[Katsura]

Hi all,

I've added the fuse to block 35 to activate the Daytime Driving Lights, which I think improves driving safety.

The only annoying thing is now that whenever the car is running, the instrument panel lights are always on. (and can be 'Night Paneled').

It's a small distraction but this also means more chance for instrument panel lights to fail (already splashed out £16 for 3 small green bulbs). Is there any mod avalible to seperate the circuit of instrument panel lights from Daytime Driving Lights?

Cheers.

this reminded me I really need to order that Haynes manual...

 

[Kermit]

How about turning the dash display down to nothing via the dimmer during the day? I run DRL's and to be honest don't even notice the dash lights are on, i've not had to replace a bulb yet in 3 years.

 

[mjlee]

Thought I read in the manual that the car automatically shuts off the panel lights if it is bright out. This seems to be what my car is doing.

 

[Kermit]

It doesn't shut them off, it constantly adjusts the brightness via the sun sensor on top of the dash.

 

[mjlee]

It doesn't shut them off, it constantly adjusts the brightness via the sun sensor on top of the dash.

Oh right. Seems to me though that it would still reduce the load on the bulbs. I prefer it this way. Great for bridges and underground parking.

 

[OddyseusDSM]

I remember I could turn the whole interior completely dark via the dimmer switch in the mistu. When I had daytime running lights, the guages didn't seem to dim at all with the brightness of the sun.

 

[TurboBob]

Sorry about jumping in this thread so late, but I just stumbled onto it. Funny, I have a US spec car here in Montana, and couldn't wait to get rid of my daytime driving lights, "DRL" is what we call them here. I found out that in order to do that, I had to not only remove the fuse, but the dealer also had to make 2 seperate tech2 adjustments to the lighting program. The car is actually set to Euro specs now. The advantage is that now I can use the fog lights correctly, that is to say without the headlights being on. Since it snows so often here, I run the fogs often, snow reflects more light in your face than fog does. If you insist on running DRL, you won't be able to turn the lights off to use your fogs, or for any other reason. The headlight switch becomes pretty much useless.

As for the sensor on the dash, it senses daylight for the DRL system, 1, to turn off the dash lights, and 2, to run the headlights at a lower voltage so as to save the wear on the bulbs, but it won't work correctly unless you have the tech2 adjustments made. I don't have the specs for those adjustments right now or I'd post them. If you need them, post in this thread again, I'll get them when my wife gets home with the car.

 

[Kermit]

I can't use the front fogs unless the light switch is in the 12 o'clock position or fully on. If the switch is at 11 o'clock no foggies.

 

[ricot83]

lmao i also just had my DRL's disabled via the tech 2... i can use my parking lights (position 1), parking lights and fog lights (position 2) or use all lights (position 3)

 

[Katsura]

Is DRL standard for Swedish spec cars? I remember all the older UK spec Volvos seem to have DRL enabled by default.

In the UK road condition, (not much fog and quite light until autumn time) I found it quite useful to have DRL, I usually notice cars with them on stands out a lot more from opposite direction.

 

[Kermit]

All Swedish cars are required to run day lights. Its a personal choice over here, some dealers remove the fuse as a matter of course, others leave them. Saying that i haven't seen one 9-3SS over here with DRL's. :roll:

 

[ricot83]

its not just a fuse though it is a tech 2 option

 

[bobsaab]

lmao i also just had my DRL's disabled via the tech 2... i can use my parking lights (position 1), parking lights and fog lights (position 2) or use all lights (position 3)

Ricot - that's how i would like to run my lights. Is there a name or code number for this configuration (so I can tell the tech person)?

Or do I merely tell them - "I want my light to do this..."?

 

[ricot83]

fact of the matter is it is illegal for a dealer to do this, so unless you are in good with them or know them they may deny u. But it is worth a shot. When the tech 2 is hooked up, u set the light setting to number "1" the stock setting where the drl's are on, is number "3"

 

[bobsaab]

Thnx Ricot.
Maybe I'll take my friends Smith and Wesson to the dealer to persuade them...just kidding of course...

 

[TurboBob]

The illegal part, is that here, federal safety standards require that fog lights can only come on when the headlights are on. Stupid since it defeats the purpose of the fogs, but thats the way the law reads.
In order to sneak the adjustment in I snuck it in with some other tech2 stuff I wanted, like lowering the alarm chirp and disabling the stupid shift up light. I gave them a list that included,
-set headlights to option 1
-set fogligths to option 1
Don't tell them what you're trying to do. My dealer (a very small dealership) didn't ask what those changes did, they just did it. Setting headlights to option 1 allows the headlight switch to turn the headlights on/off, setting the fogs to option 1 allows the fogs to come on with just the parking lights or with the lowbeams, this is the illegal part. DRL is not required by law yet,(well, maybe in your state) note that GM products are the only ones that come standard with it, so you should be able to get that part done. As for safety, just turn on the headlights when you're on the 2 lanes. That way you don't attract extra attention to yourself when doing 90mph+ on a divided highway. Yes, I love driving in Montana.:cheesy:

 

[bobsaab]

FWIW, I currently have it set so that my fogs remain on when I go to high beams.

Anybody else doing this?

 

[Cloudship]

Fog Lights?

I havn't used my fogs for a year. Got tired of having to replace them constaly because they would get banged up on curbs, snow, stones, etc.

Besides, I have never found them very useful headlights or no headlights.

 

[bobsaab]

When I turn mine off there is a significant decrease in peripheral illumination - helps a lot in turns (TO KEEP THEM ON THAT IS!). I never turn them off!

 

[OddyseusDSM]

bobsaab, did you do this through techII or what. I'd like to have my fogs be independant of the lights anyway. We have wooded areas here where you should use your headlights even during the daytime for visibility purposes and on my previous car I bought a set of Fogs that looked stock and used them when driving in the daytime, I know its not legal but no one really cares as long as I'm using the headlights at night.

BTW, the fogs i had were almost as bright as highbeams using the same bulbs as the 9-5's, I could in effect drive at night without a problem, maybe my old wiring is around and I could set these up like my old ones.....