2016 XLT TC my idea to kill all front lights while idling in park

[Willygee]

I would like to kill all lights  at idle parked...rears are easy as they are off with lamp ring switch all the way clockwise but the fronts stay on. Looking at the headlamp PDF i believe from beta don,it looks like i can interrupt the grounds at G109 and G106,my thoughts using a relay and interior switch for this. Yes,no  any other options?

[Willygee]

i meant lamp ring switch all the way counter clockwise

[jakeru]

My 2014 XLT's window sticker (<- try clicking the hyperlink to see) lists "DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS" as an option.  My thoughts if this truly is an option would be to find and study how a gen 2 transit connect worked which didn't have this daytime running lamp option, and seek to change your car to that specification.  I would be hesitant to do something "custom" / non-OE, for fear of unexpected, unintended, undesirable side effects.

 

for what it's worth, my car also has "AUTO HEADLAMPS" option, but I haven't really warmed up to using it yet, for fear of it being too hard on the battery (I already had one episode of the battery being discharged to an extent that the vehicle required external charging before it would start... that wasn't too great.)

 

It has annoyed me how the instrument lights always seem to be on, regardless of whether the "main/night-time headlamps/external running lamps" are on vs. off, as I'm frankly just used to having that feedback of the instrument lights being on vs off to remind me of whether headlights are on vs off, and that feedback is not really working in this car.  Granted, this is the first daytime running lights car I've owned, but it's dangerous to drive without remembering to turn on the main night-time headlights/running lights.  The way the vehicle is set up, seems to make it difficult to remember to turn them on.

 

Another annoyance is that the instrument light illumination increase/decrease buttons don't seem to have any noticeable effect.  Do other people's transit connects behave similarly, or might there be something wrong with mine?

 

The car is still relatively new to me. and I am still working on reading through the complete 300+ page owner's manual, if anyone has any tips on those items, would be much appreciated!  And op, good luck with disabling the daytime running lights.  If you do try something, or can learn something about the cars available that didn't have this option, please let us know what you learn.

Edited December 19, 2017 by jakeru

[Willygee]

I do know headlamp connectors are easy to get to. Colors match schematic.

Edited December 20, 2017 by Willygee
additional text

[zalienz]

21 hours ago, jakeru said:

 Granted, this is the first daytime running lights car I've owned, but it's dangerous to drive without remembering to turn on the main night-time headlights/running lights.  The way the vehicle is set up, seems to make it difficult to remember to turn them on.

 

 

This is my biggest complaint about my TC. I once drove it 40 miles at night and forgot to turn the main lights / running lights on.

Edited December 20, 2017 by zalienz

[G B L]

The Auto headlights should not drain the battery too much as the lights will go off if the ignition is switched off.

I have one vehicle with auto head lights, one with day time running lights , and the TC with out either of those.  I think that you will adjust to the lights and operations.

As for the Needing a boost to get started I have had random times when the TC has decided that it might be nice if I used my booster pack and for no apparent reason has a discharged battery.  I Keep a booster pack at the ready.  It must be the many decades of driving  old vehicles. 

[Willygee]

I'd like to size up the wattage of the headlamp units(high beam highest) x2 and size  the appropriate relay unit normally closed and have a toggle at or under the dash.

[jrm223]

Willygee, try to get a Ford tech to turn off your DRL's in the BCM, rather than messing with wiring/relays/switches. Some of us TC2 guys (gen 2, 2014+) are trying to get techs to turn off the stupid perimeter lights and a few have been successful, lol. It seems to be a matter of finding a tech & service department that's willing to actually put some effort into it, rather than a lazy department that just wants repairs in & out quickly.

 

Jakeru, for the instrument lights bright/dim, you have to push the button what seems like a good 40-50 times to go from full-bright to low-dim. It also 'remembers' the two different brightness levels you desire - what I mean by that is that headlights-off can be one brightness level and headlights-on is a separate brightness level. For me, I have full-bright during the day (headlights-off) and about 20-25% brightness at night because I found the dash to be blinding at night since I live in the boonies. The only time that I have trouble with the dim setting is when it's raining during the day, so the dash is a bit harder to see, but not enough to make me take the time to turn the brightness up again.

[jakeru]

Thanks for the tip, jrm223!  Will give simply repeatedly pushing the illumination level change button a massive # of times it a try!

[Willygee]

On 12/22/2017 at 9:22 AM, jrm223 said:

Willygee, try to get a Ford tech to turn off your DRL's in the BCM, rather than messing with wiring/relays/switches. Some of us TC2 guys (gen 2, 2014+) are trying to get techs to turn off the stupid perimeter lights and a few have been successful, lol. It seems to be a matter of finding a tech & service department that's willing to actually put some effort into it, rather than a lazy department that just wants repairs in & out quickly.

 

Jakeru, for the instrument lights bright/dim, you have to push the button what seems like a good 40-50 times to go from full-bright to low-dim. It also 'remembers' the two different brightness levels you desire - what I mean by that is that headlights-off can be one brightness level and headlights-on is a separate brightness level. For me, I have full-bright during the day (headlights-off) and about 20-25% brightness at night because I found the dash to be blinding at night since I live in the boonies. The only time that I have trouble with the dim setting is when it's raining during the day, so the dash is a bit harder to see, but not enough to make me take the time to turn the brightness up again.

 

I understand this will disable lights eng off doors open but will it kill the lights engine idling in park?

[jrm223]

On 12/23/2017 at 7:04 PM, Willygee said:

 

I understand this will disable lights eng off doors open but will it kill the lights engine idling in park?

 

 The "engine off & doors open" is the perimeter lights, NOT the DRL's (Daytime Running Lights). DRL's are only on with the engine running.