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Automatic Headlights

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by hawkmoon77, Jul 6, 2009.

?
  1. Yes - It is worth the $50 dollars plus labor for all of that edded convenience.

    498 vote(s)
    83.8%
  2. No - I don't need another computer to turn on a switch for me when it gets dark.

    96 vote(s)
    16.2%
  1. DeanFL

    DeanFL 2010 owner - 1st Prius

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    My jaw is still dropped looking at your pics. You are a very talented and gutsy guy. Congratulations!

    Also good to see the (hopefully) fine working tech complexity going on behind the scenes in the instrument panel.
     
  2. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    It wonder if I gauged interest in this mod incorrectly. I put up a poll to get a pulse. It seems that there has been some talk about this in this and other threads, but not a whole lot of people actually doing it.

    I wonder how many people actually want it. If it is popular enough, I'll consolidate my guide and add it to the knowledge base.
     
  3. Edward Walsh

    Edward Walsh New Member

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    Hi:

    Very intrigued by what you did. I have had Automatic Lights on with at least the last three (if not more) vehicles and I must say that it is great when the lights come on based on the dash mounted. So for me with this Automatic Lights on feature plus mandatory DRL's I have gotten use to just getting in and driving and not worrying about it.

    That being said, I am not sure if in Canada for the 2010 Toyota Prius we will have Automatic Lights On/Off as a feature (don't have mine yet), but I was wondering if your little 'experiment' would work with those that have factory DLR's? More out of curiosity as I read your posts and what you did is way out of my league and I wouldn't even attempt to try anything like this.

    Just the same - very impressed.

    Edward
    Marystown, Newfoundland
    Canada
     
  4. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    Okay, bit of an explaination is required. I think I overwhelmed a lot of people with my pictures and my long instructions. My pictures are NOT what is required. Not even a fraction. Not even close. I did that for fun.

    What is required is about 15 minutes of disassembly. My description is very long because it is very detailed. The detail would make it easier to emulate, but gives a poor sense of the complexity. You realize I spent paragraphs discussing, for example, how to pull out a piece, in what direction, where to put your hands, what to unclip, etc. In practice, it would take literally 10 seconds to remove said piece.

    As for the wiring, it comes down to having to connect:

    1. Power to the unit (you need to conenct it to a 12V+ wire)
    2. Two wires to the headlight switch (to turn the lights on)
    3. One wire to the wiper switch (Optional if you want headlights on when the wipers are on.

    That's it. I don't believe there woudl be a way to simplify it beyond that.

    As for the DRL. You need to understand what the kit actually does.

    Your headlight switch, when turned to the headlight "on" position, takes a blue wire and connects it to a green wire. regardless of DRL, that's how the computer knows you moved the headlight switch on.

    The kit taps into those two wires and connects them for you when it gets dark. It is no different then if you manually moved the headlight switch to the "on" position. By "no different" I mean exactly the same. There is no tricking the computer, or bypassing anything. The kit connects the blue wire to the green wire the same way as the switch does. If either the kit does it, or the switch does it, the result is the same, your headlights go on.

    I hope that clarifies things a bit. I've gotten a lot of questions on this point. If anyone still is unclear, please explain and and I'll do my best to answer.
     
    4 people like this.
  5. cuban2

    cuban2 New Member

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    I was wondering if you could supply some pictures of the finished look. so that we can have a better idea of what it should look like.


    Thanks..
     
  6. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    What do you mean by finished look? There are no visible parts in the end except for the small sensor.
     
  7. cuban2

    cuban2 New Member

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    ok, so where did you put your sensor, how did you connect it to the dash board and are there better locations for it.. i also have my windows tinted so its darker in my car... well that affect the mod?
     
  8. Sphyrna

    Sphyrna Priusite

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    I think he already covered that.

    BTW, There's a KNOWLEDGE BASE?! I wasn't aware of that!:eek: Gotta check that out!
     
  9. cuban2

    cuban2 New Member

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    thanks, found it! however it would still be nice to see how the sensor looks, installed.:D
     
  10. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    I have tinted windows too. No effect.
     
  11. FireEngineer

    FireEngineer Active Member

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    Hawkmoon77,

    Nice write up. And your right, the dash does come apart fairly easy. Knowing you have just added HID headlights, how does the auto on work with the HID since the HID have a warm up time and quick on/off of the ballast could damage them.

    Wayne
     
  12. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    No problems.

    The auto headlights will turn on instantly if it gets too dark for a few seconds. That means that they will turn on within 3 seconds of going in a tunnel or parking garage. It also means that they will NOT turn on when passing under an overpass, or under some large trees.

    They do not turn off instantly. In order for them to turn off, they must be exposed to daylight for at least 30 seconds.

    In the realworld, there is no problem. Even if you tried to get them to turn on and off as quickly as possible by covering and uncovering the sensor, there is still that 30 second buffer. More than enough to protect the bulbs.

    That being said, I also bought what I think to be a better kit - just in case.
     
  13. Jim Calvert

    Jim Calvert New Member

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    Great documentation! I know it was a lot of work writing it up, and you did us all a big favor. Thanks! :)
     
  14. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    Thanks for all the info. I ordered the 545T today. I will post some pics after I get it installed. I can not go with out auto lights.

    So far this is what I have done to my Prius. I have had it about a week now.

    Had the dealer install the remote start for free that I bought online. It was part of the deal when I bought the car.

    I installed the lighted door stills, they look great.

    [​IMG]

    I connected to a constant power source so I can leave power to my GPS all the time, my cell phone charger, my laptop charger, and the remote radar detector module. I am going to put switched on them soon.

    I installed the Cobra XRS R10G radar detector and wired it to accessory power. This thing is cool. It has a built in GPS that detects photo radar cameras.

    [​IMG]

    I installed felt in the glove box, the box above the glove box, the center console box and the little container to put money in the center console. That took way to long.

    [​IMG]
     
    1 person likes this.
  15. radioprius1

    radioprius1 Climate Conspirisist

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    This is a great thread, and I've been looking in my Prius for a place to mount the light sensor - I don't have the courage to rip out my entire dash (man, you are crazy!!)

    I was curious if you saw the default Toyota light sensor when you ripped out your entire dash? Did it still seem that everything was wired in place for the automatic head light turn on? I'm still curious if grounding that one pin would make the whole thing work:)
     
  16. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    I have no idea. I wish I would have tried it.

    I think I mentioned this before but you do not need to rip apart the whole dash, just a few peices. It's laid out in my documentation.
     
  17. rachaelseven

    rachaelseven New Member

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    That looks awesome! Want to come do my car? :)
     
  18. LRKingII

    LRKingII New Member

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    Ditto on the felt in glove boxes. They look great
    What did you use for adhesive for the felt? Can you give a few pointers on how you cut the patterns?
     
  19. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    I checked. the wore is not in the harness by the stalk. If it did work, you'd have to tap into the pins on the ecu side (if present - I didnt' check).
     
  20. dbz

    dbz New Member

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    I have the 2010 Prius V which indicated that it has the auto on/off, but actually it doesn't. You need to turned on the headlight switch and the lights go on regardless of whether its day or night. But the headlights does go off when your engine is off after 30 seconds. But this is NOT auto on/off be definition! Auto on means it goes on by itself without human intervention!
     
    2 people like this.