DRL (Daytime Running Lights) Problem

[762mm]

Hello,

Ever since owning the truck, my DRLs (yeah, I live in Canada, eh?) have been acting up and flickering... Then, one day, they seemed to have fixed themselves, and were running ok ever since. Today I added some HID headlight ballasts and bulbs to the truck, and the damn DRLs are causing a big problem. The ballasts seem somewhat noisy, and one light flickers, while the other one is completely off. This happens if the truck is started normally, and the driving lights don't work even when I put the light switch to "on". If I put the light switch to "on" prior to starting the engine and then start the truck, the DRLs work fine and so do the driving lights. Weird...

My question is how do I permanently disconnect the DRLs? I did a search, and some suggested pulling a module (I'd rather leave it where it is for now), while others said to pull a fuse. I'd much rather pull the fuse on it, but was wondering where the fuse in question is located. Is it in the power distribution box under the hood, or on the driver's side of the dash, and which fuse is it? Sorry for asking, but I don't have the haynes manual around (temporarily).

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[gijoecam]

Simply unplug the DRL module and everything should work as normal IIRC. (i.e. the switch should still work normally I think)

-Joe

 

[762mm]

Simply unplug the DRL module and everything should work as normal IIRC. (i.e. the switch should still work normally I think)

-Joe

Allright, thanks for the reply. I remember trying to do that a long time ago (+-3 years), but couldn't get the damn plug off, and was hoping for maybe a fuse instead. After reading up on it, it appears that the DRL fuse also controls other things, such as back-up lights, the instrument cluster and also something to do with the transmission (lol, ok... great ingeneering on Ford's part. If they could make a decent DRL module, I guess this wouldn't be a problem). I'll give the welded-like module another try tommorow I guess.

 

[mikeh44]

not made to work with hids you can not dim hids

 

[762mm]

not made to work with hids you can not dim hids

I don't know about that, mine did work when the module chose to make a good contact... I would start up the truck, and the DRLs were either working fine until I shut the truck off again, or they would flicker right from the start... one or the other, 50/50. If they didn't flicker after turning the engine on, they would be fine for the whole trip. What I'd do was to put the light switch to "on" and then start the truck, and then DRLs would work fine even after turning the light switch back to "off". No flickering.

Anyway, I fought with the damn plug today for half an hour, and managed to pry it off with a small stubby flat-head screwdriver (even a vicegrip wouldn't get it off, never mind trying to get it by hand). The damn thing seriously seemed to be soldered in there, wtf?. Anyway, it is off now and will not be reconnected as long as I own the truck, screw Ford DRLs and their unpredictable bugs (some other posts say that DRLs can actually fry other wiring harnesses when the module goes bad).

Plus, the lesser load on the alternator might actually improve the mileage a little, hopefully (every little bit helps with gas at over a buck a liter). I feel I should make a quest here... "My quest for 10!" Haha...

P.S. The light switch still works fine with the module disconnected, the only diffrence is that there are no daytime running lights. My HID kit does not support high beams, so no high beams either. When I turn the high beams on, the headlights go off - pretty cool effect at night, or when I flash someone to pass (the lights are bright enough not to need high beams anyway). At some point I might invest in the 9007 HID kit that has the high beam solenoid. We'll see...