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Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)


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That's been my experience too so far  -  When it comes to electrical mods, if it didn't come from the factory with it, it's next to impossible to add it later.  I have no unused relay sockets in the under hood fuse panel which are labeled for DRL's or anything of that nature

There is a tiny parking lamp bulb in the headlight assembly which comes on when you unlock the doors  -  I'd be happy if I could just make that bulb light up whenever the key is on.  It would be easy enough to replace the bulb with a brighter LED and that *should* make the van more visible in the daytime.  I've ridden motorcycles for about 50 years and I'm all for *anything* that makes me more visible.  You would think that anybody could see something as big and bright as a white TC coming at them, but I know better.  Some sort of DRL is going to have to be added in the near future

Don

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Don  -  Does your 2015 have factory DRL's?  My owners manual says, "If so equipped" for vehicles with halogen headlights (which I do have) the "system will turn the low beam headlights on at a reduced intensity" when ambient light level is high.  I have no used or unused relay position labeled for DRL's nor do I have any fuse labeled for it in any of the 3 main fuse panels.  I do have several relay positions and fuse positions which are labeled as 'Not Used'.   More than a hundred fuse positions and more than 20 plug in relays  -  This is certainly a very electrically complex vehicle!

It would be very interesting to see the owners manual for a TC which came with factory DRL's to see which if any replay or fuse positions control it and then determine whether I have any wiring there to support it.  The ideal place to learn such things would be your local Ford dealer, but unfortunately as with most other vehicles I've owned lately, a trip to the dealer to learn something about it has me teaching them more than they can teach me

I am a firm believer that DRL's are a big safety benefit and I know they are required in Canada  -  Surely there must be some simple way to add them if the vehicle didn't come so equipped.  I want to explore the possibility of adding factory DRL's before I look at adding them with aftermarket parts

Don

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1 hour ago, Beta Don said:

Don  -  Does your 2015 have factory DRL's?  My owners manual says, "If so equipped" for vehicles with halogen headlights (which I do have) the "system will turn the low beam headlights on at a reduced intensity" when ambient light level is high.  I have no used or unused relay position labeled for DRL's nor do I have any fuse labeled for it in any of the 3 main fuse panels.  I do have several relay positions and fuse positions which are labeled as 'Not Used'.   More than a hundred fuse positions and more than 20 plug in relays  -  This is certainly a very electrically complex vehicle!......

Mine doesn't. But The salvage fuse box may have. I'll have to look back at the photos I took before I started tearing into it. I may be able to trace out the wiring differences. I'm working this weekend but my vacation starts mid week so I'll have time to dig deeper then. If I can find the correct area of the box, I may be able to supply you some parts to get started trying the modification.

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The DRLs are turned on by the Body Control Module. The DRL function has to be configured by the factory (or maybe a dealer). Attached is an excerpt from the service manual. Ask the dealer if they can configure this function. No extra hardware is required (at least according to the manual). The factory DRL option was about $40. The Ford diagnostic software is "Oasis".  The manual does not say if Oasis can configure DRL bit it can definitely confirm the configuration.

 

drl.pdf

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I just received my special ordered 2017 Transit Connect LWB van. So far, loving it. I added the DRL's to the build for $40. My mistake, and Ford's as well, in my opinion, was not to add the auto headlight option. As stated, the DRL's are used on the low beams at a reduced intensity. What happens at night, is with the DRL's the low beams are on, and the dash lights are on and it makes me believe the headlights (with taillights) are on when they are not. In the first week, I have driven around at night 3 times thinking this and the taillights are not on. My van is black, in the dark with no taillights, seriously a safety issue and a ticket waiting to happen. Ideally I think Ford should couple the DRL's and auto headlights together.

Thank you Don for posting the wiring diagram of the headlights, it was just what I was looking for except it leaves out the headlight switch. I'm trying to figure out if I could add the auto headlight function if it's as simple as a new switch, or not.

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I'll be at the dealer this week to get a couple warranty items fixed  -  My passenger front window goes up or down about 2 inches when you press the switch and then no more until you release it and press it again and my rear window wiper/washer doesn't do anything.  While I'm there I'm going to see if they can reprogram my BCM so I have DRL's  -  If not, I'm going to add the aftermarket LED's in the grille

Don

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I don't see any mention of the 'vent feature' in my owners manual

I do have the optional 'one touch' feature on my windows  -  A quick push of the switch and the other three windows go all the way down without me holding the switch down  -  They go all the way back up with just one touch too.  The passenger front window takes 8 separate pushes of the switch to go all the way down and 8 more pushes to go all the way back up too  -  Even if you hold constant pressure on the switch.  There doesn't appear to be any easy way to completely open (or close) that one window  -  That can't be right, can it?  The other three work normally

Don

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17 hours ago, zalienz said:

I'm trying to figure out if I could add the auto headlight function if it's as simple as a new switch, or not.

The wiring diagram shows an extra module called the 'Autolamp and Rain Sensor' for cars with the autolamps feature which our cars may not have.  Evidently, the Autolamp also turns on the lights when it detects rain? 

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Yes  -  Push the switch and hold it and the window moves down 1.5 to 2 inches  -  Repeat 7 more times and it's all the way down.  Same thing going up.  The other three windows are either one touch down or hold the switch until it's down as far as you like and release it and the window stops there

Don

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22 hours ago, zalienz said:

I just received my special ordered 2017 Transit Connect LWB van. So far, loving it. I added the DRL's to the build for $40. My mistake, and Ford's as well, in my opinion, was not to add the auto headlight option. As stated, the DRL's are used on the low beams at a reduced intensity. What happens at night, is with the DRL's the low beams are on, and the dash lights are on and it makes me believe the headlights (with taillights) are on when they are not. In the first week, I have driven around at night 3 times thinking this and the taillights are not on. My van is black, in the dark with no taillights, seriously a safety issue and a ticket waiting to happen. Ideally I think Ford should couple the DRL's and auto headlights together.

Thank you Don for posting the wiring diagram of the headlights, it was just what I was looking for except it leaves out the headlight switch. I'm trying to figure out if I could add the auto headlight function if it's as simple as a new switch, or not.

 

 

Here in Cali, daytime running lights are not required by law.  But, on some roadways, there are signs that advise that headlights should be on.  My personal preference is for me to be able to turn the lights on and off manually.  I don't want a car with lights that turn on, and I can't turn them off.  

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17 hours ago, Beta Don said:

The wiring diagram shows an extra module called the 'Autolamp and Rain Sensor' for cars with the autolamps feature which our cars may not have.  Evidently, the Autolamp also turns on the lights when it detects rain? 

That sounds right, Don. I wouldn't be surprised if the BCM had to re-configured as well. Many manufacturers now use an integral rain / light sensor  mounted on the windshield instead of a separate solar sensor for the lights. My vehicle does have rain sensing wipers, so it's possible the light sensor is there with it. Additionally in California there is a recent law that says if your wipers are on, you must also turn the headlights on, so the manufacturers are slowly catching up with that and turning on the headlights when the wipers are activated. If Ford does that , it probably only happens if you have the auto headlights. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a wiring diagram, they are not out yet for the 2017, and mine will be different as I have Sync 3 Nav.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎9‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 8:30 PM, Don Ridley said:

The headlamp wiring diagram shows the DRL does not involve any extra components.

headlamp wiring.pdf

I think we've found a difference between the 2016 models and my 2014.  That page in my Ford wiring book (page 85-3 in my 2014 book) shows the DRL's use a separate bulb  -  It shows Bulb #1 as the Side Marker, #2 as the High Beam, #3 as the Low Beam and #4 as the DRL.

I looked it up after the dealer service department told me they could not turn the DRL's on because my van did not come with them and the DRL used a separate bulb and not the low beam at reduced intensity as we were thinking

I did read an online article about DRL's in Ford trucks from 1999 on.  They used a resistor and a separate constant 12 volt source to run the Bulb at reduced intensity and then when you turned the headlights on, that gave the bulbs full voltage and made them brighter.  I think I'm gonna try this with my foglights  -  Get a heavy duty resistor and run them at lower voltage anytime the ignition is on.  They should still work normally when I manually turn them on

Don 

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On 9/25/2016 at 8:57 PM, zalienz said:

 

Additionally in California there is a recent law that says if your wipers are on, you must also turn the headlights on

 

We're also getting another one that says that dealers have to sell all new cars with temporary license plates, and that you have to have them on, until your plates come in the mail.  

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2 hours ago, zalienz said:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-paper-license-plates-20160725-snap-story.html

Yep, starting in 2019 according to Moonbeam Brown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder what that will cost us.  As taxpayers, we will surely be paying for the administration of the program.  And as car buyers, we sill surely see that fee as a line item, in the fine print, of the super long contract form.

 

 

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Well, since the dealer can't turn on my DRL's (the van must be ordered with them and mine wasn't) I'm going another direction

Our Mitsubishi electric cars have 4" fog/DRL combination fixtures with a W13 bulb in them for the DRL.  I had an extra one laying around and it looked very much like the fog lamp fixture on our 2014 TC, so I took the van apart to see if it actually would fit and it does!  The 4 mounting points on both fixtures are identical.  Both use the same H11 bulb for the fog lamp so the factory fog lamp wiring will transfer over..  I ordered another Mitsu fixture ($60) and a set of 30 watt Cree P13W LED DRL bulbs ($11) and a set of Samsung 100 watt H11 LED fog lamps ($12).  Also $10 for a pair of harnesses which mate with the new sockets on the P13W bulbs

When everything gets here I'll swap in the new fixtures and I'll have fog/DRL's identical to the ones we have on our electric cars.  The DRL LED's are very white (6000K) which makes them quite noticeable, which is what I'm going for  -  Added visibility

A side note  -  If you ever have to change the drivers side fog lamp bulb, good luck  -  You've gotta remove the front wheel, take apart the fender liner and then you'll discover a HUGE computer of some sort mounted right between the fender liner and the fog lamp.  Long story short  -  If your left hand fog lamp burns out, go pay the dealer $150 to change it!  :spend:

Don   

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