HOW TO: Daytime Running Lights (DRL) installed for $35

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GeekEV

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
1,825
Location
NorCal, USA
There have been a couple of threads discussing adding Daytime Running Lights (DRL) to the LEAF. Some people have done it, but I haven't seen any clear documentation on how. So here's how you do it. Total cost was about $35.

STEP 1:
Get some 12V LED DRLs of your choice. I used the DTL-CW8HF from Super Bright LEDs:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2Fdrlcw8hf_specs.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

STEP 2:
Get some wire tap connectors, I used these from Radio Shack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104093" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

STEP 3:
Tighten the screws on the DRLs to lock the mounting plate in a flat horizontal position and use the included double stick tape to install them in the corners under the front lip of the car.
6225406820_14ab4dfc14_z.jpg


STEP 4:
Use a 10mm socket wrench and remove the 5 bolts holding the black plastic undercarriage protector. You'll need to pull it down and slide your head and shoulders up in there to get some work done. I didn't have to remove the two clips that hold it in further back, but you may want to.

STEP 5:
Pop the hood and locate the Power Distribution Module (PDM). As you face the motor compartment, it's on the right hand side between the 12V battery and the headlight.
6225407448_85c9838f6d_z.jpg


STEP 6:
Release the four clips (two on each side) and carefully pull the PDM up a little bit and rotate/twist it so it's sitting vertical in the PDM well and the beveled corner is on the top facing the car.
6224888183_5b5d3a9c89_z.jpg


STEP 7:
Locate the red wire #57 and the black & white wire #18. Use the wire taps you got and splice both DRL red wires to #57 and both DRL black wires to #18 as pictures above. It's a little tight in there, so I recommend a small set of pliers. Be sure the DRL wires are inserted as far as possible into the taps and that the car's wiring is properly snapped into the tap before you crimp it down. If you don't it won't make a good connection and the lights will flicker. Try to position the taps to one side of the car wires and not in the middle such that you have room to place another one if you mess it up the first time. Do not try to remove the tap if you mess up or you risk damaging the car wires - you do not want that! Just carefully clip the DRL wires off the tap and place a new tap next to it.
6224887873_c4a6a33257_z.jpg


STEP 8:
Use a file (or other tool) and cut a notch in the left side of the PDM well, run the wires through it and snap the PDM back into place. Route the wires as shown and tuck them through to the underside of the car along side the radiator. There's an opening underneath the coolant bottle that leads through along side the radiator. Of course, you can choose your own path, but here's how I did it. I found it helpful to tie the loose ends of the wires together so you can easily fish them through all together.
6225407102_ca6514b904_z.jpg

6224888405_cb46bb738c_z.jpg


STEP 9:
Now crawl down underneath the car an insert yourself between the bumper and the pastic piece you removed in step 3. If you managed to run the wires through the same opening I did, reach up between the side of the car and the large black plastic cowling you'll find there. Grab the wires and run them over the top of the black plastic cowling. Then run them through to the center of the car.
6225406970_2a5cedeb97_z.jpg

6224888051_d73f604d5a_z.jpg


STEP 10:
Connect the DRL wires to the DRLs and tie the wires to the wiring harness you see in the middle of the car using zip ties or the twist ties that originally held the wires together. Pull up any slack as you do it so the wires are secure and don't flap around.
6224888307_da92bd214e_z.jpg


That's it - you're done!

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Any questions?
 
I haven't looked in the service manual to check the schematic yet but under what conditions are the lights on? Just when the car is fully powered up and in Run mode?
When it is powered up in any mode? Do they also come on when charging? Etc.

Thanks!

GeekEV said:
There have been a couple of threads discussing adding Daytime Running Lights (DRL) to the LEAF. Some people have done it, but I haven't seen any clear documentation on how. So here's how you do it. Total cost was about $35.
 
The lights work just as you'd expect. They come on only when the ignition is on, whether that's ready mode (one start push with foot on the brake) or on but not ready (two start pushes with no foot on the brake). They do not come on when charging or when in accessory mode. They come on regardless of the light switch setting.
 
91040 said:
Looks like it would be efficient to do the horn mod at the same time.
Definitely. Although you can't really see it in the pictures, the horn is right there in the center beneath the wiring harness I secured the wires to.
 
GeekEV said:
There have been a couple of threads discussing adding Daytime Running Lights (DRL) to the LEAF. Some people have done it, but I haven't seen any clear documentation on how. So here's how you do it. [...]
Great job! Thanks for sharing.

For future reference, people should consider writing stuff up in the wiki, say under the Electrical/Electronics: CARWINGS, audio, navigation, etc. section, under Lighting, then pointing to it from here.That way, it'd be in an easy-to-find place, and others can update it with more info as they themselves do the mod. Also, by uploading any pics to the wiki, they'd always be available. It's highly frustrating to search and find the exact DIY article that one needs only to find that its pics are AWOL.

A quick lesson in MediaWiki formatting:

Link to an page external to the wiki: [url text under the link]
Link to another wiki page: [[title of page in the wiki|text under the link]]
''Italic text'' (text surrounded by two single quotes)
'''Bold text''' (text surrounded by three single quotes)
'''''Bold italic text''''' (text surrounded by five single quotes)

Click on the "Show preview" button at the bottom of the text edit window to see your changes, prior to saving them.

More info on how to edit a MediaWiki page here.
 
I've always liked the Audi-style LED DRLs and these look very much like them. I ordered up a pair and will be installing them as soon as they arrive. At that point I will likely convert over my Fog Lights to Amber bulbs (anyone want a pair of H11 LEDs?), which is the correct color for fogs, since I will no longer need them for accent or DRL purposes. I will pull my switched 12V from a different buss however, as I don't want to tap in to the PDM...
 
DB? I'm not sure what that stands for. I would be curious to see where you choose to pull from. This was the most readily accessible source I could find.
 
Typo. I meant PDM... There is a relatively easily accessible switched feed at the lighting control module where I rewired my LEDed fogs to be DRLs, and I will likely use that when I rewire the fogs back to normal operation. There is certainly nothing wrong with your approach, I just already have the wring in place at the LCM...

Thanks for finding the lights, by the way. It's kind of funny that I hadn't noticed them before as I regularly visit their page for a variety of on-going projects. I've used a bunch of their Festoon lights on my boat as well. They make good stuff.
GeekEV said:
DB? I'm not sure what that stands for. I would be curious to see where you choose to pull from. This was the most readily accessible source I could find.
 
I received my LED DRLs and amber fog light bulbs yesterday and installed them this morning. I love the look!
I haven't decided what I'll do with the LED H11 fog lights I removed as part of this but maybe I'll move them over as DRLs on the other vehicle...
 
Mine are already done, but I think it would be great if you posted details on what wires you tapped. Yours sound like they might be easier to get at...
 
GeekEV said:
Mine are already done, but I think it would be great if you posted details on what wires you tapped. Yours sound like they might be easier to get at...
Yes, please do. Thanks to you both. My lights arrived today, get them in this weekend.

Bill
 
ebill3 said:
GeekEV said:
Mine are already done, but I think it would be great if you posted details on what wires you tapped. Yours sound like they might be easier to get at...
Yes, please do. Thanks to you both. My lights arrived today, get them in this weekend.

Bill

did you get them in? any problems? i'm gonna try it next week
 
opencar said:
ebill3 said:
GeekEV said:
Mine are already done, but I think it would be great if you posted details on what wires you tapped. Yours sound like they might be easier to get at...
Yes, please do. Thanks to you both. My lights arrived today, get them in this weekend.

did you get them in? any problems? i'm gonna try it next week
Well, I got a late start, so have the wires tapped, checked, and started down, but have not yet removed the belly pan. That is tight working under the PCM, and for whatever reason, the first try at the negative wire (black/white) didn't make a good contact, so did it a second time.

You might consider stripping about 1/2" from the wires, twisting them together, folding them back on the insulation, and then inserting into the splice fixture. That helps to insure contact, but more important it provides enough bulk so that the wires do not slip out of the device while you are trying to complete the tap.

Bill
 
It is tight for sure. Funny, the negative ground wire is the one I had trouble with too. In theory you can tie that to any ground you want, even the vehicle chassis. I just decided to tap that one because it was near the ignition wire I wanted.
 
Thanks again, Geek. I like them and pretty sure I can afford the ~120 mA.
Another little tip. Pay attention to routing the wires. It is possible to end up just a tiny bit short. Don't ask. :(

Bill
 
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