1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Daytime Running Lights - Hack Available?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by jferris33, Jun 30, 2010.

  1. jferris33

    jferris33 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2010
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Is anyone aware of a hack to the US version of the 2010 Prius to enable daytime running lights?

    I know that they are used in Canada so it would seem possible to make it work in the US models but I asked my Toyota dealer about it and they said that they don't know of anything that is available through official channels.
     
  2. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,121
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    There are some threads about this on the forum already. If I remember correctly it isn't an easy thing to do like just checking a box on the internal computer, but you need relays and some amount of rewiring.

    I could be wrong so have a quick search through the posts.
     
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,871
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    You do know that you can just turn on the headlights and they automatically turn off when the car stops* and turn on when it starts again?

    *In a 2010 they turn off when either front door is opened, once the car is off. By default there is a 30 second delay, the dealer can change this to 0 seconds. In older Prius, only the driver's door works and the only choice is 0 seconds.
     
  4. jferris33

    jferris33 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2010
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    I did look through all of the existing posts on the topic of daytime running lights but most of those are several years old and do not address the gen III Prius.
     
  5. jferris33

    jferris33 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2010
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Yes, I am aware of that but would like to avoid leaving the headlights on all the time plus when they are on the dash displays all dim and need to be corrected for daytime visibility.
     
  6. ozarkgolfer

    ozarkgolfer Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2010
    76
    4
    0
    Location:
    Rogers, AR
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Leave your sidelights or headlights on fulltime - in default mode they turn off 30 seconds after you power down the car or you can have the dealer change the default mode to turning lights off immediately at power down.

    There is a thread in here somewhere where someone installed a Canadian headlight stalk. There is also a thread in here where a US car could not pass the Canadian requirement for DRL's and so the owner used a heat shrink tube with the lights in the on position to pass regaulations.
     
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,985
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Go to the Toyota site, pay the one day fee, and download the circuit diagrams. The differences are on those, as both are shown (Canadian and US). It's not easy to change the wiring to the Canadian type. You could purchase a module to give you DRLs for a lot less. Search for DRL Module on Google.
     
  8. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,871
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    I am not up on 2010 options but doesn't V have the LED headlights? I bet that adds to your challenges.
     
  9. jferris33

    jferris33 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2010
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Yes, the Prius V does have LED headlights. I don't know if they can be operated at low voltage. I was wondering if there was a way to turn on just the front parking lights or the fog lights (also on the Prius V).
     
  10. jferris33

    jferris33 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2010
    18
    3
    0
    Location:
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    That's probably a good idea but not something that I would want to tackle myself. I'll do some searching for 3rd party modules as you suggested.
     
  11. chrisj428

    chrisj428 Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    680
    144
    35
    Location:
    Vernon Hills, IL
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    See attached for my plan of attack. I plan on just running the front fogs at full output.
     

    Attached Files:

  12. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2009
    7,543
    1,558
    0
    Location:
    Alaska
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Nice diagram Chris.

    I was thinking along the line of a dual-beam replacement for the highbeam bulb. Then running the lowbeam (perhaps @ 1/2 power) of the light through a DRL circuit. I haven't research it much but is there a dual-beam replacement bulb out there that would fit? What is the type of bulb is the highbeam anyway?
     
  13. chrisj428

    chrisj428 Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    680
    144
    35
    Location:
    Vernon Hills, IL
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I can't lay claim to it -- I cobbled it from somewhere else. I also believe it's for a Gen II vehicle. However, it gives the general idea.
     
  14. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2009
    2,173
    1,312
    0
    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    No option for EU yet. I was today at the dealer for something else and asked about it and he is not aware of anything yet.
    Moreover if I leave the headlights on when I turn off the car, the lights will NOT go off (parking lights at least) and a chime will remind you that you did not turn off the lights.
    If I am not wrong, DRL will be compulsory in EU on new vehicles starting in 2012. The Auris Hybrid, due mid-Sept in Germany, will have LED DRL standard.
     
    Pantelis likes this.
  15. cobradb

    cobradb Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2010
    105
    7
    4
    Location:
    tn
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    the prius is the only vehicle i havent added front lights to full time.,,but will.

    1 relay to activate with the pwr frm the ign sw on (find a wire that is hot with ign sw on -a wirper wire is sometimes easy)

    (knowledge of wiring relay required)
    1 fuse in line.

    cut/ splice in the new relay output pwr between the light and the org pwr source with something to block the pwr from going back to the org relay pwr.
    (otherwise all lights will come on with sw.)
    a diode network can be use for this,, if access is easy- this is a 20 min job.
    Result; front lights on with ign sw and or all the lights on from the inside sw.
     
  16. AkustaVirtaa

    AkustaVirtaa Sähköistäjä

    Joined:
    May 24, 2010
    198
    11
    1
    Location:
    Finland EU
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    You are right, my solution is self made 320 Candela (per bulb) led fog lights. :) In my calculations they pay back just after my car gets 150 000 km. :D
     
  17. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2009
    2,705
    510
    63
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Photos?

    Are they legal?
     
  18. mikegoldnj

    mikegoldnj New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2010
    21
    3
    0
    Location:
    New Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    How does this car not have DRL's?

    I thought DRL's were made mandatory several years ago.
     
  19. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2009
    2,705
    510
    63
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Not in the US. Canada maybe.
     
  20. mikegoldnj

    mikegoldnj New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2010
    21
    3
    0
    Location:
    New Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I guess I thought they had been mandated since the last four cars I've leased all had them as standard.

    Oh well.