Using head lights during the day

never heard about it not being safe to have headlights on during day. That sounds crazy.

To answer your question. To the left of the steering wheel should be the intensity control. Just roll it all the way up, and it will over ride the nighttime mode

 

Sure thing. Your lights are AUTO OFF just in case you did not know that. On the left lower part of your dash is a roller switch that controls the intensity of the dash lights when the headlamps or parking lamps are lit. Roll it to the very top (Detent positon) in other words full up position. Your dash lights and Nav will be an normal full brightness....

When you turn off the car, the headlamps will go out in 30 seconds as set as a default.

 

I would think he is referring to how DRL's are supposed to be better to aid someone in seeing you. The hard part is everyone is doing either there makeup, drinking coffee, talking on cell phones, coddling the children and that's the reason they don't see us!

 

In my car, the dash adapts itself to ambient light. Meaning, if I switch on the lights during the day, the dash only dims when I drive through a tunnel. Doesn't yours do that?

In some European countries it is mandatory to have lights on during the day for safety reasons.

 

Is that true? In my car, that roller switch you are describing is for adjusting the height of the beam. The dashboard light brightness is a push button the right side behind the steering wheel .

 

The OP is in Seattle WA USA, and the reply is from Buffalo NY USA, it is likely their cars are made to the same Government Standards. Your reply shows you in Leiden, The Netherlands, which may well use different Government Standards.

 

How is a dashboard light dimmer switch subject to government regulation?

 

U.S. Department of Transportation / Search

Finds 24 references to Dashboard dimmer switch at dot.gov, I am not as good finding Dutch government regulations.

So far as I know, our Department Of Transportation does not let any US citizen adjust the height of the headlight beam while driving. (we are allowed High and Low beams, on a stalk, but they are not manually adjustable)

 

In some countries, like Canada for example, DRLs (daytime running lights) are mandatory. I know from experience they make a big difference to the visibility of motorcycles, and to cars. I can't imagine why anyone would think they're more dangerous.

 

Canada began requiring automatic daytime running lights roughly two decades ago. (I'm sure a Canadian member can correct me on this.) The U.S. does not, though a significant number of U.S. market cars do have them.

If it were true, DRLs would be illegal here. They aren't.

I suspect someone is confusing this with highbeams. In some states -- everywhere I have lived -- daylight is no exception to the requirement for turning down highbeams in the face of other drivers. I just wish the transit buses and heavy trucks would obey.

 

I'm about to just wire my headlight switch to an accessory wire so I automatically have headlights anytime the car is on.

 

Dang! I don't like that she is on PC to show how cool some things are/would/could be. That is so sweet! Too bad it'd be an illegal mod here but, sigh, I suppose the gov. knows better than I!

 

Nothing wrong with using regular headlights (not highbeams) during the day, because US 2010 Prius do not have DRLs. I have avoided many accidents as the other drivers just barely saw me, especially at or near the blindspots areas while changing lanes. At least the Auto-OFF (30secs) feature is there so you don't have to remember to turn them off every time. My 2cents ...

 

I always have left my headlight switch on, both on my 2005 Gen II and my new Gen III. There is an "auto-off" function on both. This way I never have to think about turning them on and I am always extra visible.

I must say I do like the auto-off function as it worked on the Gen II cars better than on Gen III. On Gen II, when the car is turned off, opening the driver's side door immediately turns off the lights.

The 30-second delay on the Gen III works IF you have gone through the correct sequence: car must be either on or in IGN position with lights on; then car is turned off; then driver's door is opened; then driver's door is closed; and then the 30 seconds begin, after which the lights go off.

If you do something outside that sequence, the lights seem to stay on. This has made me a bit nervous a couple times, inducing me to stand watching the car for 30 seconds to make sure the lights turn off.

 

Just turn them on, in a Gen 2 they turn off when you open the driver's door, in a Gen 3 they turn off in 30 seconds. No need to 'wire' anything.

 

My defense is that I wrote that very late at night after I had a few drinks I was trying to figure out all these elaborate schemes to wire them to turn on automatically - LOL. Oops!

 

I test drove a used Prius before buying, the Owners Manual had sections like Daytime Running Lights (If so equipped), etc. I emailed Toyota to find out how to get one so equipped, they had no clue.
Email Toyota

My salesman, who owned two Prius, knew the right answer. So I had help. I have not had the lights turned off since I drove off his lot.

 

I haven't turned the headlights off on my 2005 (bought in September 2004) for five years. They're always turned on.

I did have a bit of weirdness this morning after parking my Gen III at my work. For some reason, I must have interfered with the sequence I described above, because they didn't turn off after 30 seconds as I expected them to. I got back into the car, closed the driver's door, turned it on, then turned it off and exited. Then they turned off automatically.

I just know I'm going to run the aux. battery down by messing this up someday. I'm not yet to a sufficient comfort level where I just walk away from the car with the lights still on.