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How to turn off headlights when IG-ON?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by markderail, Oct 11, 2006.

  1. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

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    When waiting a few minutes for someone parked, I would like to turn off the headlights.
    Completely.

    Same thing for when going to the Drive-In movies, sometimes you want to to use your defrost.

    This to avoid going Off completely, and having to drive away soon after, wasting fuel.

    On my other cars, using the handbrake would turn off the headlights.
     
  2. Presto

    Presto Has his homepage set to PC

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    Park.
    Put on the E-brake.
    Turn lights to OFF position.
    Turn off Car.
    Turn on Car.

    The ICE will turn on after 5 seconds, but should stop pretty quick if it's warmed up.
    The lights will be off, though. DRLs....grr.
     
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  3. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    Is this a Canadian daytime running lights question?
    Does just turning the stalk switch to off not work?

    Can you not leave the car on and turn the headlights completely off - for the times you will be parked and waiting for someone for just a few minutes?
     
  4. DocVijay

    DocVijay Active Member

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    Since you are in Canada, you have the daytime running lights. You simply can't turn those off if the car is on. Sorry.
     
  5. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DocVijay @ Oct 11 2006, 09:00 AM) [snapback]331073[/snapback]</div>
    You sure? Presto (who apparently is from Canada) seems to think differently. . .
     
  6. DocVijay

    DocVijay Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Betelgeuse @ Oct 11 2006, 09:26 AM) [snapback]331083[/snapback]</div>
    Apparently not.
     
  7. c4

    c4 Active Member

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    To shut off the DRL without turning the vehicle off:

    Turn off the headlights/parking lights on the stalk (DRL remain on), apply the emergency brake, open the door, open the fuse box, remove the gauge fuse momentarily and reinstall. The MFD will "bing" and then the DRL will shut off until you release the emergency brake.

    Turning off the DRL saves about .6-1A of current draw on the hybrid battery, so it gives you a bit more time before the ICE has to run and recharge if you have to be waiting for a while..

    Basically, what you're doing is resetting the DRL control module (Toyota calls it a DRL relay, but there's obviously more than just a relay in there) so that it sees the state of the emergency brake and turns the DRL off. The ideal solution would be to put a momentary switch on the power wire into the module, but unfortunately, it's not easily accessible without major dash disassembly, so pulling the fuse is the easiest way; it also shuts off the MFD and the front display briefly, but there's no problems as with doing that as far as I can tell.. If you want a permanent installation of a DRL kill switch, you can buy one of those "add-a-circuit" things for minifuses, but instead of using to add a new circuit, you plug the fuse into the expansion socket and leave the main socket empty, and connect the two wires to a switch.
     
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  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Mark, you'll have to turn off the car to turn off the DRLs.

    I'm guessing other cars are GM cars which toggle the DRLs via handbrake. Toyota's system is a one-way system so you have to shut off the car and go to IG-ON mode.

    Another option is to rewire your DRLs (say the indicators instead of the headlights) or add a switch so you can turn on/off the DRLs at will.
     
  9. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    Please don't tell California politicians about that system. That sucks!

    California recently enacted a law in which you must have your headlights on if it is raining, etc . . .

    “You must turn on your headlights if snow, rain, fog, or low-visibility (1000 feet or less) require the use of windshield wipers.â€
    http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs31thru32.htm

    "But officer, I use Rain-X and these are not conditions that 'require' windshield wipers."

    [Beating by officer shortly ensues. As the officer walks away, he places the ticket under the windshield wiper and says, “your condition now requires the use of your windshield wiper.†] :p
     
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  10. subarutoo

    subarutoo New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Oct 11 2006, 10:26 AM) [snapback]331219[/snapback]</div>
    Would you like some cheese with your Whine?
     
  11. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(c4 @ Oct 11 2006, 09:56 AM) [snapback]331099[/snapback]</div>
    :blink: :huh: :eek: Holy Smoke ! That's alot of work. I'll try Presto's trick first, and let you know if Québec Canada cars behave differently than their non-separatist cousins ;)


    Best solution would be to hardwire a 12v relay with the E-Brake to disengage the DRL when E-Brake is set.

    Nobody has gone to a drive-in movie with their Prius yet???? Astounding !!!! How can you defog your windows w/o going to IG-ON? Applying Rain-X on the inside too? :rolleyes:
     
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well the US Prius don't have DRLs so I don't think there'll be any complaints from them.

    You can defog by leaving the window open just a crack. Hopefully it's not too chilly.

    I would use c4's suggestion but add a switch so you don't have to keep doing that all the time. Have the switch simulate removing the fuse.
     
  13. dipper

    dipper Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Oct 11 2006, 10:26 AM) [snapback]331219[/snapback]</div>

    Man, where have you been? :lol:

    That law has been in effect since Jan 2005.
     
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Funny that you need a law. It's more than common sense really. When it's raining here, the headlights come on and we don't have a law.

    Even when it's gloomy, half the cars will have the headlights on (NOT DRLs)
     
  15. auricchio

    auricchio Member

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    From the California vehicle code. The part in italics applies here.

    24400. (a) During darkness and inclement weather, a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be equipped with at least two lighted headlamps, with at least one on each side of the front of the vehicle, and, except as to vehicles registered prior to January 1, 1930, they shall be located directly above or in advance of the front axle of the vehicle. The headlamps and every light source in any headlamp unit shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 22 inches.

    ( B ) As used in subdivision (a), "inclement weather" is a weather condition that is either of the following:

    (1) A condition that prevents a driver of a motor vehicle from clearly discerning a person or another motor vehicle on the highway from a distance of 1,000 feet.

    (2) A condition requiring the windshield wipers to be in continuous use due to rain, mist, snow, fog, or other precipitation or atmospheric moisture.

    ( C ) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2005.

    So we don't have to turn on the headlights when using an intermittent wiper setting. Common sense applies in all driving situations, of course.
     
  16. dmarcus123

    dmarcus123 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Oct 11 2006, 01:26 PM) [snapback]331219[/snapback]</div>
    Georgia, not usually ahead of California [to say the least], has had that law for years. I've always thought the world would be safer place is manufacturers created an interlock that turned ON the headlights whenever the wipers were on a non-intermittent setting for more than a minute.

    Mentioning, Georgia, I saw my first Prius today since picking mine up a week ago.
     
  17. dipper

    dipper Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Oct 11 2006, 04:15 PM) [snapback]331435[/snapback]</div>

    Then we know you don't live in CA (even without really your profile). ;)

    We got some really stupid people around here. Some even tries to drive in the dark without their headlights. Because it "wastes" gas. :rolleyes: And funny thing is, some are from gas guzzler owners.
     
  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Oct 12 2006, 10:42 AM) [snapback]331783[/snapback]</div>
    ha! I'm not surprised. My friend loves to tell people about his HID lights but (and I quote him) "they're too bright in the daytime" :blink: Uh huh... so that makes them not bright at night? :unsure: It's factory HIDs though. They would avoid the headlights if possible and just rely on DRLs during the day. Another would shut off his lights just before parking. Really... I don't think the lights draw that much power, even the 2x 55W halogens, do they??
     
  19. henrik solutions

    henrik solutions New Member

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