1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Prius Always-on lights, fog lights and rear hatch openers

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by bogeybob513, Oct 22, 2006.

  1. bogeybob513

    bogeybob513 rtc513

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2006
    147
    2
    0
    Location:
    Myrtle Beach, SC
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Does anyone know if I can purchase aftermarket always-on lights for my 2006? They used to have them, but maybe on the upper option models?

    Would also like to install after market fog lights. Any advise for same?

    How about a rear hatch opener? First moderen car I've had that doesn't have one!
     
    #1 bogeybob513, Oct 22, 2006
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,958
    16,179
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Aftermarket foglights would work fine. I'm not sure what you mean by the first line.

    Also, lotsa cars don't have a internal hatch release. Matrix, RSX, Mazda3, Golf/Rabbit and tons of SUVs and minivans lol.

    What would be cool is a powered hatch like the minivans/SUVs.
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, Oct 22, 2006
  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,982
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    If you mean DRLs, you can get a module that can be installed in most cars to perform this funtion. Check out Pep Boys or Autozone, they should have them.
     
    #3 David Beale, Oct 22, 2006
  4. Beryl Octet

    Beryl Octet New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2006
    1,293
    0
    0
    Location:
    Abingdon VA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bb513 @ Oct 22 2006, 11:20 AM) [snapback]336376[/snapback]</div>
    You mean a power hatch? It seems to be pretty simple, about every episode of Monster Garage shows them installing one, or some variation thereof. Just need a solenoid and an actuator.
     
    #4 Beryl Octet, Oct 22, 2006
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2004
    14,816
    2,498
    66
    Location:
    Far-North Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    That makes me think about the post "what are the blank spaces next to the light rheostat for?"

    You could very easily put the push button actuator in one of those blanks and probably make it look pretty darn "supposed to be there."
     
    #5 TonyPSchaefer, Oct 22, 2006
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,958
    16,179
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    You can probably get one of those buttons from an RX. It seems to be roughly the same size as the 04/05 blanks.
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Oct 22, 2006
  7. Ari

    Ari New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2006
    165
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    As for day time running lights - at least on our 06 the lights come on if they are switched on and then go off when we shut down the car. Sounds a lot like DRL to me! :D
     
    #7 Ari, Oct 23, 2006
  8. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,982
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Close, but "true" DRLs come on when the engine is started. They will be off if the parking brake is engaged. Taillamps are not on when the DRLs are on. Some vehicles use the front "parking lights" as DRLs, such as Chrysler mini-vans and RX-7s. They use yellow lamps and brighter than "parking light" bulbs. I'm not aware of any HID equiped vehicle that uses them as DRLs but I suppose they could. Many vehicles that use the headlamps (halogin) for DRLs run them in series to decrease the brightness and increase the life of the bulbs. I find this strange, as my education tells me running a halogen bulb at less than full voltage will actually decrease its' life. But whatever. ;)

    If I were to enable DRL on an American Prius, I would be tempted to use the "driving/fog" lights at full brightness rather than trying to use the HIDs or Halogen headlamps. This might cause problems with legality however.

    Is there another bulb in the lamp assy that might be used? The RX-8 does this.
     
    #8 David Beale, Oct 23, 2006
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,958
    16,179
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Oct 23 2006, 08:24 AM) [snapback]336756[/snapback]</div>
    For Toyotas, the DRLs come on when the car is started AND the parking brake is released. On GM cars, the DRLs will go off when the parking brake is engaged but with Toyota, it'll stay on until you shut off as you've found out.

    Lotsa cars use foglights as DRLs - Murano, A4, Navigator.

    I suppose you could use the foglight mod that allows you to turn on the foglights independent of the headlights.

    However, a word of caution. The foglight covers have a tendency to develop an internal crack due to the intense heat from the bulb and possibly the cold rain or snow on the outside.
     
    #9 Tideland Prius, Oct 23, 2006
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)