Retro-fitting Of Daytime Running Lights Relay?

[roadsterstu]

Hi,

Currently I drive with dipped headlights on all the time - personal preference and in my opinion if someone sees me sooner, then all the better. However, in the Verso it is a bit of a pain as you have to manually switch on the lights, whereas in my Grande Punto, the light switch can stay in the on position and the lights will come on and off with the ignition, which is great.

I was looking at fitting some Ring DRLs, which would be on with the ignition and then go off when you put the lights on at lighting up time, but another thought was to see how easy it may be (or not!) to fit a DRL module/relay - I assume that for some markets in Europe there must be such a facility. Tried a web search without much luck. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Stu

[roadsterstu]

Been doing a bit of digging around and another idea I now have is to use the existing front foglights as DRLs, with LED bulbs. Depends if I can get the correct fitting LEDs. I'll need to check the handbook but I have already found H1 and H3 LED foglight bulbs. personally I find the front fogs all but useless anyway, so the thought now is to wire them up as DRLs, coming on with the ignition and going off when the sidelights are turned on. Probably not going to pass an MOT, so it'd have to be made easily reversible, but that shouldn't be a problem.

Autobulbsdirect.com have a decent range of LEDs available and the prices are sensible (some good offers on Osram bulbs too at the moment). Intending to replace the brakelights with 360 degree LED bulbs for a faster response time and brighter light, too.

[JayEss]

Dunno if it's different if you change the bulbs but I once got fined for having my front fog lights on when it wasn't foggy.

[roadsterstu]

Dunno if it's different if you change the bulbs but I once got fined for having my front fog lights on when it wasn't foggy.

It would likely still be the same. What I am considering doing is wiring the front fog lights so that they are on with the ignition and go off when you turn the sidelights or dipped headlights on. Not technically legal but probably OK to get away with, except at MOT time. Make the wiring easy to reachand easy to reverse for the MOT, and that should do it. I hope...!

[Haylands]

if someone sees me sooner, then all the better.

Not technically legal

Taking into account the above two sentences and presuming your not too worried about driving an illegal car, why not fit one of these.... people will see you from a long way away.... LOL

Seriously I think you will get into all sorts of trouble using the fog lights, LED bulbs in holders not designed for them is also a legal issue.... find a good auto electrician and get them to rewire the fuse for the lights from an ignition switched source, then it will be as the Punto

Pete

[roadsterstu]

if someone sees me sooner, then all the better.

Not technically legal

Taking into account the above two sentences and presuming your not too worried about driving an illegal car, why not fit one of these.... people will see you from a long way away.... LOL

Seriously I think you will get into all sorts of trouble using the fog lights, LED bulbs in holders not designed for them is also a legal issue.... find a good auto electrician and get them to rewire the fuse for the lights from an ignition switched source, then it will be as the Punto

Pete

Sorry for the delay, and thanks for the tip. I did find some DRL control units for aftermarket fitting, in the US, via a similar thread on the Toyota Tundra forum over there. Likely to cost upwards of 60 quid by the time shipping has been added but could work OK.

Stu

[hertsnminds]

Have a look at these pages

http://www.toyotaownersclub.co.uk/forums/l...php/t96558.html

http://www.gadgetonline.com/Light.htm

http://forum.ih8mud.com/95-gen-toyota-truc...tml#post4381431

I would have thought DRL is an ECU function that can be enabled by a dealer.

[roadsterstu]

Found this, via the 3rd link you provided:

http://tinyurl.com/dmnyvl

Will need to look into it more, but $40 Canadian is roughly 20 quid, plus shipping, so not too bad. Still thinking of using the front fogs as DRLs, but without any other lights switched on, though.

Of course, I can ask Toyota if there is a way of enabling them through the body computer - though I suspect the Verso may not be of sufficiently up to date design to have such a "menu" system built in.

Thanks for the pointers, though ;)

[Celiswede]

Maybe you can ask this company, they have a kit for corolla -02 - 06.

Link

[roadsterstu]

Have a look at these pages

http://www.toyotaownersclub.co.uk/forums/l...php/t96558.html

http://www.gadgetonline.com/Light.htm

http://forum.ih8mud.com/95-gen-toyota-truc...tml#post4381431

I would have thought DRL is an ECU function that can be enabled by a dealer.

Thanks for the link to Mixton. I'll email them. Got a reply from Canadian Tire, who no longer do any mail order at all.

[PopDorset]

roadsterstu,

I bought some Ring Aurora drls, and I have fitted them successfully (and painlessly) to the Verso. I have the rectangular ones with a row of 5 leds. They fitted after a bit of shoe horning, into the black, rectangular, plastic moulding next to where the foglights are installed on the Verso. I have a diesel, so the port side one is cut out anyway, and the starboard one I simply cut out with a Dremel. I was worried about how they would look and decided that this may be the most aesthetically pleasing position, but retaining full functionality, and in a completely legal position on the car. The wiring is easy. They illuminate once the engine is running, and go off when you switch on the parking lights or headlights. If you or any others are interested I'll post some photos, and some fuller details. The units were £52.99 a pair,

PopDorset.

[PopDorset]

I ought to add that the switching for the Ring Aurora drls is done electronically and the control unit is sensitive to the supply feed voltage. In the instructions it states to take the feed off the Battery, (via a fuse) if you do this, it causes the unit to switch off the drls when the revs rise to about 2000rpm. I phoned the company, and they said to take the feed from a switched source instead. I used a connection inside the fuse box. There are no longer any problems.

[corral789]

roadsterstu,

I bought some Ring Aurora drls, and I have fitted them successfully (and painlessly) to the Verso. I have the rectangular ones with a row of 5 leds. They fitted after a bit of shoe horning, into the black, rectangular, plastic moulding next to where the foglights are installed on the Verso. I have a diesel, so the port side one is cut out anyway, and the starboard one I simply cut out with a Dremel. I was worried about how they would look and decided that this may be the most aesthetically pleasing position, but retaining full functionality, and in a completely legal position on the car. The wiring is easy. They illuminate once the engine is running, and go off when you switch on the parking lights or headlights. If you or any others are interested I'll post some photos, and some fuller details. The units were £52.99 a pair,

PopDorset.

Hi, I've been toying with the idea for buying a pair of these lights for some time.

Can you tell me, how bright are they? Compared to what you would expect of headlights. Hmm...I know you've mounted them low, that might affect the analysis somewhat. I know hella's ( expensive ) LEDayline look very bright - I think thats what the Porche 911 uses now - and they look as bright, if not brighter, than a pair of modern headlights. I thought I saw a pair of the aurora's on a truck sometime and they didn't look as impressive as I might have hoped.

Also, is there any info with them about the legality of when they must turn off? Is it legal for them to turn off with the headlights but stay on with the parking lights? This is what I would want to do with them,

Thanks for any info you can provide. Some pics would be good too if the offer's still on the table:)

Could you reply via e-mail please cause I don't know when I'll next be checking the site? I'll check back here anyway. corral789@yahoo.co.uk

One final point, do they come with scotchlocks to connect the wiring? I'd heard that somewhere, can't remember where.

[PopDorset]

Have a look at the attached photos on the installation of the Ring drls on the Verso. I was disinclined to take apart the front of the car again, but if required, I could do this and post some more detailed photos. There is some text annotation on some of the images, and some interesting observations.

Pop