Bogus Auto-On Headlights

[journeygirl1]

Hi PCers!
I've had my 05 a month now, and I just noticed that it doesn't have the "Auto" setting on the headlight function wand! I bought the full monty on this thing (Pkg 6), and I am surprised this feature is not on there! It describes it in the owners' manual, too! Do other packages of the 05 or 04 models have this? Or is this just a generic section in the manual that is available only on some Toyotas?

-=Amber=-


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Amber D Sapp, PharmD, RPh
2005 Silver #6 49.8MPG avg
journeygirl1@hotmail.com

[Frank Hudon]

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.

[V8Cobrakid]

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.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

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

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.[/b]

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.

[Tideland Prius]

Yep, and it also turns the screen brightness up if you exit an underground carpark but it's bright enough to dictate the screen brightness to daytime mode but dark enough that your headlights stay on. I've had the Prius auto brighten the screen to daytime mode even though the "taillight on" light is still on

[V8Cobrakid]

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

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

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.[/b]

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.

[fred]

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)

[Hytec]

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?)

[DaveinOlyWA]

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

[jayman]

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.