I recently took delivery of a 2005 Prius w/ option package 5. The owner's manual states that daytime running lights should come on when when the Hybrid System is running and I disengage the parking brake. It does not mention that this is an option However, my lights do not appear to be operating as daytime running lights. Are daytime running lights an option or standard equipment? Could the running lights have gotten disabled somehow? Curious, Herb
DRLs, unfortunately are not available if you have HID headlights. You can leave the headlights turned on all of the time as they will automatically turn on/of as you power on or off.
You do realize that DRL in the US are actually worse for pedestrians and bicyclists because every other driver becomes accustom to associating "bright" lights with a moving car. In the Unite States, DRL are _exceedingly_ stupid. Europe has real DRLs, also known as "city lights", that are generally a 6-12w, or low wattage, bulb so that the car has some illumination but not as much as a full lamp. If you want DRLs, create a PWM circuit to connect to the halogen headlamps... The HIDs can be easily dimmed; ever notice some BMW's have HIDs but they are not at bright as the low beam?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oly_57mpg\";p=\"87723)</div> That is also the case in the Scandinavian countries and Canada as well. DRL were mandated in Canada starting with 1990 new vehicles. There is no requirement to mandate older vehicles to run with their low beams, although folks are "encouraged" to do so. Such as the "lights on for life" highway signs. Folks eventually get used to headlights (Reduced intensity or regular low beam intensity) on all the time, so they tune it out. And here in Canada, there are still quite a few cars and trucks made before 1990, so they don't have DRL anyway. After an initial steep decline in clear-weather crashes, the rate went back up. Now here in Manitoba, to counter a growing crash rate involving other vehicles, school busses are equipped with clear strobe lights on top that are on anytime the bus has kids onboard.
Hey, I've had my 2005 Package #3 for a month now and didn't realize the headlights would turn off automatically when system powered off and driver's door is opened. Cool!! I'd been worried I might accidently leave them on, as there was no chime to remind me.
Yup, however if you recycle the headlight contril, the headlights will remain on. They will also remain on if you power on and off the vehicle without opening the door. Happened to a poster's wife, who took a nap after using a restarea bathroom followed by powering on to lower the windows. Woke up to a dead battery.
