automatice headlights

I leave the lights on all the time, and open the door right after I stop to turn them off.

When it's sunnier more during the summer, I'll probably not do it this way, but lately I end up needing the lights while I'm driving anyway...

 

the short answer is no, the prius does not have either. it was supposed to be there, its in the manual, but its not on thr car.

 

Unless you're in Canada, where our version has both Auto headlights and DRL.

Dave

 

Rick hit the nail on the head, regulations, in Canada DRL's are mandated by law, have been since the mid to late 80's. Also on the CDN modles that have auto have an additional photo cell on the dash, If you have the inclination to check a non HID Prius and see if it has 2 cells on the dash that would make the puzzle easier. As for using the fogs as DRL's it's very easy one relay one diode and a fuse and some wire and just have the relay coil take power from the "ignition" side of the key and and thru a diode to the power for the headlights and the power side thru a fuse and thru the contacts in the relay to the fog lights. Two more diodes and the fog lights still function as fog lights, just send the power from the fog light switch thru a diode to the lights and the "DRL" feed thru a diode to the lighs and your done. I do know there is a small voltage drop thru diodes but hi current diodes would more than handle this kind of load.

 

Having had daytime running lights on several cars since GM introduced them in the US, I'm going to miss them when I trade in my '03 Vue and take delivery of my long anticipated Prius. Just wondering, do the fog lights work independently of the headlights or must they be only be used when the low beams are turned on? Also, has anyone looked into how they could be turned on and off independently of the headlights so they could be used as DRLs?

 

Unfortunately, as best I've been able to Determine, the Fogs are only available when the Low Beams are already on.

 

Thanks, Tempus. That's pretty much as I expect it would be with the fogs. Has anyone else had different experience with the fog lights as DRLs?

 

Wasn't it stated by someone earlier on this forum that when you leave your Prius and not turn off the headlights, the headlights will automatically turn off? I always drive with my headlights on. I hope this is the case.

Driving with headlights turned on, even during the day, makes your car easier for others to see. That's a good thing ... Less chance of an inadvertent crash.

GM, after running their long term experiment (daytime running lights) found that the accident rate went down. They've even been trying to get the U.S. to require them, but sadly, without any luck.

 

I disagree with the earlier statements that automatic headlights require DRL. I just switched from my 2002 Jaguar X-TYpe which did have auto headlights and did NOT have DRL. I just left the selector knob in the Auto position all the time and never had to think about it. They had a mind of their own and worked great. I especially appreciated it driving through a tunnel back and forth to work each day.

 

The headlights will turn off upon opening of the driver door. :idea:

 

Safety not withstanding, I was wondering how much more the ICE has to run, say in a 1 year period, to keep the 12V battery up if you have DRL or turn on your headlights yourself. Seems a good way to slightly decrease you mileage

 

The 12v aux. batt. is charged by a DC to DC converter in the inverter.
The power to charge it comes directly from the high voltage batt. So the engine dosen't need to run to charge it like other vehicles(alternator). If you look colsely the only belt driven accessory on the 04 is the water pump.

 

True, but look at this way: the cost of replacing a lightbulb, I imagine, is a fraction of what it would cost to replace an entire fender after an accident. Given the scarcity of Prii, I wonder if there's enough of a parts reserve at dealerships to cover replacement parts? Dianne?
p.s. what DOES a replacement bulb for HID lights cost?

 

i'm back.... been busy with a new Golden Retriever puppy......

if one horsepower = about 750 watts, you'll find that running any lights at all, or all of them, or none of them would make a difference of a few tenths of a mile per gallon for a regular car. all things considered, it might be worth 1/2 mpg [my WAG, not even SWAG], and if 0.5 mpg is important to you, turn off the DRLs....

on the other hand, amortizing the cost of the accident that's prevented by running your DRLs would smother any advantage in mpg's unless you're competing for a local record...

in fact, for most cars, the better [lower] air resistance from closing your windows at speed more than pays back the load on the engine from the a/c ! think about it: the open window acts like a scoop, picking up relatively static air outside the car and quickly accelerating it up to the car's speed. THAT takes a bunch of energy, hour after hour.

roll up the windows, turn the lights on, and enjoy!

+af

 

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Danny, let me counter this comment with some advice for you. I would advise that you always drive with your lights ON. The cost of a headlight, whatever the cost, is a small price to pay for yet another safety feature.

Ken