Daytime LED Running Lights

~tc~ · Wed Apr 30, 2014 12:59 pm

That's a separate marker light (at least in the US, that's how it's wired)

licenseTOill · Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:49 pm

If that is a separate marker light, then where are my factory DRL? That little yellow bulb is my DRL. It does not ever turn off or get brighter/dimmer as long as the car is on. And again it is separate from my low, high, fog, and turn signal bulbs. I apologize for being difficult, just doesn't seem to be matching up with what people are telling me unless I am completely missing something here.

Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:53 pm

Something was changed to make your marker light function as the DRL. I'm really curious how this was achieved...

It looks like you might have HIDs too? Perhaps some modifications were done

licenseTOill · Wed Apr 30, 2014 4:01 pm

I put the HID in. I'm planning on putting this LED DRL strip in over the weekend so I will do some investigating for you guys as to what is going on here and why it is different. I would be very surprised if it wasn't factory because it only had 12K miles on it when I got it and it had no obvious modifications.

Wed Apr 30, 2014 4:14 pm

Keep us updated! I'd love to have the marker light as the DRL. Then I could run premium H7 bulbs for high beams without reducing their life from the DRL. W5W LEDs/bulbs are also much cheaper than H7 bulbs.

I'd appreciate it if you could take some clear photos of the wiring inside the headlights too. Maybe we can figure out what was done. I'm hoping it's a simple rewire and doesn't involve any software.

licenseTOill · Wed Apr 30, 2014 4:21 pm

Will do! I'll get detailed photos and try to provide a complete answer so we can work out a solution for everybody that is interested. I'll also trace wires back to the origin if needed.

Wed Apr 30, 2014 5:16 pm

licenseTOill wrote:If that is a separate marker light, then where are my factory DRL? That little yellow bulb is my DRL. It does not ever turn off or get brighter/dimmer as long as the car is on. And again it is separate from my low, high, fog, and turn signal bulbs. I apologize for being difficult, just doesn't seem to be matching up with what people are telling me unless I am completely missing something here.

~tc~ is correct. That little bulb is not the DRL but a bulb called the "position bulb" and its purpose is different from the DRL. In fact, it's actually for the JDM where the DRL function is not offered.
It comes on when the headlights are in parking mode or on. However, they will not be on when the headlight is off. The light that is emitted when the headlight is off and the handbrake is down while the engine is on is the actual DRL which is the low beam H7 bulb at low wattage. This is the case with cars with factory DRL (all North American models).

I am 100% certain on this given I'd modded the low beam to HIDs, the high beam to LEDs (the reason was for the DRLs), and even the position bulb to a PIAA LED that I got in Japan. That position bulb is not bright enough to function as a useful DRL alone unless you get a larger bulb with multiple SMD LEDs.

Here's some more info. I explain why position bulbs exist in the first place.
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... =28&t=2141

Wed Apr 30, 2014 5:26 pm

licenseTOill wrote:Will do! I'll get detailed photos and try to provide a complete answer so we can work out a solution for everybody that is interested. I'll also trace wires back to the origin if needed.

I did some googling and it seems like this mod is usually done near the DRL relay, where the power wire coming from the DRL relay is cut and rewired to the two parking lights.

Let us know what you find. I'll see if the service manual has any wiring schematics

licenseTOill · Wed Apr 30, 2014 5:40 pm

It comes on when the headlights are in parking mode or on. However, they will not be on when the headlight is off.

The position light in mine never turns off and my factory DRL with the low voltage high beam bulbs never turn on.

Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:15 pm

licenseTOill wrote:
It comes on when the headlights are in parking mode or on. However, they will not be on when the headlight is off.
The position light in mine never turns off and my factory DRL with the low voltage high beam bulbs never turn on.

If that is true, then the previous owner definitely had them modded to be that way. Very interesting.
However, the position bulbs alone are too dim to be effective DRLs so I don't blame you for wanting to add a LED strip.
Regardless, keep us posted on what you find with the wiring as some are very interested in disabling the low beam as DRLs. I personally took a whole different route with this.