Installing or Programming Daytime Running lights (DRL) | Page 7 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Installing or Programming Daytime Running lights (DRL)

As I posted earlier (couple of years ago) it is simply a pair of software switchs in the body control module. The dealer can do it with their computer connected. First toggle on DRL in the exterior lights control, then toggle which lights are wanted as DRL (usually park) And dealer that says it can't be done is lying or ignorant of the methodology. Further more in the USA fleet vehicles (Explorers are configured with DRL on.



Had my '13 XLT in for fuel line recall and oil change and asked them to enable my DRL. Was told that my car is "not equipped with DRL." Didn't feel like going round and round with the service writer so I dropped it. Will look into installing my own.
 



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As I posted earlier (couple of years ago) it is simply a pair of software switchs in the body control module. The dealer can do it with their computer connected. First toggle on DRL in the exterior lights control, then toggle which lights are wanted as DRL (usually park) And dealer that says it can't be done is lying or ignorant of the methodology. Further more in the USA fleet vehicles (Explorers are configured with DRL on.
hdjoe88 already had that done as he mentioned in post 110.

Peter
 






LED DRL Install

Picked up some LEDs today. Going to use them as DRLs. Here is a wuick preview and location

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Picked up some LEDs today. Going to use them as DRLs.
As mentioned in my PM, I have moved your thread to this one. Looks like that might be a very interesting project.

Peter
 












Not to be debbie downer here, but that looks horribly non-weather proof

They are actually completely sealed and water proof. I work in the Marine industry as an Electrical Manager at a manufacturer. We don't use anything less...

Thanks for the concern though :D

There will also be a cover made to cover the internals of the unit so all you see is the LEDs.

I also have a set of these Ive been contemplating using as well. Very bright

48001_a-series_blk-1_med.png
 






This is one of the boats we put them on

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DRL reprogramming to install hid's in the sport - heres what i did.

So after having no luck getting a dealer to reprogram my drl's, i decided to take the plunge and pick up one of the clone vcm2's from china. i picked the seller that had the best rating and pulled the trigger. a few weeks later it arrived and today i had time to play with it.

now these generally come with an older version of the ids software, and some sort of hack for it, however you need not mess with any hacked or pirated software to do this.

you can actually download the latest version of the ids software right from motor craftservice for free, and it will run just fine or three days without any Limitation.

install the software on your win98 laptop (i had a tough book already for doing power commander programs and so on) and when you plug in your new vcm programmer it will also update it to the latest.

The rest is easy. plug it in to your car, load it all up and you have 3 days to do what ever you have to do. i picked around a bit but only changed the drl settings to use the amber lights. now i just have to install the hid kits.

oh, there were no warnings of unauthorized changes or what not.

a few pics.

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amber drl's are so much nicer than using the headlights.
 






No pun intended but you buy a sport and then you cover the explorer name plate on the hood thats what the explorer sport is all about.....!
 






amber drl's are so much nicer than using the headlights.[/QUOTE]The only problem with having them on the amber is that when you use the turn signal you only have one DRL left on. I also think that the headlamps, even at reduced power are more visible on those hot hazy days. I had the amber DRL's on my Limited and was very disappointed it wasn't on the headlamps. On my MKT the DRLs are the fog lights, which was another surprise.

Peter
 






Police Mode.... curious as to what that may do.
 






i think it allows you to run with all exterior and interior lighting off.
 






No pun intended but you buy a sport and then you cover the explorer name plate on the hood thats what the explorer sport is all about.....!

Pretty sure its about whats under the hood not whats on it lol.

If you drove where i do in northern Alberta, you would have a hood deflector as well.

plus, people get to see the sport emblem when I'm pulling away from them at stop lights.
 






I took my ex to the dealer and they asked if I wanted the ambers or head lights turned on as an option for the drl. I told them to do the ambers since I'll be doing an hid upgrade. They look pretty cool.
 






HID's?

I took my ex to the dealer and they asked if I wanted the ambers or head lights turned on as an option for the drl. I told them to do the ambers since I'll be doing an hid upgrade. They look pretty cool.

Dumb question, why don't people want their HID's on as DRLs? Don't a lot of the new factory cars with HIDs run them at all times?
 






Dumb question, why don't people want their HID's on as DRLs? Don't a lot of the new factory cars with HIDs run them at all times?
Good question and I wish I knew the answer. Perhaps it isn't possible to run HID's at reduced power due to the very nature of the way they produce the light. All the 5th gen Explorers have the DRL on the headlamps here in Canada with the exception of the Limiteds which use the amber. It could also have to do with replacement costs.

Peter
 






Dumb question, why don't people want their HID's on as DRLs? Don't a lot of the new factory cars with HIDs run them at all times?

Actually, that's a good question. It was sort of a quick decision and given that I was going to work on doing an HID retrofit and hope to not get any fault codes or anything of that nature (not sure it would even matter) I figured to just have the ambers on since they are pretty bright to be seen by opposing traffic. No strong reason. It only took about 15 minutes to get it done by the dealer.
 






OK so just to add my 2 cents. I live in CA and have a 2015 Explorer XLT on order. I did this thru a leasing company (Not Ford Motor credit) They gave me a book to select my options and DRL is an option even for US vehicles. As far back as 2000 there have been DRL available on many Ford vehicles. On my 2000 F150 XLT it was a $9.00 jumper. You lifted the panel in the dash above the glove box and removed one plug with an orange wire loop and plugged in the Ford jumper with I believe a diode and poof DRL's.
 






Many members have had their DRLs activated. It can be done by the dealer using a laptop, I believe. It would be interesting to see if yours does actually come with them activated. If so, it will likely be on the headlamps.

Peter
 



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Many members have had their DRLs activated. It can be done by the dealer using a laptop, I believe. It would be interesting to see if yours does actually come with them activated. If so, it will likely be on the headlamps.

Peter

I'll let you know. Thanks
 






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