Things i learned about my PIU.

[Fedon]

Hi All, so ive had the PIU in my possession for two days battling "issues" that turned out to be very simple fixes. Maybe this will help others in their "de policing" of their PIU

Issue number 1. Here in Canada, we have to have DRLs...well, the lights would only stay on with them being in the ON possition on the dial, but then they would stay on all the time, key out as well. No "auto" function. with them in OFF, the lights would obviously stay off. I came away with the impression that you will have to manually turn the lights on and off and i would be on of "those" people driving down the road, oblivious that their lights are off as the dash stays lit up. Turns out this isnt an issue at all. As soon as you throw it in Drive the lights turn on....i guess this is the "dark mode"?

Issue number 2. the PIU failed the safety due to left and right brake lights being on all the time. Fearing the worst (some sort of BCU commanded issue) i dove in. Checked the wiring, checked wiring diagrams, took the tail lights off, found a bunch of water in them. Shook the left one out, put it back on and whoa, tail lights and brake lights now work independently. Took right tail light off and shook the water out of it and sure enough it started the flickering issue. AHA! So its not a BCM commanded issue, the water was causing a ground path of the brake lights through the tail light circuit.

I have both tail lights inside the house on the furnace warming up so i can burn the moisture away.

Also, thanks for the information of how to reactivate rear windows and door latches!!

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
Your headlights, if left on, should be turned off by the power saver system after 10 minutes. The only lights that the system does not turn off are the parking lights.

Peter

 

[billyfromhill]

Dark car and DRLs are separate options in the programming.

DRLs activate when the transmission is not in park. They are slightly dimmer than the normal headlights and do not turn on the tail lights or parking lights. You should be able to leave the headlight dial in "off" and have the DRLs come on and off as you shift.

Dark car doesn't turn on the map lights and marking lights when you open the door or remove the key from the ignition or unlock the doors remotely. Dark car should have nothing to do with the headlights.

 

[Yaheard...]

Hi, i have just recently bought a 2015 explorer ppv, and was wondering if ypu or any one knows how to turn off the "dark mode" option. I also do not have any dlrs, do all the stock headlamps suck in these r what. Just curious...

 

[peterk9]

Hi, i have just recently bought a 2015 explorer ppv, and was wondering if ypu or any one knows how to turn off the "dark mode" option. I also do not have any dlrs, do all the stock headlamps suck in these r what. Just curious...

Welcome to the Forum.
I believe you can turn off 'Dark Mode' using Forscan, a software tool that can be used to change factory programmed software. As for the headlights, yes, many members have complained about the and have changed them. There are threads on both issues. Forscan in the "Discussion" sub forum and headlights in the "Modified".

Peter

 

[Yaheard...]

Welcome to the Forum.
I believe you can turn off 'Dark Mode' using Forscan, a software tool that can be used to change factory programmed software. As for the headlights, yes, many members have complained about the and have changed them. There are threads on both issues. Forscan in the "Discussion" sub forum and headlights in the "Modified".

Peter

Thank you, i will look into this for sure