I own a 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid with automatic daytime running lights that are set at parking lights. Sometimes at night when I am in a well-light place I forget to switch from parking lights to headlights. I am worried about being a hazard to other drivers and/or having an accident!
I have a 1997 Toyota Camry whose daytime running lights are on the headlights setting. I love this – it’s a great foolproof system.
I called the service department at my Honda dealer and asked if there was an easy and cheap way to rewire the daytime running lights so that the headlights always come on. They told me that it cannot be done for any price.
The dealer service dept isn’t going to touch this with a 10ft pole because they only work with established designs. They will not install anything that hasn’t been approved by the manufacturer. First and foremeost, they are concerned about liability for installing such modifications. Secondly, they may not have the skills to understand what needs to be done, access to the parts required and/or know what to charge. So they gave you the brush off.
This would not be rocket science. A simple relay logic problem and the skills to install it. For someone with some basic electronic knowledge, installation skills and access to the car’s wiring schematic, it would be a quick fix and fairly cheap (<$25). You need to find someone like this to help you out.
Why not just turn the headlights on normally when you enter the vehicle?
Now that the OP knows the situation, isn’t it possible for him/her to simply turn the headlights on when it gets dark?
If people remembered to turn headlights on prior to the advent of DRLs, it should be possible to remember to turn headlights on in the new era.
If the OP has problems remembering to turn his/her headlights on, how about a low-tech solution like an index card taped to the dashboard with the message, TURN HEADLIGHTS ON?
I got in the habbit of turning lights on for for highway driving.
Then I got an 08 Expedition which came with d.r.l.
It bugs the crap out of me that the tail lights are not illuminated with d.r.l.
So I just forget that it has it and continue to turn on the lights
– to be seen – not just to see.
The biggest problem with people using DRLs in bad weather instead of turning the headlights on is that if you come upon them from behind you can’t see them because the tail lights are not on. In my state (NY) it is illegal not to turn the headlights on when you need the wipers.
Pretty much the same in Maryland. Must have headlights on if wipers are on – not “when you need the wipers”. I see a lot of people driving here who seem to leave the wipers off so they won’t have to turn on the headlights. Double dumb.
This rule makes so much sense that it should not have to be mandated, yet it seems that the people who are too dumb to do it on their own are also too dumb to know that the law requires it.
Sorry for the curmudgeonly rant. Around 1968 I was winding along the PA Turnpike between PGH and Breezewood at about 70 MPH in my '66 Valiant (slant 6) late at night in a heavy rain. I came roaring up behind some lady going 45 MPH … with no lights!! I managed not to hit her, but the excitement sure blasted me awake for the rest of the trip.
For many years, people have been manually turning their headlights on and off. I know it may seem like a nuisance, but maybe you could just pay more attention to the operation of your vehicle. Whatever distraction keeps you from remembering to turn on the headlights when it gets dark, whether it is your cell phone, your iPod, or something else, making a conscience to pay more attention to the operation of your vehicle will solve your problem.
With your Camry, having the daytime running lights be the headlights isn’t the solution to your problem since forgetting to turn on your lights means your tail lights are still off. The Camry doesn’t have a foolproof system. You are just as much a hazard in your Camry as you are in your Civic.
We all forget to turn on our headlights in well lit areas sometimes, but for most people, it is a rare enough occurrence that it isn’t necessary to alter the car. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that if someone can’t remember to operate her/his headlights, perhaps that person doesn’t have the focus to drive a car.
I remember leaving the parking lot at work one night around midnight(I was on 2nd shift at the time) and looked left, right, left again, then started to turn right onto the main road, then all of a sudden I hear tires screeching and finally see some headlights. So, either the guy forgot to turn his headlights on, or he was going WAY too fast for that area.