Canadian daytime running lights questions

[GirsMJ86]

I would love to have this on my 91. But my manual says it was a thing that was only offered in Canada. What I want to know is what parts are needed to put this in and how hard would it be to yank those parts and then install them.

 

What do you all think?

 

Alex

[jtdesigns]

I've seen kits where you drill a hole in the rear of your light and place a small bulb inside that turn on with the switch. Mostly on imports (hondas) though.

[DirtyComanche]

Day-time running lights? You WANT them?

 

IIRC, they weren't legally required until 95 model years. At least, my 94 dodge does NOT have them, although there might be a story to that.

 

On the YJs with them they had a seperate headlight module. Or something. And didn't show up until they were required. As was the case with almost all vehicles.

 

So it'd probably be the same story for an XJ. So you'd want a 95 or 96 I'd think, and I don't know how much of the harness you'd need or if it hasa seperate module.

 

 

However, you could set them up yourself. Turn the headlights on... Or key them to the ignition.

[GirsMJ86]

Might take a look at a 95-96 next time I am in a JY, or see what I can find from online. I would like to have em because my 91 is getting all the other bells and whistles (XJ Waggy control center, XJ OHC comp/temp, and whatever else i can throw into it) for when I get it into car show shape its sort of unique and special.

 

Alex

[Oizarod115]

Might take a look at a 95-96 next time I am in a JY, or see what I can find from online. I would like to have em because my 91 is getting all the other bells and whistles (XJ Waggy control center, XJ OHC comp/temp, and whatever else i can throw into it) for when I get it into car show shape its sort of unique and special.

 

Alex

 

i say relay and switched to the ign. don't worry about the factory method of it.

[GirsMJ86]

i say relay and switched to the ign. don't worry about the factory method of it.

 

If I can figure out a way to make only the headlights work off the ignition, and the running lights and dash lights work off the factory headlight switch I will go this route. Oh, and the factory high beams stick switch still work of course. But this is not my area, electrical stuff and me does not work out too well.

 

Alex

[jtdesigns]

you could use a resister to drop voltage down to say 7 volts then wire that into your lowbeams,, switched by a relay that turns on with the switch, then you'd need another relay to turn the 7 volt source off when you turn your lights on..

I believe you'd need a 15 omh resister to drop voltage to 7V or one 30omh to both lights.

[Eagle]

DRL were used in the Cherokees in Canada but I don't recall how early. It is done with a plug-in module. Should be easy to pull if you have access to a junkyard in Canada, or probably coupld be bought from a Jeep dealer's parts department.

 

DRL use the high beams, not the low beams, and they are voltage reduced. I don't know if it drops as far as 7 volts, though. It might be more like 9 -- in which case a ballast resistor like the one for the fuel pump might do the job. I think I would use the low beams anyway -- I find the DRLs on most GM vehicles to be rather annoying due to the fact they use the high beams.

 

If you need some help working up a circuit that'll do the job, let me know. But I would recommend trying to get the factory module. Just be aware that most folks who have the DRLs find them to be trouble-prone and if not legally required, remove the module rather than replace it.

[jtdesigns]

DRL were used in the Cherokees in Canada but I don't recall how early. It is done with a plug-in module. Should be easy to pull if you have access to a junkyard in Canada, or probably coupld be bought from a Jeep dealer's parts department.

 

DRL use the high beams, not the low beams, and they are voltage reduced. I don't know if it drops as far as 7 volts, though. It might be more like 9 -- in which case a ballast resistor like the one for the fuel pump might do the job. I think I would use the low beams anyway -- I find the DRLs on most GM vehicles to be rather annoying due to the fact they use the high beams.

 

If you need some help working up a circuit that'll do the job, let me know. But I would recommend trying to get the factory module. Just be aware that most folks who have the DRLs find them to be trouble-prone and if not legally required, remove the module rather than replace it.

 

I bet they use the bright lights because you don't use brights as much as you would lowbeams,( on an everyday driver) The bad thing with using something like resistants to drop voltage it would change voltage as the system changed voltage. like when you were sitting with the engine off it would be 12V with it running more like 13/14V ..

 

You could go with a variable resister but that goes a lot deeper into logic circuits.

 

If you could find a 12 source that was only present while the engine was running (eagle??) you could tap into that as the relays signal. That would keep the running lights off until the engine was running.

[JeepcoMJ]

running lights.

 

OK.

 

no offense but you guys are making it too technical.

 

you need support for the style of light you choose (fuses, relays, correct gage wiring)

 

then either run the power for the relay to the ignition for an always on when running, a switch so you control it, or just tie it into your running markers on the headlamp switch.

 

to be honest, you NEED relay(s), wire, lights, and the decision to put them where you want them (and have them not leak).

 

that's really ALL that is required with running lights. it is really not technical at all.

[jtdesigns]

running lights.

 

OK.

 

no offense but you guys are making it too technical.

 

you need support for the style of light you choose (fuses, relays, correct gage wiring)

 

then either run the power for the relay to the ignition for an always on when running, a switch so you control it, or just tie it into your running markers on the headlamp switch.

 

to be honest, you NEED relay(s), wire, lights, and the decision to put them where you want them (and have them not leak).

 

that's really ALL that is required with running lights. it is really not technical at all.

It sounds alot more technical then it really is.. I always thought the running lights weren't as bright as regular headlights that why I was saying drop the voltage,,

theres probably a million different ways to do it. I guess its all according to what you want.

If you grind/drill a hole into the rear of your headlight and run a few wires to a light bulb( say the same kinda bulb used in the parking light ) from s switched source inside your light. To me, that would be the simplest way to do it and have it workout correctly, instead of using the headlight filaments.

[McClare]

Mine has DRL but they don't come on with the ignition. They come on once the truck gets up to about 5km/h. I'm going to change the thermostat in it right now and I'll have a quick gander at the lights to see how they're wired. If it looks easy to take out I can grab one out of the junk yard next time I stop in

[GirsMJ86]

Mine has DRL but they don't come on with the ignition. They come on once the truck gets up to about 5km/h. I'm going to change the thermostat in it right now and I'll have a quick gander at the lights to see how they're wired. If it looks easy to take out I can grab one out of the junk yard next time I stop in

 

That would be awesome. If it is just something extra on the fuse box or board or both or whatever that would be awesome. I don't think it would be that hard to install a factory setup. I mean I managed to stick some XJ stuff in it just fine.

 

And this is what the manual for my 91 says. The don't come on with the ignition or when put into drive like newer cars, it comes on when the vehicle senses forward motion. Now I had no clue what that certain speed was, but now I do. It also says that it would make the light then come on at about 50% brightness.

 

Alex

[Duner]

I'm all for safety but do really want DRL's, my sister's 99 camaro and my mom's 05 malibu both use the front turn signal ligts as DRL's. The result is the camaro is frying and melting the light sockets and wiring because of heat build up and the malibu is starting to discolor, fog and crack the headlight lense right next to the turnsignal bulb.

 

This is a great safety tool but it is damaging both of these cars and costing money to maintain the system.

 

I think you should just buy a set driving lights and use them when you drive during the day if it is legal where you live. this way if they burn up your only out a few bucks and you don't have to mess with the jeeps wiring.

[GirsMJ86]

I'm all for safety but do really want DRL's, my sister's 99 camaro and my mom's 05 malibu both use the front turn signal ligts as DRL's. The result is the camaro is frying and melting the light sockets and wiring because of heat build up and the malibu is starting to discolor, fog and crack the headlight lense right next to the turnsignal bulb.

 

This is a great safety tool but it is damaging both of these cars and costing money to maintain the system.

 

I think you should just buy a set driving lights and use them when you drive during the day if it is legal where you live. this way if they burn up your only out a few bucks and you don't have to mess with the jeeps wiring.

 

I run with all my lights on most the time anyways, I am just trying to get a factory setup for these things since they are out there from 91 on, and mine is a 91. Only issue I see is maybe having to replace light a little bit sooner. The glass lights in our MJs don't yellow like plastic lights of today, and if I was going to get heat issues I would already have em since I turn my lights on all the time as it is. Longest I ever drive it at one time is maybe 1 hour.

 

Just got to keep in mind, going for a show truck here with all options and all the goodies that are not on a lot of these or never was offered.

 

Alex

[jtdesigns]

turning on when in motion is pretty cool... I bet thats only on mj's with abs because where is the signal of forward motion coming from?

[GirsMJ86]

turning on when in motion is pretty cool... I bet thats only on mj's with abs because where is the signal of forward motion coming from?

 

ABS... on an MJ... I didn't think that was done on the MJs, and neither was rear discs. Too bad though.

 

I have a factory owners manual for my 91, and that is exactly what it says. They come on at about 50% power when the truck senses it is moving forward. I bet it just has to hit a certain speed and it kicks on till shut off. I mean, my 91 has the headlight delay timer so that they stay on after I turn the key off. So I am sure we are all thinking this is much harder then it is.

 

Alex

[Eagle]

I think you should just buy a set driving lights and use them when you drive during the day if it is legal where you live. this way if they burn up your only out a few bucks and you don't have to mess with the jeeps wiring.

"Real" DRL use the headlight high beams, and they do drop the voltage when the lights are in DRL mode. For a show truck (I didn't know that's what you were aiming for), getting the factory module is very much the best way to go. I spent my morning drive to work thinking about how to cobble up a home-brew system that would sort of replicate the function, and by the time you account for voltage-dropping resistors AND enough relays to power the lights up with the ignition, yet NOT backfeed the dash lights and also revert to normal operation with the headlights -- you would have a lot of spaghetti under the hood.

 

If you can't score a factory DRL module, than I would second the above suggestion: use auxiliary lights, and power them through a relay that is activated by some circuit that's switched with the ignition. But I would not use "driving" lights -- those are too bright, and too narrow of a beam. I would use fog lights. In fact, I have an XJ wired up that way, but something went bad and at the moment the lights ... don't.

[bentnotbusted]

turning on when in motion is pretty cool... I bet thats only on mj's with abs because where is the signal of forward motion coming from?

 

SO... you think they put ABS on every 91-up XJ/MJ sold in Canada just so the DRL's would work? Because they were indeed mandatory from '91 on. You probably didn't realize that for the '91 model year the speedo's changed from mechanical to electronic, thus the signal to activate the lights simply comes from the same speed sensor that feeds the speedo. That being said the ones on my '91 never worked (and I never cared), but I have a '93 here scrapped that they did work properly. We've also had a '91 US model that was rigged up so that as soon as you stepped on the brake to shift from park it activated the park light circuit. I kind of liked the idea that it put on lights in both the front and rear, but as it also activated the dash lights it was hard to remember to turn on the headlights when it started getting dark. We also have a '90 US model XJ here that for some reason also has DRL's. Anyone know if that might have been an option on the Limited's? They aren't speed sensitive and activate the high beams at reduced voltage when the key is in the run position. I haven't looked real closely at the headlight wiring on that rig but it didn't appear to be a hack job.

Anyway I would guess that the original posters rig, being a '91, would have all the required wiring in place so it should be as easy a sourcing the module and plug 'n play. Good luck and if you want I can look a little closer at the '90 and see if that system could be easily (and neatly) adapted.

[jtdesigns]

 

SO... you think they put ABS on every 91-up XJ/MJ sold in Canada just so the DRL's would work?

I don't know.... sounds like 90's Chrysler to me..... lol

 

Because they were indeed mandatory from '91 on.

didn't know that either

 

You probably didn't realize that for the '91 model year the speedo's changed from mechanical to electronic, thus the signal to activate the lights simply comes from the same speed sensor that feeds the speedo.

nope sure didn't but now I do!

 

We've also had a '91 US model that was rigged up so that as soon as you stepped on the brake to shift from park it activated the park light circuit. I kind of liked the idea that it put on lights in both the front and rear, but as it also activated the dash lights it was hard to remember to turn on the headlights when it started getting dark.

I like the idea of the running lights being auto too. I didn't really think of the rear being lit up.

[McClare]

my DRL only do the headlights, not the rear lights, not the dash lights

[Eagle]

DRLs should activate only the headlights, at reduced voltage.

 

Anything else is a hack, even though it may appear to be a well-done hack.

[GirsMJ86]

Anyone find anything out, like if I can just stick a factory 91+ setup into mine and be done with it?

 

Alex

[91Pioneer]

On 10/26/2007 at 5:04 AM, Eagle said:

DRL were used in the Cherokees in Canada but I don't recall how early. It is done with a plug-in module. Should be easy to pull if you have access to a junkyard in Canada, or probably coupld be bought from a Jeep dealer's parts department.

 

DRL use the high beams, not the low beams, and they are voltage reduced. I don't know if it drops as far as 7 volts, though. It might be more like 9 -- in which case a ballast resistor like the one for the fuel pump might do the job. I think I would use the low beams anyway -- I find the DRLs on most GM vehicles to be rather annoying due to the fact they use the high beams.

 

If you need some help working up a circuit that'll do the job, let me know. But I would recommend trying to get the factory module. Just be aware that most folks who have the DRLs find them to be trouble-prone and if not legally required, remove the module rather than replace it.

Eagle, I have a 89 US Comanche, but I have imported it recently and need to get an inspection and now I need DRLs.

 

Today I picked up a 90 XJ DRL module plus wiring connector (11/89 build date) and I'd like if possible to use this to wire my truck up. My #1 preference is to use the factory module to have slightly reduced output of the headlights like stock trucks.

 

I also have a 91 Comanche and it has DRL but it has a different part number and I'm aware the newer trucks use a speed sensor and DRL only turns on when the truck goes above a certain speed.

Do you happen to have a wiring diagram for the stock 1990 XJ DRL relay? Here are the 9 wires coming out of it.

 

** I don't care about 100% perfect integration, I'm not expecting to even wire up every wire, I don't care if it's high or low beams even for my purposes, but I do like the thought of reduced power output, but not affect normal headlight operation **

My backup plan is to just wire a standard relay to the low beam headlight and wire it to come on with the ignition on.

 

[gogmorgo]

Wow. You were really digging there for a 15 year old thread.

 I dug these up somewhere during my quest to create a DRL-friendly relay harness that went nowhere. I can't make promises on wire colours because I was looking for a '91 (memory says that's not actually a '91 diagram but I don't recall which year it is) but the XJ DRL module is supposedly the same from '89 to '01 so that should still give you some hint at where everything is supposed to go. 

 

Because quality isn't great after the upload, the DRL module is the bottom right. The numbered pins on it are as follows:

1 DK BLU, goes to run position on ignition switch

2 LT BLU/BLK high beam indicator

3 vacant

4 vacant

5 RED/ORG connects to high beam circuit (between dimmer switch and bulb)

6 RED/WHT constant hot (looks like it connects within the fuse panel to the power that goes to the headlight switch?)

7 WHT/ORG vehicle speed sensor.

8 BLK/TAN ground

9 vacant

10 VIO/WHT low beam circuit (between dimmer switch and bulbs)

 

Unfortunately your wires on that connector don't agree with my diagram.

I was sorta thinking the automatic trans turned on the DRLs either as soon as you hit the key or when you put it in drive, but I can't remember and my automatic MJ is not in a place I can confirm operation. The manual trans definitely doesn't turn them on until you're rolling, hence the VSS connection. The diagrams I was looking up would've been for a manual trans I think, but until a few moments ago I was assuming they operated the same way. 

Once it's light out tomorrow I can go have a gander at the module on my '91, see what the connector on it looks like.

 

Editing to add that it just occurred to me the Renix uses a cable driven speedometer so doesn't have a VSS. Might be one more explanation as to what the wiring differences are. It's possible provisions for both were built into the module... that or the aftermarket lookups I've been using for the '89-01 thing are simply wrong.