skee Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 I have an '04 Outback wagon I hate these daytime running lights how can I disable them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderhound Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Why would you hate daytime running lights? Personally I think it is one of the simplest things you can do to increase your personal safety on the road. I never turn my lights off on my 98...thankfully Subaru's turn the lights off with the key. The only thing I dislike about daytime runners is that they are not bright enough...when I drive my parents 01 OB I turn the lights on so they are brighter than the DTRs. Seriously, I want to know why you dislike them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4FOR4 Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 Isn't there a switch on top of the steering that turns those lights on and off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattocs Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 I like in my Legacy that the lights go off with the car....so they are ALWAYS on. I think it needs to be a law. Day time running lights or turn your headlights on...and have a small fine of like $25 or something...it'll reduse so many traffic accidents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skee Posted April 3, 2004 Author Share Posted April 3, 2004 One of the reasons I don't like DRL's is that in my line of work I sometimes need to sit in the car parked for extended periods. I Had to do this the other night and with the headlights off and engine running for heat the DRL's were on so I was visible..not real good Yeah the lights turn off with the key... so what.. my Saab did that too I should have bought another one, but I wanted a change I can tell you that so far I am not all that impressed with this car. The other reason is that I am fully capable of turning on headlights during the day if I so choose when conditions warrant. I suppose I will have to sort thru the headlight wires and just put in a switch but I really don't need the extra work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderhound Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Hmmm...A saab story. I believe, but I may be wrong, all the lights turn off when you engage the parking brake. Would this work "in your line of work", or do you need to keep one foot on the gas for a speedy getaway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 You are correct Powderhound. At least that is the way I can turn mine off on my '01 LL Bean. One click up on the emergency brake will turn them off and won't set the brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbhrps Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 That's a terrific way to turn off the daylight running lights, with the added benefit of using the emergency brake, in order to keep it from seizing up from lack of use. Use it or lose it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderhound Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 Now that we've solved that problem we can examine this statement by skee: "The other reason is that I am fully capable of turning on headlights during the day if I so choose when conditions warrant." This is the whole point of DRLs. When you're coming in and out of a shadow on the road DRLs make you much more visible to oncoming traffic. However, are you really going to turn your headlights on and off for every shadow on the road? No. DRLs simply save lives. Just because you can see fine does not mean everyone else on the road can see you! BTW you can thank saab and volvo for DRLs on most cars today. The Swedes invented the concept and the law is strictly inforced there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 did this to my old 02 OB. There might be an article in the archives but if not I can give it to you really quick..... look under dash on the steering column there are 2 relay boxes. one is a black box with a white? plug and the other is black with black. Unplug the black with black. If it is the wrong one you'll know it because the headlight function is not right. If you need anymore guidence let me know.... As for all the pro DRL people....life is about choices so chill out. Sometimes you need to be not seen or not easily noticed.... Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9Leader Posted April 3, 2004 Share Posted April 3, 2004 As for all the pro DRL people....life is about choices so chill out. Sometimes you need to be not seen or not easily noticed.... Matt The problem is that a large percentage of the population fails to make this choice even when it is necessary. Whenever I am out in darkened, overcast, rainy conditions, I see many, many vehicles without lights on. Correction, I don't see them, and that is the problem. These people failed to make the choice to turn on their lights when it was necessary for safety. And their failure to make this choice directly threatens my safety and the safety of my children. They may have the right to make dumb decisions that threaten their own lives and safety, but they don't have the right to make dumb decisions that threaten my safety and my children's safety. --K9Leader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 I understand what you are saying...I really do but I almost rearended a guy the other day in the fog....guess what he had his DRL on and was too stupid to realize that DRL= no tail lamps. DRL's don't make people smarter or for that matter safer it just makes them more visible....trust me there is a big difference. i have nothing against people who like the DRL's. heck my own wife won't let me undo them in the Forester but that is fine I don't really drive it anyhow. And like the person who started the topic said...sometimes you don't want to be seen (cops, PI's, etc.) Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canajun2eh Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 I can see where the "let me make my own choices" folks are coming from. You can turn off the daytime running lights simply by pulling the handbrake up one notch. I think the DTR laws are really stupid -- they should have been written so that the tail lights are on as well as the headlights. There are far too many people who drive around with their DTRs on when they should have the headlights on. I spoke to a couple of them -- they hadn't realized that the tail lights were off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strakes Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 I've read that places where DRLs are mandated saw an initial decrease in accident rates followed by a rise to pre-DRL times. Why? the researchers said that with DRL's everywhere, people fail to notice them because they blend in with all the other cars. In other words, people get used to them. Keep in mind I read a newpaper article and the media isn't known for thoroughness. They failed to mention/show the break-down of the study(s). I'm sure if you looked at the details, there would be some situations where DRL helped and some where they made no difference, and some where they made things worse. Anyway, I agree...some people have a need to have their DRL's off. I bet the best solution would be to have a switch under the hood (fuse realy box) that would disable the DRLs for those that need their DRLs off. My old Volvo had a flat screw on the dash that you turned clockwise to turn the DRLs off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacode Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 Out of curiosity, with DRL's, do the instrument lights come on also? I'm guessing that they do if people drive around at night with only DRL's. I could see how a driver could not realize their lights weren't on if they had headlights and instruments on a lighted street at night, as stupid as that sounds. If they didn't have instument lights on, it would (hopefully) trigger them the turn their lights on. It should probably be an all or nothing policy - all lights on (head, markers, instruments, tails, etc) or no lights at all until the operator turns them on. I like how Subaru's (at least my 99 Forester does this) lights can remain switched on, but turn on or off with the ignition. Funny thing is, USAA doesn't count that as DRLs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subeman90 Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 DRL= no dash lights. I see people a lot that forget the headlights in the dark of the night....sometimes it is due to location (well lit convience store, city lights, etc.) Heck I bet some people have burnt out dashes too but still come on? On a side note....the only car I have ever seen with a rear light on with the DRL's is a pontiac sunfire. On these cars they light up the word Pontiac but that is it. Not enough in my opinion. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philbiker Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 As an avid motorcyclist I really dislike daytime running lights. The fact that all motorcycles have DRLs is one of the few things that helps us out with being noticed, which could be a life and death proposition. In most accidents between cars and motos, the car driver claims that they "never saw" the biker. Motorcyclists need all the help we can get for road visibility. Putting DRLs on cars greatly diminshes this slight sight advantage that motorcyclists have with our lights. I would suspect that most motorcycle mounted police officers would agree with my POV. I've got to disable them on my '04 Legacy wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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