ☹️

ATB.

[Station]

17 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

The legislation only covers frontal lighting. None of the new cars we've had since DRLs on all new vehicles became compulsory in November 2014, have had rear DRLs. 

As regards driving in poor visibility, surely it's the driver's responsibility to ensure headlights are used, whether or not the car has an auto lights function.

So regardless of legislation, would you know if it’s possible to do?

As for drivers responsibility, then I totally agree and personally act accordingly - such a shame about all the idiots on the road who don’t !

ATB.

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 minute ago, Station said:

would you know if it’s possible to do?

Anything is possible - though the modification to the rear lighting wouldn't be covered by the new car warranty.

[Rhymes with Paris]

I don't think DRLs front or back would have made any difference to the Astra driver who pulled out in front of me on Saturday.

Bright sunny conditions,( not in the Astra drivers eyes btw) , good visibility from the side road in town both ways onto the main road that I was on.

Had to stand on the brakes for the 3rd time this month for similar incidents, luckily the lady driver behind me was keeping well back instead of the usual tailgating.

Makes me wonder if I had crashed into him, he would have said "well I didn't see him as he had no lights on"😂 ,or "oh he's old , so it must have been his fault "

If my dash cam had the reg no (sideways view so no) I think I would ring it in as I really cannot think of any reason for this other than him being under the influence of drink or drugs or both.

Or then again maybe drivers eyesight has evolved since DRLs were introduced, and they simply cannot see vehicles without them.

In which case I think I may invest in an American style light bar on a roof rail.

Would this drain my Battery if it was switched on all the time?

[Maaks]

On 6/30/2024 at 10:21 PM, Station said:

Is it possible to have the rear lights as DRL’s ?

Never understood how a car can have front lighting on all the time, but not the rear.

On previous BMW / Mini cars I have been able to code the function in.

Thanks for any help

This option could be possible thru Techstream - you can ask you local Toyota dealer to change it to "always on" 🙂

EDIT: I checked my user manual, but they don't list this option. So just turn lights to low beam.

EDIT2: Saw in net that some Tacoma owner got this "feature" with installation of "raptor lights" - he connected them to DRL-s and to parking lights 🙂

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tail-lights-on-with-drl-help.738151/page-2#post-26281558

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Tacoma is only sold in the Americas, so there  will be differences between those markets and Europe.

[Parts-King]

Wouldn't you just turn the lights on? It lights up the tail lights without any modifications 🙄

[Station]

3 hours ago, Parts-King said:

Wouldn't you just turn the lights on? It lights up the tail lights without any modifications 🙄

I could add turning on the side lights to my list of deactivating the RSA and the LTA functions each time I start my car 😂😂😂

oh, and then remember to switch the lights back off when stopped and before opening the door so I don’t get yet another Toyota warning beep.

I do have an idea to sort the rears and if successful I will post on here, just for info.

👍

[FROSTYBALLS]

33 minutes ago, Station said:

I do have an idea to sort the rears and if successful I will post on here, just for info.

Firstly, check with your unsurer to see whether they consider this a modification ...

[Parts-King]

This just seems like the sort of mod like the noise emitted for not wearing your seat belt, just put the seat belt on and all is good. seems overthunk and a mod is not really needed, but hey ho, crack on, it's a free country 👍

[JoarA]

On 6/30/2024 at 10:45 PM, Station said:

100% Agree 👍

Also when you drive with sun in your face....the cars in front of you without rear light 'disappears'  vs the car with rear lights on you can still see the rear light and avoid crashing.    The rule for abonding the permantly rear light on, is the most stupid idea that were introduced in 2011 (?) specially in the Nordic country's (EU law?) to shut of the rear light...Volvo (SWE) did not agree on that, so the Volvo still do have the rear light on anytime.. So is it for saving the the worlds climate...less fuel consumption for charging the 5-7w light bulb..LOL...?  What about the rear collisions/ crash due to this lack of sight, and all the plastic/rubbish that goes into the environment after the crash?    So if someone here do know how to make the rear lights on permanent, please let us know. The Toyota dealer says they cannot go into the ECU .....due to the (EU) 'fuel saving law'....    I guess I've need to buy me a relay and do it the 'old way' as we did in the 80-90' to have the driving lights on permanently on imported car without 'driving lights' on...   🙂 

[FROSTYBALLS]

At the end of the day, the legislation is what it is, and no amount of discussion here is going to change the fact that, legally, only front DRLs are required.

Manufacturers who fit only front DRLs fully comply with the legislation.

If an individual wishes to modify their car, that's their choice. However, any modification may affect one's insurance, and the modification/installation won't be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.