Technical Daytime Running Lights.

[Pandabloke]

As some of you may have read in a previous post, I was trying to get the daytime running lights switched off on my Easy.

There used to be an option on the venicle menu, as there is on the 500, to turn these off. It appears that that has been removed, unfortunately. I then enquired whether there was an option further in any menus, when it was connected to Fiat software, to turn them off. Sadly, it appears that there is now no way to turn these lights off. We are stuck with them.

They are just a bit annoying. I am a chauffeur and when I am parked up, I do not really want to illuminate myself every time I want to buzz the windows down or, undertake any other function that requires the ignition on one click.

It is not the end of the world, it just cheeses me off a bit that I have lost that little bit of control of the lights. I have to do what they tell me. European legislation apparently - not relevant in this country yet, but on its way! :worship:

 

[MJG]

As some of you may have read in a previous post, I was trying to get the daytime running lights switched off on my Easy.

There used to be an option on the venicle menu, as there is on the 500, to turn these off. It appears that that has been removed, unfortunately. I then enquired whether there was an option further in any menus, when it was connected to Fiat software, to turn them off. Sadly, it appears that there is now no way to turn these lights off. We are stuck with them.

They are just a bit annoying. I am a chauffeur and when I am parked up, I do not really want to illuminate myself every time I want to buzz the windows down or, undertake any other function that requires the ignition on one click.

It is not the end of the world, it just cheeses me off a bit that I have lost that little bit of control of the lights. I have to do what they tell me. European legislation apparently - not relevant in this country yet, but on its way! :worship:

Page 18 of my manual shows the option is still there - clearly the manual needs to catch up with the vehicle spec. then.

I haven't got the L with me so can't check if the DRL on/off option is still in the menu on ours but I guess as they are both the same age it would be unlikely.

 

[portland_bill]

EU legislation has demanded that all new designs for a couple of years have DRLs and I think that all models must have them now from sometime mid 2013. Earlier vehicles have the option to turn them off as they were not required by the legislation. It is likely that this option has been removed from models falling into the "compulsory" bracket to prevent the owner committing an offence.

I think the legislators missed the point. They are trying to harmonise laws across Europe, so taking Sweden's requirement for DRLs and applying it to all of us. Sweden have had them for many years. They spend almost half the year in darkness, with little daylight. Lots get depressed, self-medicate with alcohol. They used to have a serious problem with intoxicated pedestrians and intoxicated drivers, forgetting to put lights on, meeting. Once all cars light up when started, far fewer pedestrians have walked in front of them. Most of the rest of Europe do not have this problem. But we now have the solution!
Swedish cars light up both ends. But the DRL rules don't require rear lamps, so ours light the front only. Downside, is lots of drivers who might otherwise drive on sidelights, driving on DRLs instead, with no lights at all at the rear.

Progress?

 

[Pandabloke]

Nigel, yes, it's a sort of 'one size fits all' with the DRL's I think, now. As I say it's not a major issue, just annoying. I mean it is compulsory to have headlights on at night, but they don't automatically do that for me, I get a switch to turn them on. It's not the same, I know........

I suppose I could even put a switch in on the side light circuit myself, if I was so inclined, which I'm not. Or maybe pull the relay, but I bet it's the same relay for the DRL's as it is for the side lights?

MJG, my manual shows is as a menu option if this option is on my menu, which it isn't, surprisingly enough, lol! I think the manual was prepped for models which would come out later without the switching off option and probably other changes within it too.

The only other interesting thing is that although my car is a '63 reg, it was held back by the dealer for registration purposes, so it is a bit older. Not much older than me bird's '13 plated 500 Colour Therapy, which has still has an option to turn them off........ There is even a youtube video showing how to turn them off on a 2012 500L! :bang:

I'm not anti-europe, per say, but I live on the Kent coast and can see France on a clear day. And I can tell you that that 22 miles of water was put there for a reason......