Question regarding Daytime Running LED's on 5th Gen Explorer (Picture)

[ObsceneJesster]

I have read that it's a tough task to remove the 5th Gen Explorer headlights so I was looking at LED daytime running light options that would be a lot easier for me to install.

Does anyone know of a nice bright LED strip that is thin enough to be installed between the headlight and the grill? In fact, does anyone know if it would even be possible to install the strip where I want it without removing the headlight?

I have included a picture to detail where I would like to install them. The purple lines show where exactly I would like to instal them.

 

[Anime]

You can buy cheapo LED strips, some even with adhesive already attached, but they aren't going to be very bright, at least not nearly enough to be seen on sunny days.

You'll have to do some research and spend some decent $$$ on LED strips that are bright enough for DRLs, and even then, they are going to be dim compared to the factory LED DRL lamps on upscale vehicles.

Does your Explorer not already have factory DRLs using the headlamps?

 

[ObsceneJesster]

You can buy cheapo LED strips, some even with adhesive already attached, but they aren't going to be very bright, at least not nearly enough to be seen on sunny days.

You'll have to do some research and spend some decent $$$ on LED strips that are bright enough for DRLs, and even then, they are going to be dim compared to the factory LED DRL lamps on upscale vehicles.

Does your Explorer not already have factory DRLs using the headlamps?

Yea, I didn't think those cheap LED strips would be bright enough to be easily seen in daylight.

I do see some LED strips that could be as bright as what some car manufactures are using. I just don't know for a fact if they are. Here is a link to one.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/led-lighting/morimoto-xbled-strips.html#.VLkND1XF-Uk

Also, if I can't find LED strips that will be bright enough, I could always install two small LED light bars in the area right between the grill and the bumper. Something like this which I know for a fact are much brighter than what most all car manufactures are using for daytime running lights.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/le...drl-led-running-light-49727.html#.VLkOwlXF-Uk

And my Explorer does not have Daytime Running Lights from the factory. I suppose I could manually turn my lights on but when I keep them on Auto, nothing lights up during the day. It's a 2015 XLT with the Appearance package. Is it supposed to have daytime running lights?

 

[Anime]

Going by the reviews, it seems those Morimoto strips are a neat way to get LED turn signals, but they might not be as bright as you're thinking for DRLs. Then again, for the cost, you might be able to just throw some on there and it will be good enough for most days. You might even consider a more unique arrangement such as four of the LED strips in the grille, perhaps even with two white strips on top and two amber strips on bottom.

If the strips aren't going to cut it, then sure, I'd think the smaller LED lamps between the grille and bumper would be good.


Most vehicles these days have DRLs (or at least the wiring for it) and usually what people are trying to do is disable the DRLs, not put them on a vehicle that doesn't have them.

If yours doesn't already work to where the headlights light up when driving, it may just be a matter of sticking a relay and fuse in or you may need to do some forum searching and find out what's involved with the factory DRL circuit on the 2015.

Even if it's not normally easy to get the DRL circuit to work with the headlights if it didn't come wired that way, you may still be able to use the wiring and hook it up to the LED lamps so they work just like factory DRLs would.

 

[Adam 12]

So am I to understand that some states still require the use of DRL's is this a US or Canada thing?

 

[Anime]

So am I to understand that some states still require the use of DRL's is this a US or Canada thing?

No U.S. state mandates DRLs, although some have laws that require drivers to operate vehicles with lights on in bad weather.

Canada requires DRLs for vehicles made after December 1, 1989.

The laws in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden require vehicles to operate with lights on during the daytime. There are two types of laws. Canada's laws require vehicles to be equipped with DRLs. The other type of law in effect in Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden requires motorists to turn on their headlights if their vehicles do not have automatic DRLs. This kind of law applies to drivers only, and vehicles do not have to be specially equipped. In 1972, Finland mandated daytime running lights in winter on rural roads and a decade later made DRLs mandatory year-round. Sweden's law took effect in 1977, Norway's in 1986, Iceland's in 1988, and Denmark's in 1990. Hungary has required drivers on rural roads to operate with vehicle lights on since 1993.

 

[ObsceneJesster]

The state I live in (Maryland) only requires running lights during inclement weather if it's during daylight hours.

 

[Anime]

Who the heck moved this from the lighting forum to the 2011+ forum?

It's an aftermarket lighting question, nothing to do with the 2011+ Explorer other than the vehicle the lighting is going on.

 

[peterk9]

........And my Explorer does not have Daytime Running Lights from the factory. I suppose I could manually turn my lights on but when I keep them on Auto, nothing lights up during the day. It's a 2015 XLT with the Appearance package. Is it supposed to have daytime running lights?

Why not just have the dealer enable the amber lights? That is what the Limited models in Canada have. I believe yours in a Limited by looking at the grille. It would be helpful if you added the model to your profile so it shows in the margin.

Peter

 

[peterk9]

Who the heck moved this from the lighting forum to the 2011+ forum?

It's an aftermarket lighting question, nothing to do with the 2011+ Explorer other than the vehicle the lighting is going on.

It appears that 3 threads were moved. It and the others are definitely in the right sub forum since it involves the 5th generation Explorer. There are many threads here on lighting involving 2011 + Explorers.

Peter

 

[markls8]

I located white 14" LED strips exactly where you have shown. I used edge mount LED strips, so they actually fire in a forward direction and partly into the headlight housing, so they look like they belong. They were Alpena brand, which are the brightest suitable ones I found available.

I did extend an inch past at the bottom because I liked that look, but if you were to look closely you could tell it's not a factory install. If you are concerned about that they can be cut to a short length, and/or tucked up under the hood by an inch.

My next visit to the dealer I will ask them to reset the car DRL's to use the parking lights (that option is available when HID's are used) which I wired these into (and as Peter has mentioned above). A very clean install by drilling 1/16"holes in the parking pilot light housings and pulling the wires through, and a bit of silicone grease made a weatherproof and waterproof connection inside the housing that is also removable.

No pictures, maybe if I get a chance tomorrow, if you like.

Much less power draw than the headlight DRL's (almost none, actually) so a bit better on the MPG, and better battery life.

 

[Anime]

It appears that 3 threads were moved. It and the others are definitely in the right sub forum since it involves the 5th generation Explorer. There are many threads here on lighting involving 2011 + Explorers.

Peter

The threads were moved to the wrong forum since they have nothing to do specifically with 2011+ Explorers.

Rather, they involve aftermarket lighting products that could apply to any generation of Explorer, or any other vehicle.


If aftermarket-lighting-product-specific threads start getting moved to generation-specific forums based on the vehicle owned by the member posted, or just what vehicle they are sticking the universal LED strips in question on, that's going to deprive the members who own other generations of Explorers from information on such universal parts, who don't have any reason to think to visit generation-specific subforums for universal lighting questions and answers.

Whoever is doing this needs to stop, and lighting-specific threads concerning universal products like LED strips and headlight bulbs should be moved back to the appropriate lighting forum.

 

[Adam 12]

No U.S. state mandates DRLs, although some have laws that require drivers to operate vehicles with lights on in bad weather.

Canada requires DRLs for vehicles made after December 1, 1989.

The laws in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden require vehicles to operate with lights on during the daytime. There are two types of laws. Canada's laws require vehicles to be equipped with DRLs. The other type of law in effect in Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden requires motorists to turn on their headlights if their vehicles do not have automatic DRLs. This kind of law applies to drivers only, and vehicles do not have to be specially equipped. In 1972, Finland mandated daytime running lights in winter on rural roads and a decade later made DRLs mandatory year-round. Sweden's law took effect in 1977, Norway's in 1986, Iceland's in 1988, and Denmark's in 1990. Hungary has required drivers on rural roads to operate with vehicle lights on since 1993.

Holy vehicle code Batman

Thank you for providing such an informative and detailed response. If only all questions could be answered with such precision

 

[Halwg]

You know, most of what people want to add to their cars is purely for aesthetic value and has nothing to do with safety. When DRLs were run off a low output of the headlights, or from the amber parking lights, nobody cared for them and most folks wanted to disable them. Now car manufacturers have come out with these slick looking LED lights and everybody wants to add them to their vehicle. Personally I find them annoying.

In the 80's, the company I worked for started a "Lights on for Safety" campaign where we had to have daytime running lights in order to cut down accidents. They even went so far as wiring up the lights of every vehicle so they came on when the vehicle was started.

They ran this program for approximately 7 years, from about 1982 - 1989, during which time they kept track of vehicle accidents. To their surprise, but not mine, they found out that accidents did not decline, and actually raised during that time. So the DRL program was eliminated.

Obviously some countries like Canada have found value in the program, and I suspect it is because of weather conditions in those countries. In the state I live, it is required by law, to turn on your lights whenever you have the wipers running. But you would not believe the idiots that don't do this and when you ask them about it, they have no idea that there is such a law.

That's one reason I like Ford's set up with their automatic headlights. They come on when you turn on the wipers. They don't do that in my Nissan. I think that feature, rather than DRLs, should be required in every vehicle.

 

[peterk9]

I guess the first sort of 'day time running lights' I saw was in the late 50's when it seemed there was a fad to install a single light in the center of the grille. BTW, DRL also help on those bright hazy days when the heat is simmering off the roads. It makes oncoming vehicle much easier to see.

Peter

 

[White14xs]

Pictures please!!!!

 

[breshi]

I have read that it's a tough task to remove the 5th Gen Explorer headlights so I was looking at LED daytime running light options that would be a lot easier for me to install.

Does anyone know of a nice bright LED strip that is thin enough to be installed between the headlight and the grill? In fact, does anyone know if it would even be possible to install the strip where I want it without removing the headlight?

I have included a picture to detail where I would like to install them. The purple lines show where exactly I would like to instal them.

check these out. they look like they'd be a good fit. not sure how'd you mount them though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DRL-9-high-power-LED-Daytime-Running-Light-Parking-Fog-lamp-kit-WHITE-Audi-style-/131409058869?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e98971c35&vxp=mtr

 

[markls8]

Pictures....the night ones are not so great. Well, it's freezing cold here, and maybe I should have put a jacket an gloves on!!! I oil sprayed the car AFTER installing these. I am very familiar with the 3M VBH foam backed adhesive tapes; these are not coming off accidentally when the surface is properly prepped (for those who aren't familiar with it). Do it when it's warm, or warm both areas with a heat gun carefully first.

The two wires on the left lead into the pilot
(parking) light base housing and connect inside to the base of the bulb. A dab of silicone grease at the 1/16"hole makes a nice water and dust tight connection. They should make connections like that at the factory : )

The photo doesn't show it up well with the lens flare, but it actually appears as a series of individual beads and looks much more aesthetically pleasing than this phone camera (even though it's a Sony, and HDR) shows. I would have liked them to be brighter, they are no where near being glarey, even at night when the headlights are turned off.

I took a few more pix at work today just before dark that might show them a little better...

 

[ObsceneJesster]

Very cool Mark. Can you post the link where you got them from?

 

[markls8]

http://www.amazon.com/Alpena-77015-White-Litz-Strip/dp/B005GAGBF2

This is them, at a better price than I got, but I got them from the local Wal-Mart for easy return, and inspection, if I needed to. I spent quite a bit of time (over a 6 month period) trying to find quality ones that were suitable, there are a lot of them out there, and put off buying until the last minute hoping something perfect would surface on the market. The side-firing feature fairly unique, and is ideal for this application, IMHO. I'm sure more will surface on the market soon.

I originally wanted to outline the gorgeous curve at the headlight, but the body panels are too tight to the lens housing and would have needed some major shifting and disassembly to make work.

The wire lead (shown above) on the right light comes out the top, and the wire lead for the driver's side light needs to exit the bottom, in order for the side-firing LEDs to face forward. It was nice to figure that out ahead of time from seeing them in the store.

The is such a no-brainer mod for Ford to have done, but they abandoned developing the current models to focus on the next 2016's. The Explorer actually got criticism in the automotive press (and me) for not keeping the Ex current with simple things such as this. Especially when other Ford product lines, Edge etc, have had the improvements.