I notice fewer and fewer cars with Daytime Running Lights. Did the trend in the industry die? - Jinx
I loved their ad…
HEY STUPID!
Your lights are on!
… or something like that.
They were mandatory in Canada – anybody know if they still are?
AFAIK they are standard on all GM products. My new Subaru has them. They are still manditory in Canada.
Ah, try here: http://www.hwysafety.org/safety_facts/qanda/drl.htm#2
I think more sensible companies are going with the automatic headlights like on my car. I’d hate to have my lights running at day as much as I’d hate to turn them on at night.
Automatic? Like the same as street lights that come on when it’s sufficiently dark? That might work.
My 1999 Saturn has the daytime lights; not sure if Saturn still does this. Since I’m inside the car and can’t see my own headlights during the day, their being on doesn’t affect me at all.
My new Sierra 1500 SLE has them. Daytime Running Lights are always on (not standards headlights, mind you), and when it is dark enough, the headlights turn on. (Assuming the selector knob is set to ‘Auto’.) Also, the instrument lights come on. Fairly common on GM cars, judging from the ones I looked at.
My 2004 Saab (owned by GM nowadays) has three settings 1) lights always off, 2) headlights always on, and 3) daytime running lights on during the day, automatically switching to headlights at night.
My 2003 Maxima has automatic headlights. No daytime running lights though.
My 99 Sierra has DRLs. The bulbs burned out to often. It seemed like when i finally got tired of driving around with only one and replaced the burned out bulb, the other would burn out within a month. I eventually took them both out.
I practically never see them around here, and was able to drive all the way to Edmondton in a vehicle without them.
I hope the daytime running light fad dies quickly. Of course, then the lightbulb industry will find a new way to pump demand. :rolleyes:
I have a 2003 Ion & they do have DRL’s.
As mentioned in the link above all GM cars and light trucks (Chevy, Pontiac, GMC, Buick, Caddy, Saturn) have DRLs. The associated/owned brands (Saab, Subaru, Suzuki) do as well. Not sure about Isuzu.
They’re a dealer-programmable option on my 2003 BMW.
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever knowingly seen daytime running lights on a car. Can someone link to a photo of a car that features them?
They basically look like a car with it’s lights on. Most use the regular bulbs, run at something like 40-60% power. Others (like the GM pickups I think) use the parking lights or aux lights. You probably wouldn’t notice much except you might wonder why the lights were on during the day.
Just look at any recent GM family car from the past 5 years.
The point is to have the lights on during the day. The theory is that it improves the visibility of your car to other cars and thus reduces accidents.
Someone asked “Why DRL?”
The following is a recollection from about 15 years ago, and me reading Popular Mechanics.
“A branch of the Canadian government [I’m thinking it was either the federal or provincial Department of Transportation] has operated its entire fleet of vehicles with daytime running lights on for the last year. The fleet has had a 12% reduction in traffic accidents during that time. Canadian lawmakers are considering mandating daytime running lights on all new vehicles.”
I drive with my lights on, day and night. The potential cost of replacing lights is vastly outweighed by the safety aspects.
Ford offers DRLs as an accessory on the 2004 Focus line. It is just a means to operate the low beam headlamps at 75% power.
Of course, the damn ashtray is also a separate accessory.
Make what you will of it…
My 2003 Toyota Corolla does this too. DRL are always on (the regular headlight bulbs, but a little dimmer), and when it gets dark out, the headlights go up to full brightness and the parking/instrument lights come on. “Auto” is always on, though: there’s no way to turn off the lights without turning off the ignition.