# Make car more night friendly?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Tags:** nissan, versa\
**Created:** [March 27, 2025, 4:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639 "2025-03-27T16:08:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/21 "2025-03-28T18:22:37Z")

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> [@oldtimer-11](#):
>
> One of my pet peeves is people driving around with just the DRLs in heavy rain or snow because it makes them invisible from the rear or side. Most people seem to have no idea that the DRLs don’t turn on the side ,parking or tail lights.

That situation appears to be changing. My 2022 NX450h+ activates both the tail lights and the side marker lights when the DRLs are on. I suspect that Lexus/Toyota is not the only car mfr to have made that needed change with their newer models.

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**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/22 "2025-03-28T23:01:14Z")

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I can turn off drl using stalk lever control.

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/23 "2025-03-29T03:34:34Z")

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> [@VDCdriver](#):
>
> I use the DRLs only during the day, and as long as they are turned-on, then the tail lights are also lit-up. I don’t usually use the automatic headlights

Daytime Running Lights will operate with the headlight switch in “Auto” or taillight positions.  
Since you are not using “Auto”, it seems you have the headlight switch in the taillight position.

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/7/7/770d1595210b86119d8b3b0f2ad2434fe0fa6156.png)

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 12:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/24 "2025-03-29T12:56:54Z")

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I don’t normally drive at night, so the switch stays in position #1 most of the time. I don’t use “auto” because I don’t need the headlights to turn on just for 30 seconds or so when I pull into my garage.

On the rare occasions when I drive after dark, I use the #2 setting, and then I switch back to the #1 position when I pull into my garage, so that it is set for the next day’s drive during daylight. There is no “tail light” position.

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**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 1:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/25 "2025-03-29T13:18:41Z")

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Lights turn on entering garage? Sounds good if you ask me. My neighbor across street has no light on his garage opener. His garage is always dark with door open. He could use lights.

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**Author:** ![steve63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@steve63](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steve63)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/26 "2025-03-29T13:42:05Z")

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Also, if you use the automatic light setting, be sure to check it after an oil change or car inspection. It seems that every time I get an oil change or a car inspection they turn the light knob completely off. I then discover that night after a few minutes that my lights are off. I wish they would put the knob where they found it after checking the lights, but it’s something I watch for now. I suspect some of the ghost cars had a recent oil change or an inspection done.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 1:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/27 "2025-03-29T13:54:38Z")

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> [@steve63](#):
>
> It seems that every time I get an oil change or a car inspection they turn the light knob completely off.

Yes!  
The same thing has happened to me.

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/28 "2025-03-29T15:07:54Z")

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> [@steve63](#):
>
> I wish they would put the knob where they found it after checking the lights

Pfftttt, when I turn mine off for whatever reason, most of the time I forget to turn them back on… 🤣

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/29 "2025-03-29T15:08:52Z")

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I dunno, I have a parade setting on the Pontiac but never really figured out what that is. During the virus panic when church was outlawed in Minnesota pretty much, we had an outdoor service ar night. It was about ten below and everyone sat in their cars with the engines running. Like at a drive in movie but I could not turn the headlights off with the engine running no matter what position was selected on the stalk.

Longing for the days when you pulled the light switch out part way for the parking lights and all the way for headlight.

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/30 "2025-03-29T21:52:39Z")

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> [@VDCdriver](#):
>
> I don’t normally drive at night, so the switch stays in position #1 most of the time.

> [@VDCdriver](#):
>
> There is no “tail light” position.

Position 1 activates the taillights/parking lights, taillights can be switch on when the DRL is off. The DRL turns on automatically when appropriate.

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**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/make-car-more-night-friendly/199639/31 "2025-03-30T13:21:56Z")

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I just prefer to **not** use the automatic setting. In the car wash there are areas sufficiently dark enough that I see the headlights come on, on vehicles behind me.

I too have a black car, never worried about driving it at night.  
There are several options, depending on state and federal laws. Replextive tape stripes as noted above. Wheel well lights, which might not be legal☹️. Then there is reflective tape for wheel rims.  
You might check with a facility that does wraps and/or body shops, hopefully they will know what is legal.

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