Hi all, I tried to post this in the "how to" section, but the site would not allow me to post there.... I am not sure if it is an account access issue, or if the moderators have to first approve the thread for posting there.

So anyhow, I wanted to find a way to temporarily disable the DRL on my wife's car (09 escape). After a successful "mod", I can't imagine why this would not work on any vehicle with factory enabled DRL's.

My main reason for wanting to disable the lights is for the purpose of driver courtesy in certain situations... such as entering many types of security checkpoints where it is common courtesy to dim your lights for the security guard. I know that in older Chevy vehicles all you had to do was push the e-brake enough to press the switch, and your DRL would turn off. However, with the newer fords this does not work. In fact, there was NO WAY that I could find to "trick" the system into turning off the DRL. The only way for them to disable was to place the vehicle in PARK.

I tried to manipulate the switches located on the shifter console (again, this was with an Escape and may differ from the F150), without any luck. So I got to thinking that there must be some type of switch/sensor at/near the transmission which tells the PCM that the vehicle is in/out of park. I was not able to do this from the cab, so I decided to find a different route.

After thinking for a while, I realized that there is way to interrupt the low-beam headlight circuit, without cutting/moving/splicing any of the factory wiring. By using an "add-a-fuse", I was able to do so. Here is how:


This method works perfectly, and can be removed any time without any trace (such as when selling, etc).

For the switch, I used a DPST switch to control the left and right lights separately. I used an add-a-fuse for each light to keep them independent of each other.

The ONLY "tricky" part to doing this, was how the add-a-fuses mounted in the fuse box. Because the 2 low-beam circuits are next to each other (Fuses #7, #8 in the Escape), I had to mount the add-a-fuses "opposite" of each other. In other words, one looks "upside down" compared to the other when installed. This means that the electrical "path" is opposite, and runs like this:
Left circuit:
Power Supply >>>> "New" Fuse >>>> "New" Switch >>>> Lighting Circuit
Right circuit:
Power Supply >>>> "New" Switch >>>> "New" Fuse >>>> Lighting circuit.

When looking at the picture above, the second headlight power supply leads into the add-a-fuse at the opposite terminal (labeled "power to lights").

I thought I would pass this along to anyone who may want to do the same "mod" to their vehicle. This was very cheap (about 8.00). I found a 5 pack of add-a-fuses on ebay for $12.00 with shipping (about $2.40 each), and the switch from radio shack was about $4.00. If you don't have any wire laying around, you can grab a roll for a few dollars (4 conductor would be really convenient, allowing you to run 1 wire loom, and have the 2 conductors you need for each circuit). I personally ran speaker wire, since I had a bunch already, so I used 2 lengths of it.

The ONLY possible negative to this mod (IMO) is that you could accidentally drive without low-beam headlights if you have your switch turned off. All of the dash lighting and high beam lighting is completely unaffected regardless of the "new" switch position.

Hopefully at least one person will find this useful!!! Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

 

Good info, it's just not ideal. It pretty much defeats the whole purpose of automatic lights. Now if we could just find a way to rig up that system to a light sensor like the one on the dash..then I'd be on this. That way, it will turn on the low beams when it gets dark. Once I get my projectors done, even though they're DRL compatible, I just don't want to run them all day as DRL. Any ideas about the light sensor?

 

This doesn't defeat the automatic lights at all...... this is only to disable them for the brief 30-40 seconds I wait while entering base, etc. As soon as I am through the checkpoint, I flip the switch back on, therefore continuing the DRL.

Anytime the "new" switch is off, the low beam circuit is OFF. That is why this is a temporary feature.

Also, this "mod" has ZERO affect on the "auto" feature for the headlights. As long as the "new" switch is in the ON position, the headlights will still turn on as needed..... BUT.... if you have DRL enabled, the "auto" feature is only energizing your parking lams, dash lamps, and changing the low-beam headlamps to full intensity.

I do believe that the "auto" feature can be added to your truck if not factory equipped. It would need the dash mounted light sensor, and a headlight switch capable of the auto feature.
There may be more to in than than, I'm not sure if it is 100% plug and play.

 

Yeah, I know all that. It's just that i would want my DRL's off all day and have the low beams come on automatically at night without touching a switch. I'd run a separate strip of LED's during the day.

 

I see what you are saying now..... have your DRL come from the aftermarket LED lighting, and leave your headlights alone.

It would be very easy for you IF you could convince a dealership to disable them for you, and have the aftermarket DRL functioning.... I don't think anyone would do that for you being in Canada.

It would be nice if there was a relay which would energize different outputs based on varying input voltage. This way if you have a reduced input (DRL), it would energize your aftermarket LED's, and for full voltage (headlights), it would change state and energize the headlights.

who knows.... maybe something does exist. I didn't see anything with a quick web search though.

Good luck!

 

Yeah I was thinking about a dual voltage relay with different power going to each. That way you could run the drl to a different source. But then I found out that the drl is running through the same wire as the low beam. Exit hope.

I thought about going down to great falls or somewhere close to have them turn the drl off but I don't know if they would do it there either.

 

dont give up all hope just yet..... what does the wiring look like for the relay you mentioned?

Is it possible to cut the wire for the low beam circuit and place the relay in-line? this would give you the input to the relay from the PCM (either DRL signal, or headllight) and then you could have one relay output to the LED's, and the second relay output going to the cut wire on the low beam. As long as the relay could differentiate between the 2 voltages, you would be good to go.

of course, this would not leave the factory wiring "in-tact", but it might provide an option for you.

 

Nah I didn't find any relay, it was just something I "wish" the setup was. Your theory sounds intriguing, I just don't know how the relay would be able to differentiate the two voltages.

 

I want to disable my DRL to save the HIDs and use my LED halo, "blinker", and audi style LEDs in my headlights as a DRL.

I'll have to try this the summer once the snow melts.

 

You could probably achieve this with a Solid state relay, have two relays which activate at different voltages. http://www.mouser.com/Electromechani...unt/_/N-avzy9/ i just found this site (after talking to an electrical engineer) for a project i'm working on where a standard relay will not work. the control voltage would be the "turn on voltage"