Bogus Auto-On Headlights

it's available on the Canadian Prius with DayTimeRunning lights. As far as I know it's not available with HID on the US model. You'll find a few features mentioned in the manual that didn't make it to the car.

 

It's not dawn dusk sensor. It's simply auto on when you turn your car on. Auto off when you turn your car off. Their wording is a little more technical, that's all. Some people run their lights all day. Some ( like me ) rairly ever use night. Once we get out of our cars at night, we don't want to have to worry about turning lights off and so on. It's just a really simple future.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid\";p=\"53131)</div>

Not quite.

The Daylight Running Lights are not quite as bright as the regular headlights. Generally, there is a separate bulb for the daytime function. A photo sensor, located on the dashboard, turns the nighttime lights on after dark.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius\";p=\"53132)</div>

Not quite.

The Daylight Running Lights are not quite as bright as the regular headlights. Generally, there is a separate bulb for the daytime function. A photo sensor, located on the dashboard, turns the nighttime lights on after dark.
[/b][/quote]

No daytime running lights in CA... so i have no clue about those. I was simply saying what i know about our normal lights.

 

i too was disappointed that my 04 did not have daytime running light. however, i just leave my headlights on all the time . every time i stop and open the door they turn off, so, im actually very happy with the results. i dont think ive touched my headlight switch in months. so, once you get used to its its pretty good substitute and its brighter!( i know im making lemonade out of lemons)

 

Hi Journeygirl1,
Daytime Running Lights (DRL) are not available on Prii sold in the US, only those sold in Canada where it is required by law.

I also was disappointed when I found this out and posted the same question about a month ago: http://www.priuschat.com/forums/drl-module...l?highlight=drl . Apparently the DRL wiring exists within the wiring harness, but none of the fuse block connectors and associated controls have been installed, e.g. the steering column stick. Furthermore, if you were successful in modifying the electrical connections, then the computer firmware would have to be modified at the dealership to enable the DRL function. Needless to say, I have given up having DRL.

(how do you enable a link like the one above?)

 

some see DRL as a safety thing and in some situations, they do help. but for me and 99.9% of my driving needs, i see them as a waste of energy.

i for one am glad i dont have them or are forced to use them

 

My Canadian market Prius has two sensors at the very left of the dash. Apparently, one is for the auto climate control and the other is for the auto headlights.

I leave my switch in Auto all the time. In normal daylight, just the reduced-intensity DRL are on. When dark enough, say in the underground parking, all the lights turn on.

According to my manual, the dealer can use the scan tool to change at what light level the car transitions from DRL to all lights on. So far mine seems about right, so I'll leave it alone.

The DRL with just the headlights on is a North American thing, especially on GM corporate cars that have the high beam headlights on reduced intensity. In Scandinavian countries, all the lights are on when the vehicle is running.

I used to have a 1990 4Runner and it always bugged the h*** out of me that as soon as I started it up, every light turned on. I became very competent changing taillight bulbs, parking bulbs, and headlights! The dealer claimed that Toyota copied the Scandinavian market wiring harness for Canada.

In the long run, people just get used to DRL, as they have here in Canada. Now the school busses in Manitoba have a white strobe on top of the bus. Very annoying in the dark.

Give it a few more years and we'll see flickering strobes in every headlight and parking light housing. Just because a handful of drivers refuse to pay attention to the road.

 

Does this mean that in the US cars, which have no DRL and no auto-on headlight feature, the light sensor on the dash serves no purpose?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hytec\";p=\"53153)</div>

To make a link active.. don't connect it with the rest of your text http://www.priuschat.com/forums/drl-module-vt5115 they need at least 1 space of breathing room on each side.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid\";p=\"53198)</div>

Got it...thanks!

 

be advised that if you leave Auto on and for some reason open the door and then shut of the car the lighs will stay on after you close the door. Good way to kill the aux battery.

 

Hmm? I leave my headlight switch on Auto all the time. When I drive to my hobby farm at night and pull up to the detached garage, I power down and the headlights stay on.

As soon as I open and close the door, I've got less than 10 secs and the lights go out. It can be a mad dash to turn the garage light on in that time.

I usually have to flick the headlight switch to On, or leave the transponder in the car with Ready on, to leave the headlights on for longer. Then the car beeps at me and flashes the security icon - since nobody is sitting in the driver seat.

As far as the sensor being there for all the Prius sold, it makes sense. Why design a new dash just for cars without the Auto headlights?

 

disregard my post on the lights staying on I just checked this evening and no they go out on the 2k4 maybe it's my 2k3 that they stay on. I'll check it tomorrow and if so I'll update this post.

 

HID-equipped cars often do not have HID's because HIDs do not run well at lower voltages (The ballasts have problems with this).

 

:?

 

cars like the BMW's with Angel Eyes get around this by having those light-up optic rings around the HID projector unit which serve as DRLs.

 

I had a '63 VW bus that had little lights inside the headlight enclosures which served as DRLs.