Head light/Day time running light don't turn on

There aren't any LEDs in the bottom 4 bulbs for the Plus and Premium models.

 

On my PIP, the daylight running lights do not turn on, even when the switch is turned to on, if the parking brake is set. So if the parking brake is set when I start the car, no daylight running lights turn on, even if the switch is on, until I release the parking brake. Maybe the Prime is the same.

 

According to the owners manual, same on the Prime.

 

Maybe I could mod my Plus by putting some LEDs into those empty spaces...

 

Seems like an odd thing to only include on the Advanced level. Kind of like that bar/cover is only on the Advanced.

 

Those are the fog lights, not the daytime running lights. The DRLs are the outer two head light bulbs.

 

too bad - i think that it would look really cool. hopefully someone mods it for the mass market

 

Yep, the foglight is a separate fixture on Advanced models only:

 

We have a 2017 Prius Prime Advanced which has the LED accent lights (white) under the turn signal LED (yellow) identified on page 17 of our owner's manual (OM47A88U). Our switch is described on page 339 the USA (type B), switch operation is described. For the AUTO position (1) it states that "The headlights, (if equipped) side marker, parking, LED accent (if equipped), daytime running lights (P 341) and so on turn on and off automatically (when the power switch is in the ON mode). My question is the LED accent lights do not come on in the Auto position (1) but do come on when the switch is in the position (2) side markers and position (3) headlights.
Is there an adjustment to turn on the accent LED in the AUTO position in bright daylight?

 

As of 6/23/17 at 1:29 PM Toyota Customer Service Texas (1-800-331-4331) does not know the answer opened ticket as #170632-000145 will post results when I get them.

 

I would say no. It's only DRL lights that work on daylight and Auto position.

Basically you want them on at all times.

 

Got a phone call today from a very nice young lady giving me the company line that the manual might be wrong (blame was a bad translation) and wasn't sure what I was asking for. She now knows that I am looking for the three led's below the turn indicators turned on when the light stock is in the auto position even in bright daylight (safety issue - makes the car more visible). She promises to send me an email with the official response in the next 24 hours. Will post their email

 

Got an email today with the following reply. Then I called again see the responses.

"It was a pleasure speaking with you earlier this week.

As promised, I contacted our product specialist department for information on LED Accent Light customization options for 2017 Prius Prime models with the Advanced Package. Regrettably, it is not possible at this time to set the LED Accent Light to turn on in bright daylight when set in the "AUTO" position. We know this is the news you expected but did not want to receive and we apologize for any frustration this may cause you.

Toyota respects your opinions and expertise on the matter, and we have documented your comments at our National Headquarters, where they remain available for review from the appropriate departments. It is through feedback such as yours we are able to monitor and improve upon the quality of our products and services.

Your case is filed at our headquarters office under your name and file #1706280867.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at (800) 331-4331. Our hours of operation are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time on Saturdays.

Thank you for choosing Toyota for your personal driving needs."

What she failed to read was the following.

"Did you get and receive [Incident 170629-000260] sent yesterday. Which clearly shows in the Prius Prime Brochure that on the page titled “Watching your back….” lower half of the page, photo to the left, the advertising shows an Advance package vehicle in bright daylight operating as I would like. Is this a case of false advertising, on top of a bad manual? Looking forward to your reply."

I called again and spoke with a very polite gentlemen and after he check with his second level support person came back with the company line that the brochure was printed at a time before some change was made that removed the functionality from vehicles shipped to USA. That it might work in other countries. I pointed out that removing that functionality is not a safety improvement.

Bottom line from Toyota customer service USA that they do not work in AUTO mode and they "function as designed".

 

When I look at the brochure, I cannot tell for sure the lower lights are on. It could be a reflection, like on the fog lights in the picture. The daylight lights on my PIP are much brighter than in the picture.

 

As I see it, the car in the brochure is an advanced, because only the advanced has intelligent clearance sonar. That means daylight running lights are only on when the switch is in the AUTO position. In daylight, the only lights that turn on in AUTO are the daylight running lights, which are the outer two upper lights at a reduced intensity level, and this is what I see in the brochure picture. I believe the three accent lights below the turn signal lights in the brochure picture are OFF, but show a reflection that is also seen in the fog lights. Also, if the accent lights were on, the yellow light just outside the daylight running lights would be on, and I see no evidence of that in the brochure picture.

I agree that there is no false advertising.

If one wants the accent lights on in the daylight in an advanced, one could turn the switch one or two more notches after AUTO. The first notch would have no headlights or daytime running lights; the second notch would also turn on the regular headlights.