DRLs - Should I see them on when parked and running?

I don't think mine come on till I shift out of park (C)

 

They are below the turn signals, outboard of the lower grill. They should be on when the headlights are off and off when the headlights are on. If you have AUTO headlights, check that the switch is in the AUTO position. I believe if the switch is in the position below that, they are all off.

 

DRLs should be off when the parking brake is engaged. They are on when in "P" as long as the brake is off.

 

Checking mine in the darkened garage, I see the DRLs:

* Turn on when the car is put into gear (Reverse) _and_ the parking brake is released;

* Turn off when ignition is turned off. Putting the car in Park and setting the parking brake is not sufficient to turn off the DRLs.

 

Yes, once on the p-brake doesn't turn them off. On some other vehicles it does. But if the p-brake is on when you start the car the DRLs will be off until you release it.

In Canada, you can't turn the DRLs off, while the US models can. It's kind of funny, as headlamps are required by law also when it's dark and you -CAN- turn them off and drive. I suppose it's because it's too hard to tell if the DRLs are on from the drivers seat during the day.

 

Canadian DRLs are depowered high beams (brown-outs); the US version are LEDs on the bumper like what is required in Europe now.

I like LEDs better.

 

I have also disliked the depowered high beams, as some of them (at least in the U.S.) have not been sufficiently depowered to not hurt my eyes. I'd much prefer low beams, even fully powered, but that would fool too many drivers into not turning on all the rest of the lights at night.

The LEDs are a wonderful solution: bright enough to do the DRL job, not bright enough to hurt my eyes, far lower power consumption than turning on the full lighting system with low beams, and a useless (to the driver) light pattern that can't fool him into thinking that the real headlights are already on at night.

 

Down here we have a bunch of '12 owners that have their DRL's turned off while they drive. I think the '12 DRL's look cool on the car. Why turn them off? It sure is an eye catcher when one comes my way with their DRL's on.

Mike

 

A lot of that is done out of ignorance, not on purpose. Newbs turn the switch all the way down to turn everything off, not knowing the one click from the bottom position is the default day time position.

 

That was my thought also. I also seen some place in the vehicle setup in the NAV a setting for DRL on or off.

Mike

 

I don't think that does anything. It seems the switch on the stick overrides this.

 

I was thinkin that setting was for the default on or off when you power on the car with the stalk switch set to auto. I haven't messed with mine as I like 'em on. They look too cool to be off

Mike

 

You're probably right. I have no auto on my 2.

 

I wonder if the harness is there and all you'd need is the switch stalk?

Mike