LED Daytime Running Lights

You don't really need DRL's when on when the headlights are on. I would assume it's a power saving thing! You can always get a copy of the electrical schematic, find out where the relay is that controls DRL's and modify it to your needs! Sounds like a lot of work, but it is probably not that bad. If I had a copy I would point it out and send it to you. I run a Gen II, so I never got Gen III prints!

 

Probably a carryover from Canadian and European laws prohibiting DRLs while headlights are on.

You're in California and can have up to 4 lamps lighted at any one time, so maybe do a mod to have them stay on at all time.

 

I would like to now the same thing too. I have a 2012 and the LED's would look great on with my low beam HID. If anyone figures out a simple mod to do this that would be great.

 

There must be a way to get a tap off of the switch to the ECU and have it also switch on the DRL. I'd love to do this as well.

 

It would be nice. But if taking the literal version of it, DRL is for during the daytime only. Once you have the headlights on, DRL is no longer needed. Although it would be nice if they just put the LED's in the headlights and use the "dots" running across the headlights. I think someone here had done this mod before.

 

On EU market the switching DRL off when head lights on is a must due to the UN/ECE directive. But it is not followed by all automakers, f.e. Audi, Skoda and etc. There is a document for the reference purposes link, DRL specification is in 6.19 paragraph.

 

Yeah I really wish Toyota put LED's in those dots.

 

on a side note...notice only 4 LEDs lights and it looks like there's a fifth LED that is not on? If I have time, I'm going under the car and take a close look at the DRLs

 

The 2012 still has the same nonfunctional decorative dots as your 2010. But I was pleasantly surprised to find real LED DRL's on the 2012, mounted where the fog light knockouts were placed on the 2010.

Look closer from the front. It has 6 lenses, one of which is partially obscured. But look really close, only the top 4 lenses have LEDs (yellowish component) behind them. The bottom 2 show only white plastic, no LEDs.

Electrically, I bet these are driven as two in a series string, with two paralleled strings. A single fifth LED would not fit the driver pattern

 

I was looking in to doing that for few months, here is what I found:
DRL relay is under the hood marked DRL, I was going to jump relay coil from head lights to turn relay ON when headlight are one, but NO NO, when headlights are ON all power to that relay is OFF even HOT leg, so even if you turn relay coil ON there still no power to that relay to send i to the lights.
I dont know why Toyota made it complete shut off, but it has something to do with headlights relay and that relay no where to be found, at list under the hood.

Did I clear the mud a little?

 

I didn't know we were limited to 4 lights on at a time in California. I suppose that prevents single car parades from blinding other drivers. This must crimp the style of overpaid athletes and gangster celebrities.

 

I didn't know the light rule either.

 

I removed my posting as the information I gave wasn't applicable to the question asked. Sorry for the confusion!

 

Has anyone figured out how to do this mod?

 

I've always wondered why there is a switch for the DRL's on the blinker stalk and then also a thing on the settings screen about turning DRL's on or off.

 

I agree completely...Ive tried turning the setting on and off on the radio and it makes no difference, you can override it with the switch on the blinker.