DRL Preferences

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robcarratello

New member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Messages
2
I live less than an hour from the Canadian border, in Washington State. Recently, I was given the opportunity to help modify a 2014 Nissan Leaf. More specifically, install Day Time Running Lights for its exportation to Canada. Thanks to geek_ev and his amazing tutorial I feel very confident with this DIY. Provided this one goes well, there will be many more to come. Id like to get the opinions of others regarding their DRL's. Basically, which method do you prefer? These are the potential options I'm entertaining so far:

-Parking Light

-High Beam or Low Beam

-Existing Fog Lights

-Install Fog Lights where the cut-outs are

-Existing Fog Lights, but use the Dual Purpose Bulbs that come in the UK Market Leaf

-LED Light Bars like Geek_EV used

Unless adding currently non-existant fog lights, especially if using Pia's, the cost of parts is $100 or less.

Thank you guys for all the help, so far, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and preferences.
 
If this car going to be registered in Canada, a couple of the options may not be bright enough to meet their DRL regs.

The parking lights especially might be too dim. Vehicles that use the parking/turn signal bulbs for a DRL use the full-brightness (turn signal) filament. Some vehicles (1999-later GM pickups for example) will use a dedicated white DRL bulb that are much brighter than a typical parking lamp.

When I see cars on both sides of the border that use headlights as DRL's, it seems they use a reduced-voltage high beam rather than the low beams.
 
Ron, thank you for bringing that to my attention. After more research, you are correct in that the Canadian DRL system uses high beams at 50% power. However, the Canadian Tire website says their DRL kit utilizes the low beams. I'm contacting them for clarification.
 
According to the service manual, Canadian LEAFs are set up to run the high beams in a series circuit for DRLs, dividing the voltage in half. There are a couple of relays that make this happen, but both of the relays and associated wiring harnesses are missing from the US cars.

There may still be the signal in the 2016 PDM that grounds to engage the DRL relay when the car is on, not in Park, and headlights are off.

My own preference is the Philips LED light bar kit. The Sylvania LED/DRL fogs look interesting as well.
 
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